QT and Death Proof
The Death Proof DVD comes out today, all extended cut and restored missing reels and the like parading on the back of the box. I read a review of it and it sounds like it's worth the money. Extra stuff is always cool, and I'm definitely interested in seeing what QT cut.
My problem with this is that Death Proof, as the theatrical cut stands, is as perfect as it's going to get.
Over in the talkback below the linked review above, Internet Wankers are striding thickly around the forum and poo-pooing the movie for its dialog and the lack of some ephemeral quality that they usually escapes them. (You can tell it escapes them because they will say something like, "Quentin lost me after Kill Bill 1" or "It's boring". If they are feeling feisty, they might ask, "Death Proof was a movie?") At this point, you can safely dismiss any further opinion they may hold regarding cinema because they've made it plain that they cannot see past the masturbatory genre squeezing that they've come to expect from Q.
You see, Death Proof is the best movie that Q has ever made. If anyone casts aspersions on his legitimacy as a filmmaker in your presence ever again, you need only point to Death Proof for a complete rebuttal. Because as great as it was, Reservoir Dogs is obviously a student project. (Yes, I know he didn't go to film school.) Pulp Fiction was him showing off. (Yes, it was still cool.) I have not seen Jackie Brown, so I can't comment. Kill Bill 1 was a lot of fun but featured significantly reduced levels of cinematic sniggering and pointing -- you see what I did there? Kill Bill 2 had a whole lot of soul and featured even less sniggering.
In Death Proof, Q let his nods and winks go under the radar, for the first time confident that people would just get it. If they didn't get it, well, they had a nice little surprise waiting for them should they ever decided to dig deeper. The decision to trust the audience more lets Q focus on the mechanics of the story and he knocks it so cold that if you're looking for more of his performance in Planet of Terror smeared across 80 minutes and a handful of characters, you'll miss it completely.
The genre play is subtle and sure-footed. By the time Zoe Bell jumps on the hood of that Charger, you don't know if anyone's going to live. In fact, you're almost certain they're all going to die. And you care so much that when Mike finally gets his just desserts, you cheer by reflex.
I've seen this movie three times in the theatre. The final two viewings were matinées and discounted shows, and the seats were sparsely populated by sneering high schoolers, a few older couples and a guy that fell asleep before the lights went down. Everyone in the theatre cheered when Mike went down and THE END popped up on the screen and again when Abernathy's heel came down on his head. All three times.
My problem with this is that Death Proof, as the theatrical cut stands, is as perfect as it's going to get.
Over in the talkback below the linked review above, Internet Wankers are striding thickly around the forum and poo-pooing the movie for its dialog and the lack of some ephemeral quality that they usually escapes them. (You can tell it escapes them because they will say something like, "Quentin lost me after Kill Bill 1" or "It's boring". If they are feeling feisty, they might ask, "Death Proof was a movie?") At this point, you can safely dismiss any further opinion they may hold regarding cinema because they've made it plain that they cannot see past the masturbatory genre squeezing that they've come to expect from Q.
You see, Death Proof is the best movie that Q has ever made. If anyone casts aspersions on his legitimacy as a filmmaker in your presence ever again, you need only point to Death Proof for a complete rebuttal. Because as great as it was, Reservoir Dogs is obviously a student project. (Yes, I know he didn't go to film school.) Pulp Fiction was him showing off. (Yes, it was still cool.) I have not seen Jackie Brown, so I can't comment. Kill Bill 1 was a lot of fun but featured significantly reduced levels of cinematic sniggering and pointing -- you see what I did there? Kill Bill 2 had a whole lot of soul and featured even less sniggering.
In Death Proof, Q let his nods and winks go under the radar, for the first time confident that people would just get it. If they didn't get it, well, they had a nice little surprise waiting for them should they ever decided to dig deeper. The decision to trust the audience more lets Q focus on the mechanics of the story and he knocks it so cold that if you're looking for more of his performance in Planet of Terror smeared across 80 minutes and a handful of characters, you'll miss it completely.
The genre play is subtle and sure-footed. By the time Zoe Bell jumps on the hood of that Charger, you don't know if anyone's going to live. In fact, you're almost certain they're all going to die. And you care so much that when Mike finally gets his just desserts, you cheer by reflex.
I've seen this movie three times in the theatre. The final two viewings were matinées and discounted shows, and the seats were sparsely populated by sneering high schoolers, a few older couples and a guy that fell asleep before the lights went down. Everyone in the theatre cheered when Mike went down and THE END popped up on the screen and again when Abernathy's heel came down on his head. All three times.