I usually just write about movies but lately I've been working on some film projects. I'll get to that in a second. This weekend I saw Grindhouse. A double feature homage to grindhouse cinema by pulp Directors Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino. The two features, Planet Terror(RR) and Death Proof(QT) combined for a 3 hour romp full of deliberate grainy footage, cut scenes and even fake trailers. My favorite by a landslide was Rodriguez's Planet Terror, a classic B-movie zombie flick with a budget. Its full of fun characters and cameos, including Bruce Willis and of course Fergie, who no one can take seriously anymore since Alanis Morrisette shat on her face. It was fun, not to sound like the retarded guy on Howard Stern but, I GIVE IT A 10! On the other hand, Tarantino's Death Proof left me with mixed feelings. I expected more from him, sure it had the good dialogue but kind of lacked a strong story. It wasn't bad, but it just wasn't B-movie fun like Planet Terror. If nothing else, check out Grindhouse for the fake trailers, high comedy.speaking of those that are good and not good in my book, UVC-TV19 is having their 2nd annual film festival April 26th, 7pm in the Cape Cod Lounge. I used to work there for a while until I quit last semester. So consider this my 1st and last shout out to them. If you wanna check out some short films you should come. I actually have my own entry in there that I did with a buddy of mine. He was more the creative force behind it and I was more of a producer. I don't really feel like writing about it so just ask me if your curious.
Oh but the short film fun doesn't end there. Tuesday(before class) and Wednesday i'll be shooting a promo with that same friend for WBUR in Boston. We then have to edit it for our friday deadline. I also have to edit another promo for my Brother-In-laws fundraiser, so hopefully i'll be done with that at some point. Saturday i'll be in Boston acting in my friends film project, you know because i'm a regular combo of Al Pacino, Dustin Hoffman and John Cusack and all. I'll also be doing some cinematography work for his short film planned for may. And there's more to come i'm sure, so i'll be keeping busy from here on out. And...since i have nothing else to add, here's a hot picture of my new girlfriend...
9 comments:
I'd hit it
I heard that Death Proof was the first actual "Tarantino" film that had been made since Jackie Brown. Confirm or deny this?
Interesting that you liked Planet Terror and disliked Death Proof. The in the New York Times' review, A.O. Scott says that Planet Terror is "a joke that goes on for too long without much purpose beyond its own frantic inventiveness". Ouch.
I'm pretty ambivalent about Grindhouse actually. I usually like Rodriguez and Tarantino, and I appreciate film nostalgia, but I'm uneasy or troubled by exploitation films that are just for entertainment and don't try to examine the sketchy historical circumstances that led to the popularity of such films.
My life is pretty hard.
Eh Leslie I think you're overthinking (or being pretentious, hopefully not) the whole Grindhouse deal.
I see an ultra-violent, stylized movie like this or 300, and I think to myse;f "I like blood, guts, hot women, gore, action, guns, so cool, this should be fun". I don't think about the history surrounding the film's creation (Grindhouse is certainly not an epic movie or timepiece, and 300 isn't historically accuratet). Caring about that or plot holes is just going to make it worse for me, that's not the reason I'm seeing the movie.
That said, Grindhouse was a great amount of fun. The fake trailers were excellent (esp. Machete and Don't), Planet Terror had lots of campy humor mixed in with carnage and fun cameos. Death Proof actually sucked with the long-winded, mostly pointless dialogue and subplots, but like I had read in other reviews, the car chase scenes made up for most of it. Fact of the matter is, when it was over, the majority of people in the theater stood up and clapped (granted it was 88% full or so, but it's a Sunday night so). Box office numbers don't tell the whole story, and I believe this will be a real cult hit when it hits DVDs.
Brett, I completely get what you're saying. I think it's becoming apparent, though, that I just have different concerns as a film viewer. I'm not made of wood; I'm not immune to the cool factor of "blood, guts, hot women, gore, action, guns", but I guess I'm always (pretentiously or not) going to question why these things are "cool" to begin with. I respond viscerally to these elements, like any good film fan, but I try to ask myself where that response comes from, and whether that response might be problematic. I'm an English grad student...overthinking is my bread and butter.
I know, I'm a total stick in the mud.
comon people, don't let tarantino fuel blog drama!
ALRIGHT LESLIE YOU WANT TO THROW DOWN THE BLOG GAUNTLET, LET'S GET IT ON! I CHALLENGE YOU TO A HARDCORE, NO-DISQUALIFICATION HELL IN THE CELL BLOG MATCH, WINNER GETS NOTHING BUT SATISFACTION OF BEING RIGHT IN HIS OR HER OWN MIND
(in a Vince McMahon voice) "TONIGHT! ALL HELL WILL BREAK LOOSE! ITS BURDAMANIA V.S THE BADASS BRADSHAW! ITS "THE DOG FIGHT FOR THE BLOG RIGHT"! ITS HELL!...IN A CELL!!!"
Hell in the Cell? Will J-Lo be present? If this is a tag-team cage match, I call J-Lo.
Game on, brother. Game on.
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