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| Star Rose McGowan looks sensational with a machine gun leg prosthesis on this blood-red poster for Robert Rodriguez's Planet Terror |
An experimental bio-weapon accidentally releases and creates a zombie outbreak, which a small group of survivors fight to exterminate.
Planet Terror is written, co-produced, directed, photographed , co-edited and composed by great Texan filmmaker Robert Rodriguez (El Mariachi (1992)) and is part of Rodriguez and co-producer Quentin Tarantino's double feature project Grindhouse (2007), which also comprises Tarantino's car thriller Death Proof (2007).
The film is a total blast and perhaps the year's coolest movie. In terms of the intention of resurrecting the exploitation grindhouse tradition in American cinema of the 1970s and 1980s for a great show, a respectful, enthusiastic and very humorous venture, Rodriguez's contribution wins over Tarantino's more farcical and idiosyncratic Tarantino film.
With Planet Terror Rodriguez really walks the ten miles with a 'bad' story, (understood in the way that it is so flat and obvious, which is just perfect for what this is), a great gallery of characters, rad special effects, a super and very 1980s retro score (by Rodriguez himself) and a terrific cast: Michael Biehn's (Clockstoppers (2002)) comeback as Sheriff Hague and Rose McGowan (Encino Man (1992)) and Freddy Rodriguez (CBGB (2013)) deserve highlighting. There are some hilarious scenes (some involving Biehn and some BBQ 'expert' brothers), and the film is an overall irreverent fun ride for B movie fans.
Rodriguez doesn't have Tarantino's knack (or indulgence) for dialog, but it matters not here in Planet Terror, which is arguably the man's best and coolest film to date.
Related posts
The other Grindhouse feature: Death Proof (2007) - Tarantino's awesome, rubber-burning Grindhouse homage
Robert Rodriguez: Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003) - Rodriguez goes digital and blows up his trilogy
The Faculty (1998) or, Teacher Encounters of the Third Kind
1996 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess
From Dusk till Dawn (1996) - Tarantino, Rodriguez and chums' enjoyable Mexico vampire extravaganza
Desperado (1995) - Rodriguez' second Mexico actioner is a sexy, latino fireball
Four Rooms (1995) - Rodriguez, Tarantino & Co. fail with LA hotel anthology comedy (segment)
Listen to the title track from Rodriguez's score for the film here
Cost: 23 mil. $
Box office: 24.1 mil. $
= Huge flop (returned 1.04 times its cost)
[Planet Terror was released 6 April (USA) and runs 105 minutes (in the Grindhouse double feature version only 91 minutes). Rodriguez had wanted to make a zombie movie since The Faculty (1997). McGowan was Rodriguez's girlfriend at the time and was cast despite being on Harvey Weinstein's blacklist, because he had sexually assaulted her in the past: Dimension Films was, however, controlled by Bob Weinstein, who let the casting take place, but his brother Harvey Weinstein succeeded in axing the film's ad budget and thereby limiting its chances of success. Shooting took place from February - July 2005 in Texas and Mexico, with re-shoots in October 2005. Co-star Marley Shelton has stated that she felt that Tarantino co-directed Planet Terror, as he was on set for a lot of filming and gave notes, adjustments and line changes. Grindhouse opened #4, behind holdover hits Blades of Glory and Meet the Robinsons and fellow new release Are We Done Yet?, to a 11.5 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it left the top 5 in its 2nd weekend and grossed 25 mil. $, with half attributed here to Planet Terror (51.9 % of the total gross). The film released as an individual feature in most other markets with the 2nd and 3rd biggest being Spain with 1.9 mil. $ (7.9 %) and Germany with 1.4 mil. $ (5.8 %). Roger Ebert gave the double feature a 2.5/4 star review, translating to 2 notches under this one. The fake trailer for Machete in the film since spun the actual Machete (2010) by Rodriguez, which to date also has one sequel (Machete Kills (2013)). Rodriguez returned with Shorts (2008). McGowan returned in Fifty Dead Men Walking (2008); Freddy Rodriguez in Bottle Shock (2008)). Planet Terror is fresh at 76 % with a 6.30/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]
What do you think of Planet Terror?
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