| | |  | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Home » » Grindhouse Presents, Planet Terror - Extended and Unrated (Two-Disc Special Edition) | | | | | | | Description: | | PLANET TERROR - DVD Movie | | | Product Details: | | | Actors:
| Rose McGowan, Freddy RodrÃguez, Josh Brolin, Bruce Willis, Marley Shelton | | Director:
| Robert Rodriguez | | Format:
| Closed-captioned, Color, Director's Cut, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC | | Language:
| English | | Subtitle:
| English, Spanish | | Number of Discs:
| 2 | | Studio:
| The Weinstein Company | | Run Time:
| 105 minutes | | DVD Release Date:
| October 16, 2007 | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 238 reviews |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 238 customer reviews )
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
266 of 326 found the following review helpful:
 "Two against the world, baby!"Aug 22, 2007
By trashcanman
First, a word about this childish boycott. "Grindhouse" gave us two brilliant genre films for the price of one in the theaters. It was a once in a lifetime experience for most of us and a chance to see the two most bada$* directors in Hollywood give us 3+ hours of hardcore horror entertainment including the funniest faux-trailers your likely to ever see. And it bombed. Big time. Why? Because lazy America said it'd wait for the DVD because the film was too long and lost the chance to support a truly brilliant idea and show that we are sick and tired of cardboard cutout PG-13 teen horror and bad remakes of beloved cult classics. They went to see "Disturbia" instead. "Grindhouse" was what true horror fans -hell, what all true film fanatics- have been dying for and shame on all of you who missed it. So the studio took a loss for taking a chance on this idea and as a result, they've split the two films up with extra scenes that were cut for time and are giving us these two films as we haven't yet seen them, each in double-dic editions packed with extras. Awesome, right? Weeeeeellllll, now the same whiners who stiffed the films in the theaters are angry they missed out and want both films on one DVD (as if there'd even be room) for a discount price. Sorry, but it don't work that way. The theatrical cut was packaged as just that, an experience for the theaters simulating the double-feature drive-in days of old. Even if that experience would translate to DVD, why would the company re-release it in a form that already failed miserably? The bottom line is this: we now have another chance to show that THIS is what we as horror fans want to see and the only way to do that is to buy these great-looking DVDs. The notion that making the films bomb yet again on DVD is going to lead to some super-duper deluxe theatrical edition must have been conceived in the mind of a five year old on crack. If we don't support these editions, these films will die and the studio will waste no more money on this failed project or any like it in the future. This is basic business sense. Support true horror and boycott crappy remakes and bloated sequels *cough*Spiderman3*cough* instead.
"Planet Terror" as you already know, was Robert Rodriguez's half of "Grindhouse" and while it's artistically inferior to it's sister film (Tarantino's "Death Proof"), Rodriguez brings the campy action, hardcore gore, and zombie awesomeness hard and fast like you know he can. The music, as always, rocks and grooves, the deaths will make you laugh and recoil in disgust, and Rose McGowan may well be the sexiest thing on the planet. The story is nonsense, of course, and the dialogue is hammy and shooting a grenade launcher directly into the ground will NOT launch you into the air (not in one piece, anyway) like a superhero, but this film is of the kind where this sort of unreal madness only makes you love it more and leaves you drunk and giddy with the chaos. It's silly, but you will love it. Much of "Planet Terror" makes me feel like I'm watching the most kicka$# video game ever made; a game I'd really love to play.
The movie is packed with recurring jokes and funny, memorable dialogue (much of which is based on Rose McGownan's real personality) that pays off in spades down the line. Rodriguez did not skimp on the cast, either. Sure, he cast most of his family plus his doctor and even his freakin' real-estate agent, but they are all fantastic. Bruce Willis chews the scenery, Freddy Rodriguez is THE zombie-killing machine, Quentin Tarantino plays "rapist #1", and you know it's a true undead party when Tom Savini hits the scene. Also, Fergie plays a lesbian who gets her brain eaten by the marauding undead. Yes, I know if this was realistic the scene would have played out like the Simpsons episode where the zombies moan "braaaaaainsss" as they feel her head and then, finding none, leave the so-vapid-she's-sexy pop tart to ponder her 15 minutes of fame; but like I was saying, this is not a realistic movie and any dead Black-eyed Peas member is a good one.
