Blu-ray Spotlight- Grindhouse (Collector's Edition)

When it comes to buying horror movies on Blu-ray, we have one issue; we already own so many horror movies on DVD, that upgrading them all to Blu-ray would cost a small fortune. There are some titles that we have to own in the best format available however, and so we open to you our Blu-ray Archives which consist of what we consider to be Must Own Horror Blu-ray's.

Grindhouse (2007)
Vivendi Entertainment
Price: $18.20+
Discs:
Two-disc set
2 50 GB Discs
Video:
1080p
MPEG-4 AVC
2.35:1 AR
Audio:
Dolby Digital 5.1 (448 kbps)
French: Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish
Region Free

The real question is: Why would you not own this? Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino are two filmmakers that make movies that film geeks want to see. They make them fun, gritty, and they have no problems pushing the envelopes of taste or PC boundaries. They know what makes movies cool, and they know what we want to see, because it's what they want to see.

Grindhouse is a "double feature" collabo of two movies and some trailers that tips their collective hats back to the exploitation flicks of the 70's... flicks that were the foundations of the Grindhouse subculture. Planet Terror is a zombie/action flick that oozes machismo, and Death Proof is a character driven road revenge flick. Both films are bridged by fake trailers that boast other Grindhouse flicks that looks awesome. Machete was one of them, and now he's a franchise.

"They just fucked with the wrong Mexican!"

This is a BD set that is fun, interesting, and shamelessly self aware.It's also one of the most complete and immersive movie experiences we've had. If you love these movies, this BD set is your Holy Grail of Cool.

*Keep in mind that this set contains the theatrical versions of the Grindhouse flicks. If you already own the Extended cuts, I'd keep them. The extended cuts are cool.

Grindhouse is a film that is supposed to look old, scratched and badly damaged. Missing reels, missing frames, cigarette burns, cracks, scratches, color distortion, out of sync audio... this movie was carefully made to looks old and decrepit in post production, and it the deliberate flaws look great in HD. It wasn't supposed to be a pristine 1080p experience, but it still looks great for being intentionally "low grade."

What a stroke of b-grade genius.

No Lossless audio here. Grindhouse gives us only a standard Dolby Digital 5.1 sound mix, obviously in keeping with it's retro mission. The mix itself is impressive though, as it feels to me like it truly sounds how it would have in a grungy NY theater back in the 70's. It's perfectly imperfect, the way it was intended.

God I miss LOST...

This Blu-ray set is absolutely crazy packed with extra and special features, and on both discs. It almost feels endless...

Disc 1 - Theatrical Exhibition:
* Grindhouse Feature (Planet Terror)
* Intermission Cards
* Don't Trailer
* Werewolf Women of the S.S Trailer
* Thanksgiving Trailer
* Grindhouse Feature (Death Proof)

Disc 2
Planet Terror:
* Robert Rodriguez's 10-Minute Film School
* The Badass Babes of Planet Terror
* The Guys of Planet Terror
* Casting Rebel
* Sickos, Bullets, And Explosions: The Stunts of Planet Terror
* The Friend, The Doctor, and the Real Estate Agent
* Planet Terror Poster Gallery

Death Proof:
* Stunts On Wheels: The Legendary Drivers of Death Proof
* Quentin's Greatest Collaborator: Editor Sally Menke
* The Guys of Death Proof
* Kurt Russell as Stuntman Mike
* Finding Quentin's Gals
* The Uncut Version of "Baby, It's You" performed by Mary Elizabeth Winstead
* Introducing Zoe Bell
* Double Dare Trailer
* Death Proof Extended Music
* Death Proof Poster Gallery

Blu-Ray exclusive bonus features:
* Robert Rodriguez's 10-Minute Cooking School
* The Makeup Effects of Planet Terror
* The Hot Rods of Death Proof
* From Texas to Tennessee: The Production Design of Death Proof
* Trailers
* Extended Werewolf Women of The SS Trailer
* View Extended Cut Of Werewolf Women of the SS Trailer with Commentary by Director Rob Zombie
* The Making Of Werewolf Women of the SS Trailer
* Extended Don't Trailer
* View Extended Cut Of Don't Trailer with Commentary by Director Edgar Wright
* The Making of Don't Trailer
* Don't Storyboard/Trailer Comparison
* View Don't Storyboard/Trailer Comparison with Commentary by Director Edgar Wright
* Don't Storyboards Still Gallery
* Don't Poster
* The Making of Thanksgiving Trailer
* New York Times Talk with Quention Tarantino and Lynn Hirschberg at Comic Con 2006 Featuring the Directors and Cast of Grindhouse
* Grindhouse Trailer Contest Winner Hobo With A Shotgun

"You tell 'em I'm comin' and rape's comin' with me!"

I can see how a three hour love note -to a genre that never really had any mainstream popularity to begin with- wouldn't do so hot at the box office, and that is truly a shame. Grindhouse is a well crafted experience that is all kinds of awesome, and this BD version is a true gem to behold. It's an absolute must own.

Yes... YES!!!

Below is a small sampling (and I do mean small) of the bevy of hotness that El Hefe and QT have put on display for our enjoyment in Grindhouse. It's exploitation, so you know it's got to be full of scantily-clad Hotties who kick all sorts of ass and get naked, don't you?