Grindhouse Premiere - 03/26/07
I think I've said it before, but it bears repeating; if you live in Los Angeles, there's a decent chance you know someone who works in or around the film industry. It's like living in Detroit and knowing someone who has something to do with making cars.
The nice thing about knowing these people is that occasionally you'll get to ride on their coattails to some sweet event. This night was the premiere of Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez' double feature event Grindhouse.
This was a fun night at the Orpheum theatre, one of L.A.'s historic movie palaces on Broadway in downtown. The downside was not having invites to the party, which is really where you want to go on premiere night, if only for free booze and appetizers.
The nice thing about this night was that you got a crap load of movie - two movies actually - along with fake trailers and 1970s movie theatre interstitials.
Both movies are very entertaining, with Tarantino's film Death Proof edging out Rodriquez' Planet Terror as my favorite of the evening. Tarantino puts together one of the best car chases in years and it's the real thing. It's not one of these crappy, Fast & Furious, 99% CG crapfests of a car chase. This are real cars zipping down the highway and one of them has a girl on the hood, holding on by her finger tips.
Not to be outdone, Rodriquez gives us the sexiest amputee you'll ever see. Rose McGowan and her rifle leg are an exquisite match and the epitome of the grindhouse estetic filtered through the lens of a skilled filmmaker with plenty of money.
Sadly, I think these movies were a victim of this country's average attention span of zero. At somewhere between three and four hours, a night at the grindhouse is a bit of a commitment, but as long as you do a little pre-show bladder management, you should be okay. All you weaklings who balked at a sixth of a day inside a movie theatre should know that Europeans were nearly rioting in the streets, because these movies were being released seperately. Perhaps I can appeal to your cheap side. Think of it as seeing two seven dollar movies. You've paid twice as much for movies that are a third as long. If you can still find it in theatres, you should take advantage of this little gift from Dimension Films.
Orpheum abstract
Labels: Los Angeles, movies, Orpheum Theatre, premieres, theatres
scribbled by Rob at 8:25 PM - permalink
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