Well, I think a lot of us have been anticipating this long awaited documentary (it's been a couple of years in the making) and it's now slowly making its way through the arthouse theatres worldwide. I got the chance to finally get around to this at the theatre, which has been playing for the past 3 weeks. Better late than never, and as an additional bonus, Nancy and myself shared the theatre with 5 other people. They seemed quite shocked when we strolled through the door, actually "oh...you're here for the movie?". I don't even think they were anticipating a soul and were going to close the doors early.
Enough bullshit. Is this worth a viewing? Well, of course it is, it's a swiftly paced documentary concerning our favorite genre of film: the exploitation flick. Surprisingly, I was under the impression that this was going to be about the roughie-sploiters from the 60's to the 80's and nothing more, but it travels all the way back to Thomas Edison's era of filmmaking from the late 1800's, early 1900's and even states the case that the exploitation film was born the second film technology came to fruition. Thomas Edison isn't exactly a name that springs up when 'sploiters are discussed, but they make a valid point that he was the progenitor of it all with some of his more risque shorts. Consider me enlightened.
A lot of familiar talking heads come out to candidly talk about the significance and cultural impact of exploitation. How programs such as the Film Code and the MPAA have directly made these movies significantly more vile and pornographic as a result of their iron-fisted actions. And the movie quickly and chronologically goes through the history of what we adore so much.
Some of the familiar faces include Don Edmunds (who must have been interviewed shortly before he died--poor guy looked like hell), Jack Hill, Larry Cohen, David Hess, Fred Williamson, Ted V. Mikels, Lewis Teague, Fred Olen Ray, Bill Lustig, H.G. Lewis, etc, with Robert Forster narrating. All very well composed, and entertainingly put together. Of course, John Landis is given a lot of airtime, and as always, he steals everyone's thunder with his sharp wit and crushing intelligence.
Now, to the layman, with little knowledge on this stuff...but wants to learn, would be immediately compelled with a lot of the information within. The saltier types: us, will know a lot of what is being said. But a refresher course never hurt anyone. So, when going in, try not to be jaded and roll your eyes when you hear for the thousandth time that Ilsa: She Wolf of the SS was shot on the old Hogan's Heroes lot.
And, as usual, to end on a brief and minor negative, the film covers the whole gamut of 'sploiters: from Bikesploitation, Sexploitation, Goresploitation, Nazisploitation, Blaxsploitation, etc, etc, etc...(sorry Raz, no mention of Nunsploitation), but, seeing as this documentary is a mere 80 minutes, they only give each subgenre 3-7 minutes with very little insight on the genesis of each one outside of the most rudimentary information. Granted, each of these subgenres much deservedly should have their own individual full-length documentaries...and that was not the purpose of American Grindhouse. It's a love-letter to the sordid side of cinema...something we all worship to varying degrees. They rushed through this, lightning fast information...which is evident with its paltry run-time...but all the same I can guarantee you will all enjoy this.

looking forward to checkin it out. great review, canucklehead. guess you weren't kidding when you said you'd be back in full force.
glad to see it.

I checked this out awhile back and liked it. It gave me more shit to add to my list of shit I gotta see before I die. Definitely worth watching. Keep a pen and paper handy

Not Quite Hollywood was a good time. Haven't seen the other. I'll check it out after YOU check out Rampage

Dirp....totally missed that. Glad ya watched it. I shall fill my half of the obligation.