Royale with Cheese

I did a family quiz recently and was shocked that there were many of them who had not seen a Quentin Tarantino film (I mean you Saxon and Harriet).  Now I understand Tarantino is a problematic figure.  His films do not usually feature strong depictions of women and he does seem to have a thing about feet.  There is the violence, the use of the word “nigger” and his long-time relationship with arch abuser Harvey Weinstein. 

As I said in an earlier post – if someone is talented, and you like their work, the temptation is to look past this.

At one stage Tarantino said that he would make ten movies and quit.  He wrote Natural Born Killers, but did not direct it.  Depending on how you count the others he has either done eight, nine or ten.

10.  Death Proof.  This a homage to early 70s exploitation movies, made as part of Grindhouse.  It has a good cast including Kurt Russell, Rosario Dawson and Rose McGowan (probably the strongest female cast of any of his films).  It is fun, but not unless you are familiar with the genre.  Don’t bother unless you are a fan.

9.  Inglorious Basterds.  This one had a complex genesis because Tarantino couldn’t get the ending right and it took ten years to get to screen.  It shows – unless you know the twist ending it seems like a massive cheat.  It may be better if you go in knowing it is an alternative history – it undercuts his weakest “proper” film for me.

8.  Once Upon a Time In Hollywood. This has received massive critical acclaim, yet uses the same twist as Inglorious Basterds.  Even worse it takes a real story with a woman at the centre and instead tells a story with Brad Pitt and Leo DiCaprio as the main characters.  They are incredibly good in it and it is a great depiction of 1969 Los Angeles.  Presumably that is why the critics loved it so much. 

7/6.  Kill Bill 1 and Kill Bill 2.  Uma Thurman is the Bride.  Is it one film or is two?  That may depend on how many Tarantino wants to make.  It is a homage to so many schlock genres, including an anime sequence.  Incredibly violent, the plot is probably the least important thing here.  Beautifully stylish and it does what Death Proof doesn’t – makes an exploitation movie that does not require a love of the genre to enjoy.

5. Reservoir Dogs. Tarantino’s first directed movie.  Stylistically different from the others- it far less humour than other Tarantino films, though Tarantino’s flair for dialogue is already evident.  Pretty much a totally male, cast it depicts the aftermath of a robbery gone wrong.  There is one particularly blood curdling scene which sensitive people should avoid.  Huge levels of violence and swearing – a great debut.

4. Jackie Brown.  The follow up to Pulp Fiction is the adaption of an Elmore Leonard novel – his only film that is based on another work.  Pam Grier, queen of the Blaxploitation movies, returns in a high-profile role.  Michael Keaton, Samuel L. Jackson and Robert De Niro are part of a great cast.

3. The Hateful Eight.  Absolute tour de force from Samuel L. Jackson in Tarantino’s second western thriller.  In many ways this is the perfect Tarantino movie, combining elements from all of his films in a coherent whole. 

2. Django Unchained.  Jamie Foxx leads in a western bounty hunter story that shows the slavery of the South before the Civil War.  Gruelling, painful but never less than enthralling.

1. Pulp Fiction.  Everyone should watch this film.  It resurrected John Travolta’s career.  It was a revelation for Bruce Willis.  Its structure is breath-taking and the dialogue as sharp as any seen in cinema.  If you like films, you have to watch this.  By turns scary, funny and brutal.

I first heard this in Pulp Fiction in the wonderful diner scene with Travolta and Thurman. 

Misiriou