Release Date: 10/16/07

The Film

When Grindhouse was announced as a throwback to the fun exploitation films of the 1970’s, my interest was instantly piqued. While I grew up after the period of dank inner city theatres that ran only second run films, the idea of movies so bad they were good combined with rowdy crowds and less than stellar surroundings sounded intriguing and exciting. There’s a sense of danger with these kinds of productions, almost like you aren’t supposed to be watching this kind of stuff or God would smite you for the rest of eternity. Thankfully, as far as I can tell, Robert Rodriguez’s Planet Terror captures that feel perfectly.

Right off the bat, the first thing audiences will notice is the shoddy and dirty print utilized in the film. The picture is marred with lines, grit, and cigarette burns. However, soon after that visceral shock wears off, you’ve got a film that takes the zombie genre and trashes it up a few levels. Loosely put, the plot is your general zombie flick where a group of survivors must fend off an army of flesh-eating mutants. The acting is great as it is intentionally campy while the special effects are over the top with every explosion and blurt spurt. The cast that includes the likes of Rose McGowan, Freddy Rodriguez, Bruce Willis, and Josh Brolin, carry the film beautifully… or rather, as ugly as possible.

With all that said, the Extended and Unrated tag that the film receives is a bit misleading (when isn’t it?). The film is extended primarily with bits of extra gore throughout the film. The missing scene is still in place, which may cause a bit of dismay for some fans. Overall, the film still stands well in this format, and separate from its double feature partner, Quentin Tarantino’s Death Proof.

The DVD

The main menu looks great with plenty of action going on in the background courtesy of clips from the film with sound. Submenus include silent stills.

The video is offered in 2.35:1 Anamorphic Widescreen Format. The picture looks great with its stylized look of purposely being worn, beaten, and outright dirty. The blacks are solid and the colors are bright and bold. Those in need of that damaged print look need not worry as this transfer is perfect.

The audio is offered in English Dolby Digital 5.1 and Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1. The sound is exceptional with plenty of oomph and positional sound. Dialogue is crisp and clean, and every sound effect comes through very nicely. Subtitles are available in English and Spanish.

The Extras

The 2-disc set comes in a single standard Amaray case with an extra flap encased within a cardboard slipcase. There’s a $5 discount coupon for the purchase of Death Proof included inside as well.

Disc 1

The Audio Commentary track is provided by writer/director Robert Rodriguez. There’s also an Audio Reaction Track that provides for a bit of entertainment and a feel for what it’s like to watch the movie in a dingy theatre. The first disc rounds out with the International Trailer and a Poster Gallery.

Disc 2

Film School with Robert Rodriguez runs about 12-minutes and features how the director employed some of his secret tricks to save a few bucks here and there on the special effects, namely the machine gun leg.

The Badass Babes of Planet Terror and Tough Guys Planet Terror consist of a couple of pieces that run a total time of 29-minutes and feature interviews with the cast.

Casting Rebel offers a 6-minute piece that goes into the casting of Rodriguez’s son for the role of Rebel. Cast and crew speak on their memories working with the young actor.

Sickos, Bullets, and Explosions: The Stunts of Planet Terror is a 13-minute feature taking us behind the scenes of the stunt work found in the film.

The Friend, The Doctor, and The Real Estate Agent finds us another 7-minute piece where the director speaks on the smaller characters found in the film who happen to be Rodriguez’s real life friends.

Final Thoughts

I’m glad that Planet Terror – Extended and Unrated was released with the plethora of bonus options its fans expected from this type of production. This is a fun flick that should provide plenty of entertainment time and time again.

- Morris Tang