Grindhouse is one of my most anticipated films this year. I also love the concept of 2 separate movies in one night at the theater (even though they’re not full length feature films… but that’s ok). But it looks like a number of non-engligh speaking countries aren’t going to get it like that. Instead, they’re going to have to watch the Grindhouse movies as TWO SEPARATE MOVIES released at different times.
Our friends over at Horror-Movies.Ca give us this:
the Tarantino/Rodriquez teamup Grindhouse would be split outside of the US in some non-English speaking nations. The films would be titled Grindhouse: Planet Terror & Grindhouse Death Proof and be put out a few months apart.
the split does allow some footage that was cut from the movies to be put back in, but the problem now resides in deciding which faux trailer goes with what movie. The trailers in the double bill go between the flicks. So far also no news of what will hit first.
This is just stupid, and I’ll tell you exactly what this is about. This is about the studio wanting to double their money in countries they think they can get away with it. Nothing more, nothing less. Why just get 1 admission ticket out of people when we can come up with a way to get 2! And these people wonder why people pirate movies.
hey dumbasses! it’s going to be released like that just in “non english speaking countries” it’s going to be released like that here to!!!!! other thing that pisses me off. is now we have to pay extra for some 2 disc dvd sets, or buy the barebone single disc. fuck those greedy bastards that distribute dvds!! fuck em!!!!
yo!
I’m from one of thos “non-English speaking country’s” and the fact they sepperated these movies sucks monkey-balls.
we may not “fully understand” the concept of a grindhous of back-to-back production, but we do like these kind of movies.
but hey, non-english speaking people must be stupid, because we don’t speak english and stuff, so we don’t understand things like this… pfff, this sucks man, i agree with the guys here that think this sucks, and taht it is probably a money stunt.
I’am from Belgium. In my country they are goin to chop up Grindhouse in two and that’s a damn shame. I think you should watch a movie as the makers intended it, in this case back to back. Illegal downloads are going to get a serious boost with stupid ideas like this.
First of all. The whole “non-English speaking countries do not understand the double-bill” IS bullshit. I can tell you, first hand that it is. I am in my mid-thirties, and I used to live in the city as a little girl. We had tons of 42nd Street-style movie theaters and they showed double bills constantly. I used to go to these things every weekend. My gramps was a cool guy and he took me with him every single time. I watched Cannibal Holocaust at the age of nine on a double bill with some other kung-fu film. So as you can see, this is nothing but a stupid excuse to make more money. Oh, and where I live, Puerto Rico, our OFFICIAL languages are BOTH English and Spanish. So none of those excuses apply here. Are you listening, Weinsteins?
I`m german, and in my opinion the whole splitting sucks! I know this grindhouse point, because in many movies you can see it. I was never in an Grindhouse, but here in Germany are the tv`s and cinemas full of american films, so i grew up with american culture too. This splitting is stupid, europe is experienced in this kind of cinema! It isn`t so that we don`t know anything, and the only thing we know from america are cowboys, indians and wars. There is only 1 reason for this shit, money , money, money, no others views, just to make more money. So what I`am going to do? I`ll buy the RC1 DVD at release and get the whole Grindhouse at the start of the release here in germany. Okey i don`t get german synchro, but better to get so assraped!
I thought I´d never say this, but this is what I´ll do: download the freaking movie!!! I was looking forward to pay and watch it in a movie theater. One movie = one ticket. This greedy people want me to pay twice? OK, this time they are not getting my cash, not even once!!!
Cheers from Spain
I can appreciate the studio’s philosophy of wanting to make more money by releasing them separately. The thing I don’t agree with is this quote:
“The basic reason behind the split is that in many non-English speaking countries the double-bill and the grindhouse experiance wasn’t that widespread so the whole concept behind the project would be lost to foreign viewers.”
I’m 31 and never really had an opportunity to experience the grindhouse experience that this pays homage to. However, I’m extremely excited about the film because it’s an experience I never got to realize. Could the studio be overlooking an important concept – this is an opportunity for a type of product introduction. If the markets respond well, then introducing these markets to the grindhouse experience could have long term benefits, such as releasing future grindhouse experiences. Just because it was never popular in those countries doesn’t mean that they won’t appreciate it. They may be missing out on a huge opportunity here by following that decision.
