Introduction

The Grindhouse Cinema Database was in large part inspired by Writer-Director Quentin Tarantino and his vast knowledge of exploitation cinema. Over the years, we have come to hear about so many films we never would have because of him. Look at any cult-exploitation DVD distributor today and you'll find out that half of their roster has films that were championed by Quentin himself for years. Our site's cracker-jack administrator and gracious host Sebastian Haselbeck met with Quentin on the set of his upcoming film Inglourious Basterds where he received a brand new list of Top 20 grindhouse theatrical classics which Quentin spent a considerable amount of time pouring over to come up with his definitive picks. GCDb is very proud to bring you this special feature... - Pete Roberts (Editor-In-Chief)

A Tale of Grindhouse: The Tarantino Interview

Walking down the chilly, snow-covered streets on the lot of the Babelsberg Movie Studios in Germany, you would never think that inside on the soundstage it would easily reach summer temperatures. I'm marching through the snow to meet Quentin Tarantino to talk about the movie he's shooting here, Inglourious Basterds, a homage to pre-1940s German cinema, Italian Macaroni Combat movies and other subgenres. Once I sat down with the man, I was surprised that he's got more important things on his mind: The GCDb's Top 20 list of this year. That list was a community-compiled best-of list that included a wide array of exploitation films, some obviously never shown in an actual grindhouse. "Some of these don't quite work" he said. "For instance, Female Prisoner 701 Scorpion, that was never released anywhere outside Japan... My point being, it has to been played in a grindhouse." Some of the other movies on the list got a nice laugh out of Quentin; "I Drink Your Blood, gimme a break" he said, chuckling. "The Exterminator, okay maybe if you're a little younger than me and you've never seen an R-rated movie before in your life, then maybe The Exterminator was like really cool. But other than the explosion shot where that guy goes flying, that movie just totally doesn't deserve it to me." Our list also has Dirty Mary Crazy Larry on it, which is "not really a grindhouse movie" Quentin goes on explaining "that was a big 20th Century Fox movie. It played in grindhouses and drive-ins, you know. The same way like Halloween could be on here, but Friday The 13th...couldn't, because that was a Paramount movie." Having said all that, Quentin takes another drag of his cigarillo that sits there on his desk, next to thousands of notes, books and movie props (I see Nazi helmets and other military items in the back of the room) and he says "Okay now, here's mine...might be just a little bit more than twenty...so enjoy!" - Sebastian Haselbeck

Quentin's Official Top 20 Grindhouse Movies

Click on the posters for more info





1. THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE

2. DAWN OF THE DEAD

3. NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD

4. HALLOWEEN

5. COFFY

6. ROLLING THUNDER

7. FIVE FINGERS OF DEATH

8. THE MACK

9. THE GIRL FROM STARSHIP VENUS

10. THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT

11. MASTER OF THE FLYING GUILLOTINE

12. WIPEOUT!

13. THE STREETFIGHTER

14. THE PSYCHIC

15. THE LADY IN RED

16. THEY CALL HER ONE EYE

17. SUSPIRIA

18. THE HAMMER OF GOD

19. THE SAVAGE SEVEN

20. THE POM POM GIRLS

Special Thanks to Quentin Tarantino and Sebastian Haselbeck

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