January 03, 2003
Quentin Tarantino and the Kill Bill Trailer
[Film Discussion]In 1992 I saw a movie called Reservoir Dogs by a new director called Quentin Tarantino. To say I was impressed would be an understatement. The movie and the discovery of this new director proved a perfect opportunity for something else that was new to me as well as the rest of the world: The World Wide Web.
In early 1993 I made my first web page, a page devoted to Quentin Tarantino and his work. At the time the Mosaic web browser was a breakthrough innovation in technology as was the concept of hyperlinked networked documents. I distinctly remember the systems administrator for my college saying that the WWW would never work because the upkeep of links would be prohibitive. I set that warning aside and went hunting for information on Tarantino on the web. At the time search engines did not exist so finding information was all about knowing good portals and browsing from there. I only found three or four sites with information on the director so I went ahead created my own, gave it the information I knew and my thoughts, and linked my page to the sites I had found. As the sysadmin had predicted the other sites eventually moved or were removed rendering a set of dead links on my site. however, and against his prognostications, for each site that died five more popped up. To find out where this story leads go to Google, search for Quentin Tarantino and see what happens. as of 3:30 this evening the search yields 101,000 hits (that is probably how many of you ended up on this page).
After Reservoir Dogs I was not very impressed with but not turned off by True Romance (1993), which he wrote but did not direct. His involvement with Pulp Fiction (1994) and Killing Zoë (1994) helped to cement his reputation as an innovative filmmaker devoted to making fresh and interesting films in a stagnant Hollywood. Pulp Fiction, however, offered some foreshadowing to the decline that was to come as Quentin cast himself in the egomaniacal and rather annoying role of Jimmie (as in "Did you see a sign out in front of my house that said 'Dead nigger storage'?" Jimmie). And then came the crap. From Dusk Till Dawn (1996) was not only too bad to take seriously but, and unfortunately, too bad to laugh at. The best said about Four Rooms (1995) the better.
The part that hurt was not that the movies were low quality (which they were) but that they all had this air of 'I am Quentin Tarantino and I am a fucking Genius surrounded by so many yes men that I believe my shit does not stink'. This came across in any interview, any introduction, in his screen appearances and worst of all in the movies he bought then released in with deceiving advertising that gave him false credit such as Iron Monkey originally released in 1993, then re-released in the US as a new movie in 2001. In short it seemed like Tarantino had been fooled by his early success and in the absence of creative criticism to help him evolve, stagnated and retrograded artistically.
I had altogether given up on Tarantino but was urged to hold judgment by two friends of mine who encouraged me to watch Jackie Brown first. Thank you Nick and thank you Michael. After years of ignoring work by this fallen idol I was quite happy with and very much enjoyed Jackie Brown. Now there is a new ray of hope in the horizon. Tarantino's new movie Kill Bill has just released a very exiting and promising Teaser Trailer. The quality of the work remains to be seen, as does whether Tarantino managed to put his ego in check. I will probably not be making any more web pages devoted to this director, but just as my college's systems administrator was proved wrong in his prediction that the world wide web would never amount to anything I find that I may have to eat my prediction that Tarantino did not have an innovative movie left in him.
Posted by Leopoldo at January 3, 2003 04:29 PM | TrackBackTo be fair:
1) True Romance was not directed by him and from what I understand, the screenplay was cut up decently from the original. Still there is some excellent dialogue in that film and it's enjoyable enough.
2) True Romance is better than a piece of crap you forgot to mention written by Tarantino, Natural Born Killers. Blame that on the Art Bell of the film industry, Oliver Stone. He had the balls to rewrite Tarantino. Ugh.
3) Four Rooms is only 1/4th Tarantino's. The script has moments, but come on, how seriously do you think any of them really took their parts.
4) From Dusk Til Dawn was directed by Robert Rodriguez (Spy Kids, Desperado, and the wonderful El Mariachi -- I have the DVD if you want to borrow it). I think it's fun, but you have to take it for what it is, just a horror movie. A friend told me that he traded the script for some special effects work. It's really two movies, the first more Tarantinoish half, and the second horrorish half. Both have moments and if the movie held together in one style better, I'd say it was pretty good, for what it was.
5) Resevoir Dogs, Jackie Brown, and Pulp Fiction, the three movies he's written and directed wholly rock. I like Dogs the best. It's raw and yet so perfect and tight. Jackie Brown is very mature and actually improves on the Elmore Leonard novel, if that's possible. And Pulp Fiction is fun with great performances.
I think Kill Bill will be closer to From Dusk Til Dawn than his three previous movies that are truly his. It'll be much more on the explotation, popcorn flick side of his style than the arthouse side. That's fine, though. The Matrix is that type of movie, and Tarantino is a better writer and uses better actors, usually.
Also, you gotta separate the message from the messenger. Every musician is a over-sexed, drugged out moron, Thomas Jefferson got slave booty, and Tarantino talks too much and thinks he can act. I still listen to music, admire the Declaration of Independence, and can't wait for Kill Bill.
Posted by: Nick on January 4, 2003 01:21 AMHey Nick... very glad you decided to add to the film forum! Lets see about your post:
1. I only saw True Romance once when it opened. I remember being mildly disappointed but enjoying parts of it. I should probably watch it again.
2. You know I actually rather enjoyed Natural Born Killers... I thought it was incredibly fucked up, but in an interesting way.
3. Another one I may want to give another try to. I honestly turned it off in mid movie so I don't know what happens.
4. This may be my own bias against horror flicks showing through but I felt cheated having paid to see this movie.
5. Good point. All three are Tarantino creations and all three are good movies.
I also think you have a good point with separate the art from the artist. I got too caught up with disliking the way he talks about himself in interviews and may be missing some good movies because of it.
It is official, Kill Bill will be released in two parts.
Posted by: Leopoldo on August 15, 2003 01:03 PMof all the comments listed i think everyone has made a good point, but overall i do agree that tarantino could do alot better, or should do alot better anyway. reservoir dogs was an excellent first movie, pulp fiction is a god of an entertainment movie, especially at the time it came out. jackie brown though mature, its just like pulp. for a director that could do anything in the world,,,and i mean aaaaaanything he wants, he chooses to do kill bill, kill bill is an awesome movie,,,,but not that awesome. if tarantino is as big a movie scientist that he claims to be, he can and should be able to reach around outside the box again and tackle us where we least expect it, like pulp did.
Posted by: nigger on May 24, 2004 04:22 AMkill bill 2 is the greatest film of all time
Posted by: guy chapman on September 9, 2004 04:09 AM
