Hello campers!
I've got a funny feeling that Death Proof might spark some differing opinions (ie, I hope someone liked it) so here we go...
There are no spoilers in these discussion threads as I assume that everyone taking part has seen the film.
Before I get down to the nitty gritty (Dirt Band optional) I'll let you know where I am with QT:
Reservoir Dogs was banned in Ireland on initial release so, like any right-minded young man, I ventured to crawl through broken glass for a pirate copy. I loved it but I was barely 20 at the time - subsequent viewings (and I own the DVD) leave me distinctly underwhelmed. As a feature film it makes a passable stage play, nothing more.
Now Pulp Fiction was an altogether different beastie - I can remember leaving the cinema feeling that I'd just experienced something fresh and vibrant with a director who was finding his feet. Subsequent viewings (yep, I own the DVD) aren't quite so favourable and, while QT's direction is as good as I remember, I frequently cringe at the dialogue.
Nowadays I think Jackie Brown is his masterpiece. More laid back, more mature and it goes without saying that I own the DVD. The writing wasn't quite so embarrassing either, maybe it's because the source material wasn't originally in Tarantino's head.
I hated the Kill Bills but still ended up getting given them as a present. Drat!
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Which brings me to Death Proof...
Technically well-constructed scenes? Check.
Awfully smug and self reverential screenplay? Check.
Bad cameo from the director? Check.
Attempt to inject some life into the career of a middle-aged former star? Check.
Quite frankly I thought that Death Proof was a plain bad film and the main feeling I was left with was that it's just so dreadfully dull: A clatter of women talk nonsense for an hour and get killed loudly then a clatter of women talk nonsense for a further hour and kill the original killer. And that, as we say, is that.
The film moves at a snail's pace; Rosario Dawson and Kurt Russell aside, the cast are charisma free to a (wo)man and the dialogue is so damned inconsequential and, I'm repeating myself here, smart-arsed that QT would have been better off recording a couple of cokeheads reading a shopping list. It would have been more interesting...
"Oh, but it's supposed to be trashy, you joyless nerk!" I hear you say.
"But is it supposed to be sh*te as well?" I reply.
Ok, I've not seen the film as part of the full Grindhouse experience (that I don't want to is neither here nor there) and it's obvious that Death Proof on its own has more filler and padding than a 1976 Toyota Corolla from Mad Mick's Deathtraps but it surely wouldn't have been hard to cut this thing down to 80 or so minutes.
Lose some of the pointless yammering and you might have something that is a bit more palatable. I doubt it, though.
Your thoughts, MoFo? If you love or even like the movie please say so - I'm not the sort of person who savages anyone for having a different opinion to me. Just make sure you put a 'because' in your answer.
Hmmmmm, maybe it wasn't so bad after all. Nah, take a cold shower son.
I've got a funny feeling that Death Proof might spark some differing opinions (ie, I hope someone liked it) so here we go...
There are no spoilers in these discussion threads as I assume that everyone taking part has seen the film.
Before I get down to the nitty gritty (Dirt Band optional) I'll let you know where I am with QT:
Reservoir Dogs was banned in Ireland on initial release so, like any right-minded young man, I ventured to crawl through broken glass for a pirate copy. I loved it but I was barely 20 at the time - subsequent viewings (and I own the DVD) leave me distinctly underwhelmed. As a feature film it makes a passable stage play, nothing more.
Now Pulp Fiction was an altogether different beastie - I can remember leaving the cinema feeling that I'd just experienced something fresh and vibrant with a director who was finding his feet. Subsequent viewings (yep, I own the DVD) aren't quite so favourable and, while QT's direction is as good as I remember, I frequently cringe at the dialogue.
Nowadays I think Jackie Brown is his masterpiece. More laid back, more mature and it goes without saying that I own the DVD. The writing wasn't quite so embarrassing either, maybe it's because the source material wasn't originally in Tarantino's head.
I hated the Kill Bills but still ended up getting given them as a present. Drat!
--------------------------------------------------------------
Which brings me to Death Proof...
Technically well-constructed scenes? Check.
Awfully smug and self reverential screenplay? Check.
Bad cameo from the director? Check.
Attempt to inject some life into the career of a middle-aged former star? Check.
Quite frankly I thought that Death Proof was a plain bad film and the main feeling I was left with was that it's just so dreadfully dull: A clatter of women talk nonsense for an hour and get killed loudly then a clatter of women talk nonsense for a further hour and kill the original killer. And that, as we say, is that.
The film moves at a snail's pace; Rosario Dawson and Kurt Russell aside, the cast are charisma free to a (wo)man and the dialogue is so damned inconsequential and, I'm repeating myself here, smart-arsed that QT would have been better off recording a couple of cokeheads reading a shopping list. It would have been more interesting...
"Oh, but it's supposed to be trashy, you joyless nerk!" I hear you say.
"But is it supposed to be sh*te as well?" I reply.
Ok, I've not seen the film as part of the full Grindhouse experience (that I don't want to is neither here nor there) and it's obvious that Death Proof on its own has more filler and padding than a 1976 Toyota Corolla from Mad Mick's Deathtraps but it surely wouldn't have been hard to cut this thing down to 80 or so minutes.
Lose some of the pointless yammering and you might have something that is a bit more palatable. I doubt it, though.
Your thoughts, MoFo? If you love or even like the movie please say so - I'm not the sort of person who savages anyone for having a different opinion to me. Just make sure you put a 'because' in your answer.
Hmmmmm, maybe it wasn't so bad after all. Nah, take a cold shower son.
__________________
"Critics are like eunuchs in a harem; they know how the Tatty 100 is done, they've seen it done every day, but they're unable to do it themselves." - Brendan Behan
"Critics are like eunuchs in a harem; they know how the Tatty 100 is done, they've seen it done every day, but they're unable to do it themselves." - Brendan Behan