Grindhouse (Tarantino/Rodriguez, 2007)

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Jeff
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#1 Post by Jeff » Sun Jul 23, 2006 8:31 pm

Coming Soon:
Directors Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino world premiered footage from their new exploitation double feature Grindhouse at the San Diego Comic-Con on Saturday. The clip shown was cobbled together from the first of the two features – the Rodriguez-directed "Planet Terror" – a zombie flick.

The footage shown – with an intentional grainy, camp-like effect – kicked off with a sheriff's deputy busting into his cop shot ranted about just having his finger bitten off by a suspect he arrest. The other deputies and sheriff in the office all grab guns and proceed out to the cruiser. The cops stalk the cruiser but the detainee has escaped through a shattered rear window. The deputy asks if they see his finger. They don't... but they do find his ring.

From here the clip cuts to trailer-type piece for an anti-hero named Machete! – a tough looking biker type that wears a trench coat lined with very long knives and swords.

Then bam! – another segway, but this one goes into full on zombie action. It is unclear where the zombies are coming from, but a hospital seemed to play a central role. Freddy Rodriguez and Rose McGowan are there. Rose's character, Cherry, had an unfortunate scrape and has lost her right leg above the knee. When Rodriguez tries to get her to flee the now undead infested hospital, she exclaims "I don't have a leg!" This moves Rodriguez to walk over to a nearby table, break off one of its legs and jam it on the end of McGowan's bandaged stump. "You do now!" he says.

More zombie action follows as the two escape the hospital. In a later scene, Rodriguez offers McGowan a gift – a heavy-duty machine gun that clips onto her stump. Now with a machine gun as a leg, McGowan mows down several zombies with one, effective round-kick spray!

Tarantino, whose "Death Proof" (a slasher movie and the second of the Grindhouse features) starts shooting in about four weeks, told attendees at the Con that he always wanted to make a exploitation film that lived up to the cool poster artwork that accompanied most of the vintage exploitation movies.

"We're going to make two, sleazy grindhouse movies that will deliver on the posters… and beyond!" said Tarantino. "This isn't some Twilight Zone the Movie f*cking thing. This is not a faux double feature. This is two f*cking movies for the price of one! You're $10 will be well spent at the Grindhouse, baby!"

Rodriguez said the "Planet Terror" shoots were solely at night and that he is talking with John Carpenter about providing music for the feature.

Tarantino also added that he would like to make two anime "Kill Bill" prequels. The first would be an origin film about Bill and his mentors, while the second would be another tale including The Bride.
Press Release:
Quentin Tarantino Grinds Out New Cast
Saturday July 22, 5:00 pm ET
Kurt Russell and Zoe Bell, Rosario Dawson, Vanessa Ferlito, Jordan Ladd, Rose McGowan, Sydney Tamiia Poitier, Marley Shelton, Tracie Thoms and Mary Elizabeth Winstead Cast in Quentin Tarantino's Segment of the Highly Anticipated Film GRINDHOUSE co-directed with Robert Rodriguez.

SAN DIEGO, July 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Quentin Tarantino has cast Kurt Russell ("The Thing," "Escape from New York"), Zoe Bell ("Kill Bill"), Rosario Dawson ("Sin City," "Rent," "Clerks II"), Vanessa Ferlito ("24," "CSI: NY," "Shadowboxer"), Jordan Ladd ("Waiting," Eli Roth's "Cabin Fever"), Rose McGowan ("Charmed," "Scream," and Robert Rodriguez's "Planet Terror"), Sydney Tamiia Poitier ("Veronica Mars," "Joan of Arcadia"), Marley Shelton ("Sin City," "Planet Terror"), Tracie Thoms ("Rent") and Mary Elizabeth Winstead ("Final Destination 3," upcoming "Bobby" and "Black Christmas"), in his segment of GRINDHOUSE, the highly anticipated double feature he is making with Robert Rodriguez, which will include two films joined by faux ads and trailers. Rodriguez's PLANET TERROR, will be a zombie film, while Tarantino's section, DEATH PROOF, will be a slasher flick. The announcement was made today by Quentin Tarantino and Dimension Films in front of over 6000 film fans at the 2006 San Diego Comic Con International, an annual convention for comic book and genre pop culture fans with over 100,000 attendees.

