Profile of a Director: Quentin Tarantino

Quentin Tarantino has got to be one of the most unique, most notorious and most direct directors in the film industry. This is the crazy maniac who openly admits that every single one of his movies has been stolen from many, many movies and none of us seem to mind it either. Well, if anyone can do it as well as he does, no one should either. 20 years ago, when he released his first movie and shocked everyone with it, he created lot of hype around his name right from the very start. Fast forward to 20 years later and now we kind of expect these things from his movies. We expect them to have a lot of violence, amazing soundtracks and to be very stylistic. Even though every one of his movies has come with great performances and gripping stories, I think I speak for everyone when I say that none of these have as much pull, as much power of summoning the movie enthusiasts into the theater as much as the title card saying "Directed by Quentin Tarantino", one of the reasons when Tarantino recently made his desire to retire after the age of 60 public, it became such a hot topic. He has successfully created a brand for himself. With the release of his latest Django Unchained(2012) on Christmas Day and Netflix making Four Rooms(1995) available for streaming gave me a chance to do something I have been meaning to do for a long time - finish his filmography. Which shall bring us to this post, getting into Tarantino's complete filmography, starting from his first short My Best Friend's Birthday(1987) to Django, every movie he has directed.

My Best Friends Birthday(1987)(short) - Tarantino actually made a movie before this as well or at least started making it because apparently he never finished it. So, this is his first attempt at film-making. Originally, he wrote it as a 70-minute movie where a young man, played by Tarantino himself, is trying to make sure that his best friend has a good birthday but nothing goes right. However, apparently due to some accident only 36 minutes of it survived and that is what I saw. I hate to say this but it feels very amateurish in every department. Now I know that it is 1987, it is his first film and only half of it has survived but even by that standard, I wish I had some kind words to say. Alas! At least it kick-started what would become a legendary career. Grade: C

Reservoir Dogs(1992) - So this is where it all really started. Tarantino's first full length feature film. Every single thing you now expect from Tarantino movie started with this. His language, his soundtracks, his title cards, the way his characters walk, talk, behave, his way of killing off important characters with a moment's notice and his way of showing violence on screen or not - it all starts here. I am sure most of us know the story of how Harvey Keitel got involved into producing this faltering script. I often wonder how it would be on the sets with Director being the most inexperienced person on the set ordering everyone around but then I remember it's Quentin Tarantino. I am sure he would be the first one to joke about it in his trademark style. Oh and he never gets his hands dirty by actually showing the robbery which everyone is so pissed about. Grade - A

Pulp Fiction(1994) - Saying that Pulp Fiction is one of my favourite movies would be such an understatement. Samuel Jackson reciting Ezekiel 25:17 and whatever happens before or after that in that apartment alone was enough to make it my favourite. It is much more than a movie that I really, really like. It is one of those movies that made me a movie buff that I am right now. Sure, I saw a lot of movies before Pulp and sure, there are quite a few that I loved as well but none of them made me want to go and seek out more movies like this one. If they make it anything like this, I seriously wanted a piece of that. At Once. I have been trying since. I am quite sure that this was the first Tarantino I saw, sometime around Fall of 2009. The fact that it had such a a huge impact on a novice like me almost 15 years after its release itself should speak volumes about how influential this movie is.  Grade: A+

Four Rooms(1995): (Segment "The Man From Hollywood") - I have my problems with this movie as a whole, especially with meaningless first segment and ridiculously over the top acting of Tim Roth and others. But if we start talking about just the Tarantino segment, all my issues disappear. Of the four stories in the movie, his is the best by a long margin. First of all it is a very straight forward and fun story, off course with a usual Tarantino zing to it. Even in the small 20 minute window, he leaves his footprints all over it. Once he enters the room, it doesn't leave for it's full length. It's like one long 20 minute sequence. It starts, quickly finds its footing, picks up the pace and soon ends with a blast, never missing a beat.  Grade: A-

