normally would, sitting in a bar, eating, smoking and shaking their behind to the music pumping out of the juke box, knowing that every man in the room looks, but can't touch. Tarantino shows it all being fearless as he always is, not caring about what people might think. In full close-up, as a viewer you therefore are being served with actress Vanessa Ferlito's behind swaying to the beat and later on giving Kurt Russell's character stuntman Mike, a full lapdance. These girls are sassy, with especially Sydney Poitier , the daughter of the actor with almost the exact same name, standing out, rambling up the lines masterfully written by Tarantino as if they have bursted into her head all by themself. The ease with which she flows through the movie is perfect, making her, together with her killer looks, ideal for the role. While they eat, smoke and dance around showing they own the bar of which Tarantino himself is the boss, making a little cameo, as well as director and friend Eli Roth. Always making sure the stories and experiences his characters tell each other are easy to imagine, making the descriptions very vivid, as a viewer it's like listening to one of your own friends. The dialogue is always one of pure naturalness, making it very realistic, and as a result has you almost forgetting you're watching a work of fiction and the lines presented are all scripted. Being chunked up into what can be seen as two segments, the first one featuring actresses like Vanessa Ferlito, Rose McGowan and Poitier, the second segment is all about Rosario Dawson and her girlfriends, one of them being real life stunt woman Zoe Bell, who ends up doing some of the most spectacular stunts ever shown on screen. Knowing she survived is the only thing that holds you from feeling a complete sense fear, as the stunts she is involved in are deadly scary. Being himself in charge of the photography Tarantino has made sure his films look finger licking good, which he has succeeded in with flying colours. These colours being very bright as he provides the viewer with lots of flashes of yellow and pink. Like the bright colours that stood out in Kill Bill, in Death Proof, again those colours are there, but even more so then in Bill. A great moment can be watched during the second segment where the film suddenly turns into black and white. Making Russells's character and his car the last to be in colour, at this point Rosario Dawson's little posse is nothing but colourless. Then when the 'lights' go on, a splash of pure candy wrapping brightness fire's up the screen. The colours looking so tasty it almost makes you want to drool. Death Proof is a very well made film, with numerous references that are well thought about. The soundtrack like in every Tarantino film is perfectly matched too the atmosphere, mixing both classic with contemporary. Death Proof might not be his best work, but on its own it's brilliant and a hell lot of fun.What is it about?
A group of girls who find themselves involved in a lot of girl talk and having fun bringing the heat to a local bar, end up in some trouble after they meet a mysterious guy who's name is 'stuntman Mike' and who has a car that kind of freaks them out and also happens to be death proof. Another girl sitting at the bar starts chatting to the guy not knowing about the trouble she has gotten herself into by doing so. After she asks him for a ride home she gets a closer
look at his car making her realise there's no real passenger seat as in a normal car, but instead something that seems like a cage and which, Mike tells the lovely blonde, is used to place the camera in when they are filming. After their little drive home and the group of girls deciding to move to some other place with just them girls, Mike ends up in hospital. Some months later he's recovered and once again looking for some female beauty who can get him wild. Lucky for him, good looking girls happen to be everywhere. These girls however, aren't the usual cute sweetfaced onces, but those with whom you don't want to mess, eventually leading to a sweet and well deserved revenge.Final Verdict: *****
Death Proof is one of those films that everyone who likes Tarantino style and wit will fully enjoy. It's the best of entertainment. Being maybe more a guy kind of movie showing a lot of hot girls, this one is also for the girls who will be totally pleased by these women in power. Making the screen at times jump from a scene where the characters are in the middle of a conversation to another scene that is already about something completely different, little things like these are there to enhance the grind house feel, trying to catch the atmosphere of looking a movie
in rather bad circumstances like some people used to. The way the camera moves around the girls while they are talking in some kind of diner, making a full round, it's just one of those little extra's that makes watching a film like this even better. It's a great updated version of the genre and Tarantino does it brilliantly. With a director like him you know all you have to do is sit back and relax, while he serves you the best three course meal possible, with a sublime dessert that will have you cheering in the end. The finale is so good and the best possible way to end this insane ride. Death Proof is one crazy film, but in the most positive way of the word. It's a film that every lover of cinema will enjoy. It might be too much for some people, a bit over the top, but everyone who knows Tarantino will realise it's done with a big wink, having to take it all not too seriously. With Death Proof already this good and most critics saying Planet Terror is the better half of the two, I can hardly wait what Robert Rodriguez' film will have in store.
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