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The ensemble cast for Rodriguez's PLANET TERROR includes Freddy Rodriguez ("Poseidon," "Six Feet Under," "Dead Presidents"), Rose McGowan, Josh Brolin ("Into The Blue," "Hollow Man"), Naveen Andrews (ABC's "Lost"), Marley Shelton, Michael Biehn ("Alien," "The Abyss"), Stacy Ferguson (also known as Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas, "Poseidon"), Jeff Fahey ("Dark Hunters," "Wyatt Earp"), and Michael Parks ("Kill Bill," "From Dusk Till Dawn").

GRINDHOUSE will be shot in the tradition of the '70s exploitation films that have significantly influenced both Rodriguez and Tarantino.

Rodriguez is currently in production on PLANET TERROR in Austin, Texas, with Elizabeth Avellan serving as producer. Tarantino is scheduled to begin shooting DEATH PROOF in Austin in August. Erica Steinberg and Elizabeth Avellan are serving as producers.

GRINDHOUSE will be released in theatres nationwide on Easter weekend - April 6, 2007.

Sandra Condito, vice president of production and development, Shannon McIntosh, executive vice president of production and post production, and Richard Saperstein, president of production, are overseeing the project on behalf of Dimension Films, reporting to Bob Weinstein.
Last edited by Jeff on Sat Sep 09, 2006 12:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Cinesimilitude
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#2 Post by Cinesimilitude » Sun Jul 23, 2006 9:13 pm

some tidbits reported on AICN...
- Each segment are real movies, not 1 hour each. You literally get a double feature. Tarantino says "This isn't something I'm doing with Robert... This is MY next movie. This is ROBERT's next movie."

- Quentin's script is 130 pages, Robert's is 110 pages long

- Michael Park's Texas Ranger Earl McGraw will appear in both PLANET TERROR and DEATH PROOF.

- Tarantino will shoot film on his

- Tarantino also said the faux trailers for the films are so good that if he and Rodriguez make GRINDHOUSE 2 the audience will demand to see the feature movies from the trailers of GRINDHOUSE, they're that cool.

- Quentin said that PLANET TERROR is the zombie film John Carpenter would have done around the time between ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK and THE THING. That's the tone, at least.

- KILL BILL sequels? Tarantino said after he does GRINDHOUSE he has an idea for two KILL BILL anime prequels he wants to start going. One focuses on Bill's back story and it'll have Pai Mei, Esteban Vihaio and Hatori Hanzo, all of Bill's father figures. The other would be a prequel on The Bride. I'd assume on assignment as an assassin, but that's my speculation.
If they are both 90 minutes with 10-15 mins of trailers inbetween, it'd be comparable to the length of King Kong and Return of the King, so it's feasible that this will be released as a whole.

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justeleblanc
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#3 Post by justeleblanc » Sun Jul 23, 2006 11:47 pm

Another reason to hate Tarrantino.

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Polybius
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#4 Post by Polybius » Mon Jul 24, 2006 12:51 am

Rose <hyperventilating> McGowan <hyperventilating>

This is right up her alley. I'll be interested to see how this comes out, although I'm about as sick of Tarantino's latter day over the top style as I am Kevin Smith's Jersey rut.

I'm glad she's in the Rodriguez one. I have a lot more confidence in him coming off of Sin City than I do in QT.

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Antoine Doinel
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#5 Post by Antoine Doinel » Mon Jul 24, 2006 1:01 am

I loved Sin City and really didn't care for Kill Bill in the least, so I'm really looking forward to the Rodriguez half. While both borrow liberally from genre films, at least Rodriguez doesn't feel the need to wink knowingly at his audience every five seconds.

