USA: Director Quentin Tarantino reacts to coming in fourth at box office at "Death Proof" soundtrack fan signing

Record ID: 176792

  • Title: USA: Director Quentin Tarantino reacts to coming in fourth at box office at "Death Proof" soundtrack fan signing
  • Date: 12th April 2007
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF "DEATH PROOF" AND "GRIND HOUSE" BOOKS
  • Embargoed: 27th April 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Reuters ID: LVA581W22KE2PGZXS24UBWPPH9FT
  • Story Text: Following the wide-release opening of "Death Proof," Director Quentin Tarantino signed copies of his soundtrack in Los Angeles, California on Tuesday (April 10) and reacted to coming in at fourth place in the box office well below industry expectations.
    Hundreds of fans lined up around the block of Virgin Megastore in Los Angeles, California to meet the friendly director and to take a picture of him.
    "I'm such Quentin's number one fan. I make all these shirts. I have "Grind house" groupie, "Grind House" Barbie, "Pulp Fiction", "From Dusk 'til Dawn" everything. I love him. When I saw him as Richard Gecko (in "Dusk 'til Dawn") I was like 'Oh my G-d those glasses that's what totally turned me on. So I totally love him. Yeah "Grind house" is awesome yeah I saw "Grind House" eleven times," said Trisha Paytas a Tarantino fan.
    Bad-boy directors Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez fell victims to a box office bloodbath on Sunday (April 8) as their ambitious double feature "Grindhouse" bombed during its first weekend of release.
    The Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez film "Grindhouse" is a collaboration to recreate a movie going experience reminiscent of the 1970s double-features that eventually became a separate genre.
    The back-to-back action-packed movies, "Planet Terror" and "Death Proof" feature the over-the-top violence and gore that is come to be expected from this popular Hollywood director duo.
    The 53 million U.S. dollar (USD) project consists of Rodriguez' zombie thriller "Planet Terror" and Tarantino's slasher picture "Death Proof," complemented by ersatz trailers and scratchy prints that give a period feel to the undertaking. The film will be split into two separate features for the international release.
    "It will be spilt. Yeah I added half hour to "Death Proof" and about 20 minutes to "Planet Terror" and they will be different movies. "Grind House" is put together for "Grind House" and "Death Proof" by itself is put together "Death Proof" so it will be a whole new experience it gets premiered at the Cannes Film Festival this year 'Death Proof" proper," Tarantino told Reuters.
    The film opened at No. 4 with three-day ticket sales of just USD 11.6 million, box office forecasters had expected it to hit the USD 20 million level.
    "The thing that makes it risky is that you might fail if it's a slam dunk then no worries," Tarantino said at the soundtrack singing.
    Will Ferrell led the box office for a second weekend as his ice skating comedy "Blades of Glory" earned USD 23 million. The best of the four rookies was the family comedy starring rapper Ice Cube "Are We Done Yet?" at No. 3 with USD 15 million.
    "Yeah I was actually a little po'd about that. You can't really lose to a Ice Cube movie and Will Ferrell at the same time. Easter weekend I mean three family movies versus one that's totally another ball park," said Alex Manello a Tarantino fan.
    "Grindhouse," which opened on Friday (April 7), was the highest-profile opener, and its likely performance was the subject of much speculation given its three-and-a-quarter hour running time and unusual format.
    "Ice cube's movie came in, in front of it I guess its more of a word of mouth thing it might a few weeks. I just hope they don't split it up because I heard rumours they were thinking of doing that," said Chris Edwards, a Tarantino fan.
    The seed for the film was planted when Rodriguez spotted a double-bill movie poster at Tarantino's house and commented that he had the same poster at home. For this and other reasons, Rodriguez said he was enthusiastic about collaborating with his friend and fellow filmmaker.
    The total "Grindhouse" package includes four fake "Coming Attractions" trailers for non-existent B-movies, scratchy prints, missing scene, and an ad for a local diner.
    It runs more than three hours and delivers all the intense action, gore, and dialogue-rich storytelling fans have come to expect from both Tarantino and Rodriguez
    The soundtrack to Tarantino's film includes classic songs from the '60s and '70s, such as "Jeepster" from British glam rock band T Rex, "Staggolee" from San Francisco blues band Pacific Gas & Electric, "Down In Mexico" from doo-wop legends The Coasters, and "Good Love, Bad Love" by Stax R&B legend Eddie Floyd.
    It also features a haunting composition, entitled "Paranoia Prima," from legendary Italian film score composer Ennio Morricone. The songs are interspersed with dialogue voiced by the actors including Russell, Rose McGowan, Eli Roth, and Michael Bacall.
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