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Death Proof

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For the soundtrack, seeDeath Proof (soundtrack).For the Kate Nash EP, seeDeath Proof (EP).

Death Proof
Alternative US commercial poster originally and officially created byTroublemaker Studios
Directed byQuentin Tarantino
Written byQuentin Tarantino
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyQuentin Tarantino
Edited bySally Menke
Production
company
Distributed byDimension Films
Release date
  • April 6, 2007(2007-04-06)[a]
Running time
113 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$30 million
Box office$31.1 million[1]

Death Proofis a 2007 Americanactionslasher film[2]written and directed byQuentin Tarantino.It starsKurt Russellas astuntmanwho murders young women with modified cars he purports to be "death-proof".Rosario Dawson,Vanessa Ferlito,Jordan Ladd,Rose McGowan,Sydney Tamiia Poitier,Tracie Thoms,Mary Elizabeth Winstead,andZoë Bellco-star as the women he targets.

The film was originally released theatrically as part ofGrindhouse,adouble featurethat combinedDeath ProofwithRobert Rodriguez'sPlanet Terror.AfterGrindhouseunderperformed at the domestic box office,Death Proofwas released as a standalone feature in other countries and on home media. It received mostly positive reviews for its stunt sequences and tribute toexploitationcinema, although its pacing was criticized.

Plot

[edit]

Three friends, Arlene, Shanna and radio DJ "Jungle" Julia Lucai, drive downCongress AvenueinAustin, Texas,on their way to celebrate Julia's birthday. In a bar, Julia reveals that she made a radio announcement offering a freelap dancefrom Arlene in return for addressing her as "Butterfly", buying her a drink, and reciting a segment of the poem "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening".Aging Hollywoodstunt double"Stuntman" Mike trails the women to a bar and claims the lap dance. Arlene is suspicious, having seen Mike's car earlier that day, but he convinces her to give him the lap dance.

The women prepare to depart with Lanna, another friend. Pam, Julia's old classmate, accepts Mike's offer of a ride home. Mike takes Pam to his Hollywood stunt car rigged with aroll cageand tells her the car is "death proof", but only for the driver. He speeds and slams on the brakes, smashing Pam's skull on the dashboard, killing her. He catches up with the women's car and drives into it head-on at high speed, killing them. Mike survives with no serious injury. Sheriff McGraw believes Mike killed the women intentionally, but because Mike was sober while the women were intoxicated, he cannot be charged.

Fourteen months later, three young women, makeup artist Abernathy Ross, stunt driver Kim Mathis and actress Lee Montgomery, are driving throughLebanon, Tennesseeon break from a film shoot. They stop at a convenience store, where Mike watches them from his car. The women pick up their friend, stuntwomanZoë Bell,from the airport while Mike photographs them unaware. Zoë tells them she wants to test-drive a1970 Dodge Challenger,the same type of car from the 1971 filmVanishing Pointand has found one for sale nearby. The owner lets them test-drive it unsupervised after Abernathy tells him Lee is a porn star and she is left behind as collateral.

Zoë tells Abernathy and Kim that she wants to play a game they call "Ship's Mast", whereby sherides the hoodholding belts fastened to the car while Kim drives at speed. Kim is hesitant but agrees. The three enjoy the stunt, unaware that Mike is watching them. Herear-endsthem in his car, causing Zoë to lose her grip on both belts and is left holding on to the hood. After several more collisions, heT-bonesthem, throwing Zoë from the hood. Kim shoots Mike's left shoulder and he flees in his car. Abernathy and Kim cry over the apparent loss of their friend, until Zoë emerges uninjured. The three agree to catch up to Mike and kill him.

The women catch up to Mike as he is treating his wound and ram him, then Zoë gets out and beats him with a pipe. They continue chasing him as he pleads for mercy, finally flipping his car off the road. They drag him from the wreckage, take turns punching him and then finish him with two kicks to the face.