Cinesimilitude
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#6 Post by Cinesimilitude » Mon Jul 24, 2006 1:29 am

I loved Kill Bill, Loved Sin City, and love exploitation films. I'm pumped for this.

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Cold Bishop
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#7 Post by Cold Bishop » Mon Jul 24, 2006 7:16 am

SncDthMnky wrote:I loved Kill Bill, Loved Sin City, and love exploitation films. I'm pumped for this.
I'll have to second that... While this film probably won't change the way I look at films, it's bound to entertain me for 3 hours, and with regards to the rest of the popcorn pap put out by Hollywood, it's nice to see purely entertaining films that are actually done well for a change.

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Fletch F. Fletch
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#8 Post by Fletch F. Fletch » Mon Jul 24, 2006 9:39 am

SncDthMnky wrote:I loved Kill Bill, Loved Sin City, and love exploitation films. I'm pumped for this.
Me too. I also like the notion that Rodriguez is going for a John Carpenter-type vibe. Very cool...

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Polybius
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#9 Post by Polybius » Tue Jul 25, 2006 6:05 am

Antoine Doinel wrote:I loved Sin City and really didn't care for Kill Bill in the least, so I'm really looking forward to the Rodriguez half. While both borrow liberally from genre films, at least Rodriguez doesn't feel the need to wink knowingly at his audience every five seconds.
Exactly. As Dave Letterman used to say, "You have crystalized my thoughts eloquently."


Narshty
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#11 Post by Narshty » Thu Aug 10, 2006 8:18 am

Antoine Doinel wrote:I loved Sin City and really didn't care for Kill Bill in the least, so I'm really looking forward to the Rodriguez half. While both borrow liberally from genre films, at least Rodriguez doesn't feel the need to wink knowingly at his audience every five seconds.
At the same time, Rodriguez's work doesn't display half the care and attention of Tarantino's. By and large, there's a faintly disappointing "that'll do" approach, whereby Tarantino has a meticulousness on all levels of his films that goes a long way in my book, even if I find much of his work a bit precious.

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Antoine Doinel
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#12 Post by Antoine Doinel » Thu Aug 10, 2006 9:04 am

You're kidding right? I would like to know what parts of Sin City were handled with such a laissez faire attitude. Even in Four Rooms, Rodriguez section was blessed with a cohesion and timing that the rest of the shorts failed to even get close to (hell, it was the only enjoyable part of that piece of dreck).

Napoleon
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#13 Post by Napoleon » Thu Aug 10, 2006 9:59 am

This
Narshty wrote:By and large, there's a faintly disappointing "that'll do" approach
sums up Once Upon A Time In Mexico perfectly. I think he got bored five minutes into doing the screenplay and just went out and shot it anyhow.

For Sin City Miller had done all that boring paperwork for him.

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Antoine Doinel
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#14 Post by Antoine Doinel » Thu Aug 10, 2006 11:00 am

Oh sure, there are problems with his scripts (not that Tarantino is infalliable either, as his writing can be so self-consciously "hip" at times its nauseating) but I don't think his approach to the actual shooting of his movies could be described as "that'll do".

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The Invunche
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#15 Post by The Invunche » Thu Aug 10, 2006 11:29 am

Ok, then how about "I gotta leave early"?

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Fletch F. Fletch
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#16 Post by Fletch F. Fletch » Thu Aug 10, 2006 12:58 pm

n w wrote:This
Narshty wrote:By and large, there's a faintly disappointing "that'll do" approach
sums up Once Upon A Time In Mexico perfectly. I think he got bored five minutes into doing the screenplay and just went out and shot it anyhow.

