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But where once the arrival of a new Quentin Tarantino film was a highlight of the cinema year, his latest work is languishing in limbo without a British or Australian release date.

For months, Grindhouse, a $US100million ($120 million) double bill of nostalgic horror films made with his friend Robert Rodriguez, had been scheduled to arrive in British cinemas on June 1 and Australia on May 10.

After disastrous box office takings in the US, it has been withdrawn while Harvey and Bob Weinstein, the films' producers, try to formulate a rescue strategy.

A spokesman for Momentum Pictures, the films' British distributor, said yesterday: "We are reviewing the release date and the release plans. It will definitely be released here but we don't know in what form."