Grindhouse Presents Planet Terror

Robert Rodriguez

Roadshow

2 DVD Extended Edition

Planet Terror is one half of the Grindhouse project of Quentin Tarantino. The idea was to pay homage to the Grindhouse experience with two over the top films (Planet Terror and Death Proof) presented in “Grindhouse” format with fake adverts, film breaks etc. In the end these two films have been released individually but still have the Grindhouse presentation and packaging. So what is Grindhouse ? Grindhouses were cinema’s who primary film stock were cult and exploitation cinema, usually showing in double bills with advertising in-between. The sort of films that were shown ranged from B grade horror and science fiction through to exploitation, underground and sexploitation, hence the grind in Grindhouse ! In homage to these underground classics Quentin Tarantino directed Death Proof, while Robert Rodriguez directed what is seen by most critics as the better of the two, Planet Terror.

Planet Terror is produced in Grindhouse style, it begins with a fake trailer for Machete. In this very amusing cult trailer, Danny Trejo plays an illegal immigrant hired to assassinate a political leader, but when he is double crossed and shot he demands revenge on those who have done him wrong and a blood thirsty rampage follows quick smart. There is a very funny little scene with Cheech Marin (of Cheech and Chong) playing a gun toting priest who when begged for mercy advises God forgives, but I don’t !

The film then begins in earnest, it has all the hallmarks of Seventies cult cinema, the scratchy film, the breaks in image and the cheesy soundtrack. I must admit that while I appreciate the need for authenticity, the scratches and film stock variations etc are little too gimmicky for my taste. I did find amusing the “sorry we have lost the reel” sign when the sex scene gets hot and the constant references back to old cult films make the film a fun experience. The music is awfully cool and is so much like a Seventies cult film soundtrack that it is hard to fault. Indeed, the film itself is so much like an old cult horror classic that at times, except for the incredibly up to date special effects, you might forget yourself and think this is a real Seventies film.

Being a cult film, the storyline is suitably over the top. It is set during one evening and examines a range of characters and their lives as a biological weapon causes a zombie attack to occur and destroy the world around them. It begins with Cherry, a stripper come stand up comedian who runs into her ex-boyfriend, Wray, at the local BBQ joint, the Bone Shack. At the same time we have the husband and wife team of the Blocks, who are in the midst of a separation except the husband doesn’t know it ! It also seems Dakota Block has been having a lesbian affair behind hubbies back and this will certainly come back to haunt her later on ! We also learn about the Sherriff, his deputy and a range of other local characters.

As they go on with their own troubled lives, a group of military officials, led by the rather disturbed Lt. Muldoon (Bruce Willis), are making a business transaction with a scientist named Abby for a supply of a highly toxic biochemical weapon known as DC2 (codename "Project Terror"). Abby is not your average scientist either, he seems to be more concerned with selling to the highest bidder than any scientific endeavors and likes to collect the testicles of people who cross him in any business deal ! He carries them with him to prove the point.

Things, of course, don’t go as planned, Muldoon learns Abby has an extra supply and as he attempts to take Abby hostage, Abby releases the gas into the air and things get nasty real quick. The gas has horrific effects changing those it touches into flesh eating, blood drinking zombies covered in pustules and other disgusting deformities. Even if the gas doesn’t get you, any contact with the blood of the infected will. It quickly begins to spread and reaching the township turns its residents into deformed bloodthirsty cannibals.

The film has excellent character development, dialogue and humor, the way in which the surviving characters interact indeed is what makes this such an enjoyable experience. But be warned this is a very violent film; it is packed with all manner of gross scenes, exploding heads, deformed bodies and over the top mayhem, it is perhaps one of the more gore ridden experiences of recent releases, however, the sheer amount of blood and guts give it a certain cartoon characteristic which again reinforces the cult film/B grade horror genre focus.

At the same time it is packed with humour throughout, both in wit and fast moving dialogue to slapstick. Certainly some of the most memorable scenes centre on Candy and her lost leg, these reach crescendo point when she receives a machine gun attachment for her stump from Wray and becomes a groovin’ and movin’ killing machine !

This will be an instant cult classic and embodies all we have come to love from cult horror.

This is a great double DVD package and includes lots of extras, it is the extended edition of the film. On the first DVD there is a good commentary by Robert Rodriguez and the second DVD includes:

10 Minute Film School focuses on the special effects and Rodriguez shows how he did some of the major effects for Planet Terror using both live action and other methods.

The Badass Babes of Planet Terror tells of the female casting choices of the film. There are interviews, stories and anecdotes from Robert Rodriguez, Rose McGowan, Marley Shelton, the Crazy Babysitter Twins and Stacy Ferguson.

The Tough Guys of Planet Terror tells of the male casting choice of the film. This has interviews, stories anecdotes with Rodriguez, Tarantino, McGowan, Shelton, Freddy Rodriguez, Josh Brolin, Naveen Andrews, Tom Savini, Michael Biehn and Jeff Fahey.

Casting Rebel is a short bit about the casting of Rodriguez's son Rebel in a main role.

Sickos, Bullets and Explosions. This is an interesting look at the stunts and features interviews with Stunt Supervisor Jeff Dashnaw, with additional comments from Rodriguez, McGowan, Shelton and F. Rodriguez.

The Friend, The Doctor and The Real Estate Agent is a pretty funny piece about the casting of Rodriguez's friend Tommy Nix, his doctor, Dr. Felix Sabates and his realtor, Skip Reissig.