Daredevil Message Board

the truebeliever · Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 9:19 pm Post subject: Grindhouse

Hey, everybody. I've opened this topic for a few reasons. The first is to highly recommend it. I saw it when it the first day (yes, Robert Rodriguez (I'll forgive him for Spy Kids movies and the Sharkboy and Lava Girl movie) and Quentin Tarantino are my two favorite directors). This movie was really good. Granted for those who saw it the second part was slow but it makes a good intermission. Please, everyone who hasn't seen it go see it. As for you who have seen it what did you think?

james castle · Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 11:41 pm Post subject:

I loved Planet Terror. Rodriguez is awesome. He's yet to make a movie I didn't love the hell out of (and that counts Spy Kids). I walked out half way through Death Proof. I hear (and believe) that the second half with the car chase and stuff but the first half is brutal. So brutal. I understand that some people like QT's dialogue, I just don't understand those people. The idea that the dialogue is "realistic" is just mind boggling. There's a scene with four girls (the second set) sitting in a car talking and it was just too much.

Go see Planet Terror, watch the trailers (which are awesome) and then leave. That's my advice.
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the truebeliever · Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2007 4:47 pm Post subject:

Thank you. Exactly. The first part was the best. I hope and think that QT put all that dialogue in there not only because that's what he mostly does but also because that's the movies way of an intermission. I mean you could miss the first 20 or 30 minutes of the second feature and not miss anything.

daredevil-art · Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2007 2:59 pm Post subject:

I gotta balance the praise out and say I enjoyed the film a lot, but loved QT's "Death Proof" far more than "Planet Terror". I heard that slightly longer versions of both films are going to be released separately on DVD. Smile

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Dimetre · Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 2:44 am Post subject:

I have to chime in and say I enjoyed Tarantino's Death Proof more than Planet Terror. There have been more than enough zombie movies in recent years, and like most of Rodriguez's movies I found it way too silly. (The only movies of his I thought were any good were Spy Kids and Sin City.) I have yet to see a Tarantino movie (one that he directed without Rodriguez) that I haven't absolutely loved. He's the most kick-ass director working today.

the truebeliever · Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2007 11:16 pm Post subject:

Even though I love Planet Terror alot more than Death Proof I do think Death Proof is a good movie. I just believe that Planet Terror was a little more Grindhouse savvy. It felt more like a grindhouse movie. Death Proof is fine and has many grindhouse moments in the pure shock and violence and continual jumping of genres (ex. it's a slasher movie and then the last scene turns into a blaxploitation ending almost). But, I feel that when I watch something from grindhouse cinema I just can't remember them having a beginning with a 30 minute start of pure conversation then a little after that some more (even though I know that Quentin's things is good character development and in depth conversations). I think Death Proof is a good film but I give the nod more to Planet Terror because it felt more like it could be a grindhouse movie. But, don't think that I don't like Death Proof. I just wanted to clarify myself.

Now those are my thoughts on the two features. One thing we haven't touched on yet is the trailers. I loved the trailers so much. It was a great idea. And in my personal opinion, the highlight of the movie because it just pulled you into the whole experience so much more.

Dimetre · Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2007 12:19 am Post subject:

james castle · Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2007 9:46 am Post subject:

QT does "good character development and in depth conversations"? Hahaha. Since when? He has bad actors repeat "cool" lines over and over again and hopes the kiddies eat it up.

"I'm Stuntman Mike."
"Stuntman Mike?"
"Yep, Stuntman Mike."
"Well, Stuntman Mike...."

Crap.
_________________
JC

So why can't you see the funny side?
Why aren't you laughing?

Forrest · Lowlife Joined: 07 Dec 2004 Posts: 1439

I never watched Grindhouse but I will definitely say that QT can do an outstanding job with character development, based on Jackie Brown and Kill Bill. (However, I don't know about "in depth conversations.")
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the truebeliever · Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2007 12:31 pm Post subject:

What I mean by in depth conversations is that it seems normal and mundane. Not like some movies where it's all about just the plot he actually strays from the path and has the characters talk about things not even related such as in Pulp Fiction or Reservoir Dogs. It gives the characters a feeling of realism.

Solid Snake PAC · Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2007 6:54 pm Post subject:

james castle · Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2007 7:34 pm Post subject:

Sigh. I know I'm preaching against the choir here but I really don't get this love in for QT's dialogue. Everyone always trots out the same "he has great, natural dialogue" nonsense but it's just that...nonsense. For one thing, I can't think of a movie (or a sitcom even) where characters only talk about things that advance the plot. I can't even imagine what that'd be like. So what's you're saying is that QT's dialogue is like everyone else's.

Secondly, it would seem to me that if you really wanted to defend his writing (which I can't imagine why you'd want to) you'd play up the unnaturalness of his dialogue. His most quoted stuff is distinctly unnatural. It's full of super unnatural repetition and tricky, quickly spoken phrases. It's vaguely like Coen brother's dialogue (which is awesome) but, you know, not as good.

Finally, the fact that he lifts whole lines from obscure sources puts me off like crazy.

At the end of the day it's all self indulgent, Kevin Smith type hackery. Everyone spits out the same vague and contradictory reasons why it's so great and those who find it trite and ultimately boring are immediately accused of not understanding it.
_________________
JC

So why can't you see the funny side?
Why aren't you laughing?

Dimetre · Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2007 7:54 pm Post subject:

I love all of Tarantino's films, but I wouldn't really call his dialogue natural. It is super stylish. Perhaps the reason people call it natural is because he includes entire scenes in his films where the character's aren't discussing the task at hand. Travolta and Jackson's first scene in Pulp Fiction has all the "Royale with cheese" dialogue plus discussion about foot massage. Meanwhile, it turns out they're hitmen doing a job. Although the dialogue isn't natural (it's better) it feels like real-life, because real people often talk about pop culture nonsense while going about their tasks. As a result, we are allowed to connect very strongly to the characters.

I'm really a big Tarantino fan. Just a few nights ago I watched both Kill Bills back to back. So awesome. A whole bunch of Tarantino imitators sprung up after Pulp Fiction. Nobody has come close to Tarantino. And don't even try to compare him to Kevin Smith. I have seen many of his movies (I think everything but Jersey Girl and Clerks 2), and the only one that was any good was Dogma. I find much of Smith's dialogue in his films veering between pretentious and pointless. His films are so bad, I strongly believe that Guardian Devil is the greatest thing he's done, as flawed as it is.

the truebeliever · Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2007 8:59 pm Post subject:

The Message Board is currently in read-only mode, as the software is now out of date. Several features and pages have been removed. If/When I get time I intend to re-launch the board with updated software.