Quentin Tarantino

[MrCoffee]

Poll question: Quentin Tarantino

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

1. Best working director today.

The views expressed in this post are the poster's own, and not necessarily the opinion of DU, and if not, those other opinions are wrong.

[ghostsofgiants]

2. He's okay, but Pulp Fiction was his pinnacle.

[PeaceNikki]

7. I loved it BUT

I personally think True Romance was a far better screenplay.

It's too bad he sold it for a measly $30k. Tarantino's ending sets a whole different tone. Tony Scott was able to put together an incredible cast. At the time, Tarantino may not have been able to do that.

[Hobarticus]

3. IMHO, "Death Proof" was the weaker half of "Grindhouse"

Tarantino missed the point and just made another Tarantino movie.

Rodriguez "got it".

[redqueen]

4. I like violence and gore.

I didn't see Grindhouse, cause it looked like it would suck.

But I loved lots of his other movies, so... he's all right. :thumbsup:

[Mike03]

5. Why I voted "Other" on Quentin

I could write a 40 page essay on this topic, and it's gratifying to even see someone raise this issue. My opinions, for what they are worth, are:

1. At first glance, it is not easy to see what Tarantino's greatest assets as a writer/director are, because they are a mixture of derivations and revisions.

2. Not everyone thinks that his early works are his greatest, although that talking point seems to be pervasive in Tarantino criticism.

3. There are some indications he is losing his confidence, but they are largely based on rumor.

4. This pretentious and self-righteous preference for an artists early works pervades all sorts of arts, particularly by early fans when an artist gains popular support, such as bands like U2, etc...

My verdict on Tarantino is that he is extremely bright but that his lack of self-confidence keeps him rooted in nostalgic attachment to his prior idols. My views are not popular: I felt that PULP FICTION was overrated, and that his next few works were underrated.

His next decision will tell us a lot.

There are various rumors about what his next project will be, and it will be a sink or swim decision--either he becomes his own man, or he asserts his position a slave/reinterpretor of his childhood.

[MrCoffee]

9. you have made two remarkably insightful commentaries on directors today

i'm watching you.

:thumbsup:

are you a film critic by trade?

[Mike03]

11. No, not by trade

I've written essays on some movies, including KILL BILL, but my trade is fiction writing and, more particularly, screenwriting and of late some producing which is not fulfilling in any way.

Thanks for even noticing. It gives me a little bit of self confidence. I've been out of the game for a long time.

:-)

[Mike03]

6. P.S. I wish we saw more discussions like this. NT

[bigwillq]

8. One of the best there is.

He's a terrific director. He did for cinema in the mid-1990s what Scorsese, DePalma and Coppola did in the 1970s.

[Chovexani]

10. I liked Kill Bill

Well, the first one at least. But that's because Uma Thurman beating the shit out of people with a bad ass katana is worth 2 hours of my time.

[TexasBushwhacker]

12. I would like to see if he can do anything ....

that doesn't involve killing, crime, car crashes, etc. etc. etc.