13 Nights of Shocktober: Grindhouse (2007)

 by A.J.

Night 1: Double Feature Night

Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez are back! But this time they’re Back to Back!

Grindhouse

13 Nights of Shocktober 2024 is starting with double feature night and there’s only one movie that fits the bill: the epic length Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez collaboration, Grindhouse. “Grindhouses” were rundown movie houses that would show low budget exploitation movies (horror, action, crime, even kung fu), usually as a double feature. The idea behind this film was to recreate the experience so Rodriguez and Tarantino each made their own modern “grindhouse” movies with Edgar Wright, Rob Zombie, and Eli Roth contributing fake trailers to play before each movie. After Grindhouse did poorly at the box office, the studio behind the movie, The Weinstein Company, split the movies up for the home video/DVD release with extra scenes added to each feature. This is the most common way to find Planet Terror and Death Proof, but the theatrical combination version of each movie eventually made its way to Blu-ray. So, you can play each movie back to back, track down the full Grindhouse version, or only watch whichever one sounds more appealing. The great thing about Robert Rodriguez’s Planet Terror and Quentin Tarantino’s Death Proof is that they work together and separately, so whichever way you choose to watch you’re in for a great time. 

First up is Robert Rodriguez’s Planet Terror, a special effects heavy gross-out zombie movie about a virus that spreads over the course of a single night. The key phrase for this movie is “over-the-top.” The dialogue is ridiculous and there are a lot of things that just don’t make sense, but that’s part of the fun. The most ridiculous thing is also the movie’s signature image: Rose McGowan with a machine gun leg. How does it work? Doesn’t matter. Freddy Rodriguez plays the role of a mysterious former government agent with an intensity and seriousness that might seem out of place, but are actually perfect for the overall comedic tone. My favorite scene is when he’s finally given guns and twirls them with such ferocity that all the other characters are shocked and mesmerized, causing Jeff Fahey to say, “That boy’s got the devil in him.” Unlike a real grindhouse movie from the 1970’s, the special effects in Plant Terror are very well done. They are also very gross. The virus causes people to decay and develop pulsing boils that only get bigger and grosser. So, if the first time a patient shows up at the hospital with a bloody sore and you don’t like it, know that the movie will only get grosser, but also funnier. 

Tarantino noted that grindhouse double features never paired similar movies, even if they were in the same genre. So because Rodriguez already had his zombie movie written, Tarantino decided to come up with a horror movie that could actually happen. Death Proof is Tarantino’s version of a slasher movie but instead of wearing a mask and killing girls with a knife, this killer wears no mask and kills girls with his car. The villain and star is Kurt Russell as Stuntman Mike, who stalks two groups of girls throughout the movie. The first group and the first half of Death Proof are located in Austin. We get to know the Austin girls who just hangout and drink, just like characters in the first part of a slasher movie. Then Stuntman Mike actually becomes a big character. Russell brings all of his rugged charm to the role but he also conveys a thinly veiled menace and aggression. Just like Freddy Kruger, he really enjoys toying with his victims and, of course, the ultimate kills. Without giving away a potential spoiler, about halfway through,  Death Proof resets. This is a major weakness if you’re watching Grindhouse because when the second group of girls is introduced you feel like yet another movie has started. Now we have to get to know those girls, all crew members of a movie production, but this is also when Death Proof becomes something special. Again, without giving away too much, this group (Zoe Bell, Rosario Dawson, Tracie Thoms) turns the tables on Stuntman Mike and show that they are not just the final girls; they are badass protagonists. Stuntman Mike’s personality flip makes for an even better performance from Russell. It’s clear that the second half of Death Proof is what Tarantino was really interested in; all of the grindhouse gimmicks (artificial scratches, missing scenes, color saturation) from Planet Terror and the first half of Death Proof are gone. 

You’ll usually hear that Death Proof is the better movie and I would not argue. However, Planet Terror is a very entertaining and lively experience on every viewing. The jokes still land and the gimmicks still work. When placed before Death Proof , Planet Terror might even top Death Proof since it is clearly the more action packed of the two. However--on its own with additional scenes, or as part of Grindhouse--Death Proof offers a slightly different experience on each viewing. The amazing and ultra thrilling car chase and unexpected ending make up for any lulls in pacing, and if you’re watching Grindhouse it's a great way to close a 3 hour movie. So whether you watch them together as Grindhouse or separately, you’re in for an incredible one of a kind experience.

Planet Terror and Death Proof are available to stream for free on Tubi.