Considering that I grew up watching some 'grindhouse' pictures -- and certainly the trailers before the main event -- it took me a long time to get around to checking out one half of the Quentin Tarantino/Robert Rodriguez co-pro, Grindhouse. The two filmmakers made each a film done in the style of a so-called grindhouse flick from the 1970s. The total presentation in theatres when these were released ran a little over three hours.No need for me to regurgitate what is out there about the genesis of the two films. All I can say at this point is that Planet Terror -- Robert Rodriguez's contribution -- is a bad movie. It is fine to argue that a lot of the original flicks mimicked here were bad themselves, but you must add something to the equation or it isn't worth doing anything. The only element added to the mix is the fact that this film looks as though it was made now; references to what is happening overseas makes it clear when this movie was made. My question is, what is the point of mucking up the print to make it look like it has been around for a while?
There is a standout ingredient in this Planet: Rose McGowan. She looks and acts like she's in the right time and place. But her director couldn't follow her lead.
Rodriguez was a director with much promise. I was there when El Mariachi was first released back in 1992. This director has been a big disappointment. And Planet Terror reminded me of that loser film, From Dusk Till Dawn (1996). Why is Rodriguez so in love with boring mass zombie scenes?
3 comments:
I have to admit that both these pictures were, by definition, thin on plot. They were both, however, true to the style, which I feel was the point. I enjoyed them. Personally though, I could do without Quentin Tarantino appearing in his films.
It reminded me somewhat of From Dusk Till Dawn, which I would not call a "loser film." Planet Terror is quite entertaining and FDTD was terrific.
It may be telling about Barry that he credits Rosie McGowan for being in the right style of the genre being depicted and then says the director couldn't "follow her lead." The movie gods may smight thee Barry for not knowing the poorly kept secret that Robert Rodriguez is a control freak. Anything "right" went through him. And frankly when I saw it with an audience they picked up on a full range of humor, shock and weirdness that makes for this flick's deliberately peculiar stew.
I meant that McGowan was ahead of her own director. Rodriquez wears many hats but that does not mean that an actor might find their own groove and 'nail it'.
Interesting how that works.
Hopefully the "movie gods" have seen an authentic Grindhouse film! Now those films were, yes, fun!
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