Planet Terror (2007)

Elevator Pitch: In a isloated Texas town, adjacent to an army base, the inhabitants are turned into zombie like people by the accidental release of a bioweapon, who balloon in grotesques and kill and dismember those who are not affected. A doctor works away in the hospital, ssisted or not by this wife, whose lesbian lover attempts to get to her. Amidst the chaos a truck driver and a stripper collect a group of possible survivors who take on the undead, and then the military who are surviving by using a special gas, but will they make it to safety?

Content: There is pole dancing and skimpy female clothing, and inferred sex although the film is damaged before it has gone far, probably some drinking but one would hardly notice. A load of extreme violence and people are torn apart and eaten, shot with a variety of weapons and burnt to a crisp in explosions. At one point there is a notice to say a reel is missing – conveniently omitting the sex, but the film goes on, and we hardly notice what is missing because the plot is intentionally haphazard.

A View: Only by reading about it have I understood what this “Grindhouse” stuff was about, intentionally exploitative films in the 70s and 80s filmed in a particular way and presented continuously on a circuit of dowdy cinemas, in the hope of attracting at least a minimum number of clients. Judging by the size of the art and make-up departments, this film must have cost more than the actual Grindhuse films did. But having said that, I quite enjoyed it even though I had to look away some of the time. So, read about Grindhouse first and then have a go at this. Worth it if you download them both (This and Death Proof were presented as a double feature on general release).

Additional Info: Harvey Weinstein attempted to prevent Rose McGowan from being cast, because she had outed him for sexual assault. Weinstein thereafter slashed the publcity budget for the film.