Killer Car Movies: Quintin Tarantino’s “Death Proof”
Photo: dave_7 via CC
Forget the usual scary movie monsters, because The News Wheel is celebrating Halloween with a look at killer-car cinema. While the so-called “carsploitation” subgenre may seem tacky and ridiculous at first glance, it’s surprising just how many Hollywood legends have dabbled in it, and often to excellent effect. Steven Spielberg started his career with Duel in 1971. John Carpenter and Steven King teamed up for Christine in 1983. And in 2007, another beloved storyteller threw his hat into the ring. Welcome to Quintin Tarantino’s Death Proof.
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The story behind Quintin Tarantino’s “Death Proof”
When it comes to treading the line between mainstream and cult cinema, Quintin Tarantino reigns supreme. The highly acclaimed director has given us such instant classics as Pulp Fiction, Inglorious Basterds, Django Unchained, and most recently, Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood. But while Tarantino is often associated with sophisticated and respected cinema, the truth is a bit more complicated. Despite his critical acclaim and growing pile of Oscars, Tarantino’s favorite films — and those that inspire him the most — are the dark, violent flicks of the 1960s and 70s. Revenge pictures like Lady Snowblood and 70’s grindhouse fare like Death Race 2000 and even the Shaw Brothers’ Mighty Peking Man are big influences on his style and storytelling preferences. And you can be sure that none of those films took home an Oscar.
Tarantino’s cinematic passions are on full display in Death Proof, a film created as the second half of a 2007 double bill with Robert Rodriguez’s Planet Terror. Together, the films were known as the Grindhouse double bill, and served as a revival of the grungy, action-packed flicks that inspired both Tarantino and Rodriguez to pursue filmmaking.
The plot
Death Proof tells the dark tale of a series of murders committed by a washed-up Hollywood stunt driver named Mike McKay. Calling himself Stuntman Mike, the deranged man — played with an unsettling charm by the great Kurt Russell — uses his black “death proof” stunt car to execute women he’s lured into his deadly trap. The film focuses on two groups of girls; the first group is graphically slain by Mike’s car, and the second group decides it’s not going down without a fight. Without spoiling anything, the result of all this madness is car chases, big-scale stunts, some great one-liners, and loads of trademark Tarantino violence.
Why it’s scary
Unlike many of the other killer car movies highlighted this October, there is nothing supernatural afoot in this flick. Much like in Spielberg’s Duel, the real villain is the driver. But unlike in Duel, Death Proof’s deranged driver has a face and a full personality. His cars are his tools, and he uses them to wreak major havoc. Duel used the anonymity of the driver to create terror, but Death Proof proves that familiarity with the killer can be just as terrifying. Kurt Russell gives a career-topping performance as Stuntman Mike, and his natural likability makes his grotesque acts even more disturbing. This may still be a killer car movie, but this time around, the true threat comes from the mind behind the wheel.
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As with most of Tarantino’s films, Death Proof is an acquired taste and not for the squeamish. But for fans of the director, 70s-style grindhouse cinema, Kurt Russell, and seeing vintage Dodges kill people in creative ways, this one is not to be missed.
The News Wheel is a digital auto magazine providing readers with a fresh perspective on the latest car news. We’re located in the heart of America (Dayton, Ohio) and our goal is to deliver an entertaining and informative perspective on what’s trending in the automotive world. See more articles from The News Wheel.