Tarantino's "Basterds" Considered Among His Best
Known for his unconventional directing style as well as his explicit use of character voice, writer and director Quentin Tarantino rides the line between mainstream and independent films. For over a decade, the mastermind of violence has received praise and awards for his interesting close-ups and difficult camera shot elements, unique storytelling devices, often separated into chapters, and unmatchable prop and weapon selection, many of which reappear in multiple films.
Tarantino's provocatively violent take on situations often led to controversy between critics' perceptions of what is acceptable and what is over the top. His incorporating incredibly long dialogs, often irrelevant to the story as a whole, has also been put to question, especially in his early years. With the release of his newest film, "Inglorious Basterds," which stars A-Lister Brad Pitt, we take a close look at Tarantino's timeline of films, observing his transition as a creator of major motion pictures.
"Reservoir Dogs" (1992) - Tarantino's first major motion picture told the story of six criminals hired by the boss, Joe Cabot, to execute a diamond robbery. Strangers to each other, the men are given code names that have become somewhat of American icons; Mr. White, Mr. Orange, Mr. Blonde, Mr. Pink, Mr. Brown and Mr. Blue. Pushing the limits of previous on-screen violence, "Reservoir Dogs" grossed $2,832,029 at the box office, appeared at the Sundance Film Festival and won 5 awards including Best Director and Best Screenplay.
"Pulp Fiction" (1994) – Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson) and Vincent Vega (John Travolta) are hit men assigned to retrieve mob boss Marsellus Wallace's stolen suitcase. Vincent is asked to entertain Wallace's wife Mia (Uma Thurman) while he is away dealing with struggling boxer Butch Coolidge (Bruce Willis). This big-name film collected 40 awards nominations and 43 wins worldwide, and premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. Tarantino had become an international phenomenon, grossing nearly $213 million.
"Jackie Brown" (1997) – Tarantino's next writer/director project begins making references to his earlier films. The suit of flight attendant Jackie Brown (Pam Grier) is strikingly similar to that of Mia's in "Pulp Fiction," as is the white Honda Civic driven by Coolidge. Brown is employed for a Mexican airline, enabling herself to smuggle money into the United States for her boss, Ordell Robbie (Samuel L. Jackson). The cast also includes Robert Forster, Robert De Niro, Bridget Fonda and Michael Keaton. Awards included The Academy Awards, Berlin International Film Festival and Golden Globes.
"Kill Bill: Vol. 1" (2003) – A member of the Deadly Viper Association Squad, aka "The Bride," is out to seek violent revenge after being ambushed on her wedding day, awakening from a coma four years later. Realizing she was pregnant, bearing the child of the Squad leader, Bill, she left for a safer life. The first of the two "Kill Bill" volumes incorporated a wide variety of genres including western, Hong Kong martial arts, Japanese culture and Mexican influence. This film grossed $180,949,045 worldwide and received 41 nominations and 12 wins including an Empire Award, SDFCS Award and Sant Jordi Award.
"Kill Bill: Vol. 2" (2004) – The second installment picks up where the first left off, following "The Bride" on her vendetta to punish those who did her wrong. The female assassin uses her intellect, confidence and superior skills in martial arts to destroy the enemy. Critic views differed, come finding the scene sequences confusing and unconventional and some believing the substance and story were commendable. The film won 9 awards and grossed $152,159,461 internationally.
"Death Proof" (2007) – Released as part of the "Grindhouse" double-feature along with "Planet Terror," "Death Proof" is centered around former race car driver Stuntman Mike (Kurt Russell) who picks up women in his "death proof" stunt car and kills them. Little does he know that one time the girls may fight back. The film was nominated for three awards but grossed less than Tarantino's previous blockbusters.
"Inglourious Basterds" (2009) – Tarantino's latest film is an aggressive, alternate take on history that incorporates the revenge element for which he is known. Two separate Nazi-hating forces plan their separate attacks, one being the Basterds, Jewish-American guerilla soldiers, and the other being Shosanna, whose family was killed by the Jew Hunter. Neither group is aware of the other. The film has been critically acclaimed as Tarantino's best since "Reservoir Dogs," and is currently number 1 at the box office, grossing $37.6 million.