Jackie Brown(1997) - This seems to be the start of Tarantino's decade worth of movies with female protagonist. Some also believe this to be his last normal movie or last good movie as after this he gets much more stylistic, violent if he wasn't already. Off course, I do not agree that he didn't make anything good after this but I understand the criticism and see where it comes from.  In my opinion, this is his most un-Tarantino-esque movie of his career. It seems like most of his signature items are dialed down a notch. But he has enough juice in his characters and in his script to carry them through. With the help of yet another flawless ensemble, this is a heist movie that keeps you guessing till the end. Admittedly, Jackie Brown suffers a little from being the follow-up of legendary Pulp Fiction but there were many years between my viewings. So, I never felt it was over shadowed. Grade: A

Kill Bill: Vol I(2003) - Taking a mini hiatus of 6 years to work on World War II screenplay which eventually became Inglourious Basterds(2009). However since that screenplay was taking a long time, he focused on another project in the mean time which will mark his most glorious, most bad-ass and even most dichotomous female protagonist in the form of Bride in this first part of a revenge story fueled by Tarantino's love for Samurai and Martial Arts movies. In his typical style, Tarantino throws us right into the action from the very first scene and never backs down from getting his hands dirty. With multiple action scenes that spill blood by barrels, this has to be his bloodiest movie. Being first part of two, another thing he does well is Tarantino gave it its own legs. He made sure that even though they both have strong connection with each other, they both also stand very well on their own.  Grade: A-

Kill Bill: Vol II(2004) - Apparently, it wasn't Tarantino's plan of making this movie in two parts from the start. Just being another one of his passion projects, he kept on adding stuff and never stopped until he felt it's done right. The final product was the more than four hour long revenge story which producers and distributors weren't sure about from the marketing point of view. And hence they did it in two parts instead of one. I have no idea what was the public reaction about this decision at the time of its release since I was nowhere in picture then but I don't think it would have been very enthusiastic. However, despite that second part seems to have much more favorable critical reaction than the first one and I can certainly see why. First one is much more of an action movie with a lot of action and much more blood whereas though second has its fair share of action and gut, being much more drama-centric has more gravitas.  Grade: A-

Death Proof(2007) - In the THR Directors Roundtable Tarantino himself said that Death Proof has got to be the worst movie he has made and if it stays like that, he'll be happy with it. I know, I'll be too but the question is do I agree with his assessment? To tell you the truth, I don't have any problem with this movie. I know that it is a little loose and maybe even disconnected story, but I think it is a fun movie with a long and electrifying chase involving Zoe Bell of all people in the end and with the risk of sounding sadistic, an amazing crash scene in the middle. I love the way it shows that crash from the perspective of everyone involved. But as much as I hate to admit it, if we are discounting Four Rooms as a whole and his first short, Tarantino is right. It is such a fun ride but is still his weakest. Grade: B+

Inglourious Basterds(2009) - At around the same time that I saw Pulp Fiction and went on some serious kick looking for his movies, Inglourious Basterds was in theaters. Imagine 1-2 punch of these two that knocked me out and I was sold. As I said earlier, this was the point where I was very much in infancy of being a movie-buff. I was still learning to appreciate what makes good movie a good movie. This movie added many things to that list. Have you ever seen anything like that long, continuous opening scene? I still cannot believe how lengthy many of his scenes are but even more importantly how brilliantly they build the tension in the scene, case in point French Tavern sequence. Now it does get a lot of criticism about being over-indulgent, especially over it's 'masterpiece' ending. But tell me, Do I give a Damn ? Grade: A+

Django Unchained(2012) - Tarantino's latest. This year's Oscar nominee for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay among others. Let me get the biggest concern out of the way first. For the first time in his career, his movie looked a little indulgent to me. Don't get me wrong, I still don't give a damn and I still love this movie but I believe I saw some chinks in the armor for the first time. What I loved the most about it is the way he blends multiple genres so inadvertently. Since I haven't mentioned it before anywhere, I have to mention the soundtracks of his movie which are one of his signature by now. Every single one of his movies has had an amazing soundtrack and this one isn't any exception but perfect way they reflect the 'western-ness' of this movie is exceptional.  Grade: A

Previous Profiles:
Paul Thomas Anderson
Wes Anderson
Billy Wilder
Christopher Nolan

