Grind House

[john]

EXCLUSIVE: Harvey Very Disappointed; May Re-Release 'Grindhouse' As 2 Pics

Not surprised at all. And while many will complain, the films will come back together in their original visions on DVD. Europe and other countries are just getting fucked, but what Weinstein is doing isn't even that bad. Even back in the 1970s, if a cut was poorly received by the audience the studio would not only re-cut the film, but come close to destroying the original print. Some filmmakers had to go extreme measures to ensure their version would not be lost to a vault where it was likely to age and disintegrate at a very quick pace.

I'll be curious to see if they do come back together on DVD. Everything I've read seems to indicate that the video rights to each title were sold individually. I think, eventually, they might release them on DVD together, preserving the double feature feel.... but definitely not at first. I'm fine with that, too. Because, at home, you make your own double feature. Hell, make it a triple feature. Make it whatever you want.

I think splitting them up theatrically, however, is absurd. It exemplifies every stupid fucking decision Weinstein and Co. have already made with this film... from the lack of publicity, to releasing it Easter fucking weekend.

Lazy audiences who didn't give a shit about it the first time certainly aren't going to give a shit about it split in two and rereleased to them. Weinstein seems so disassociated with the logic behind what he does and what actually works. It's just scrambling to mkae money.

But, fuck it, I saw it twice last weekend, I got my fix... now I just want to see how all this plays out. Either way, it's going to be the most interesting theatrical release in years.... especially if they go through with this rerelease...

Which, I'm guessing, they won't. No matter how deluded Harvey is... he's got lots of people that can show him cold, hard numbers  of what the two films will make a second time around.

I dunno...

At least he let them make it at all, really, and stands by it as a film (kind of.) Not that he'd tell either of those guy "no" to anything.

I'm a bit bummed that we probably won't see a theatrical sequel. I'm sure Weinstein will use the title, give Tarantino and Rodriguez Producer credits and milk some shitty direct-to-DVD sequels out of the whole thing. Which will be fun and all, but the fun it could have been.

And, if the rerelease does happen... I probably will skip seeing Planet Terror again, but a longer Death Proof will be right up my alley.

[Gold Trumpet]

the thing is, Weinstein isn't doing anything that another studio head wouldn't be doing. If Tarantino and Rodriguez really wanted to protect the sanctity of their Grind House idea, they would have made both features much shorter and not have left so much extra footage laying around for a studio to utilize.

That is really how they would have protected it. John Ford used to make films with so little coverage and extra takes that went beyond his vision so he could gurantee that the studio would have to keep his version intact because they had no other choice.

Both filmmakers gave the studios extra choices with making movies that could easily play individually. If they wanted the Grind House idea to really stick, they should have made films lack certain essentials to be feature length films. Neither Death Proof or Planet Terror look like simple side projects. They look like full movies.

It isn't right for both films to be split, but it was definitely a likely risk everyone knew was possible. No, I don't think this idea will salvage a US run but I didn't think the idea would stick with audiences in the first place. I think more money will be made by splitting them for a world release. And that is the sad truth.

And yea, a DVD of both of them together at first is unlikely, but will eventually become a reality.

[The Red Vine]

It isn't right for both films to be split, but it was definitely a likely risk everyone knew was possible. No, I don't think this idea will salvage a US run but I didn't think the idea would stick with audiences in the first place. I think more money will be made by splitting them for a world release. And that is the sad truth.

I agree. I don't think the film will make a profit over this new idea. But let this be a fair warning to XIXAX.

SEE THE FULL "GRINDHOUSE" WHILE YOU STILL CAN IN THEATERS.

[cron]

So we should stop expecting you to go serious on us, especially since you're having fun?
Well, look, I'm not just having fun. I'm an artist, all right? I'll put my dialogue up against Preston Sturges's. I'll put my dialogue up against Mark Twain. I'm still writing. I'm still doing my thing. I'm just doing it in the genres I'm feeling.

go and eat shit.

dearly
-cronopio.

[modage]

SEE THE FULL "GRINDHOUSE" WHILE YOU STILL CAN IN THEATERS.

guess what?  the Weinsteins just achieved their goal.  there is no way they will split these up for a re-release in the US.  the first DVD we see will be GRINDHOUSE just as it has come out.  later on down the road perhaps we'll get the extended versions.

[The Red Vine]

SEE THE FULL "GRINDHOUSE" WHILE YOU STILL CAN IN THEATERS.

guess what?  the Weinsteins just achieved their goal.  there is no way they will split these up for a re-release in the US.  the first DVD we see will be GRINDHOUSE just as it has come out.  later on down the road perhaps we'll get the extended versions.

It just doesn't make sense to split them up. Kind of defeats the whole point, so I hope you're right.

So we should stop expecting you to go serious on us, especially since you're having fun?
Well, look, I'm not just having fun. I'm an artist, all right? I'll put my dialogue up against Preston Sturges's. I'll put my dialogue up against Mark Twain. I'm still writing. I'm still doing my thing. I'm just doing it in the genres I'm feeling.

GO FUCK YOURSELF QUENTIN!

[Ghostboy]

I just got back from it, and I think pretty much everyone's summed up my own opinion perfectly well already, but I would like to reiterate the fact that the middle part of Death Proof is fucking awful. I hated it. So much that I think I actually fell asleep. And then.... as cool as the car chase is from a technical point of view, it's still really annoying every time he cuts to the girls saying "I'm gonna fuck him!" etc. And the tonal switch was needless, too. It pretty much went downhill after that first vehicular kill and Michael Park's great monologue. It should have ended there.

