Quentin Tarantino is a renowned American film director and writer known for his nonlinear storytelling and eclectic soundtrack choices. His films such as Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, and Inglourious Basterds feature graphic violence and nonlinear narratives told through memorable dialogue. Tarantino's unique directing style utilizes techniques like black and white cinematography, trunk shots, and Mexican standoffs to craft compelling characters and scenes. He is not afraid to rewrite history or subvert expectations with his unorthodox storytelling.

2. Quentin Jerome
Tarantino
Quentin Tarantino is a world famous
writer/director known for his unique style
of film making. He is not afraid of
breaking rules and going against standard
Hollywood film styles. Taking inspiration
from films, such as “The Good, The Bad
and The Ugly” his movies can have a
certain western feel, however he also uses
seventies rock/pop music which clashes
brilliantly with the western style, creating
an excellently unique film.
His attention to detail with styling and
characters make his films stand out and
some of his characters are instantly
recognizable. For example John Travolta’s
iconic look as Vincent Vega in “Pulp
Fiction”. The colour and length of his hair,
his suit and collar and the way he moves
with a slow swagger make him standout
as an easily identifiable character, even if
you see him out of context from the film.

3. The Writer• Tarantino manages to captivate his audiences with his naturalistic
dialogue, which creates a sense of realism in his scenes. This is
shown in the iconic scene in his second film: Pulp Fiction, where
two thugs (Samuel .L. Jackson and John Travolta) are having a
discussion about different types of McDonald's burgers at ‘home’
and in Europe. This seemingly ordinary conversation is ironic as it
precedes a violent crime in which the thugs are shown to murder
three young men. By writing a conversation such as this Tarantino
has captured the detachment of the thugs from the gruesome task
they are heading to do and without further knowledge of the film
a viewer may not make the connection of what their job is as they
are presented in such a casual way. He also has different
approaches to creating scenes in a film. for example Tarantino’s
music seems to always fit the scene; this is because he, instead of
finding music to fit a scene, he writes the scene around the music
making the two work perfectly together. A great example of good
music in a gripping scene is the torture scene in reservoir dogs.
Where Michael Madsen is shown dancing to ‘stuck in the middle
with you’ whilst terrorizing his victim. Although this seems like an
odd choice of music it ultimately works to create a chilling scene
which depicts the insanity of Madsen’s character Mr. Blonde. This
is also a good example of Tarantino using 70’s pop/rock music in
his films.

4. The Director
• Tarantino’s directing style has managed to simultaneously offend,
captivate, amuse and horrify his audiences. He uses several
different techniques such as: black and white colouring in certain
scenes. He uses black and white in Kill Bill volume one and two and
in death proof. The black and white in Kill Bill is used for flashbacks
for example the wedding of Uma Thermans character Beatrix
Kiddo. Tarantino also uses the trunk/hood POV shot; he has used
this in every one of his films. This shot can symbolize the lowered
status of someone trapped in the trunk as they look up at they're
captors. It also shows the power which the captors have as the
upwards shot on them puts them in a god-like position. For
example in Reservoir Dogs this is used as the POV of Mr. Blonde’s
captive. Tarantino also uses the ‘Mexican Stand Off’ in several of his
films; this is inspired by one off his personal favourite films ‘The
Good, The Bad and The Ugly’. The stand off is where three or more
people face each other with guns aimed at each other. Possibly
Tarantino’s most famous Mexican stand off is the ending of
Reservoir Dogs where the crew of the heist turn on each other.

5. • Pulp Fiction is possibly Tarantino’s most
famous and popular films. As it completely
changed the face of cinema; with its
unapologetic violence and backwards
story telling.
• Violence is used throughout the film with
uncensored gore and very mature themes.
However Tarantino directs scenes in such a
way that even the most grotesque scene
can be seen as amusing. For example the
‘gimp’ scene is shown in a comedic way
and a drug overdose is played out with a
theatrical farce.
The shot of Vincent plunging
the syringe into Mia's chest
was filmed by having John
Travolta pull the needle out,
then running the film
backwards.

6. • Jackie Brown is an extremely clever
Tarantino film. With a complicated heist at
the end and ever changing alliances
between the characters. It also keeps the
audience on their toes as almost any main
character could be killed at any moment.
The film shows that seemingly ordinary
people can be involved in things that would
seem uncharacteristic. This is almost
Tarantino’s trademark(apart from
spectacularly gory violence) : making
ordinary interesting.
In the first mall scene, Max Cherry is
seen exiting a movie theater while
the music for the ending credits is
playing. This is, in fact, the closing
music for the film itself.

7. Kill Bill is a martial arts film yet not a typical martial
arts film. It has comic book features, such as the
BOLD writing used for the chapters and the fact
that the film is divided into chapters. Also a
flashback in the film is done in comic book
graphics depicting the light heartedness of this
violent film. It’s also a shocking film as a mother is
killed in front of her child. However the protection
of the innocence of children is shown throughout
especially in the ending scene where The Bride
finally finds Bill yet is confronted by her child and
has to stop her up until now unstoppable effort to
Kill Bill. Tarantino shows that even these ruthless
killers who kill for a living stop to protect children.
Christopher Allen Nelson, who worked on the special
effects, revealed in an interview that over 450 gallons
of fake blood were used in the two Kill Bill movies.