Cast

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Production

[edit]

The story forDeath Proofdeveloped from Quentin Tarantino's fascination for the waystuntmenwould "death-proof" stunt cars so a driver could survive horrific, high-speed crashes and collisions. This inspired Tarantino to create aslasher filmfeaturing a deranged stuntman who stalks and murders sexy young women with his "death-proof" car.[3]Tarantino remembers, "I realized I couldn't do a straight slasher film, because with the exception ofwomen-in-prison films,there is no other genre quite as rigid. And if you break that up, you aren't really doing it anymore. It's inorganic, so I realized—let me take the structure of a slasher film and just do what I do. My version is going to be fucked up and disjointed, but it seemingly uses the structure of a slasher film, hopefully against you. "[4]

According to Robert Rodriguez, "[Tarantino] had an idea and a complete vision for it right away when he first talked about it. He started to tell me the story and said, 'It's got this death-proof car in it.' I said, 'You have to call itDeath Proof.' I helped title the movie, but that's it. "[3]Of the car chases, Tarantino stated: "CGIfor car stunts doesn't make any sense to me—how is that supposed to be impressive? [...] I don't think there have been any good car chases since I started making films in '92—to me, the last terrific car chase was inTerminator 2.AndFinal Destination 2had a magnificent car action piece. In between that, not a lot. Every time a stunt happens, there's twelve cameras and they use every angle forAvid editing,but I don't feel it in my stomach. It's just action. "[4]Death Proofmarked Tarantino's first credit as a cinematographer.

Tarantino attempted to castJohn Travolta,Denzel Washington,Willem Dafoe,John Malkovich,Mickey Rourke,Ron Perlman,Bruce Willis,Kal Penn,[5]andSylvester Stallone[6]inDeath Proof,but none were able to work due to prior commitments. In an interview, Tarantino revealed that he castKurt Russellas the killer stunt driver because "for people of my generation, he's a true hero... but now, there's a whole audience out there that doesn't know what Kurt Russell can do. When I open the newspaper and see an ad that says 'Kurt Russell inDreamer,' or 'Kurt Russell inMiracle,' I'm not disparaging these movies, but I'm thinking: When is Kurt Russell going to be a badass again? "[7]Eli Roth,Planet Terrorleading actress Rose McGowan, and Tarantino himself appear in the film. Roth flew in from Europe, where he was filmingHostel: Part II,to film his scenes, which took one day.

After being stunned by stuntwomanZoë Bell,who worked as Uma Thurman's stunt double in Tarantino's earlier filmKill Bill,Tarantino wrote her the leading female role. This was her first on-screen acting, which Bell initially thought was going to be a cameo role. The character Zoë was based on the stuntwoman herself and includes small stories based around her real life experiences, some with Tarantino. When her name was featured on the film posters opposite Kurt Russell, Rosario Dawson and Rose McGowan, she realized how big the role was.

Death Proofuses various unconventional techniques to make the film appear more like those that were shown in grindhouse theaters in the 1970s. Throughout the feature, the film was intentionally damaged to make it look like many of the exploitation films of the1970swhich were generally shipped around from theater to theater and usually ended up in bad shape. A notable example of one of the film's deliberate jump-cuts is seen at the beginning, when the titleQuentin Tarantino's Thunderboltis shown for a split second before abruptly being replaced by an insert with the titleDeath Proof,appearing in white lettering on a black background.[8](Exploitation films were commonly retitled, especially if they received bad press on initial release.)

On the editing ofDeath Proof,Tarantino stated, "There is half-an-hour's difference between myDeath Proofand what is playing inGrindhouse.[…] I was like a brutish American exploitation distributor who cut the movie down almost to the point of incoherence. I cut it down to the bone and took all the fat off it to see if it could still exist, and it worked. "[9]An extended, 127-minute version ofDeath Proofwas screened in competition for thePalme d'Orat the60th Cannes Film Festival.[9][10][11]Tarantino is quoted as saying, "It works great as a double feature, but I'm just as excited if not more excited about actually having the world seeDeath Proofunfiltered. [...] It will be the first time everyone seesDeath Proofby itself, including me. "[9]

Soundtrack

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Main article:Death Proof (soundtrack)

The soundtrack forDeath Proofconsists entirely of non-original music, including excerpts from the scores of other films. It was released on April 3, 2007, alongside thePlanet Terrorsoundtrack. Both albums featured dialogue excerpts from the film.

