I entitle this piece as an accolade to a B-grade film by Robert Rodriguez. The term B-grade film has such connotations of “made-for-tv” movie, low budget, poor acting. And honestly I believe that that’s probably part of the appeal for creative geniuses like Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino to categorize their films into that genre.
Not that that is the sole basis of their appeal, but quite simply there films rarely classify into any classical “A-grade” genres of movie-making and the term “B-grade film” becomes a fantastic satire. The main star of Machete is Danny Trejo, and watching the film you understand why previously most of his roles have been as a physical presence with no or very few spoken words in the script. Jessica Alba, by no means the most talented actress out there, seems to make a concerted effort to exploit poorer acting skills than she possesses, Steven Seagal (who knew he was still alive?!) is an ill-cast representation of a Mexican Mafioso in a Fidel Castro safari-suit, and Robert de Niro and Don Johnson (no white suits in this movie) make for an A-list acting crew who get the point of the creativity of these types of movies and make it a hilariously cartoonish full-length feature film. Lindsay Lohan (I’m not a fan) landed an interestingly autobiographical role of her real-life self as well – the fact that she’s in the movie scored her some points in my book.
Most people who have no interest, respect or understanding of Quentin Tarantino or Robert Rodriguez will be quite astounded and perplexed as to how on earth I can be raving about such a shallow movie. And here’s the thing – we are ever more increasingly becoming a society of sheep that follow celebutants and deathly gothic creatures like Lady Gaga – who’s marketing campaigns are not even their own, her stylists dress he that way so that’s what she works with and alas, she’s got it to work! MTV no longer plays music! The entire channel is consumed with reality tv shows about … nothing. So to find creativity, true creativity not mass-frenzied or influenced is special to hold on to. Whilst I like Robert Rodriguez and am interested in his work, I only noticed him because he is a friend of my guru, Quentin Tarantino. Whilst most of his films are notoriously gruesome, it is violence in a stylistically excessive way which makes it different from merely being categorised as a slasher-film. He has a point, he thinks things through and is meticulous in execution. Kill Bill volume I was a 90 minute movie, there was a volume II because he began work on Volume I with the intention of making a 90 minute movie – and it was, a 90 minute movie. He does not set out the plot in chronological order which is stylistic device on its own. He’s not a guy who made it lucky in Hollywood and is riding the wave, he has a plan, a life, and its not tabloid-dependent or paparazzi flashlight determined. He plans to retire from films when he is 60 to write novels and film literature. He has planned the third volume of Kill Bill already – which is only going to be released in 2014 so that the main character The Bride and her daughter can have 10 years of rest and peace before making another film appearance. They’re not lost souls, these directors/producers/one-man film crews and their regular line of actors, they have purpose and execution in their dayjobs as creative artists. Sometimes, they’re even political activists. Machete for all its comical motives, deals with US immigration and Mexican grievances. Inglorious Bastards about the 2nd World War. And soon hopefully, there’ll be Tarantino spaghetti-western about the history of the American south and slavery, because its never been dealt with. If you don’t love the guy by now because you’re obsessed with the Kardashians or only watch The Hills on MTV, well then try this, he’s so cool he even has his own film festival!
So here’s the thing. Creativity is not dead, it is just not the entity being blinded by camera flashlights at the moment, which has its perks in terms of an unwritten exclusivity to those who notice it and pay homage. Coolest thing about undertone B-grade…you have to be higher grade to get it.