Sidney Lumet
Martin Scorsese

Woody Allen

Hunger

23rd March 1931. The Day every Indian remembers as 'Shaheed Diwas' i.e 'Martyr's Day' because on that day 3 of the Indian revolutionaries, Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev, were hanged at the tender age of 24. Along with around 25 other revolutionaries, they were being tried for the case that is known as 'Lahore Conspiracy Case'. While the case was being tried in court, Bhagat Singh and his fellow revolutionaries went on Hunger strike. Their demand was to be treated like 'Political Prisoners', on equal terms as other European prisoners. By Law, they were needed to be treated equal. So, Indian revolutionaries were asking for Clean clothes, Separate cells, Books and Newspapers just like any other political prisoners. This hunger strike went on for 116 days before the British Government, then ruling India, relented and agreed to give them what they were asking for and claimed life of 1, Jatindra Nath Das on his 63rd Day of Fast. Legend has it, he died saying 'Not a Single Drop, Bhagat' as he died of a beating he took while Police were force-feeding them to break their fast. And when I watched Hunger(2008) today, I could not help but draw some parallels here.

Hunger(2008) here, is about the strikingly similar event that happened against the same government, some 50 years after in Ireland. It focuses on Second Hunger Strikes in 1981 by Bobby Sands and other IRA members. 9 of them died before Margaret Thatcher relented. Bobby Sands himsel died after 66 days of Strike. It opens up with prison guard Raymond Lohan leaving for work, making sure that he is not getting killed by IRA(which he eventually does, in a horrible fashion). He checks the road is empty before leaving, bends down to see if someone has planted a bomb in his car, and still hesitates before turning the ignition On, all the time with his wife watching him from the window, as if praying to keep him alive. Tension is palpable here. In Prison, IRA members are on Blanket Protests which are escalated into Dirty Protests against the cancellation of  'Special Category Status'. Story moves forward with concentrating on two prisoners, Davey Gillen and Gerry Campbell, who are in a cell together with just a blanket on them. Part of Blanket Protests and Dirty Protests is told as their story. We see the brutalities they suffer at the hands of Guards as they refuse to leave their cells and themselves to be cleaned up. And we also get introduced to Bobby Sands, who is also part of these protests. Third part of the story concentrates on Bobby Sands and his Hunger Strike and is by far most disturbing segment I have seen.

What this movie is best known for is 16 and half minute conversation between Bobby Sands and his Priest. Though whole film is about the political intentions and rights, this scene is the only occasion where they actually discuss about it aloud. The reason why this scene is so special is not only because it was shot in one single long take(and I thought Inglourious Basterds(2009) had longest single take scene. Looks like Michael Fassbender has some fascination for them), but also because you will hardly find anything so explosive with the dialogues like 'Jesus Christ had a backbone but them disciples, every disciple since... you’re just jumping in and out of the rhetoric and dead-end semantics.' and he is talking to a priest who makes his leaving giving sermons to everyone. Conversation that takes place between them here is extremely well constructed. Initially they take friendly digs at each other, eventually it turns to more serious matters at hand when Sands mentions about the Hunger strikes.  Our Priest is troubled by the fact that previous Hunger strikes have failed to achieve anything out of it. He questions his integrity, his motives, his commitment(According to Wikipedia, Liam Cunningham, who plays Priest moved in with Fassbender and they use to rehearse this scene almost 12 times everyday. How is that for a commitment?). However, Sands is not going back - 'I will ACT. I will not stand by and do nothing'.

Main reason why I wanted to watch this movie was because of all the buzz around director Steve McQueen with the release of Shame(2011) - THE Movie I am looking forward to. This is his debut movie. And what a debut it is !! Even though I was very much interested in all the politics in the background, it is evident that he had a different direction in mind and he takes it forward in that direction like a master controller. He is not interested in making it a political propaganda taking either of the sides. He very casually skips by everything that is happening outside, even a fact that Sands gets elected to the House of Commons is only mentioned in the ending slides. He has named his movie Hunger for a reason and he focuses on that. In many ways, it is a debut movie for Michael Fassbender and he is equally devastating as well. He embodies Bobby Sands - his resolve, his determination to perfection. He works wonders in the 16 and half minute scene with his dialogue delivery but he is equally effective even when he is not even talking e.g a look on his face when UDA orderly who refuses to help him or him pushing his protruding ribs in a desperate attempt to stand up. And it is your worst nightmare to see him die slowly and slowly. Fassbender does all this with such a finesse that makes you wonder where was he all these years? I knew about Christian Bell loosing 28 Kg for The Machinist(2004). But, I did not have the faintest idea of Michael Fassbender undergoing similar regime.

