Screen Gal’s top five Quentin Tarantino movies:
- Kill Bill Vol. 2
- Kill Bill Vol. 1
- Reservoir Dogs
- Pulp Fiction
- Inglorious Basterds
This has to be the hardest top five as Tarantino is one of my favourite directors of all time and it was such a hard decision to take his films and place them into an order. After a lot of time and deliberation I finally came to a satisfied ranking and I know that there will be a lot of readers out there who disagree with my choice as everyone has their own tastes however I will explain my reasons for choosing this order throughout the blog.
Kill Bill Vol. 2
I know what you’re thinking, how can you possibly put volume two ahead of volume one when there is so much more action in part one. I like to think of these two volumes as one whole, an argument which has plagued forums for years as some fans believe that they are two separate accounts and some who believe that this is all just one film cut in half. Personally, I belong to the second group of fans. Although for the purpose of this top five I will refer to it as two parts to compare them and state why this part is better. This was one which I seen in the cinema (My first 18 rated experience may I add!) and I loved every single minute of it.
After the cliff hanger at the end of volume one in which Bill asks his assistant ‘Is she aware that her daughter is still alive?’ the audience had a wait of six months before finding out the answer. Volume two picks up directly where volume one left off, we are introduced to the bride who informs the audience that she is on a mission to get revenge on the people who tried to kill her and is going to fulfil her wish and kill Bill. With two members of the squad already dead the bride then takes aim at Budd and Elle Driver. The films events lead up to the ultimate confrontation with Bill, who was the bride’s former master and the man who ordered the squad to kill her.
Volume two will always hold a dear place in my heart as there is more screen time for my two favourite members of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad, Budd (Bill’s brother) and Elle. The death scenes are fantastic and at times hard to watch, for example the scene where the bride is buried alive by Budd and his accomplice and the showdown between the bride and Elle. I prefer this to the first film as it has a lot more emotion and depth to it, we are introduced to her daughter and when she first sees her it is such a touching scene and you can really feel empathetic with this character. It gives you a lot more to the story that we didn’t know e.g. we didn’t know that it was a wedding rehearsal, not the actual ceremony and the events that lead up to the massacre. This isn’t to say that I don’t like part one as to me Kill Bill as a whole is Tarantino’s finest work, it’s just that part two has a lot more to it.
Kill Bill Vol. 1
I first seen Vol. 1 on an illegal copy at a friend’s house and perhaps did not get to appreciate the full value of this film. I seen trailers for it on the TV and was really impressed, although I knew that I would have to settle for an illegal copy. This was completely and utterly different to anything that I have ever seen, as I am not a fan of kung fu or martial arts in any capacity but found myself blown away by the intensity of the action and humour contained with this part.
Uma Thurman plays the bride (her real name is not revealed until part two, and throughout a beeping noise can be heard to disguise it) who was gunned down by her former boss Bill (played by David Carradine) and his Deadly Viper Assassination Squad. This part takes place four years after the events and the bride has just awakened after being in a coma and decides that it is time to get revenge on those who wronged her. As the action continues the bride is successful on her mission and we follow her through Okinawa in Japan to track down O-Ren Ishi and fight off the Crazy 88’s.
The action in this part is immense and perfectly choreographed. The fight scene with the crazy 88’s and O-Ren’s bodyguards is mind blowing and I personally love when they cut to a blue background and black silhouettes of the actors duelling. Another great element to this part is the anime cartoon that is used in the middle section, telling the story of how O-Ren became an assassin and informing the audience of her upbringing. As I have explained above, volume two beat this film by inches by having the back story and emotion that the first half lacks. However, part one more than makes up for this with the action and humour. I fully recommend watching the two parts back to back and you will soon see why this can be considered as one full film, it is smart, funny, brutal and clever. I highly recommend Kill Bill volume one and two.
Reservoir Dogs
This was actually my first Tarantino film that I ever seen, I remember buying my first DVD player and choosing two DVDs for £20 and this was one of them. My family’s first reaction was ‘Isn’t that a bit too gory for you?’ which for me put a slight taint on this film as I was soon expecting a lot of blood and gore (not exactly a bad thing!) I immediately loved this film and every character involved in the storyline. The acting is phenomenal and is definitely one of my top ten films of all time.
The film takes place in an abandoned warehouse in the aftermath of a robbery where we are introduced to two characters – Mr Pink and Mr White. All of the gangsters involved have colour coded names and only know each other by this. Keeping an eye on things is Joe and his son nice guy Eddie. As the film unfolds the audience see the planning that was involved and the backgrounds to the main characters. Four have survived and are residing in the warehouse but which member betrayed them to the police?
