Directors Retrospective: Quentin Tarantino

[Cookie]

So... I had an idea. This is me attempting to bring it to fruition.

My concept for this thread is to choose one director and discuss each of the films they've directed, one by one, in chronological order. I've seen this on some other forums discussing music artists and their records and I think it would be a fun idea to try here. We discuss the movies one at a time. It's not just about their directing- discuss what you think of the movie, what aspects of it worked/didn't work, things that stood out, what impact you think it had on their career at its time of release, etc. If/when we reach the end of the directors' released works, we'll have a nice collection of opinions spanning their entire career thus far.

The reason I picked Tarantino (and I'm sure tdigs will be thrilled!) is simple: he seems pretty popular on these forums and I figured he would be a good bet to generate interest and participation in this thread. Plus, I figure most people have probably seen one or two of his films even if they aren't big fans of his.

I hope this works out. If it does prove to be successful, I can try doing the same thing with different directors. We'll see. Also, if this completely unoriginal idea has already been done on these parts, feel free to mock me and make me feel stupid.

Shall we begin?

First up is Reservoir Dogs (1992).

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What do you think of Reservoir Dogs? Good/bad movie and why?​

 

[Frozentrash75]

Well what else is there is to say about Quentin Tarantino he is the greatest filmmaker of my generation and that all started with this movie reservoir dogs. This is my second favorite of the Tarantino movies. I mean it was very good movie and it started with the great cast that was put together it wasn't any major stars but it was actors a guy like me enjoys such as Steve Buschemi and Michael Madsen.

It had a good and different plot the movie started after a bank robbery and the robbers finding a hide out and you have no idea what has happened but throughout the movie you find out pieces of the story and it is very good storytelling.

This movie has one of the greatest scenes in movie history when Michael Madsen is dancing around and cutting that cops ear off it's just an amazing scene and a part of movie history and it is not the first amazing scene in movie history that Tarantino is responsible for. The movie has a great ending and it doesn't leave you confused or disappointed like so many movies this day do. To sum it all up this is an amazing movie made by an amazing director and i have to give it a 9.5 out of 10

 

[Cena's Little Helper]

Quentin Tarantino is easily the most overrated filmmaker of the past 25 years. Granted, Pulp Fiction is one of the greatest films ever made, but every film he has made afterwards has been nothing but a ripoff from some sub-genre of Eurasian or American trash cinema. Sure, Tarantino's films are competently made and highly enjoyable, but to say that he's contributed anything meaningful to film since Pulp Fiction is laughable.

Also, to the guy above me: are you crazy? Tarantino is FAR from our generation's most important filmmaker. Wong Kar Wai, Chan Wook Park, Bong Joon Ho, Alejandro González Iñárritu, and Darren Aronofsky each have 10 times more talent and genius than Tarantino will ever have.

 

[Frozentrash75]

Quentin Tarantino is easily the most overrated filmmaker of the past 25 years. Granted, Pulp Fiction is one of the greatest films ever made, but every film he has made afterwards has been nothing but a ripoff from some sub-genre of Eurasian or American trash cinema. Sure, Tarantino's films are competently made and highly enjoyable, but to say that he's contributed anything meaningful to film since Pulp Fiction is laughable.

Also, to the guy above me: are you crazy? Tarantino is FAR from our generation's most important filmmaker. Wong Kar Wai, Chan Wook Park, Bong Joon Ho, Alejandro González Iñárritu, and Darren Aronofsky each have 10 times more talent and genius than Tarantino will ever have.

No you are crazy first of all of those directors are garbage except for Darren Aronofsky and park had one good movie with Oldboy and thats it. Now lets name all the amazing movies Tarantino has made Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill Volume 1 and 2, and Inglorious Basterds now lets name all the good movies the directors you named off have made Oldboy, The Wrestler, and Requiem for a Dream so that means Tarantino has more good movies then all the directors you named off combined and Tarantino has more Talent and Genius in the hairs on his taint then all the directors you named have combined.

