Disappointed by Death Proof or not?

Were you disappointed with Tarantino’s Death Proof?

  • Yes, overall I was disappointed.
  • No, overall I was very happy with it.

0 voters

As a huge fan of Death Proof (either version), I am just puzzled by the number of people who dislike the movie and ask themelves if QT has “lost it”, and what’s even more disturbing to me is that many of them consider themselves QT fans.



So let’s put it to a vote. Obviously, the majority of people who will vote here are fans.



My opinion:

QT makes pop culture/B-culture movies, and Death Proof oozes with pop culture/B-culture greatness. If you do not understand that, you might not understand what makes QT truly great.

Not my fave QT film. I almost watched it again last night but then decided not to. Sorry to all the big fans of it. Cant love what I dont love just cuz its QT.

It may not have been his best movie but it was still more interesting than most of the movies coming out Hollywood these days.

I can agree with that. Im just rating it on The QT Movie Enjoyment Scale only here. Its at the bottom for me on that list.

[quote=“PutneySwope”]
Not my fave QT film. I almost watched it again last night but then decided not to. Sorry to all the big fans of it. Cant love what I dont love just cuz its QT.
[/quote]

Well it’s not my fav QT film either. And of course you don’t necessarily have to love it just because it’s QT, that would be stupid. But do you look at it and say “That movie could have been so much better” or “Not at all what I wanted”, all in all: Are you disappointed with it? It’s a very simple question, easily answered.

I think it couldve been a bit better. Maybe less talking a bit more action or something. I mean I liked most of it but overall as a film, its just not one I want to revisit because its so enjoyable. Its not like his other films which I can just watch from beginning to end without fast forwarding thru dull spots. I hate that I feel that way about DP too. I wish i didnt.

Absolutely not. For me PF is the best QT movie, and then the other four films have similar quality.



Here in Spain, there is a very big group of movie fans that enjoys Death Proof and important cinema magazines are enthusiastic because DP confirms QT as a great auteur



Death Proof is the more european QT film, and I understand that many american QT fans didn’t get it. For me the action is enough and the key action scenes in the film are so good because of the dialogue that precedes them.



I will be satisfied if IB is as good as DP is.

[quote=“Peckinpah”]
I will be satisfied if IB is as good as DP is.
[/quote]

me too!



Nice post, could you further explain what you mean by DP being his more european film? It’ll be interesting to read.

In relative terms, I think it’s QT’s weakest offering to date. It’s 90% laid-back movie with 10% kick-ass action scenes. Unfortunately, the laid-back segments are not up to par as far as QT’s level goes. Unlike Jackie Brown, I found most of the characters annoying and I didn’t enjoy “hanging out with them”.



DP gets a 7/10 from me.

Like I have said before, it wasnt his best but it aint his worst either. I will say(once again) that it has the best damn car crash I have ever seen.

[quote=“me”]
Like I have said before, it wasnt his best but it aint his worst either. I will say(once again) that it has the best damn car crash I have ever seen.
[/quote]

So which movie is his worst?

[quote=“Crazy Kenneth”]
could you further explain what you mean by DP being his more european film?
[/quote]

Well, in my opinion, if you cut the 2 or 3 action scenes in Death Proof then the film becomes a full-dialogue film, without action, even without story, the only important thing are the characters and their relationship with the other characters, and this style of making cinema is european, is especially Eric Rohmer but also french cinema in general, New Wave, nordic cinema, italian neorealism, …



The american cinema is more about storytelling, could be action or not, but there is always a story, a couple of situations, of course, also characters, but not only the characters.



QT has always put many things from the european cinema style in his films but in Death Proof all the exploitation thing is a mask, what really lives in the film is the charaters and the dialogues of the girls. But, of course, is not an european film, is not a Rohmer film, is a Tarantino film and he gives us a touch of slasher and a touch of Russ Meyer to make a risky cocktail that, for me, works as a swiss clock.

Death Proof is his worst film to me. Theres no way you can say its as good as Dogs, Pulp, Jackie or Kill Bill. It has a couple good action sequences in it and a few nice visual ideas, but the rest isnt on par with his other films. It has hardly any depth to it besides the whole male/female role in the slasher film aspect. I think if QT was planning on doing that kind of crazy exploitation film he shouldve had more action and LESS talking. So what if we dont hear the girls talk about fucking guys for 20 minutes? Did Zoe and Kim arguing about giving each other a oily backrub advance the plot? Its not like the discussions they have are really fun to listen to MORE THAN ONCE. It gets boring after a few watches.



I dont care if its a European arthouse inspired slasher film by QT. That doesnt justify it being unsatisfying. I like all kinds of films from silent films to Italian neo-realism to the French New Wave. How does that matter if I found it boring in certain parts? You need to wake up and stop with all the art talk goobledy gook. It doesnt hold up.



Also I love Jackie Brown maybe the most out of all of his films and that movie was pretty much all talking.

Death Proof is full of details that must be seen more than once, the way the songs appears in the first half, the looks of Mike and Arlene, the full scene before the lap dance, the Reservoir Dogs dialogue with Mike watching the girls, the B & W scene, Earl McGraw and the Nascar, the Morricone theme with Mike making photos of the girls, the ass of Jungle Julia in the begining, Abernathy, …



I love this movie.



European arthouse is important if you love the great auters that have done that, and if Tarantino does a good imitation of what you enjoy, that’s my case.



And I prefer the dialogue of Death Proof than the fight of the end of Kill Bill Vol. 1 with 100 yakuzas. For me the best chapter in Kill Bill Vol. 1 is the fourth and the Vol 2. is all brilliant, without this over-the-top action from the first Volume.

[quote=“PutneySwope”]
You need to wake up and stop with all the art talk goobledy gook. It doesnt hold up.



Also I love Jackie Brown maybe the most out of all of his films and that movie was pretty much all talking.
[/quote]

I don’t need to wake up. I think I deserve respect.



I also like Jackie Brown but it has a great story, it’s not the “only dialogue” of Death Proof.

I agree that the most important thing in JB are the characters, but in Death Proof the characters are almost the only thing, except the two action set pieces from the end of every part.

[quote=“Peckinpah”]
I don’t need to wake up. I think I deserve respect.



I also like Jackie Brown but it has a great story, it’s not the “only dialogue” of Death Proof.

I agree that the most important thing in JB are the characters, but in Death Proof the characters are almost the only thing, except the two action set pieces from the end of every part.
[/quote]

And if I didnt love the characters and a good portion of the discussions in the movie, then what? Ive got my least favorite Tarantino film.



The direction and music in Death Proof were excellent. The dialogue and characters were not all excellent to me.

Perfect, you don’t like them, so I do.



There are many people that don’t like Jackie Brown or Kill Bill.



It’s Ok, you don’t love Death Proof.

Yes indeedy. It sucks that I feel that way. But thats just the bottom line.

[quote=“Scarface”]
So which movie is his worst?
[/quote]

I would have to say Jackie Brown. I know alot of people love JB and i’m a huge Pam Grier fan, but I just didnt like it.

Death Proof was exactly what it was supposed to be. I love it. Not disappointed at all.