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American Grindhouse

Play trailer Poster for American Grindhouse 2010 1h 20m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
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75% Tomatometer 8 Reviews 71% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
The shameless and shocking origins of exploitation film.
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American Grindhouse

Critics Reviews

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Chuck Bowen Slant Magazine Feb 7, 2011
2/4
American Grindhouse seems to miss the irony of what the recent proliferation of faux-exploitation films actually partially represents. Go to Full Review Mike Hale New York Times Feb 4, 2011
2.5/5
In its academic approach, American Grindhouse is like sex ed: the lecture gets tedious, but it's worth sitting through for the pictures. Go to Full Review Mark Holcomb Village Voice Feb 1, 2011
Nitpicky enough to please film-history nerds but lively in a way that should tickle the merely curious. Go to Full Review Jordan M. Smith IONCINEMA.com Nov 21, 2020
2.5/5
American Grindhouse has a host full of key players to fill out the story, but at only 82 minutes, the film doesn't have time to dawdle on each interesting individual. Go to Full Review Brian Orndorf BrianOrndorf.com Aug 4, 2011
A-
Traces the history, excesses, and glory of unsavory cinema, providing a magnificent education in the process, communicating the nuances and traditions of a brand often disregarded as forgettable schlock. Go to Full Review Matt Brunson Creative Loafing Apr 21, 2011
3/4
Highly recommended viewing not only for grindhouse fans but for anyone with an interest in film history. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Jack F @MovieFan111 Dec 3, 2025 Great documentary to my favorite genre!!!!! See more Topher S @RT65664524 Jan 25, 2025 An ordinary look at the various Grindhouse genres See more Jun 21, 2017 Informative, well done See more Nov 13, 2015 Manages to touch on everything in exploitation cinema from Edison to 'Hostel', but that's sort of the film's drawback, too -- it doesn't go in-depth into much. Still, with its abundance of great clips and interviews, 'American Grindhouse' makes a good primer for the uninitiated, and a fun look back for aficionados. See more Feb 1, 2015 Cool history lesson, but not much else going on. See more Jan 11, 2015 A fascinating look into cinema's notorious genre, 'American Grindhouse' is a must-see for movie and pop culture lovers. From obscure titles to more mainstream releases, filmmakers and historians discuss this (for better or worse) essential contribution to the art of filmmaking. See more Read all reviews
American Grindhouse

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Cast & Crew

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Elijah Drenner

Director

Robert Forster

Narrator

Allison Anders

Actor

Judith M. Brown

Actor

Larry Cohen

Actor

Joe Dante

Actor

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American Grindhouse

American Grindhouse (2010) American Grindhouse (2010) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis The shameless and shocking origins of exploitation film.
Director
Elijah Drenner
Producer
Elijah Drenner
Screenwriter
Elijah Drenner, Calum Waddell
Production Co
Lux Digital Pictures
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Dec 13, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$4.6K
Runtime
1h 20m
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