Death Proof

I never managed to get my ass to the theater earlier this year to catch Grindhouse while it was still playing. I'm sure I would have enjoyed the theatrical experience, but for me it's really about the movie anyway, so I don't feel like I missed out too terribly badly. That being said, with Death Proof released on its own this week, I was able to rent it. I think the most significant difference, which may or not be an advantage, in seeing it this way for the first time, is to see the extended cut. I'm sure the whole Grindhouse experience is a thing all to itself, to see Planet Terror, the trailers, and then Death Proof, and in a way I'll always be sorry I missed that. Then again, I've seen the full length feature of Death Proof not having any idea what was cut out for the Grindhouse version, and frankly, I don't care.

The movie works as it is. I'm sure it worked being shorter, but it probably wasn't as interesting and well-paced, and the shorter cut might not hold up on its own being separated from its half-sibling Planet Terror at its shorter length. The funny thing about all this: I think Kill Bill was ruined by being split up. Okay, not ruined, but it suffered. It was over-indulgent, and if anyone but Tarantino had made that movie, I would have been disgusted by a director being so full of himself. Why do I give QT a break? Because I don't think he made it longer so he could release two volumes and make more money in sales, and I don't think he did it because he considers himself so brilliant that nothing should ever be cut from his masterpiece...I think, in fact, I'm positive, he split up Kill Bill because he just loves movies, he's mad about cinema, and he wanted to pay homage to as many of his favorites as he could. He ended up with an indulgent shlock fest instead of a good movie, but that's okay; nobody's perfect. I don't want to get into a review of Kill Bill, but I will say I love the idea, and admire much of technique, but the execution fell flat, if you'll pardon the unintended pun.

Back to the present, and Death Proof. Once again, we have what was originally intended as one film, was in fact released as one film, split into two. And while there is certainly an element of sales involved in the decision, I refuse to fault Tarantino and Rodriguez for this element. Because I believe with all my heart they just want the films themselves to stand on their own. And not in a selfish way; I guarantee you Quentin wants to see Planet Terror be its own movie as much as he wants Death Proof to do the same; vice versa for RR. It's a selfless choice, I'm sure of it.

And it does work on its own; sure there are a few minor references to the other movie, which I have not yet seen, but nothing that detracts from my enjoyment. It's Tarantino back doing what he does best: exploring everyday interactions, under both normal and extreme circumstances, then exploding into violence. Kill Bill went off the deep end a bit; now he's back in the kiddie pool, frightening the children and creeping out the parents. I'm not quite sure what that metaphor means or where it came from, but I'll be damned if it doesn't seem perfectly accurate.