If anyone knows how to do extras right, it's Robert Rodriguez. You've got the standard commentary, plus the audience reaction track from the film's premiere (a personal favorite), his patented "10 minute film school", and yes, the "Machette" trailer still precedes the film. Sweet. The rest of the bonus features largely mirror the "Death Proof" DVD with lots of love for the cast and stuntpeople; very informative and very entertaining. I was actually hoping for more restored footage to the actual movie then we get (more crazy babysitter twins, anyone?) and the visual defects and missing reel -which was fun in the theater- are still there and not nearly as cute, but these are my only gripes. I could seriously write for days about all the things I love about this movie, but I'll just say one more thing before wrapping up: I sure could go for some barbeque.
"Planet Terror" brings some seriously awesome action-horror that delivers everything you want in a zombie film and you'd be a fool to pass on it just because you don't get a whole other movie free. Buy it, buy "Death Proof", and then go wave your copies at the moron down the street who's boycotting.
12 of 14 found the following review helpful:
SpectacularOct 16, 2007
By N. Durham
"Big Evil"
The best part of Grindhouse (besides the fake trailers) was Robert Rodriguez's Planet Terror, which is now on DVD nearly a month after Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof was released. Though the Weinstein Company sadly decided to split the films for home video release (besides Machete, the fake trailers aren't here), the pair's Grindhouse films are an experience to say the least. Planet Terror revolves around Go-Go dancer Cherry (Rose McGowan) and her ex-flame El Wray (Freddy Rodriguez) who are caught in the middle of an undead outbreak. As survivors gather together, the military steps in with their own intentions, and thus let the blood bath begin. What really makes Planet Terror so good is that Robert Rodriguez is clearly having a blast with the proceedings, as he pays delightful homage to the exploitation flicks that inspired Grindhouse as a whole. There's nifty gore effects from industry master Greg Nicotero, and the rest of the cast, including Bruce Willis, Josh Brolin, Marley Shelton, Michael Biehn, Jeff Fahey, Stacy Ferguson, and Lost's Naveen Andrews, make memorable turns as well. Instantly enjoyable for zombie addicts and Rodriguez fans alike, Planet Terror is a deliciously bloody and gooey treat.
6 of 6 found the following review helpful:
 Fun romp through homage to zombie-fest flicks offers chuckles rather than screamsFeb 01, 2010
By Scott Schiefelbein
Robert Rodriguez ("El Mariachi," "Once Upon a Time in Mexico") and Quentin Tarantino (do I need to list references?) have famously teamed up on a number of projects ("Desperado," "Sin City"). While these two cinemaphiles always appear to have a blast making their movies, the "Grindhouse" project may be the paragon of their mad-cap filmmaking self-indulgence.
"Grindhouse" was a double-feature in which RR and QT each provided a flick designed to be a homage to the low-budget horror/exploitation films of the 60s and 70s. "Planet Terror" is RR's entry, although QT makes quite an impression in an extended cameo as a deranged military nutcase. QT's half was "Death Proof," which I won't review here, but it's definitely of a piece with "Planet Terror."
Zombie films are seemingly as popular now as ever, so RR's spoof/tribute is timely. The flick opens with a hilarious mock trailer for "Machete," an X-rated revenge flick. The film quality of the trailer is terrible - RR fakes wear-and-tear on the film and includes skips and flaws in the soundtrack as a tribute to the grindhouse experience. This works fine in the trailer, but as it continues into the feature film, it gets more than a little annoying after 60 minutes.
"Planet Terror" opens up with a zombie outbreak in Texas, thanks to military hijinx led by Lt. Muldoon (Bruce Willis) for reasons unknown. Soon zombies are tearing across the countryside, rending the innocent and not-so-innocent limb from limb. Unfortunately, "Planet Terror" is aiming more for humor and gross-outs rather than genuine scares, so be prepared to wince rather than cringe. Some of the jokes really work, such as several close-ups of the "humps" of Black Eyed Peas singer/ornament Fergie, just before the zombies tear her humps apart. There's also a clever "Missing Reel," alert, with apologies from theater management, just when a love scene between stripper Cherry Darling (Rose McGowan) and Wray (Freddie Rodgriguez) gets its most "exploitative."
Ultimately, this is not a good horror movie in that it will not create any genuine terror, a la the original "Halloween," "Nightmare on Elm Street," or even "Dawn of the Dead." But it must be said that there are two types of horror movies, and this is the second type - the kind that goes for dark humor, ridiculiously-sensational death scenes, and blood by the barrelful. That kind of horror movie doesn't appeal to me all that much, truth be told, but if that's your game I expect "Planet Terror" will find its way to the top of your DVD stack pretty quickly.