Release

[edit]
Main article:Grindhouse (film)

Death Proofwas released in the US and Canada alongsidePlanet Terroras part of adouble featureunder the titleGrindhouse.Both films were released separately in extended versions internationally, approximately two months apart.[12]The additional material includes scenes that were replaced in the American theatrical release version with a "missing reel" title card, such as thelap dancescene. A total of 27 minutes were added for this version. One of the first screenings ofDeath Proofwas made at theEdinburgh International Film Festivalon August 20, 2007, with star Zoë Bell attending the screenings.[13]

The Dutch poster artwork forDeath Proofclaimed that the film would feature "coming attractions" from Robert Rodriguez.[14]In the United Kingdom,Death Proofwas released on September 21, 2007, and in Australia on November 1, 2007.[15]Explaining the split in foreign releases, Tarantino stated, "Especially if they were dealing with non-English language countries, they don't really have this tradition… not only do they not really know what a grindhouse is, they don't even have the double feature tradition. So you are kind of trying to teach us something else."[16]

Critical reception

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Death Proofreceived generally moderate reviews. On thereview aggregatorwebsiteRotten Tomatoes,the film holds an approval rating of 64% based on 45 reviews, with an average rating of 5.30/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Death Proofmay feel somewhat minor in the context of Tarantino's larger filmography, but on its own merits, it packs just enough of a wallop to deliver sufficiently high-octane grindhouse goods. "[17]The French magazineLes Cahiers du cinémarankedDeath Proofsecond best film of the year 2007.[18]

Damon Wise ofEmpiremagazine gave the film four out of five stars and a mostly positive review, describing the film as "Tarantino driving wildly under the influence" and "seriously entertaining".[19]The BBC's Anna Smith said that while there was "fun to be had" with the film, "its imitation of a defunct, low-budget style of movie-making is perhaps too accurate when it comes to the genre's flaws",[20]and gave the film three out of five stars.Roger EbertgaveGrindhouse2.5 out of 4 stars, writing that whileDeath Proofwas the more enjoyable half of the bill, it was still marred by overlong scenes of expository dialogue.[21]

The Guardian'sPeter Bradshawexpressed admiration for the car crash scene, describing it as "a lethal roar of entertainment", but said that the film was padded with "long, long, long stretches of bizarrely inconsequential conversation [...] which are a big comedown from the glorious riffs fromReservoir DogsandPulp Fiction",and that overall" Tarantino's twisted genius is there for all to see – but, it must now be admitted, all too briefly ".[22]Tarantino said at a 2012 director's roundtable, "Death Proofhas got to be the worst movie I ever made. And for a left-handed movie, that wasn't so bad, all right? — so if that's the worst I ever get, I'm good. "[23]

In 2022, American writer and critic Nick Newman placedDeath Proofon hisSight and Soundlist ofthe greatest films ever made,calling it "Tarantino's first historical-revisionist movie, whether he knows or wishes to acknowledge, and one he's disavowed despite how well it compacts everything at which he's a genius — fitting contradiction for the most exciting and perpetually underestimated director of my lifetime. Whatever his reservations, a fan club comprisingClaire Denis,Apichatpong Weerasethakul,Arnaud Desplechin,Kiyoshi Kurosawa,Bertrand Bonello,Claude Lanzmann,and myself simply cannot be wrong. "[24]

Home media

[edit]

Death Proofwas released on DVD in the US on September 18, 2007, in a two-disc special edition featuring the extended version of the film, documentaries on the casting of the film, the variousmuscle carsand Tarantino's relationship witheditorSally Menke,trailers, and an international poster gallery.[25]On December 16, 2008, aBDrelease of identical content followed.

A Japanese DVD release has the filmsGrindhouse,Death ProofandPlanet Terror,with extras and fake trailers, in a six-DVD box set (English with optional Japanese subtitles).Death Proofwas also released as a GermanHD DVD,believed to be the last film published in the now-defunct format.[26]

TheGrindhousedouble feature was eventually released on Blu-ray Disc in October 2010.

