If you’re old enough to remember the Clangers then your probably old enough to remember those cheesy late-night movies your mom would warn you about. Classic’s like ‘Them’ or ‘Piranha’, movies which may have been weak on plot, predictable or just plain silly.
These were films that you’d stay up to watch with the popcorn on standby next to the godzilla marathons, films that we’re undeniably silly or just plain corny but totally 100% enjoyable.
You’d usually have the major protagonist, be it psycho ‘Stuntman Mike’ in Deathproof or the crazy guy in ‘Piranha’ pushing the major plotline (killer sturgeon, weird green gas ‘Planet Terror’) and really putting their presence on-screen; with the other characters providing the right mix to make the story enjoyable and fun. No fancy million-dollar cgi or overpaid businessmen, just classic storytelling, grainy video & impressive stunt shows.
Thankfully this is where you’ve got to take your hat off to Quentin Tarantino & the Grindhouse crew. With Robert Rodgriguez in tow, Rob Zombie, Nicholas Cage this is a project roughly cut around 2 main movies with Rob’s released separetely.
There’s the classic road movie with elements of Vanishing Point in Deathproof , a real classic and I highly recommend you go see it, the first act is a bit slow but quickly builds into a nice well thought-out plotline; worth the price of admission.
Then there’s zombie flick Planet Terror with Bruce Willis, Michael Biehn and a girl with some seriously nasty footwork ;-) . Beg borrow or steal a copy; you’ll kill yourself laughing.
And finally Rob Zombie’s flick with Nicholas Cage as Fu Manchu in “Werewolf Women of the SS”
Great fun, both Deathproof and Planet Terror should be available on DVD in the US now, but unfortunately us in the UK will only get Deathproof for now; but if your lucky enough to grab a copy off ebay I’d seriously give them a shot.
You won’t regret it,
