"GRINDHOUSE," TAKE 2
I saw "Grindhouse" again over the weekend. Couldn't stay away.
The movie haunted me all week, and I decided I couldn't wait for the DVD. And since I heard producer Harvey Weinstein was disappointed in the opening-weekend take, I thought I'd cast my vote for culture and buy another ticket.
Once again, Rose McGowan stole the film out from under everyone. Her portrayal of Cherry Darling is hypnotic; she somehow makes Robert Rodriguez's (albeit, intentionally) cliche-ridden dialogue ring true. And when she's firing off that machine-gun leg of hers, it's party time.
I have a new favorite film moment: the diaper-wearing adult baby jumping up and down with a teddy bear in the cellar from the trailer for "Don't." If I'm hard up for a laugh -- and who isn't from time to time? -- I need only conjur that image.
My favorite line of dialogue is still Rosario Dawson to Tracie Thoms: "Did you just hit a BOAT?"
I love how "Planet Terror" doesn't take itself seriously. The scene when you first see the Army base looks like it was shot in the back of a warehouse. If that scene were in a Tom Cruise movie, it would have been a massive complex teeming with extras, high-tech equipment and vehicles. I love the return to old-school restraint. Like the great "Terry and the Pirates" writer/artist Milton Caniff used to say, "There has to be a place to rest your eyes."
I learned from Movie Boy's blog (click here to read it) that Weinstein made some disparaging statements about "Grindhouse" when it didn't do the box office he'd expected. Said Weinstein, "We tried to do something new, and obviously we didn't do it that well."
Don't backpedal, Harv. Rodriguez, Tarantino and the guest trailer directors delivered three-hours-plus of great entertainment. I understand that the movie business is a BUSINESS, but that's no reason to denigrate their achievements.
Weinstein's idea to re-release the "Grindhouse" films as two separate features is heartbreaking to me. I'm hoping the Easter-weekend excuse plays out, and "Grindhouse" rebounds in Weekend Two.
Of course, if the audience ain't there, the audience ain't there. I'm reminded of how "Arrested Development" couldn't stay alive even after its Emmy win, but "Friends" lasted for nine seasons. People get the kind of culture they deserve.
The movie haunted me all week, and I decided I couldn't wait for the DVD. And since I heard producer Harvey Weinstein was disappointed in the opening-weekend take, I thought I'd cast my vote for culture and buy another ticket.
Once again, Rose McGowan stole the film out from under everyone. Her portrayal of Cherry Darling is hypnotic; she somehow makes Robert Rodriguez's (albeit, intentionally) cliche-ridden dialogue ring true. And when she's firing off that machine-gun leg of hers, it's party time.
I have a new favorite film moment: the diaper-wearing adult baby jumping up and down with a teddy bear in the cellar from the trailer for "Don't." If I'm hard up for a laugh -- and who isn't from time to time? -- I need only conjur that image.
My favorite line of dialogue is still Rosario Dawson to Tracie Thoms: "Did you just hit a BOAT?"
I love how "Planet Terror" doesn't take itself seriously. The scene when you first see the Army base looks like it was shot in the back of a warehouse. If that scene were in a Tom Cruise movie, it would have been a massive complex teeming with extras, high-tech equipment and vehicles. I love the return to old-school restraint. Like the great "Terry and the Pirates" writer/artist Milton Caniff used to say, "There has to be a place to rest your eyes."
I learned from Movie Boy's blog (click here to read it) that Weinstein made some disparaging statements about "Grindhouse" when it didn't do the box office he'd expected. Said Weinstein, "We tried to do something new, and obviously we didn't do it that well."
Don't backpedal, Harv. Rodriguez, Tarantino and the guest trailer directors delivered three-hours-plus of great entertainment. I understand that the movie business is a BUSINESS, but that's no reason to denigrate their achievements.
Weinstein's idea to re-release the "Grindhouse" films as two separate features is heartbreaking to me. I'm hoping the Easter-weekend excuse plays out, and "Grindhouse" rebounds in Weekend Two.
Of course, if the audience ain't there, the audience ain't there. I'm reminded of how "Arrested Development" couldn't stay alive even after its Emmy win, but "Friends" lasted for nine seasons. People get the kind of culture they deserve.
posted by Mark Voger at 3:01 PM
3 Comments:
"I have a new favorite film moment: the diaper-wearing adult baby jumping up and down with a teddy bear in the cellar from the trailer for "Don't." If I'm hard up for a laugh -- and who isn't from time to time? -- I need only conjure that image."
You know what's funny, Edgar Wright was the dude responsible for the "Don't" trailer, and he's also the dude who did "Shaun of the Dead" and the upcoming "Hot Fuzz". In the "Don't" trailer, the the two main actors from both movies have cameos. The tubby dude from "Shaun of the Dead" and "Hot Fuzz", Nick Frost, is the very dude that makes you laugh, the diaper-wearing adult baby jumping up and down with a teddy bear. Weird huh?
-Ian
Yeah, Movie Boy was just telling me that.
Many people whose opinions I respect have raved about "Shaun of the Dead." I'm down with checking it out.
I hear "Hot Fuzz" sends up all that Bruckheimer tripe. I might have to avoid that one -- sometimes parodies get too close to the originals.
I dunno man, Timothy Dalton (of "Sextette" fame) is in "Hot Fuzz". You might have to see it just because of that.
-Ian
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