Grindhouse is about moments. It's about a feeling of being back in dingy theatres with bad projection, missing film reels, and exploitation running wild. It's a love letter by directors Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino to movies only us demented B-movie fans could love. And that's why it's not only under performing at the box-office (apart from the fact most people don't have the paitence to sit in a theatre for three hours plus) but possibly why the mainstream isn't so accepting of the film. But for us who recall the glory days of over-the-top sex, violence, and all those good things, Grindhouse is what we've been waiting for.

First up is Rodriguez's Planet Terror which supplies us with the over-the-top gore, overt silliness and action moments of the double feature. It's your typical "Earth overrun by zombies" story as a top secret chemical is unleashed into the atmosphere and it proceeds to turn everyone (apart from the select group of people who happen to be immune) into flesh hungry, mutated zombies. In the middle of it all is a sub-plot involving nervous doctor Josh Brolin and his single-minded (and at times brutal) quest for revenge on his cheating wife. Rodriguez also gives us the glorious "girl-with-a-gun-for-a-leg heroine" we've seen in the trailers (Rose McGowan's Cherry character, who has said leg chewed off earlier in the movie and gets her weaponry limb from ex-boyfriend Wray - played by Freddy Rodriguez), lots of bloodshed, and a ridiculously silly finale that has to been seen to be believed.

As the more lighthearted of the two flicks, Rodriguez's contribution hits all the genre marks pretty much straight on. And while it's a convincing throwback to 80's monster movies, I found myself getting a tiny bit tired of the whole thing, although it is great to see such genre stalwarts as legendary effects man Tom Savini (who amusing plays one of Sheriff Michael Biehn's deputies), B-movie favourite Jeff Fahey, and even Bruce Willis show-up in side roles.

Rodriguez keeps things moving at a quick pace and packs the action sequences full of as many stylish shots as he can making Planet Terror an enjoyable ride - if one that eventually wears out its welcome.

Tarantino's entry, Death Proof, is a whole other bird. Meant as a throwback to the 70's American-International flicks (as evidenced by a witty Dimension logo that matches AI's old one), this entry is packed with the pop culture referencing, smart-alecky dialogue you've come to expect from Tarantino. It also has the added bonus of sports a quite attractive cast of young actresses in the lead roles (Rosario Dawson, Vanessa Ferlito, Sydney Tamiia Poitier - to name three) and a awesome performance from Kurt Russell that goes from a cool menace at the start to outright "pussy" at the end.

Russell is simply known as "Stunt man Mike" and he drives a menacing looking car (that he proclaims is "death proof" as it's used for movie stunts). He's also quite nuts - a fact we know after he picks up a girl at a bar (McGowan, making another brief appearance) and proceeds to use his car as a murder weapon. It's too bad then that he decided to choose radio deejay Jungle Julia (Poitier) and her friends for his next victims.

After a talky start, Death Proof really starts to move as it takes its cues from such 70's car chase films as the films of H.B. Halicki (the original Gone In 60 Seconds) and Vanishing Point, as the girls find themselves in an extended chase scene with Russell. It's exhilarating to see such scenes like this again as most car chases in modern films are too short and not nearly as impressive. Add into it that most of the sequence has stunt woman Zoe Bell (playing herself) hanging off the hood of one of the cars and you have a revenge-slash-car movie that's filled with "wink wink " jokes, fast cars, and the (in my own words when "The End" came on the screen) "best ending ever!".

To top it all off Tarantino and Rodriguez have also recruited a group of fellow filmmakers to supply the faux trailers in between the two features. Each is a loving throwback to old school horror with Eli Roth's seasonal slasher spoof, "Thanksgiving", being the best (and supplying my favourite dialogue exchange between two detectives: "it tastes like blood..." "sonofabitch!") and Edgar Wright's "Don't" recalling the dizzying glory of the "Don't..." titled horror trend of the late 70's/early 80's. Too bad Rob Zombie's contribution, "Werewolf Women Of The SS" is pretty lame (apart from Nicholas Cage's completely unexpected, and bizarre, cameo). As well, things are kicked off with the "Mexican version of Shaft" trailer for, "Machete" (starring Danny Trejo and 'Cheech' Marin), and (this may be a Canada only thing, as the makers of it won a contest to have their work placed in front of the film in theatres) the amazingly awesome "Hobo With A Shotgun" trailer.

Despite it's 191 minute run time, Grindhouse never feels boring. It's a tribute to movies the makers (and I) grew up with - it emulates these films perfectly, gave me more than one laugh and smile, and it pretty much delivered on its promise. It's just too bad distributor Dimension seems to be planning on cashing-in on the "double feature" angle by splitting the movies up and releasing them separately in the near future - I can't say I'm surprised though, since studio heads Bob and Harvey Weinstein did the same thing with Tarantino's Kill Bill. (Chris Hartley, 4/22/07)

Directed By: Robert Rodriguez, Quentin Tarantino.
Written By: Robert Rodriguez, Quentin Tarantino.

Starring: Rose McGowan, Freddy Rodriguez, Kurt Russell, Rosario Dawson.