History Trivia / DeathProof

* CreatorBacklash: Subverted. Creator/QuentinTarantino said he "over-tweaked" the film but was still proud of it. However, in a 2012 directors round-table conducted by ''The Hollywood Reporter'', he said that "''Death Proof'' has got to be the worst movie I ever did."

* CreatorChosenCasting:
** Creator/QuentinTarantino cast Creator/ZoeBell in the film having worked with her on ''Film/KillBill''.
** Tarantino cast Kurt Russell because "for people of my generation, he's a true hero...but now, there's a whole audience out there that doesn't know what Kurt Russell can do. When I open the newspaper and see an ad that says "Kurt Russell in ''Film/{{Dreamer}}'', or "Kurt Russell in ''Film/{{Miracle}}''", I'm not disparaging these movies, but I'm thinking: when is Kurt Russell going to be a badass again?"
** The character of Arlene was specifically written for Creator/VanessaFerlito, and Tarantino was able to cast her in the role.

* WriteWhoYouKnow: Creator/ZoeBell's character was based on her and includes small stories based around her real life experiences, some with Creaor/QuentinTarantino.

** The theatrical cut of the film has a "Missing Reel" just as Butterfly agrees to do the lapdance. The scene is intact in the European release.
** The first scene with the second set of girls has Stuntman Mike feeling Abernathy's feet while she's sleeping in the car - only to pretend he brushed past her looking for his keys. This explains why Abernathy is the only one who recognises him later. Again this is included in the European release.

** Pam calling the girls "double fucks" was something Rose [=McGowan=] said on the set of ''Film/PlanetTerror'' (she called Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino that when they were teasing her while she was trying to get emotional before a scene).

* CreatorChosenCasting: Creator/QuentinTarantino cast Creator/ZoeBell in the film having worked with her on ''Film/KillBill''.

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: The film does look timeless thanks to the music and fashions largely being {{Shout Out}}s to the 50s, 60s and 70s, but there are several things that place it in the mid-2000s. First is the technology - Jungle Julia uses a blocky Nokia cellphone, Lee listens to music on an [=iPod=], Stuntman Mike takes pictures of the girls via camera (and therefore having to print them out and go to more effort to cover up his voyeurism by disposing of them, as opposed to deleting them off a smartphone). Abernathy is Creator/LindsayLohan's make-up artist - pin-pointing the movie to the part of the decade where Lindsay had moved past Disney and teen films, and was doing maturer roles before her infamous public breakdown (and no character referencing this). The girls also refer to Wrestling/DwayneJohnson as 'The Rock', who had only just stopped appearing semi-regularly with WWE. The movie theatre sign the car crashes through is showing mid-2000s releases ''Film/WolfCreek'' and ''Film/ScaryMovie3''. Also, Kim and Abernathy allude to growing up with Creator/JohnHughes movies, and the twentysomething Lee even {{Squee}}s about ''Film/PrettyInPink'' - meaning they'd have been late 70s or 80s kids (Creator/RosarioDawson, Creator/ZoeBell and Creator/TracieThoms were born in the 70s).

** Among the actors considered for Stuntman Mike were Creator/WillemDafoe, Creator/JohnMalkovich, Creator/KalPenn, Creator/RonPerlman, Creator/VingRhames, Creator/MickeyRourke, Creator/SylvesterStallone, Creator/JohnTravolta and Creator/BruceWillis.

