Last month we had the review for Death Proof on DVD, and had said that the other half of what was known as Grindhouse in the theaters would be out in October in time for Halloween, well that time has come, Robert Rodriguez’s Planet Terror has hit store shelves and we have the review!
Director Robert Rodriguez is back with his ode to the Zombie films of the 70’s & 80’s. Rose McGowan, Freddy Rodriguez, Bruce Willis, and an all-star cast fight for their lives in the ulitmate showdown between an army of flesh-eating mutant zombies and a motley group of rag-tag survivors. Thats all the plot you really need to enjoy this movie, When it was shown theatrically this was the first film presumably because Robert Rodriguez is the lesser-known of the two directors, but it is the easily the most enjoyable of the 2 films. Rodriguez really embraced the Grindhouse concept by making his own “Exploitation” film where as Tarantino kinda made a movie talking about how great those old films were with a car chase thrown in at the end (not knocking Death Proof at all, I totally loved it). This film is truly Robert Rodriguez’s showcase! So what makes this DVD different than the version that was seen theatrically? Well one would automatically assume that the infamous “Missing Reel” would be inserted back in like it was in Death Proof, that is not the case here. With Planet Terror the “Extended and Unrated” material comes in the form of a couple longer character scenes, and a lot more Blood and Gore added back in to the final product.
In addition to the new material in the film itself, Planet Terror offers a nice selection of extras, including:
• Audio Commentary with Robert Rodriguez
• Audience Reaction Track - Recorded at the Austin, Texas Premier
• 10-Minute Film School - Showing some of the “On the Cheap” filmmaking methods used
• The Badass Babes of Planet Terror - Featurette on the female leads
• Tough Guys of Planet Terror - Featurette on the male leads
• Casting Rebel - Casting auditions
• Sickos, Bullets and Explosions: The Stunts - Featurette on the stunt performers
• The Friend, the Doctor and the Real Estate Agent - Featurette on Robert’s Friends that are in the film
- Rating: 5 out of 5
Like Death Proof before it, Planet Terror excels at looking horrible, but thats the point. The film-maker intentionally put grain, scratches, cigarette burns, and fading colors into the film to give it that aged horrid look, and this disc displays every imperfection perfectly! The film is presented in its Original Filmed Aspect Ratio of 1.78:1 (though it was rematted to 2.40:1 in the theaters to match aspects with Tarantino’s film). The audio presentation is top notch as well, recieving an English 5.1 Dolby Digital soundtrack that absolutely rocks. Every speaker is used to its full potential.
- Rating: 5 out of 5
For those holding out for the eventual Grindhouse Special edition, fear not Robert Rodriguez confirms it at the end of his 10-Minute Film School featurette. But dont let that stop you from enjoying this incredible piece of genre film making at its finest!
- Overall Rating: 5 out of 5
Film and Features: 5
Technical Specs: 5
Overall Review: 5
Studio: Weinstein Company
Genre: Horror/Exploitation
Aspect: 1.78:1 Anamorphic Widescreen
Audio: 5.1 Dolby Digital
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