Few
directors have such power that their very name is more important
than their film or its content to drawing in an audience. Scorsese
of course is one; Woody Allen is arguably another – but
even they pale in comparison with the hoo-ha that greets a new
film from Quentin Tarantino. It’s even gotten to the stage
now where even the movie’s title has become irrelevant;
it’s just ‘the fifth Tarantino movie’.
Whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing depends on
your personal view of Tarantino. To some, he’s a genius
of post-modernist filmmaking; to others, a hack with an encyclopaedic
knowledge of bad movies that he seeks to emulate. Personally,
I tend to the former view. I watched Pulp Fiction on
DVD again recently, and it still holds all the bravura qualities
it had when I saw it in cinemas over a decade ago. It’s
a classic, pure and simple, and a hack couldn’t achieve
that.
So now we have Death Proof, a film that was once within
a film but has now broken free. This was originally one half
of the ‘double-bill’ released in the US as Grindhouse.
The other half was Robert Rodriguez’ Planet Terror,
which is also being separately released here on DVD, although
it missed out on a theatrical run.
True to its heritage, Death Proof is a tribute to
the grind-house movies of the 70s – cheaply (and often
poorly) made trash films featuring scantily-clad women, muscle
cars and plenty of action and violence. Tarantino sets out not
just to recreate the feel of those movies, but the actual look
as well – complete with bizarre cinematography, scratches
and bumps on the screen and re-done titles.
The story itself concerns two groups of women who encounter
a motoring psychopath named Stuntman Mike (Kurt Russell). The
first group, which includes Shanna (Jordan Ladd) – yes,
daughter of Cheryl Ladd – Arlene (Vanessa Ferlito), and
Jungle Julia (Sydney Tamiia Poitier) – yes, daughter of
Sidney Poitier. They’re out for a few drinks in Austin,
Texas before a ‘girls’ weekend’ at a lake
house. At the same bar they go to, Stuntman Mike is sipping
soft drinks and eating nachos before he charms Pam (Rose McGowan)
into letting him give her a lift home. But he also inveigles
himself into the group, his persistence winning him a ‘reward’
from Arlene. But when they leave the bar, things take a nasty
turn for some of the characters.
Tarantino
being Tarantino, there’s a lot of dialogue – and
some of it very funny – in this film. Characters riff
on a wide range of topics, although they often seem to come
back to either sex or popular culture. So, if you’re expecting
an all-action 114 minutes (which is what the trailer seems to
promise), forget it. Mind you, when the action does kick in,
it’s truly fast and furious – in a literal sense.
Also, being Tarantino, there are lots of references to other
movies. Many of these are the kind of ‘grind-house’
movies to which the film pays homage; but there’s also
a distinct feeling that QT is getting just a bit reflexive in
this film. There’s a diner scene a la the one in Reservoir
Dogs; a few characters from Kill Bill make appearances;
the hospital scene mirrors one in Kill Bill; and there
are several references to Pulp Fiction. Is it really
necessary to keep referring to your own films? I guess it removes
any argument about plagiarism, but it comes across as more than
a little self-indulgent.
So there’s a lot of talk, some hi-octane action and lots
of movie references. But does it mean anything? Well, truthfully,
probably not. This is an exercise in reliving the past, not
in making any deep statements about the human condition. It’s
QT having fun; nothing more and nothing less.
A word of warning though, I suspect most people will find at
least some part of this film objectionable in some way. At varying
times it’s misogynistic (albeit wrapped in a ‘girl
power’ envelope), gruesome, violent and smutty. But I
also suspect few will not be cheering at the end (as the preview
audience did enthusiastically).
One exceptional aspect of the film is its soundtrack, which
features an impressive array of half-forgotten but very cool
tunes.
Death Proof won’t be to all tastes by any stretch
of the imagination. If you’re familiar with Tarantino,
you’ll have a pretty good idea of what to expect. If not,
strap yourself in, because it’s quite a ride. Does it
convey any deep meaning or insightful revelations? No. But it
is an outrageous and occasionally audacious journey into the
warped mind of a talented filmmaker.