For you to say that all his movies except for Pulp Fiction are overrated just shows how little you know about movies and film making. He has also written very good movies that he hasn't even directed such as Natural Born Killers, True Romance, and From Dusk Till Dawn. Every movie Tarantino has made has been a good movie and he's been doing it for like twenty years the guys you named have had some good and ok movies but they don't knock every movie out of the Ball Park like Tarantino does. Tarantino is also a very interesting and fascinating character.

For you to totally write off all the great movies he has done and not give him the credit he's due and deserves is messed up and hopefully you will realize what a great Director and Writer he is and i think there are a lot of people here who will agree with me about what a great director he is.

 

[INDYjon22]

Oh boy, I can't wait to see Tdigs response. Now on to point, I enjoy Tarantino and most of his films but I would not go as far as Frozentrash would go. He makes enjoyable films but they have gradually gone down hill in my eyes. Inglorious Basterds, while I enjoyed it, was greatly overrated and made little to no sense even for a film that was so outright historically inaccurate. Also, don't forget about the shit that was Death Proof. He is a very entertaining director but not the best.

As for Reservoir Dogs, it happens to be my favorite Tarantino film. It was a very original film in my eyes and did a great job of mixing humor with seriousness. Buscemi never ceases to amaze me at his abilities as an actor. I truly believe he is one of the most underrated actors around. Michael Madsen is another underrated actor and how can people not love Harvey Keitel. He is a Tarantino legend and really shines in all the movies I have seen him in.

 

[Cookie]

Tarantino has more good movies then all the directors you named off combined and Tarantino has more Talent and Genius in the hairs on his taint then all the directors you named have combined.

You have no idea what you're in for. Godspeed.

This thread is already getting completely derailed so before I post my thoughts on Reservoir Dogs I might as well address how ludicrous this statement is. I'm a fan of Tarantino too but it's absolutely ridiculous for you to suggest that he has more good movies than all of those directors combined.

Have you seen any movies from them other than the ones you listed? Requiem isn't even Aronofsky's best. Instead of listing their best-known movies, take a minute to watch some of their other stuff before you go saying things that will end up embarrassing you.

 

[Cookie]

As for Reservoir Dogs, it happens to be my favorite Tarantino film.

It's my favourite as well. His best? No, but it's still my favourite. I could watch this film pretty much any time and still get something out of it. Great dialogue, great characters... it makes for an entertaining watch no matter what.

In terms of his directing style, it's a hint of what's to come from his later, more fully-realized work in Pulp Fiction. I think he made some wonderful choices in this one e.g. obviously the "Stuck in the Middle With You" ear scene - off-screen violence was a great touch for that bit.

And I fucking love Tim Roth in this. Although I must say I'm partial to Mr. Blonde, partly because of Michael Madsen's general badassery, and partly because it's just an awesome character.

 

[Cena's Little Helper]

No you are crazy first of all of those directors are garbage except for Darren Aronofsky and park had one good movie with Oldboy and thats it.

Obviously, you know jack shit about film. Do you even know who Wong Kar Wai, Bong Joon Ho, and Alejandro González Iñárritu are? Actually, this is a rhetorical question, as it's clear you have no idea who they are. Let's list some films, though, for each.

Wong Kar Wai: Chungking Express, Happy Together, and In The Mood For Love

Bong Joon Ho: Memories of Murder, The Host, and Mother

Alejandro González Iñárritu: Amores Perros, 21 Grams, and Babel

Also, Oldboy as Park's only good film? Have you seen Lady Vengeance? I doubt that you have. Kind of ironic that you're a Tarantino fanboy and the man himself does nothing but verbally ******e Wong Kar Wai, Bong Joon Ho, and Chan Wook Park. But, hey, I can't fault Tarantino for having good taste in film.

Now lets name all the amazing movies Tarantino has made Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction,

Not only do you fail at making a quality post, you also fail at reading comprehension. I said Tarantino hasn't made a meaningful contribution to cinema since Pulp Fiction.

Kill Bill Volume 1 and 2,

Blatant rip offs of Samurai, kung fu, and spaghetti western films.

and Inglorious Basterds

The one film where Tarantino doesn't rip off obscure gems. Rather, he goes bold and rips off WWII classics from the 1940s.

now lets name all the good movies the directors you named off have made Oldboy, The Wrestler, and Requiem for a Dream so that means Tarantino has more good movies then all the directors you named off combined and Tarantino has more Talent and Genius in the hairs on his taint then all the directors you named have combined.