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: The film does look timeless thanks to the music and fashions largely being {{Shout Out}}s to the 50s, 60s and 70s, but there are several things that place it in the mid-2000s. First is the technology - Jungle Julia uses a blocky Nokia cellphone, Lee listens to music on an [=iPod=], Stuntman Mike takes pictures of the girls via camera (and therefore having to print them out and go to more effort to cover up his voyeurism by disposing of them, as opposed to deleting them off a smartphone). Abernathy is Creator/LindsayLohan's make-up artist - pin-pointing the movie to the part of the decade where Lindsay had moved past Disney and teen films, and was doing maturer roles before her infamous public breakdown (and no character referencing this). The girls also refer to Wrestling/DwayneJohnson as 'The Rock', who had only just stopped appearing semi-regularly with WWE. The movie theatre sign the car crashes through is showing mid-2000s releases ''Film/WolfCreek'' and ''Film/ScaryMovie3''. Also, Kim and Abernathy allude to growing up with Creator/JohnHughes movies, and the twentysomething Lee even {{Squee}}s about ''Film/PrettyInPink'' - meaning they'd have been late 70s or 80s kids (Rosario Dawson, Zoe Bell and Tracie Thoms were born in the 70s).

* StuntCasting: Sydney Tamiia Poitier was cast primarily because she was Sidney Poitier's daughter, and she's credited as 'Sydney Poitier' for this reason.

* {{Tuckerization}}: Jungle Julia's last name Lucai comes from Quentin Tarantino's assistant Victoria Lucai.

* ActorInspiredElement: Abernathy's hairstyle was Creator/RosarioDawson's idea, wanting to resemble pin-up icon Bettie Page.

* CreatorBacklash: Subverted. Creator/QuentinTarantino said he "over-tweaked" the film but was still proud of it.
** However, in a 2012 directors round-table conducted by ''The Hollywood Reporter'', he said that "''Death Proof'' has got to be the worst movie I ever did."

* ThrowItIn: The Creator/JohnWayne voice Mike puts on when he talks about "the book" was something Creator/KurtRussell improvised to keep from getting bored after a lot of takes. Creator/QuentinTarantino loved it.

** However, in a 2012 directors round-table conducted by The Hollywood Reporter, he said that "''Death Proof'' has got to be the worst movie I ever did."

** A scene in the beginning with the girls hanging out in Jungle Julia's apartment. Julia would have danced on the coffee table.

* InspirationForTheWork: The story developed from Creator/QuentinTarantino's fascination for the way stuntmen would "death-proof" stunt cars so a driver could survive horrific, high-speed crashes and collisions. This inspired Tarantino to create a slasher film featuring a deranged stuntman who stalks and murders sexy young women with his "death-proof" car.

** However, in a 2012 directors round-table conducted by The Hollywood Reporter, he said that ''Death Proof'' has got to be the worst movie I ever did."
* TheOner: The scene where Zoe has breakfast with the girls (where Kim reveals she carries a gun, the girls prank Lee etc.) lasts for seven minutes and is entirely one take. Additionally, it's a recreation of the breakfast scene from ''Film/ReservoirDogs''.

* WorkingTitle: ''Quentin Tarantino's Thunder Bolt''.

* ActorAllusion:
** Creator/EliRoth previously hit on Jordan Ladd in ''Film/CabinFever''. [[spoiler: She dies in both before he can get very far]].
** Abernathy claims that the director of their movie cheated on her with Daryl Hannah's stunt double. Lana Frank is played by Monica Staggs - who doubled for Creator/DarylHannah in both ''Film/KillBill'' films.
** Narrowly averted in the climactic scene. The car crashes through a sign for a drive-in where ''Film/WolfCreek'' is one of the films. John Jarratt, who played Mick in ''Wolf Creek'', was considered for Stuntman Mike.
** [[Creator/KurtRussell Jack Burton]]'s tank top (white tank top with a Japanese Rising Sun and a Samurai) from ''Film/BigTroubleInLittleChina'' can be seen hung up on the wall of the bar where the first segment of the film takes place. It is right above Jungle Julie,slightly to the right of the AMi Jukebox.

** Among the actors considered for Stuntman Mike were Ceator/WillemDafoe, Creator/JohnMalkovich, Creator/KalPenn, Creator/RonPerlman, Creator/VingRhames, Creator/MickeyRourke, Creator/SylvesterStallone, Creator/JohnTravolta and Creator/BruceWillis.