Hunger can make you feel nauseated, it can very easily kill your appetite. It makes you uncomfortable almost the whole time. But even then you know that you are watching something great, something you never have and probably will not experience again. With the kind of buzz around Shame(2011), we can only expect more greatness is to follow. While in College, I always wanted to know more about 3 things - IRA, Stalin and Napolean. Not a start I imagined !

Rating(out of 5):

'Paris' tells us to be Happy

 

                    Everyone, remember Melanie Laurent? I am sure you do. You may not know that you know her but you know her. Remember Shosanna of Inglourious Bastards (2009)? That's Her(go to the bottom if you still don't). I saw Paris(2008) few days ago. Basically, it was for Melanie Laurent but also because Richard Horcula mentioned it a couple of times on 'Riku Writes', one of the blogs I follow. In the last scene when our protagonist Pierre, is going to Hospital for his Heart Transplant he does not know will help him or not, he says 'That is Paris. No one is ever happy. We grumble and we love that. They don't know how lucky they are. Walking, breathing, running. They don't know how lucky they are to be carefree in Paris.' How True!!

                    Paris(2008) is an ensemble movie which tells us the story of different characters living in Paris, the city of Dreams for many. They are living that dream many others can die for but still somehow they don't even seem to live their own life. There is Pierre, cabaret dancer who has heart defect and is waiting for transplant which still may not save his life. We watch whole film through his perspective. Then there is Elise, Pierre's sister played by Juliette Binoche who is looking after him and is having her own mid-life crisis, Roland is a historian who is giving up teaching for making a Documentary on Paris for money and is stalking one of his old students anonymously. Laetitia, that is Melanie Laurent as beautiful as they come, is the student Roland is stalking and she ends up sleeping with him even though she has a boyfriend and there is Jean, a fruit and vegetable vendor who is still hung up on his previous girlfriend.

                    All these characters are interwoven subtly. Elise's daughter is friends with Jean's daughter. Jean has his shop in market close to Pierre's house and Laetitia lives right across Pierre, who observes her from his window, his favorite past-time now that his condition has restricted him a lot.He also observes other people around him like Khadija, who works in Bakery he goes to quite often and one more worker who collects garbage from his apartment. Jean is hung over Daniela, his ex and business partner but doesn't realize it until she gets killed in Road Accident. He watches her everyday flirting with his friends and tries to be indifferent but after she dies feels his responsibility to fulfill her last wish. Roland is a jaded professor embarrassed to be infatuated by his own student and saddened by usual joys of his brothers life because he is lonely and tells him that he is normal as if it is something wrong.

                    Like any other ensemble film, Paris(2008) has a lot of characters. It gives us a lot to ruminate about Life and Love. Everyone has its own story which actually makes it a really complex film but hey! Life is Complex. You need to simplify it. Everyone has worries and you will always have worries. But we need to go beyond it to appreciate the beauty of life. Actually this was one of the reasons I liked this movie. It goes a little above 2 hours and still feels short because all the characters are strong and real like you and me. It thankfully does not follow the cliched 'All is well that ends well' pattern. Rather This film doesn't attempt to answer all the questions it raises, it rather tells you that not all the questions have answers(This reminds me of 2nd July night I spent in New York when me and some friends were trying convince one other friend the exact same thing). As Pierre says in the end you just need to know that you are really lucky to be living. My only regret is Melanie Laurent doesn't talk much, though she looks stunning which is more than I can ask for and she gives what is needed from her character - strong presence with a captivating Face.

Rating(out of 5):