Grindhouse 2nd Half Begins - Death Proof
So, Planet Terror just ended but the ride wasn’t over yet. There were 1.5 more hours of movie to go! This one is titled Death Proof and was written and directed by the legendary Quentin Tarantino. These were two separate movies but were released as one and rolled back-to-back. Yes, there were ties between the two. They were very subtle but there, nonetheless. Strap your seat belts because this one is a wild ride. There’s the green light – let’s go.
Quentin Tarantino is a Genius - The Story
Tarantino is a genius, and you cannot go wrong with his movies. Death Proof is just more proof of this. Many movies have been on my television, phone, computer, etc. but nothing like this one. The basic story is that a stuntman (named Stuntman Mike) played by Kurt Russell stalks groups of women and uses his muscle car (a 1970 Nova prepped for stunt work) to murder them. Eventually, he trades this in for a 69 Dodge Charger with a duck hood emblem. Yeah, it’s wild but this is a grindhouse movie so outlandish stories are to be expected in this genre. The movie is long and packed with fast cars, girls, awesome acting, stunts, and a great story.
8 Great Characters in Death Proof
The main thing that stood out to me in this movie is character development. All 8 of the girls featured have a backstory and a personality that Tarantino goes to great lengths to divulge. Overall, very little happens in this movie. Most of the action makes up roughly the last 20 minutes of this 2-hour and 7-minute movie. So, a whopping majority of time is spent developing the characters. By the end of each section, there are two, you feel like you belong in these girls’ circle of friends. Cameras take you on road trips, to bar hangouts, and on adventures to find elusive muscle cars. Of the characters, my two favorites are Arlene played by Vanessa Ferlito, and Kim played by Tracie Thoms. The first is a Brooklyn girl (based on her accent) and the latter is a pistol-toting fast driving bad, well you know.
Death Proof Has Artistic Qualities
Death Proof was impressive from an artistic perspective too. One of the most mind-blowing parts for me was just after the section starts. One of the females drops a quarter into the slot of a machine and when it hits the change reservoir, the color changes from black and white to color. The shot angles in this movie add to the collective creativity. Cameras are pointed at a guardrail slightly upward, so you see the rear of the muscle cars as they race by. In one scene, one of the girls is riding on the hood of a 1971 Dodge Challenger. The camera is inside the car, so the shot is down her back as they swerve around corners and blaze down abandoned country roads. The action is thrilling and grabbing – you can almost feel your chest being sucked back by the g force of these classic American muscle cars.
Classic Grindhouse - "The End"
Character builds then a lot of action, repeat, and an ending out of nowhere. That’s the gist of this one. The closing scene is a celebratory jump that freezes the characters in midair with the words “The End” spread across the screen just like the grindhouse movies of the past. This follows a circle beatdown by our heroines of Stuntman Mike. It was one he did not expect either. No amount of roll cages could prepare him for the pack of girls he spent the last 20 minutes racing and trying to run off the road.
A 1970 Dodge Challenger Thunders into the Sunset
On a final note, I have one problem with this movie. It’s really the same problem I have with all the movies or shows that feature old cars like this. How many classic cars were destroyed in the filming of this movie? I would love to have a Charger, Nova, or Challenger but when you destroy these pieces of history, that makes it harder for people like me. Not to mention, you are destroying history. Of course, it did make a great movie. If you want to read more about the cars in this movie, you can check out a good article I found here. Another one can be read here.
If you’ve seen this movie, who was your favorite character? Does anyone know what inspired the Stuntman Mike killer idea for Tarantino? I’d love for you to leave your thoughts on this movie below. Please check out my mixed-media artwork here, my digital art here, thumb through my photography here, read more of my blogs here, and follow me on all social media here. All likes, shares, subs, and follows are appreciated.