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^Released as part of the double featureGrindhouse

References

[edit]
  1. ^"Death Proof (2007)".Box Office Mojo.RetrievedNovember 28,2023.
  2. ^"'Grindhouse' Suffers Box Office Horror ".CNBC.April 9, 2007.RetrievedJuly 5,2022.
  3. ^abCotton, Mike (April 4, 2007)."House Party".Wizard Universe.Archived fromthe originalon September 27, 2007.RetrievedApril 4,2007.
  4. ^abEdwards, Gavin(April 19, 2007)."Online Exclusive: Horror Film Directors Dish About 'Grindhouse' Trailers".Rolling Stone.Archived fromthe originalon June 12, 2008.RetrievedApril 4,2007.
  5. ^Sciretta, Peter (November 21, 2006)."Did You Know: Kal Penn was cast in Tarantino'sGrindhouse?"./Film.Archived fromthe originalon July 22, 2007.RetrievedJanuary 6,2007.
  6. ^Sciretta, Peter (December 4, 2006)."Tarantino wanted Stallone forGrindhouse"./Film.Archived fromthe originalon May 11, 2011.RetrievedJanuary 6,2007.
  7. ^Nashawaty, Chris (March 30, 2007)."Bloodbath and Beyond".Entertainment Weekly.pp. 27–30.Archivedfrom the original on July 26, 2014.RetrievedSeptember 25,2007.
  8. ^"VFX World".Grindhouse: Pistol-Packing VFX.RetrievedApril 18,2007.
  9. ^abcHiscock, John (April 27, 2007)."Quentin Tarantino: I'm proud of my flop".The Daily Telegraph.Archivedfrom the original on April 22, 2009.RetrievedApril 27,2007.
  10. ^"Director Tarantino in competition in Cannes".Yahoo. April 19, 2007.[permanent dead link]
  11. ^"Cannes Film Festival archives".Cannes Film Festival.May 19, 2007. Archived fromthe originalon September 27, 2007.RetrievedJune 5,2007.
  12. ^"Alles Over Quentin Tarantino"(in Dutch). March 18, 2007. Archived fromthe originalon December 11, 2007.RetrievedMarch 30,2007.
  13. ^McCarthy, Todd (May 22, 2007)."Review ofDeath Proof".Variety.RetrievedJune 22,2007.
  14. ^"DutchDeath Proofposter art ".Archived fromthe originalon May 21, 2007.RetrievedApril 9,2007.
  15. ^"Grindhouse Dismantled".April 30, 2007. Archived fromthe originalon September 27, 2007.RetrievedMay 10,2007.
  16. ^"Rotten Tomatoes".Tarantino Chops Feature Length "Death Proof" For "Grindhouse".Archived fromthe originalon August 19, 2007.RetrievedApril 18,2007.
  17. ^"Grindhouse Presents: Death Proof".Rotten Tomatoes.RetrievedJuly 28,2023.
  18. ^"Cahiers du Cinema: 2007".Archived fromthe originalon March 27, 2012.RetrievedDecember 1,2018.
  19. ^Wise, Damon (August 31, 2007)."Death Proof Review".Empire.RetrievedJanuary 28,2024.
  20. ^"BBC Movies Death Proof review".September 21, 2007.RetrievedFebruary 23,2013.
  21. ^Ebert, Roger(October 26, 2007)."Grindhouse".Chicago Sun-Times.Archived fromthe originalon December 29, 2008.RetrievedMay 12,2009.
  22. ^Bradshaw, Peter(September 21, 2007)."Death Proof".The Guardian.RetrievedFebruary 23,2013.
  23. ^Chitwood, Adam (November 28, 2012)."Quentin Tarantino Says DEATH PROOF Is the" Worst "Film He's Ever Made; Watch Full Directors Roundtable Interview".Collider.RetrievedNovember 24,2015.
  24. ^Newman, Nick (March 2, 2023)."Nick Newman".Sight and Sound.RetrievedJune 3,2023.
  25. ^"ASIN: B000R7HY0K".Amazon.RetrievedJune 10,2007.
  26. ^"Death Proof (German Import)".Highdefdigest.RetrievedJanuary 29,2009.
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