#MUFFApproved: Death Proof
still courtesy of Dimension Films
Death Proof (2007)
dir. Quentin Tarantino
Editor: Sally Menke
First of all, Death Proof is bursting with badass babes: Rosario Dawson, Vanessa Ferlito, Jordan Ladd, Rose McGowan, Sydney Poitier, Tracie Thoms, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and Zoë Bell (who, by the way, is so rad that she is playing HERSELF: a professional stunt woman).
Even though Stuntman Mike causes the demise of five women in Part 1 of Death Proof, it just makes it all the more sweet when the women in Part 2 are like, “Not today, brah. Fuck you and your stupid car,” and then smash his face in.
But, as amazing as every single one of those characters and actors are, I want this post to pay tribute to a badass babe from behind-the-scenes: film editor Sally Menke. When it comes to the success of his films, this is a woman who honestly deserves as much acknowledgement as Quentin Tarantino himself.
still courtesy of Dimension Films
Up until her unexpected death in 2010 (R.I.P.), Menke had edited every single one of Tarantino’s films and was nominated for the Academy Award for Film Editing for both Pulp Fiction and Inglourious Basterds.
Oh, and she made the choice to keep editing straight through both of her pregnancies, so her little babes were in the womb listening to Tarantino films. HOW COOL IS THAT?
Ahem:
Tarantino himself has said, "I write by myself but when it comes to the editing, I write with Sally. It's the true epitome, I guess, of a collaboration because I don't remember what was her idea, what was my idea. We're just right there together." He has said that Sally was his “only, truly genuine collaborator” and that “the best collaborations are the director-editor team, where they can finish each other’s sentences”. He dedicated his next film, Django Unchained, to Sally.
And don’t even get me started on the Hi, Sallys. I WEEP.
Oh, also she edited the 1990 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, so YOU’RE WELCOME.
still courtesy of Dimension Films
