Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof

[hellblazer]

I feel like I'm in an episode of the twilight zone. Ten years ago I was a huge Tarantino fan, genuinely so and I felt part of a clique of movie fans who can appreciate his work and dismiss those who didn't "get it".

So I was looking forward to Grindhouse. Harry Knowles at aintitcoolnews practically proclaimed it the reinvention of cinema itself. Every review was so incredibly positive, how could it possibly bad?

Well, I suddenly find myself outside the clique. Grindhouse was so smug, so self-important and so self-indulgent, it has put me off both Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez films for good (except the Sin City sequels). And with Death Proof, Tarantino has not only made his worst film but also one of the worst films ever (considering the talent and the budget).

But this is an opinion I can't seem to express. I am accused of not "getting it" (it's an homage of exploitation movies and the director has a foot fetish - is there anything else?) and that I should see more movies. The last time there was this reaction to my opinion was The English Patient.

Now Death Proof is out in the U.K. with half an hour of extra footage, Tarantino is on every chat show going and every review has been unanimously positive (fingers-crossed that Mark Kermode on radio five can talk (rant) some sense).

I can only conclude that the entire planet has been replaced by pod people who blindly worship this movie and I am Kevin McCarthy. You think I don't know... but I know!

[one eyed jack]

I like Tarantino because every movie I have seen so far I have been entertained. If I see Death Proof and dont enjoy it I wont write the guy off just for one movie. More oft than not he has hit the right spots with me.

I too hear of people who no longer dig his movies but thats them. Not me.

I think some people think its cool to diss peoples efforts especially if they consistently turn out good movies and woe betide if it is overtly commercial.

[The Last Word]

Don't worry. Apart from Jackie Brown, which I thought was great, I've not really been "getting it" with Quentin since the start, and for a while considered myself part of a unique clique of individuals who didn't have a Pulp Fiction poster adorning their student accomodation. It hasn't done me any harm.

Death Proof looks like the equivalent of some guy ringing up a girl he dumped three years ago to try a get a date.

A bit desperate and a bit sad, because it's obvious he's not without the talent for better.

[Marino]

I was bored shitless in fifteen minutes of this film and left.

[Hellen StrictlyNews]

Mark Kermode has been pretty harsh about it already, so I am looking forward to his review

I've not seen Death Proof, only Planet Terror and whilst that was all very sexy (I love Rose McGowan) it wasn't as amazing as I'd hoped.

It's really disappointing, I was so excited about Grindhouse when I first heard about it...

[mrmcfister]

Daily Mail pans it today.........

[andy ide]

If Death Proof is crap it won't matter. It's good to fail now and again. For me there's still no other director who comes close to Tarantino when he's on form. Bob Weinstein has just indulged him too much and that will probably stop now that the Kill Bills didn't do as well as hoped and Grindhouse tanked in the US. If that happens it will do him good. I can imagine him doing something very wonderful with a World War 2 movie, so roll on Inglorious Bastards. And as he gets older I'm sure we'll also see more of the excellent maturity he exhibited in Jackie Brown.

[Arginald Valleywater]

Tarantino has not moved on as a director, he is more of a celebrity now, good for chat shows etc but he will soon struggle to get any backing as he is no longer cutting it at the box office.