* ColorblindCasting: For Stuntman Mike, Creator/VingRhames was among the actors considered.
* CreatorBacklash: Subverted. Creator/QuentinTarantino said he "over-tweaked" the film but was still proud of it.
** However, in a 2012 directors round-table conducted by The Hollywood Reporter, he said that ''Death Proof'' has got to be the worst movie I ever did."
* TheOner: The scene where Zoe has breakfast with the girls (where Kim reveals she carries a gun, the girls prank Lee etc.) lasts for seven minutes and is entirely one take. Additionally, it's a recreation of the breakfast scene from ''Film/ReservoirDogs''.
* StarMakingRole: In a sense for Zoe Bell. Although she had been getting plenty of stunt work beforehand, she received far more offers of work as an actress too.

** Among the actors considered for Stuntman Mike were Creator/SylvesterStallone, Creator/VingRhames, Creator/MickeyRourke, Creator/RonPerlman, Ceator/WillemDafoe, Creator/JohnMalkovich, Creator/JohnTravolta, Creator/BruceWillis, Creator/KalPenn and John Jarratt.

* WorkingTitle: ''Quentin Tarantino's Thunderbolt''.

* WordOfGod: This film chronologically takes place before ''Film/PlanetTerror''. Some of the infected patients can be seen in the hospital scene. Additionally in ''Film/PlanetTerror'' there's a memorial for Jungle Julia on the radio.

* ThrowItIn: The Creator/JohnWayne voice Mike puts on when he talks about "the book" was something Creator/KurtRussell improvised to keep from getting bored after a lot of takes. Quentin loved it.

** Among the actors considered for Stuntman Mike were Creator/SylvesterStallone, Creator/VingRhames, Creator/MickeyRourke, Creator/RonPearlman, Ceator/WillemDafoe, Creator/JohnMalkovich, Creator/JohnTravolta, Creator/BruceWillis, Creator/KalPenn and John Jarratt.

** Eli Roth previously hit on Jordan Ladd in ''Film/CabinFever''. [[spoiler: She dies in both before he can get very far]].
** Abernathy claims that the director of their movie cheated on her with Daryl Hannah's stunt double. Lana Frank is played by Monica Staggs - who doubled for Daryl Hannah in both ''Kill Bill'' films.

* ActorInspiredElement: Abernathy's hairstyle was Rosario Dawson's idea, wanting to resemble pin-up icon Bettie Page.

* ColorblindCasting: For Stuntman Mike, Ving Rhames was among the actors considered.
* CreatorBacklash: Subverted. Tarantino said he "over-tweaked" the film but was still proud of it.

* ThrowItIn: The Creator/JohnWayne voice Mike puts on when he talks about "the book" was something Kurt Russell improvised to keep from getting bored after a lot of takes. Quentin loved it.

** Among the actors considered for Stuntman Mike were Sylvester Stallone, Ving Rhames, Mickey Rourke, Ron Pearlman and John Jarratt.
* WordOfGod: This film chronologically takes place before ''Film/PlanetTerror''. Some of the infected patients can be seen in the hospital scene. Additionally in ''Planet Terror'' there's a memorial for Jungle Julia on the radio.

** Abernethy claims that the director of their movie cheated on her with Daryl Hannah's stunt double. Lana Frank is played by Monica Staggs - who doubled for Daryl Hannah in both ''Kill Bill'' films.

* ActorInspiredElement: Abernethy's hairstyle was Rosario Dawson's idea, wanting to resemble pin-up icon Bettie Page.

** The first scene with the second set of girls has Stuntman Mike feeling Abernethy's feet while she's sleeping in the car - only to pretend he brushed past her looking for his keys. This explains why Abernethy is the only one who recognises him later. Again this is included in the European release.

* TheOner: The scene where Zoe has breakfast with the girls (where Kim reveals she carries a gun, the girls prank Lee etc) lasts for seven minutes and is entirely one take. Additionally it's a recreation of the breakfast scene from ''Film/ReservoirDogs''.

** Among the actors considered for Stuntman Mike were Sylvester Stallone, Ving Rhames, Mickey Rourke, Ron Pearlman and John Jarratt.