For what it is, I cannot imagine a movie doing a better job of hitting its target than "Planet Terror." It is a tribute to bad taste and bad movies - and for what it is, almost as much fun as RR and QT had making it.
4 of 4 found the following review helpful:
Genuinely FunOct 22, 2007
By JD
What makes Planet Terror so good is that it is just simple fun. The plot the characters, the acting, the effects...they are all horrible. The film is simple one-liners, idiotic characters and over the top mayhem. It is an excuse to blow stuff up and spout cheesy lines while taking down zombies in a rain of blood. There are a few clunky "heavy" moments in the film that feel bogged down and are quite painful but if you can make it through them there is a fun ride in store for you. The filming made me laugh when the missing reel message popped up and the warbles and pops are a fun throwback to horrible, horrible "grindhouse" films.
I think there is a lot of the experience that was lost when the movies were split up outside of the theater. I wish that a true theatrical running of double-feature with advertisements and trailers was available because that is what I really want. By themselves, I wouldn't purchase either Planet Terror or Deathproof but I'd rent them for a weekend with the guys while knocking back a few and tearing into some good BBQ.
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
A Unique Look At Filming Styles Of Ol'Nov 08, 2007
By B. Merritt
"filmreviewstew.com"
You've gotta love blood, gore, sex, lesbianism, and impossible human feats to enjoy something like PLANET TERROR. It is, in essence, a hardboiled 70s slasher/zombie film with all of its nonsensical sexual under (and over) tones surrounded by reel-to-reel style filming with its scratchy and skipping that those who've spent time at the drive-ins of ol' will no doubt enjoy as it harkens them back to days gone by (gotta love that run-on sentence, eh?)
Rose McGowan (Death Proof) plays Cherry Darling (no, it's not a p0rn name ...although it could be), a strip dancer who's suddenly thrust into the middle of a pending apocalypse. The military has unleashed a zombifying chemical and it threatens Cherry's nearby one-horse town.
She is quickly reunited with El Wray (Freddy Rodriguez, Lady in the Water), a lost love turned truck driver who's never forgotten her. The two zip this way and that in an attempt to avoid the newly walking dead but Cherry meets up with a hungry bunch and has a lower leg gnawed off. She's taken to a local hospital where it rapidly becomes apparent that the zombies are taking over.
Meanwhile, El Wray is taken into custody by Sheriff Hague (Michael Biehn) and there's an unmentioned tension between the two that escalates as the Sheriff's town begins falling apart. But the Sheriff knows how good El Wray is with a gun ("I never miss.") and eventually hands over his pistols to him. The ensuing head shots are gruesomely wonderful (I believe the handgun was a .45).
Also amongst this chaos is the strained marriage of two physicians, Dr. William Block (Josh Brolin, The Dead Girl) and Dr. Dakota Block (Marley Shelton, DON'T COME KNOCKING) who work at this hospital where zombies begin increasing in numbers. William suspects his wife is having an affair and it is later confirmed; but it was with another woman, something that incenses him. Dakota is excellent at anesthetizing patients and her skills with her sexy syringe-stuffed garters comes in handy.
The running gag throughout the film is a take on a barbeque restaurant which is besieged by the undead. It is run by Sheriff Hague's brother and the two are at odds over a secret sauce recipe. The brothers eventually come together in a very destructive way, but come together they must.
In the end it is El Wray and Cherry who save the day. El Wray with his dead aim and Cherry with her newfound leggy weapon (gotta love the handicapped!)
This will be a film of contention for many. For those who want a serious telling of a great zombie flick, they won't find it here. For those wanting a laugh-out-loud comedy in-line with such things as Shaun of the Dead, they won't find it either. But it is nicely wedged in-between those two, with some rousingly good gore and a few chuckles thrown in for good measure.
A decent film for those that might enjoy a stroll down memory-film lane.
(Note: This is part 2 of 2 in the Grindhouse Film duet. The first movie, Death Proof, was directed by Quentin Tarantino and the two were broken up upon DVD release. The two films come with an intermission that shows a few hilarious "coming soon" featurettes.)
See all 238 customer reviews on Amazon.com
| | |
|