Just checked the norwegian coming soon list and guess what, Grindhouse-Death Proof coming june 1. I guess i won’t be seeing this movie before a DVD-release then which will be Region 1
Yes in North America. It happened with Kill Bill.
they might try and claim some lame kind of “we just realised that by doing a double feature people were going to miss out on longer films so by releasing them seperately the “fans” get a better product” type of shit…
I really hope they don’t though as I am really looking forward to the double feature aspect – I wonder if one film ismore well received than another if there will be any animosity between Qt and RR
what do you mean?? in america?
I doubt it…they would have to pull the latest trailer as if clearly states it is a two for one film…..the standee I saw claims it is two films for the price of one…
you do get the feeling the studio have just clicked that they are giving money away with this 2 for one deal…
I reckon they will release seperate dvds to try and make up for it…that I wouldn;t be surprised with
Heh, who wants to bet this will end up happening here too?
weird that people get angry about a hollywood studio wanting to make money…
every studio film is made so they can try and make money…
if you don’t like that fact stop watching studio films…..because every trailer you see for every film is designed to get your money..every frame of every film shot is shot to get your money plain and simple
whats greedy about studios wanting to make money? that is what they are in the business to do…plus as the guy above said grindhouse type double features is quite an american thin…it might make better sense marketing wise in some territories to split it and just release them as tarantino and rodriguez new films…
thats what tarantino said as well..he didn’t want these filmsto be perceived as some kind of “creepshow/twilight zone movie” anthology film…he said this is his new film tosit alongside pulpfiction and his others and that rodriguez’s is his new film.
I agree Jason… the studios are FOR PROFIT companies that are putting millions of dollars (sometimes hundreds of millions) on the line for basically popular entertainment. If they can make a move that they perceive will better their chances at recovering the cost — and that in turn lets them give Tarantino & Rodriguez (and other directors) the reins to do something that isn’t 100% mainstream excrement… I say good on them!
And the “grindhouse” movement is really only something that happened in American cinemas during the 1970’s — hence foreign audiences won’t really appreciate the homage that is being paid…
I don’t see a problem with it.
in SOME non-English speaking nations.. i doubt France etc will get them split up… who knows maybe there are cultural reasons behind the split, I’m no expert..
In Thailand etc films are generally much much much cheaper to see, maybe the short is a more popular concept there?
p.s. do any of us really care, we will all get to see the films together, what’s with the violent reaction?
a) Is there that much money to be made in these foreign markets (in other words, hardly a greedy move)?
take miami vice for example, which has flopped in the states, but grossed more than 100 million bucks in those so called “foreign markets”.
and by the way, i live in germany, so i can give you a little more info on the grindhouse split.
planet terror will come out in april, roughly around the time grindhouse hits the us-cinemas. death proof will follow in august.
there are cinemas (at least in germany) that will show grindhouse as the “normal” double feature, too, but not until august of course
i’m really disappointed with the whole split-situation, because the weinstein company actually destroys the whole movie concept (buy one, watch two). the “the concept is lost on a foreign audience”-statement in my opinion is bullshit, this is solely done to get more money out of this.
Like I said, we can argue the merits of their decision (whether they’ll actually make more money from the split releases or not). And, of course, markets like Germany and France and Japan, etc., are important to the total bottom line.
But it really all comes down to this basic point: why are businesses vilified for trying its best to earn the most money it can? Isn’t that the point?
I know in a perfect world, most movie companies would only strive to make great artistic movies, commercial viability and profit-making ability be damned. But, just like the Disney marketing of Bridge to Terabithia, why is it necessary for these companies to work in ways that might not be as beneficial to them financially?
Sure, this can be seen as a way to maximize profits by the studio, but ask yourselves this: a) Is there that much money to be made in these foreign markets (in other words, hardly a greedy move)? b) If the concept is lost on a foreign audience, why not give them something that they would appreciate and/or enjoy more?
Hey Jason,
I’m sorry mate, but your post actually winds me up a bit.