8. • Death proof is a film that focuses hugely on the dialogue
between characters to move the story forward. E.g. the
conversation between Jungle Julia and Shanna in the car
shows the casual friend relationship they have. Tarantino also
uses black and white when we first meet the second set of
girls. This is in tribute to low budget exploitation films (old B-
movies).
The film was physically scratched to achieve its dirty look, rather than digitally scratch
the film footage.

9. Quentin Tarantino has said himself that Inglourious Basterds is his masterpiece
and it is hard to disagree when he worked on the script for almost a decade. The
writing and direction in this film is ground breaking. For example the opening
scene (the milk scene) is one of the most cleverly directed and scripted scenes in
film history. We are presented with a seemingly calm, casual, almost mundane
conversation if read on paper. Yet the way it is directed with the eye contact of
the characters and the perfect performance from Christoph Waltz create the
most intense scene in the film. The blunt answers from the house owner show
his fear in the situation. Close ups on each characters face are used which
portrays underlying emotion not shown in the dialogue.
Tarantino is brave enough in this film to rewrite history ,proving that he has no
qualms for going against Hollywood ‘rules’. he also creates memorable characters
through his direction E.g. Hans Landa. He is a detestable person yet the way he is
presented, the audience is intrigued by his character and almost respect his
manner and intelligence. For example Hans is always shown in the films with a
certain grandeur, e.g. the music played for his car arriving at the beginning of the
film suggests huge importance.
Tarantino also confuses the characters in the
sense that the main antagonist Hans Landa
is presented as an intelligent respectable
person, backed up by his ability to speak
fluently in several languages. Whereas the
Hero Aldo Raine is a violent person and
almost an american redneck character.
Christoph Waltz’s
character speaks the
most different languages
in the movie: 5 (English,
French, German, Italian
and Hebrew).

10. The Hateful 8 is Tarantino’s most recent
film and holds resemblance to Reservoir
Dogs as it is mostly one location and holds
characters who clash all in a confined area.
The film lives up to its name as each
character is truly hateful yet there are
characters we as the audience warm to or
sympathize with despite their ugly
qualities. This shows Tarantino’s ability to
turn bad characters into the heroes of the
story. This is mainly done through the
dialogue where we learn about characters
in more depth.
Tarantino uses subtle symbolism in this
film. For example the scene in which
Samuel L Jackson’s character Major
Marquis Warren and Bruce Dern’s
character General Sandy Smithers (men
on opposing sides of the American Civil
war) converse. silent night is played in the
background this is a representation of the
First world war’s Christmas day when the
two sides met and sang silent night for a
temporary truce.
The song Daisy Domergue
sings when she plays the
guitar is an Australian folk
song called "Jim Jones at
Botany Bay".

11. Django Unchained is one of Tarantino’s more recent films and reflects his love of old spaghetti westerns
e.g. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. Its style is predominantly western, yet it wouldn’t be a Tarantino
film without odd music choices thrown in which make it the incredible film it is. The long, drawn out
scene in which Leonardo DiCaprio’s character Calvin Candie describes the difference between a white
mans skull and a black mans skull is directed in such a way that although it highlights the ignorance of
some people in those times, it also shows Candie as the character with higher status and as an
intelligent person, yet the dramatic irony is that the audience know that Candie is wrong.
Reservoir Dogs was Tarantino’s first film and it put him on the map as a clever director and writer. The
setting was different to a standard heist film as it took place after the main events of the story. the film
is filled with long bursts of clever dialogue which slowly piece the story together. Quentin Tarantino
showed his ability to make the dull things in life absolutely fascinating. For example the beginning
scene in the café where the main characters are discussing the tip for the waitress yet Mr. Pink wont
tip. This scene is made into a gripping conversation where political aspects are touched on as well as
ethical obligation. This scene also foreshadows the ending as Tim Roth’s character Mr. Orange tells the
boss that Mr. Pink wont tip. Mr. Orange is found out to be the under cover cop (the rat).
These two films show the range in which Tarantino can write and direct as they are two completely
different styles, yet arguably equal in success. Django Unchained is a historical film with racial
aspects involved and Reservoir Dogs is a contemporary crime/drama. As well as this Reservoir
Dogs, although naturalistic in style could be a play due to its limited locations and setting. Whereas
Django is much more of an epic journey of one character and takes place in many different
settings, locations and backgrounds and over a long stretch of time.
At several points, Tim Roth had lain in the pool of fake blood for so long that the blood dried
out and he had to be peeled off the floor, which took several minutes. (R.D)
When Dr. Schultz puts the dynamite in the tooth atop the wagon, he is whistling
the Django theme song. (D.U)

12. “Sure, Kill Bill's a
violent movie. But it's
a Tarantino movie.
You don't go to see
Metallica and ask the
fuckers to turn the
music down.”- Quentin Tarantino

13. WRITTEN AND
EDITED BY
GEORGE
BARLOW