Reservoir Dogs has a fantastic cast of some of the best and most well known actors to date including Harvey Keitel, Steve Buscemi, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen and Chris Penn. The one scene which the film will be remembered by myself and millions of others is the ear scene between the police officer and Mr Blonde (Michael Madsen) This is incredibly hard to watch as we feel empathetic with the police officer as Mr Blonde is a bit of a psychopath however the music ‘Stuck in the middle with you’ which plays as this scene unfolds somehow lightens the mood and intensity of it. For Tarantino’s first film it is an incredible one and the film which established him as a highly esteemed director and writer.
Pulp Fiction
I caught this on playing late on television one night and since I loved Reservoir Dogs so much I had such a good feeling about the film. A friend then bought it for me on DVD a year or so later as a Christmas gift and it is always a film I stick on every now and then. I think I have worn myself out of it recently as there was a phase where I watched it all the time and now I really need to be in the mood for it. However, it is a fantastic story so well written by Tarantino and the acting and calibre of the actors who star are exceptional.
The film has three main stories which are all linked and of course not told in the correct sequence of events (in typical Tarantino style). We are introduced to Jules and Vincent, (John Travolta and Samuel L Jackson) who are two hit men sent to a flat to redeem money for their boss Marcellus Wallace. Vincent is also tasked with entertaining Marcellus’ wife Mia while Wallace is out of town. Wallace is currently dealing with Butch Collidge (Bruce Willis), a boxer who failed to throw a fight after taking Wallace’s money and is now planning to flee the city. The lives of these seemingly unrelated people are woven together consisting of a series of funny, bizarre and mindless incidents.
One of the most memorable scenes throughout the film is where Vincent and Jules are in the front seat of the car and driving towards somewhere. In the back is someone and as Vincent innocently turns to ask him a question his gun goes off and the guy’s brains are splattered across the back seat. I know this sounds grotesque but the humour and unexpectedness involved really brings this scene alive and every time I see it I roll about laughing.
Pulp Fiction has set itself firmly in history as a cult classic. A lot of people will have it number one on their list and as I mentioned and it was a very hard decision ordering the films. Tarantino really outdid himself in this film (script wise) as it is definitely his best writing. It is a great film however personally I don’t see this as his best work and generally prefer Kill Bill to Pulp Fiction. I can’t state any specific reason as I just enjoy Kill Bill more.
Inglorious Basterds
On first hearing of this film I was really surprised that it was Tarantino directing as World War Two Nazi killing army did not seem like his type of thing. However, as soon as I seen his name associated with it I was really intrigued to see what this film would bring as it was something completely different for Tarantino. I headed to the cinema with my better half to see it and I did not move an inch throughout the screening. It is a wonderful film and one which I cannot wait to see again.
The film opens in Nazi occupied France where a young Jewish refugee Shosanna (Melanie Laurent), witnesses the slaughter of her family at the hands of Colonel Hans Landa. She narrowly escapes and vows to get her revenge when a German soldier arranges a movie premier at the theatre she owns. At the premier every major Nazi officer is in attendance (even Hitler himself) and the event even catches the attention of the ‘Basterds’ who are a group of Jewish-American soldiers who have one simple goal: kill the enemy. As the premier gets underway, Shosanna, Lt. Aldo Raine (head of the Basterds played by Brad Pitt) and his fellow Basterds cross paths for a fateful evening that will set itself firmly in history.
This again is an absolutely fantastic film and really well written. Tarantino has a specific quality for screenwriting and particularly loves including a lot of dialogue between his characters. There are of course a few squeamish moments throughout the film, e.g. where the Basterds are scalping Nazi’s and of the killing of Hitler. A lot of fans will refer to this as his best film calling it a masterpiece; I do believe that it deserves to be in the top five however I would not call this his best film (obviously!) It is still an enjoyable ride and at points will leave you at the edge of your seat so check it out!
I have recently noticed that I have had a lot of views on my top 5 and on TV show reviews. I will continue doing top 5’s and currently have a list sitting in my room that I am trying to work through. Please feel free to drop me an email with any ideas of comments about the blog and also don’t forget to follow on twitter to stay up to date with Screen Gal! The email and twitter addresses can be found at the top of the blog. Thanks guys for all your views since I’ve started, it really means a lot to me!