“a) Is there that much money to be made in these foreign markets (in other words, hardly a greedy move)?”
Well, do you consider countries like Germany or France small markets? Because they aren’t, they are very important to the business, if studios would rely on their domestic income alone and would ignore those markets, they basically would be fucked. Hollywood studios are well aware of that.
b) If the concept is lost on a foreign audience, why not give them something that they would appreciate and/or enjoy more?
As if the concept is so hard to get in the first place! It’s two short movies back to back, what’s not to get? Above that, I highly doubt the average 20year old US citizen remembers the original Grindhouse-era from the 70s.
no more gio :(
I’m not saying that there isn’t some money-making motive behind the split. I’m just choosing not to be as cynical about it. I don’t think they’re sitting in their offices thinking “how can we stick it to all the stupid foreigners who can’t speak English.” I think it’s more along the lines of the fact that they think more people in other countries will be drawn to separate movies. And a concern that two short movies thrown together will not be as successful.
We can argue the merits of their decision (and I don’t necessarily agree with it either). But I don’t think it was propelled by any disingenuous notion of ripping off non-English-speaking people.
Hey there Jason.
This quote:
“The basic reason behind the split is that in many non-English speaking countries the double-bill and the grindhouse experiance wasn’t that widespread so the whole concept behind the project would be lost to foreign viewers.”
Is nothing but an excuse. So let me get this straight… they’re too stupid to understand them being back to back… but they’ll understand showing them one at a time??? i don’t buy it for a second.
Um…why is everyone so up-in-arms over this? This is only happening in non-English-speaking countries. And the part of the story left out above gives the reason:
“The basic reason behind the split is that in many non-English speaking countries the double-bill and the grindhouse experiance wasn’t that widespread so the whole concept behind the project would be lost to foreign viewers.”
Sure, this can be seen as a way to maximize profits by the studio, but ask yourselves this: a) Is there that much money to be made in these foreign markets (in other words, hardly a greedy move)? b) If the concept is lost on a foreign audience, why not give them something that they would appreciate and/or enjoy more?
More unmitigated Hollywood greed. That’s all it is. Every time they pull a stunt like this, it only validates the pirating going on. They shouldn’t complain about pirating and then go out of their way to rip people off at the same time.
They’re so out of touch. You need to know your audience also. The audience for Grindhouse is the young, web-savvy demographic that knows how to download. If you screw them over, what do you think is going to happen? They’re going to the web and will bypass both your theatre and DVD release.
Whoever thought this was a good idea should be taken for a ride in the passenger seat of Kurt Russell’s car…
greedy, Greedy, GREEDY!
Tarentino has never made an original film in his life. All his movies are ripoffs of older films that no one has seen so he looks like he’s edgy and creative. Tarentino is a cocksmoking asswrangeler and anyone who has ever enjoyed his movies should step out into traffic with a sign that says “I deserve to die.”
Well, I know what I’m gonna do.
Not see this movie in theatres (which is something I thought I would never say) that is.
This is just a huge travesty and I won’t give in on this.
This makes me so mad, I can’t even find words for it.
Fucking money grabbing whores! I probably would have watched this in theaters several times and buy the DVD, there is no way I’m going to do that now. Bittorrent is the now the place to go to I guess.
I really wonder what Tarantino & Rodriguez are thinking about this.
There probably isn’t anything they can do about it, but I’m sure they don’t approve this strategy.
This is the same crap that happened with Kill Bill. We all got fucked over with the split release of that film.
Looks like Quentin (and Robert) our out to fuck the film-going-audience once again. Oh sure, you can blame the producers as well, but I bet you the directors themselves will give us (or more specifically, the film-goers in the foreign markets) some bullshit talk about how it’s for the best of the film, and that we’re lucky to get it as 2 separate films and that those fans should be thankful for getting raped by Quentin & Robert.
What annoyed me to no end about the Kill Bill fiasco was that Quentin himself tried to sell us this bullshit when for years he was talking about only one release (as far as I was concerned, his justifications for the double-pentration-rape was, as I’ve already stated, complete BULLSHIT!)