Quentin Tarantino is kinda like the kid down at your local video store that talks a bit too much about the art of movies when you go in to rent, only Tarantino has A-list Hollywood power (not to mention riches).
It’s no coincidence, really. Tarantino once worked a dead-end job at a video store. He was a high school drop out, hyperactive, unabashed film geek that spent hours talking movies with his coworkers and customers. He took acting classes, wrote screenplays and hung around the fringes of Hollywood waiting for his break.
Golf courses and parties seem to be the best places to network. Since Quentin Tarantino seems about as coordinated as a one-legged, drunk rhinoceros, his networking was focused on the Hollywood party scene. It was at one such party where he met producer Lawrence Bender, the man that would go on to produce all of Tarantino’s work. The two fledgling scenesters gelled immediately, and Bender encouraged Tarantino to flesh out some of the ideas they had drunkenly discussed over the cheese platter.
Quentin Tarantino and reservoir dogs
That conversation birthed Reservoir Dogs, Tarantino’s ultra-violent, ultra-low budget heist film. Tarantino received a major boost when Harvey Keitel read the script and agreed to appear for a fraction of his usual salary. Keitel’s involvement was also enough to garner the film a place in the Sundance Film Festival.
With little fanfare coming in, Reservoir Dogs took everyone by storm and was the talk of the industry. If there is one thing Hollywood loves, it’s a director that can make cheap movies that make a lot of money. And so Quentin Tarantino was minted the “Next Big Thing.”
Tarantino used his newfound celebrity to sell screenplays like True Romance (1993) and Natural Born Killers (1994). It provided him with enough financial wiggle room to turn down offers to direct flicks like Speed (1994) and Men in Black (1997) so he could focus on his magnum opus.
Quentin Tarantino and pulp fiction
Pulp Fiction was one of the most anticipated movies of 1994. It certainly didn’t disappoint. It had all the hallmarks of what would become classic Tarantino — an easy mix of humor and violence, quirky characters and amazing music.
The film resurrected the career of John Travolta, earned seven Oscar nominations and earned well over $100 million at the box office. It also cemented Tarantino’s reputation as one of the most bankable directors in the game.
Quentin Tarantino, the actor
That success also allowed Quentin Tarantino to dabble in acting. He had always managed to craft a cameo for himself in his own films, but Quentin’s appearance in Destiny Turns on the Radio (1995) and From Dusk Till Dawn (1996) showed everyone that his real skill was most definitely found behind the camera.
The curse of success in Hollywood is that expectations get pretty high. So it was with Quentin Tarantino for his next film. The Pulp Fiction shadow loomed large, and it ended up overshadowing what was actually a pretty good movie in Jackie Brown. It was met with tepid reviews and mediocre box office, and whispers of a one-hit wonder started.
Quentin Tarantino and kill bill
Undeterred, Quentin Tarantino continued to work. From the revenge epic Kill Bill (2003) to the underrated Death Proof (2007), the man has directed some of the coolest films of the past decade. He has also created such a well-defined brand that his name alone is enough to sell movies. He takes independent films he enjoys, slaps his name on the poster and that all but guarantees it to become a hit. Hostel (2005), Killing Zoe (1994) and Iron Monkey (2001) are just a few that enjoy his profitable endorsement.
Quentin Tarantino and inglourious basterds
If there is one thing that can be could have been called a disappointment in Quentin Tarantino’s career, it was his inability to get one of his favorite scripts brought to the big screen. He had been working on a WW II script entitled Inglorious Basterds for years, shopping it around and fine-tuning it, but never succeeding in getting a green light.
Finally, risk-taking Hollywood power-player Harvey Weinstein took a chance and filming began in October of 2008. Starring Brad Pitt and a random cast of supporting players (including Mike Myers), the movie tells the tale of a squadron of U.S. troops tasked with killing as many Nazis as possible. It is rich fodder for Tarantino, and is expected to be yet another feather in the cap of this unlikely Hollywood legend.
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