Nahhhhh. Of course, there could never possibly be too much Tarantino in one’s life. All taken with a pound of salt, of course, preferably not rubbed into any of the character’s open wounds. Yet two posts from yesterday, one from Eric, and the other from Kilgore, reminded me of a few Pulp Fiction moments. Is there something warped in my mind that these relatively innocent, yet obviously slightly twisted, postings remind me of the reason why “Zed’s Dead, Baby” and Christopher Walken carried a well-worn timepiece? Perhaps. Yet I maintain that Quentin Tarantino directs in the same spirit in which I write. Very exaggerated, to the point of absurdity. Another aspect of his work is that thematically, each story (in some cases, stories) within a movie, stresses the redemption and salvation of his characters. Of course, the ones that do not follow this path always meet an untimely end. And isn’t it great to find someone to share comfortable silences with?
Posh. Enough with the chit-chatty Mia Wallace routine. What I really wish to talk about is this: How do you know when you’ve watched too much Tarantino? (a Letterman-styled answer, of course)
10. Dialogue is suddenly far more fascinating than any action sequence in a movie.
9. When disagreeing with someone, instead of saying, “Damn. You’ve got this all wrong,” the preferred phrase is “Don’t be a square, Daddio.”
8. Instead of whistling the Andy Griffeth theme song whilst absentmindedly completing a task, those around you are bewildered by the eerie strains of “Twisted Nerve.”
7. Your opinion is that Jackie Brown really wasn’t that bad of a movie after all.
6. Walking down the street isn’t just something one does to move from point A to point B. Nope. It is something done with the opening of scenes of Reservoir Dogs in mind.
5. Speaking of Reservoir Dogs, that movie was far better than Good Fellas. Nuff said.
4. Tarantinoesque is really a word in your vocabulary, and a highly complimentary one at that.
3. No really, these movies don’t show that much gore…it’s mostly in the sound effects, daddio.
2. The bad guys always die at the end of a movie, but they must do so in a highly unexpected manner, such as the five-point palm exploding heart technique.
1. You develop the belief that everything in life (and on the silver screen) is derivative of a so-called superior methodology.
8 comments
Jackie Brown is a great movie.
Boo-Yah.
Heh. YAYYYYY for Mrs. Robinson!
Jackie Brown is actually my favorite Tarantino movie, mainly because of the source material and his being understated instead of hyper in his direction. I’m not in the Tarantino = God crowd, but I do appreciate that he got Zhang Ziyou and “Hero” stateside after a three-year delay. As to the enumerated points:
6. Check out the movies of Seijun Suzuki, especially “Tokyo Drifter,” from which the guys-in-black-suits walking scene is directly lifted.
5. I’m not sure why these two movies need comparison, but, in any event, a million times no. I like Reservoir Dogs a lot, but let’s not go nutty here.
4. I’m not sure that Tarantino has developed a style apart from appropriating other people’s styles, but I guess that’s 21st century style in a nutshell.
3. Definitely… well, apart from that dude’s head getting accidentally blown off by Jules.
For some reason, I couldn’t bring myself to see a bifurcated Kill Bill, but I’ll probably get it on DVD, if for nothing else than Daryl Hannah with an eyepatch.
Wow, I really butchered that director’s name. COuld you edit in “Yimou Zhang”? And everyone should check out “Shanghai Triad” and “Raise the Red Lantern,” his earlier non-wire-fu movies, at your local video snob hangout.
Rum punch/Jackie Brown was one of the rare occasions when the film was better than the book – and I’m a BIG Elmore Leonard fan.
But Sadie – EVERYBODY saw the 5 point palm exploding heart technique coming!
You forgot one point tho… you know you’ve watched too many QT movies when you start AND end every sentence with, “Motherfucker” or the alternative, “DAMMMM cocksucking asshole”.
Being a fan of QT – It’s like the Marine Corps but with more dying, swearing, blood and gore.
Norbizness…the comparison of Good Fellas & Reservoir Dogs was made during a scene of Swingers…the poker scene, complete with rotating camera shot. The director, John Favreau, is a huge Tarantino fan, and he used that movie to toss in several references to the Dogs.
Yes, I am a major freak. Yet I do manage to look good doing it.
Tilesey, you think I can’t reach you over there in lovely rainy Hampshire. heh. You little bugger…hey, give Cellie a big hug from me. And no, hate to disappoint, that doesn’t make me a bisexual;-)
Jackie Brown and Reservoir Dogs were both good, but my favorite is still Pulp Fiction. Samuel is the man. Just like his wallet says – Bad Mother Fucker.
Too Much Tarantino?
Pixy Misa points out that The Mirthful Ones are now blogging at Fistful of Fortnights. I stopped over and visited. Way too much Tarantino. Consider this. So — is Harry Potter James Bond, or is Quentin Tarantino? To me, they both seem — well, like pu…