Stuntman Mike: Well, Pam… Which way you going, left or right?
Pam: Right.
Stuntman Mike: Oh, that’s too bad…
Released in 2007, Death Proof was one half of the “grindhouse” tribute that Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez directed. With Rodriguez heading up the zomedy grindhouse flick Planet Terror, Tarantino was left to his own devices for his dark comedy thriller starring Kurt Russell as a psychopathic stunt driver who kills women for pleasure in the very car he performs his stunts in.
With the grindhouse theme generally being associated to the early stages of the 1900s, based around themes of sex, violence and other sub-themes considered “shocking” way back when, Tarantino probably felt in his element: his other films being very much non-PC and very much enjoyable, he had the chance to create a film with absolutely no holds barred, a film that truly gave the finger to the PC brigade and got away with it.
Enter Death Proof. Set in the 70s, it pays tribute to the grindhouse through the medium of muscle cars, lots of women and some very untimely violence and twisted humor. Directed to be like an exploitation film, the film is deliberately patchy, slightly crackly at times, with colour shifts between colour and black & white, and certain scenes chopped slightly, as if being projected from a 70s film reel at a drive-in.
While to some this may sound annoying, it really doesn’t take anything away from the film. Everything is implemented with both realism and precision, and it’s almost as if you’re actually watching a 70s film. The feel of the grindhouse genre is strong here. So if you don’t like violence, or you like things to be politically correct, perhaps this film isn’t for you.
Stuntman Mike (Russell) likes to kill women, to put it simply. But the way he goes about it is brutal, using his car as the murder weapon, and making sure that the killings always look like an accident.
A world away from the likes of Miracle...
Kurt Russell shines in Death Proof, portraying a cold, calculated character, with a snakelike charm that sends shivers up the back. His character must have been no mean feat to pull off realistically, but Russell does it supremely. From his smirk at the camera, to the fear of being beaten, he very much is the psychotic individual taking you for the ride in his “death proof” car. Well, death proof from the driver’s seat, that is…
If there's one scene that you will remember from this film, it involves the one on the left and a brilliant song by The Coasters...
The film’s femme fatales, as it were, are a little less convincing, but they still manage to play their parts well enough. The acting in the film as a whole isn’t fallible, but other than Kurt Russell, Quentin Tarantino and at a push Rose McGowan, the rest of the actors fall short in the way of believability, a few being out-of-place and out-of-sorts.
The plot also can be a little shaky, sections of the film being a little drab, but as is the way with Tarantino, even at his worst, he’s still better than most, making sure that you never lose interest, even if that means throwing in some impromptu lapdancing and a winning soundtrack.
While the film was never going to win any big awards, it being more of an exhibition/experiment as opposed to a full on Hollywood hit, it certainly does a great job of entertaining. My sister sitting next to me showing a mixture of disgust and bemusement on her face while watching the film would make it safe for me to say that it isn’t for everyone.
It’s outrageous, over-the-top and at times twisted, but as far as thrillers go, it’s for the most part impeccable, throwing you right into the film with scenes of suspense, a feeling in your gut that something crazy will happen, that sick enjoyment factor of witnessing a flurry of violence and gore, and a few touches of Tarantino to make the film just that bit more entertaining.
Not for the masses, but certainly for people who love the weird and wonderful.
