Review of American Grindhouse (2011) by Josh M — 09 Nov 2012

Successfully got me hooked on the subject. I saw Tarantino's Grindhouse several times and loved it. I knew it was supposed to be done in a old, cheesy, B-movie style, but I had no idea what exactly that was.

As a designer, I am deeply, deeply fascinated with grindhouse art/style. While I have yet to develop a taste for the sort of movies they advertise (I'm not in any big hurry to see "Slave Girls of the SS") I love their posters, title sequences, logos.

..I love the tone they convey. For the documentary itself, it isn't anything new; it's pretty vanilla and to the point and it's set up in neat sections that go from Thomas Edison in the 1920's to present day.

I will admit that the ending of the American Grindhouse was rushed. I wish they would have more greatly explored the direction 'Grindhouse' and exploitation is taking today. Is there modern exploitation films? What do they think will be the next big thing that makes the masses squirm? They made a great point in saying that the graphic, independent essence of the style as been fully absorbed into popular culture; in 2012, we have seen everything and for the most part, are pretty numb to the bells and whistles that once made these exploitation movies a hit.

Maybe the style is dead, maybe it will take a new form soon enough.