Planet Terror was a lot of fun, though. The bit with the kid and the gun....priceless! I was thinking how great it would be if that happened, and then it did and I was as happy as a kid on Christmas.

And the trailers didn't let me down at all - I think they were actually my favorite part. Thanksgiving and Don't being the highlights, of course. But Rob Zombie's just reminded me of how much better of a grindhouse movie The Devils Rejects was than anything in this.

[john]

SEE THE FULL "GRINDHOUSE" WHILE YOU STILL CAN IN THEATERS.

guess what?  the Weinsteins just achieved their goal.  there is no way they will split these up for a re-release in the US.  the first DVD we see will be GRINDHOUSE just as it has come out.  later on down the road perhaps we'll get the extended versions.

Why do you say ther eis no way? Every statement Weinstein's crew have made on the subject says their coming out seperately at first... maybe not extended cuts, but definitely seperate DVD's.

I hope you're right, too. I don't know where they'll end up putting the fake trailers if they release the titles individually. I doubt they'd just get lost in the shuffle, but there's something really nice about the flow of Machette/Terror/trailers/Death Proof.

But Why would Weinstein give two fucks about flow when he could be making mad cash? Or, at least, decent cash.

[modage]

there is no way they will split the films and re-release them in the US because it would be too costly and fail worse.  Weinstein only made that announcement like they were considering it to drive people who didn't see it yet to the theatre 'before its too late!' 

i guess its possible they will split them up for DVD but it really doesnt make sense either.  it came out to theatres here as GRINDHOUSE, thats all anybody knows.  the tv commercials (which were pretty much the only advertising they did for this thing) didn't say shit about Planet Terror or Death Proof.  they just said GRINDHOUSE! so it would be a stupid move to put them out separately and have two movies nobody has heard of (or seen) instead of that one they saw dumb looking commercials for but didn't see.  the future holds more releases to drain geeks pockets, but not now.

[john]

You know, I was thinking the US theatrical split might just be an empty threat...

It would be kind of cool, you know...

Like no matter what business they'd done this weekend... have Harvey be pissed about it and threaten to cut the film in two to drum up business and fanboy support.

It's silly, and probably not the case but it would be kind of fun.

Think about it, Tarantino and Rodriguez haven't said a word of protest so far about the potential split.

Either way, it's an empty threat. But I do think we'll see two DVD's at first. Perhaps each with a bing "GRINDHOUSE" banner above the title so audiences know what the hell they're buying.

Though one bare-bones version of this theatrical cut double-feature, at first, would make more sense. It's easier, quicker, and given Dimension's DVD history (or most DVD history, for that matter) certainly the most viable.

I really think it's gonna be two seperate, bare bones (or as close to it) DVD's at first. Something like "GRINDHOUSE: Planet Terror" and "GRINDHOUSE: Death Proof"

We'll see.

[MacGuffin]

Joe Carnahan (Smokin' Aces) has weighed in on his website about the disappointing opening weekend numbers for Grindhouse:

The box-office: How in the hell does a Rodriguez-Tarantino movie do that
poorly? I'm going to see it tonight. Those guys, Tarantino especially, deserve a
helluva lot more love than f*cking 11.6 million. What is wrong with American
moviegoers? Is there nothing NEW that they're willing to embrace? Jesus, it's
the worst kind of erosion. We're making dumber and dumber films and they're
becoming cash cows. God Bless '300', at least it's got balls and the director WENT
for it. THAT movie is good for the business, it's good for everybody. But
some of these other flicks don't even TRY because they know in the end,
EXACTLY the age range and demographic driving ticket prices these days. Those
monstrosities (the names of which I won't mention) are pure pieces of commerce,
marketed to perfection.

I hope 'Grindhouse' recovers. It's an audacious idea that I wish would've been
given a bigger break. Maybe as they separate the two films, they'll pry some
sunshine out of the situation and the Weinsteins will save the day. It bums me
the f*ck out though when something like that, a really cool idea that looks like
a great time at the movies, made by real talent-- can't push past.

It's just dead wrong kids...and we ALL pay the price when those don't work.

JC

[soixante]

Maybe Grindhouse tanked for the same reason Four Rooms tanked (and New York Stories before that) -- the multi-movie format is a turnoff for most audiences.  When was the last time one of those movies made money?  Even horror films in this format, such as Creepshow, haven't done as well as regular, one-story films.

There's also the issue of high concept/low concept -- Grindhouse is not a high concept, because the concept requires a great deal of explaining to the non-film buffs.

There is not a large audience for fans of grindhouse movies.  Your average viewer who goes to see Wild Hogs or the latest Will Ferrell movie doesn't know (or care) about 70's exploitation movies.

Perhaps the ultimate irony is that Rodriguez and Tarantino had to spend a great deal of money to reproduce the cheapie aesthetic.

[Fernando]

Perhaps the ultimate irony is that Rodriguez and Tarantino had to spend a great deal of money to reproduce the cheapie aesthetic.

And right there I think was the first mistake they did, why did they cost so much? Budget was $67 plus $30 on promotion, that is a gigentic budget for a concept as soixante said is cheap, they should have cost at least half of that.

[MacGuffin]

Straight from the horse's mouth regarding the DVDs:

This morning QT was on Los Angeles radio station, KROQ, and said, "The first go 'round, they will be released separately." His will have 30 minutes restored; RR's will have 20 minutes added.

[modage]

color me shocked.

do i buy these?  do i hold out?  now i'm confused.