Thursday, April 19, 2007

Grinding Down

Well, not to be passé, but it looks like Grindhouse is getting split down the middle. From Obsessed With Film:

After the unsuccessful release state side, it seems UK audiences are going to miss out on getting Grindhouse as a double-feature.

Filmstalker have got the heads up on a teletext article which features the following comment from Roadshow Film Distributors:

In keeping with the theatrical release plans for all territories outside of the US, Grindhouse will now be released as two separate theatrical features.

And what about the ‘fake’ trailers between the movies? I assume they will still be attached somewhere, presumably the beginning, but as many people have already commented Grindhouse only works as a double-feature and the movies do not stand up all that well on their own. In addition, if you are to believe what you read at Filmick, Planet Terror won’t be getting an international release AT ALL. The new ploy? To release Death Proof as a stand alone ‘New’ Tarantino movie.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the entire point of Grindhouse was to re-create an experience, no? Money rules feeling, as always. Also, if they do release both films (separately), then they'll be pitting Roderiguez against Tarantino: who'll make more? Which rather negates the collaborative push behind the thing, doesn't it? And if they don't release Planet Terror, well... they just suck.

You know what they should do? Release them as separate movies, since they seem so set on that, but at the same time. And then showing times should be organised so that you can go from one into the other, if you so choose. Sure, it means paying more money (no problem for me, thanks to my unlimited card), but surely people who really want to see it will pay up, and those who can only be bothered to see one can do so. But please, DON'T take away this experience from me. I so rarely get the chance to participate in something like this.

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