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Quentin Tarantino


TMA_1

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I know this may offend some people, but geesh I gotta get it off my chest.

I loved Pulp Fiction, it was a great film, and some of his other stuff is pretty good, but all in all his films are way over hyped. It just seems like his films are either loved by those who really know film, or dopes who love cheezy flicks. They are just too "pop-culturish" (horrible term to use). In a sense that his films are just too tacky for me. I end up getting annoyed at how over the top they are, and they dont do a good job at it. I mean Brian De Palma is similar, and originated a lot of those kinds of sexy and fashionable techniques. Still though I like his films and they are done well, like scarface.

to me in the end, Tarantino is just a second rate De Palma. It is ironic that Tarantino says he was inspired by him, yet he just cant pull it off. his films just are annoying to watch to me and to many others I know.

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He's said he wants to direct a James Bond film.

"Jesus Christ, Tarantino does Bond, how lame." Let's actually hear what he had to say.

Someday I'm going to get the rights to do Casino Royale, the first James Bond novel, and do it the right way. I really wanted it to be my followup to 'Pulp Fiction' and do it with Pierce Brosnan, but have it take place after the events of 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service' - after Bond's wife, Tracy, has been killed. I want Bond to be in mourning when he falls in love with Vesper Lynd, the woman in the novel. From what I know of Brosnan and read in interviews, I think he'd want to go in the direction I'd want to take Bond, though I'm not certain producers of the series would agree.

Personally, I too felt Tarantino was overhyped until, actually not too long ago, I changed my mind. My story begins many years ago...It was the beginning of the 'Kill Bill Kraze' that proceeded 'Volume 1' and having seen the illegially ripped from the theater, I was immediately pissed that Tarantino was recieving some serious praise for a somewhat corny and lackluster film. Years then passed...I saw friends and Tarantino fanboys alike (the 14-29 age bracket that feeds on the violence, style and cussin' of films, 'ironically' those that own 'Scarface' t-shirts and posers) drool over his irate Hollywood B-Movie. So naturally, due to its fanboy appeal, I began to despise it all the more.

I later saw 'Volume 2'. I was a little more impressed but not by much until I saw 'Volume 1' again and began to appreciate the film for what it was. It is just a wonderfully entertaining B-Movie that harkens back to the day of drive-in classics, the 60's and 70's,'Street Fighter', razor blade laden afros and the like. And is a literal duckpress of many different genres. As a whole, you can't say that Tarantino doesn't entertain and you can't say that his movie's aren't enjoyable. Thats why he is so appauded and godworshipped and through his influences (which he regularly recites) more people can wade deeper into film culture. I look over at my growing collection of dvds and find True Romance, Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown along with Citizen Kane, Chinatown, Apocolypse Now, French Connection and the Kill Bill poster resting on the wall beside them and think, forcefully Tarantino has earned my respect because he is a genuine great filmmaker and his place in film history will reflect that.

I loved Pulp Fiction, it was a great film, and some of his other stuff is pretty good, but all in all his films are way over hyped. It just seems like his films are either loved by those who really know film, or dopes who love cheezy flicks. They are just too "pop-culturish" (horrible term to use). In a sense that his films are just too tacky for me. I end up getting annoyed at how over the top they are, and they dont do a good job at it. I mean Brian De Palma is similar, and originated a lot of those kinds of sexy and fashionable techniques. Still though I like his films and they are done well, like scarface.

to me in the end, Tarantino is just a second rate De Palma. It is ironic that Tarantino says he was inspired by him, yet he just cant pull it off. his films just are annoying to watch to me and to many others I know.

I think I understand where your coming from but elaborate a little more on 'pop-culture'. To hardcore cinefiles the more film changes the more they grew to hate the new stuff that comes out. Face facts, Tarantino and many other directors watch film and are influenced by a cascade of different directors. Tarantino is uniquely Tarantino as De Palma is uniquely De Palma. I can't look at Carlito's Way and think Jackie Brown, I'm sorry but its not going to happpen. Tarantino may have borrowed from filmmakers in his films but so has De Palma from his earlier influences. What would you say if I told you that De Palma is an pathetic clone of Hitchcock and a poor imitiation of a true original? The same can be said on the beloved Paul Thomas Anderson and the countless techniques and shots that he's ripped from various influences.

I don't think its ironic that Tarantino was inspired by De Palma because as you said, it appears in his films. He's said it openly and remained humble on who his influences are. His dialogue is among the best, his characters are well drawn and real and he makes a good film. The media are the ones you should be pissed at.

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the trick in Pulp Fiction, is that, from the beginning, characters speak about having limits or not.

then he who fixes a limit lives, the others die (or sodomized :O).

then you forgive the borderline action.

otherwise Pulp Fiction would be mindless violence.

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I saw Natural Born Killers the other day. It was awesome! It's directed by Oliver Stone, but Tarantino wrote it (nobody else is sick enough to write something like that, lol)

Kinda awesome how he puts in the most gruesome things that should make you sick, but instead make you laugh really, really hard. The dialogues are brilliant too, wich is kinda Tarantino's trademark.

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tarantino has quite some amazing skills... as director as well as "the man with influence" by which I mean his stroryboard-writing or even also his own acting (his character @ from dusk till dawn was great).

there are a lot of movies with some tarantino in it, but most people just think of pulp fiction and jackie brown... and now about kill bill. some people also mention reservoir dogs, which is a great movie.

kill bill was also really great and is far more than just an average movie. but you have to get the point to figure it out. it starts with the fact that uma thurman is wearing the old bruce lee suit... kill bill is tarantino's way to say "thank you" to a lot of kung-fu movies he loved to watch.

but as I said... you also have to think about him as a storyboard-writer to. he did some good stuff without being director then.

but I also agree that he isn't the one and only great director and nobody is as good as him. I think Guy Ritchie's movies "lock stock & 2 smoking barrels" and "snatch" are really great movies or david fincher is a great director too... "seven", "the game", "fight club"... all good stuff.

and you mentioned de palma. of course he is really great, too...

so, you are a bit right... tarantino is sometimes a bit overhyped, but he has a lot of skills and I wouln't dare to call him a second rate whoever... because he is a first class "artist".

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Stuck in the middle with you... And I dont know what it is I should do... It's so hard to keep the smile from my face...

Every time i hear that song on the radio, I think of that scene. Those of you who have seen the uncensored version of Reservoir Dogs will know what I mean...

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