Given that you don't even know most of the directors that I previously mentioned, I doubt that you have the knowledge (let alone the intelligence) to judge whether or not Tarantino has more talent and genius than another filmmaker.

For you to say that all his movies except for Pulp Fiction are overrated just shows how little you know about movies and film making.

I know more about film than you will probably know in your entire life. You've already showed your ignorance in this thread, but I'll have no trouble owning you some more should you respond.

He has also written very good movies that he hasn't even directed such as Natural Born Killers,

An absolutely shit film, and many critics agree.

True Romance,

Save for the violence, not a very good film.

and From Dusk Till Dawn.

Good popcorn flick; nothing more.

Every movie Tarantino has made has been a good movie and he's been doing it for like twenty years the guys you named have had some good and ok movies but they don't knock every movie out of the Ball Park like Tarantino does.

You're right, they don't knock every film of theirs out of the ball park. When they do, though, it's sure as hell better than what Tarantino could come up with, or has been able to come up with since 1994.

Tarantino is also a very interesting and fascinating character.

Who gives a shit?

For you to totally write off all the great movies he has done and not give him the credit he's due and deserves is messed up and hopefully you will realize what a great Director and Writer he is and i think there are a lot of people here who will agree with me about what a great director he is.

I can tell you one thing: you are the LAST person on this forum that would ever be able to convince me of how great a filmmaker and writer Tarantino is.

 

[Frozentrash75]

I have heard of all those directors and i have seen a lot of there films but not all of them i just didn't feel the need to name all of there movies that i don't like but since thats what you want ok here it goes 21 grams was an ok movie not good not great, Babel was a pretty good movie to i didn't find it as good as a lot of other people found it. The host was an an alright movie also. I'm not as familiar with wong kar wai and his films so i will leave him out. But to say Kill Bill is a Kung Fu rip off well of course of it is to some degree i mean kung fu movies have been around for a long time so of course its going to have lots in common with Kung Fu of the past but he did it in a fun new way that i found very appealing and just because inglorious basterds is a WWll movie doesn't mean it is a rip off of ones from the 40's. I do have the intelligence and knowledge to judge other directors work compared to Tarantino and in my opinion his work is better compared to the directors you have named but they may be better directors for your taste but for me i prefer Tarantino and i do believe he is the greatest film maker of the last 25 years. And just because i like Tarantino and disagree with your opinion you have to try and call me crazy and downgrade me that shows that you think you are superior and that your opinion is more valid then mine. Tarantino is a great director and i dont care what you say because i don't value your opinion.

 

[X]

I really, REALLY think you're reading way, way too far into Tarantino's work TDigs. If I wanted to I could sit down and point out thing after thing that Brian De Palma ripped off from Hitchcock, but that doesn't mean De Palma isn't a damn good filmmaker, because he is, just as Tarantino is. Tarantino has never made a bad film, I stand by that statement proudly. He's made trash, but he's done it purposely in the truest B-Movie sense with tongue firmly planted in cheek (i.e. Death Proof).

I mean, yes, Tarantion HAS ripped off some things from other filmmakers, no one is denying that. Several parts of Reservoir Dogs, a few minor things in Kill Bill. But you compare the few MINOR things he may have ripped off to all of the original and creative things he's done...well, the good FAR outweighs the bad.

Tarantino is a brilliant filmmaker, though I'd agree with TDigs that I wouldn't exactly call him the filmmaker of my generation. Mostly because I was about five or six years old when Reservoir Dogs came out. But I've grown up with his films, so sure, I'll say I'm a part of "his generation". There are several filmmakers I'd personally rank ahead of Tarantino, from Charlie Kaufman to P.T. Anderson to David Lynch, I don't quite think Tarantino would crack my top five of the last few decades, and that's coming from a massive fan of his.

Anyways, cool thread Cookie, TDigs tried doing something similar to this over the summer but it never really took off. Too bad too, had some damn good filmmakers he was going to go over. Any idea of if you'll continue doing this?