PICK OF THE WEEK: GRINDHOUSE PRESENTS, DEATH PROOF (EXTENDED AND UNRATED)

When "Grindhouse" hit theaters last spring, the double feature/'70s-exploitation-movie homage from Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez consisted of a 90 minute-or-so movie from each filmmaker and some solidly amusing fake trailers from their director buddies Eli Roth, Rob Zombie and Edgar Wright. But audiences apparently weren't up for such an unusual film experience and the movie famously flopped at the box office.

Thus the decision was made to split "Grindhouse" in half for its DVD release. If you want to recreate the theatrical experience, you'll have to wait until Rodriguez's "Planet Terror" arrives on October 16. Until then only Tarantino's "Death Proof" will be available on disc, in an extended cut that screened at the Cannes film festival in May to rapturous response.

Tarantino's chatty thriller is part slasher, part chase movie, part chick flick, all in the director's unique style. With great performances from Rosario Dawson, Rose McGowan, Kurt Russell and stuntwoman Zoe Bell (who doubled for Uma Thurman in Tarantino's "Kill Bill"), "Death Proof" is just the latest fascinating piece of work from a filmmaker who seems to be equally loved and loathed by movie buffs.

In addition to the extended cut, which was never shown in American cinemas, the DVD contains a few modest featurettes that spotlight Bell, Russell, the rest of the cast and Tarantino's longtime editor Sally Menke (who made an invaluable contribution to "Death Proof's" breathless car chase climax).


Also released:
"Beyond the Gates"
"BloodRayne 2 (Unrated)"
"The Boss of It All"
"Brooklyn Rules"
"The Camden 28"
"Closure"
"The Condemned" (also Blu-ray)
"Crazylove"
"The Flying Scotsman"
"Gracie"
"I'm Reed Fish"
"Laura Smiles"
"Lucky You"
"Pittsburgh"
"Severance"
"Superman - Doomsday" (DC Universe Animated Original Movie)
"Two Weeks"
"The Valet"
"We Are Marshall" (also Blu-ray and HD-DVD)
"Zoo"

Older movies and special editions:
"Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things"
"Commando (Director's Cut)"
"Cruising (Deluxe Edition)"
"Deliverance (Deluxe Edition)" (also Blu-ray and HD-DVD)
"Flashdance (Special Collector's Edition)"
"Martha Graham Dance on Film (Criterion Collection)"
"Robinson Crusoe on Mars (Criterion Collection)"
"Saturday Night Fever (30th Anniversary Special Collector's Edition)"
"Selena (10th Anniversary Two-Disc Special Edition)"
"The Threepenny Opera (Criterion Collection)"
"Troy (Director's Cut - Ultimate Collector's Edition)"
"Wall Street (20th Anniversary Edition)"

Boxed Sets:
"Essential Directors Series - Jean-Luc Godard"
"Roger Corman Collection"
"The Up Series"

Hi-Definition:
"Alexander Revisited" (Blu-ray and HD-DVD)
"Elizabeth" (HD-DVD)
"A Few Good Men" (Blu-ray)
"For Love of the Game" (HD-DVD)
"House of 1,000 Corpses" (Blu-ray)
"Jailhouse Rock" (Blu-ray and HD-DVD)
"The Last Starfighter" (HD-DVD)
"Troy (Director's Cut)" (Blu-ray and HD-DVD)
"Viva Las Vegas" (Blu-ray and HD-DVD)

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