For Sin City Miller had done all that boring paperwork for him.
I don't think it's necessarily that either. You watch any of the extras for any of Rodriguez's DVDs and the man clearly has a passion for all the movies he works on and for all aspects of the filmmaking process -- that's why he does so many different jobs on them. However, the man has never been known as a great screenwriter and I think his scripts (that he writes himself) tend to suffer a tad because he spreads himself out on other jobs (cinematographer, editor, composer, director, etc.,) a little too much but let's face it, you're not watching his movies for the nuanced characterization and thought-provoking dialogue. His movies perform their function -- they entertain -- and they do it very well, IMO. I like his movies because they have no other pretense but to be fun, popcorn movies. Of course, there are varying degrees of success with his movies but that's par for the course for any filmmaker.

Cinesimilitude
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#17 Post by Cinesimilitude » Fri Aug 11, 2006 3:03 am

I think that's it. Rodriguez himself states on his commentaries that he just goes with instinct, and doesnt even care about continuity. now, since sin city's background is mostly cg, there are other people worrying about that for him. I wonder how effects heavy these two will be...rodriguezs probably more than tarantino's, but he might want to get back to reality a bit, as a break from the greenscreen box sin city 2 and 3 will be shot in.

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Toshiro De Niro
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#18 Post by Toshiro De Niro » Fri Aug 11, 2006 11:08 pm

Sometimes I wish Tarantino wouldn't be so meticulous just so that I could see more of his films. Being a perfectionist means working for future generation. Can't wait.

rs98762001
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#19 Post by rs98762001 » Sat Aug 12, 2006 12:42 am

Toshiro De Niro wrote:Sometimes I wish Tarantino wouldn't be so meticulous just so that I could see more of his films. Being a perfectionist means working for future generation. Can't wait.
For such an alleged perfectionist, his filmography is pretty mediocre.

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Toshiro De Niro
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#20 Post by Toshiro De Niro » Thu Aug 17, 2006 6:31 am

there are groups of fans for every one of his films. There's no objective opinion on which of his movies is his best. He applies same high standards to every film he makes. (his movies are far from mediocre. Maybe not someone's cup of tea though)

Napoleon
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#21 Post by Napoleon » Thu Aug 17, 2006 6:59 am

rs98762001 wrote:For such an alleged perfectionist, his filmography is pretty mediocre.
It pains me to defend Tarantino, but if you think Jackie Brown and Reservoir Dogs are mediocre then I don't think you know what mediocre means.

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exte
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#22 Post by exte » Thu Aug 17, 2006 11:27 am

As a side note, how many times do I have to see people imitating that walk in the beginning in Reservoir Dogs in every commercial these days? It's utterly classic, and people are still ripping it off.

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Antoine Doinel
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#23 Post by Antoine Doinel » Thu Aug 17, 2006 12:05 pm

I think it boils my blood even more that Peckinpah isn't recognized as the overt influence Tarantino used for that very sequence.

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Andre Jurieu
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#24 Post by Andre Jurieu » Thu Aug 17, 2006 12:45 pm

Antoine Doinel wrote:I think it boils my blood even more that Peckinpah isn't recognized as the overt influence Tarantino used for that very sequence.
It's not like Tarantino doesn't admit it (whoa, double negative, whoa). He regularly mentions his appreciation for The Wild Bunch.

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jorencain
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#25 Post by jorencain » Thu Aug 17, 2006 9:12 pm

Exactly... who is going to "recognize Peckinpah"? Should "influenced (or 'stolen', if that's what you want) from Sam Peckinpah" be flashed on the screen during that scene? If people get the reference, that's great. If not, no big deal. It's still cool. I'm a musician, and if I play a lick I stole from Charlie Parker in the middle of a sax solo, nobody would think less of me. That is encouraged as part of the process. Music and movies are very different, I know, but people in all of the arts are influenced by what came before them.

I don't understand the constant anger towards Tarantino for "stealing" from people....he knows he does it. He genuinely loves and is influenced by a bunch of movies, and he owns up to it. I think he's completely sincere in his moviemaking, but you may still think he's a hack. That's totally fine. But I don't think Quentin Tarantino has ever tried to sell himself as completely original.

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