In 2009, Sally Menke, the splicer extraordinaire who cut her way to film industry prominence as Quentin Tarantino's most trusted collaborator, wrote, "Editors are the quiet heroes of movies and I like it that way." I emphatically agree and disagree with this observation. On one hand, the best film editing is seamless; watching a movie should be an entrancing experience, and it's the editor's job to not break the spell. Yes, there are singular, medium-altering cuts (the entire Odessa Steps sequence in Sergei Eisenstein's silent classic "Potemkin;" the blowing out of a match whisking us off to the desert in David Lean's "Lawrence of Arabia;" the bone-to-spaceship transition in Stanley Kubrick's "2001: A Space Opera"), but they're grand gestures deftly woven into the fabric of the movie. They pull you deeper into their worlds, not take you out of them.
Watch enough movies, however, and you become attuned to certain editorial rhythms.
Watch enough movies, however, and you become attuned to certain editorial rhythms.
- 1/9/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
The Academy picked the right year to give an Honorary Oscar to film editor Carol Littleton. They’re saluting a female editor at a time when three of the year’s major awards contenders —“Killers of the Flower Moon,” “Oppenheimer” and “Maestro” — are edited by Thelma Schoonmaker, Jennifer Lame and Michelle Tesoro, respectively, and when other women in the mix include Hilda Rasula for “American Fiction,” Victoria Boydell for “Saltburn,” Sarah Flack for “Priscilla” and co-editors Claire Simpson (with Sam Restivo) for “Napoleon” and Oona Flaherty (with Nick Moore) for “Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret.”
“The Editors Guild has about 2,900 picture editors, and 764 women,” said Littleton, a one-time president of that guild. “That’s about a fourth. So isn’t it interesting that these three big prestigious films, ‘Oppenheimer,’ and ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ and ‘Maestro,’ are edited by women?”
If all three are nominated for Oscars...
“The Editors Guild has about 2,900 picture editors, and 764 women,” said Littleton, a one-time president of that guild. “That’s about a fourth. So isn’t it interesting that these three big prestigious films, ‘Oppenheimer,’ and ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ and ‘Maestro,’ are edited by women?”
If all three are nominated for Oscars...
- 12/29/2023
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Quentin Tarantino had a single epic film in mind when he set out to create what became Kill Bill: Vol. 1 and its follow-up.
The lead character of the Bride originated in conversations between Tarantino and star Uma Thurman during their first collaboration in 1993. “I came up with the idea of doing Kill Bill on the set of Pulp Fiction with Uma,” Tarantino told The Hollywood Reporter in 2003. “‘Bang Bang’ set to Uma for the opening credits was in my mind [back then],” the director said of using Cher’s song “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)” to open the film, although he later opted for the Nancy Sinatra cover.
Kill Bill: Vol. 1 centers on Thurman’s erstwhile assassin seeking revenge against her former team and their leader, Bill (David Carradine), after they tried to kill her and her unborn child on her wedding day. Tarantino envisioned Warren Beatty for...
The lead character of the Bride originated in conversations between Tarantino and star Uma Thurman during their first collaboration in 1993. “I came up with the idea of doing Kill Bill on the set of Pulp Fiction with Uma,” Tarantino told The Hollywood Reporter in 2003. “‘Bang Bang’ set to Uma for the opening credits was in my mind [back then],” the director said of using Cher’s song “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)” to open the film, although he later opted for the Nancy Sinatra cover.
Kill Bill: Vol. 1 centers on Thurman’s erstwhile assassin seeking revenge against her former team and their leader, Bill (David Carradine), after they tried to kill her and her unborn child on her wedding day. Tarantino envisioned Warren Beatty for...
- 10/10/2023
- by Ryan Gajewski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
American Cinema Editors handed out its 73rd Eddie Awards on Sunday, with Top Gun: Maverick editor Eddie Hamilton and Everything Everywhere All at Once editor Paul Rogers collecting trophies for best edited dramatic feature and comedy feature, respectively.
Everything Everywhere – which won the BAFTA in film editing – and Top Gun: Maverick, along with Eddie nominees Jonathan Redmond and Matt Villa for Elvis, Monika Willi for Tár and Mikkel E.G. Nielsen for The Banshees of Inisherin are nominated for the Oscar in film editing.
Everything Everywhere’s Rogers thanked mentors, friends and family, including the Daniels, remembering cutting the movie during lockdown. He also urged diversity, saying, “We can choose what stories we get to tell.” Hamilton wasn’t in attendance and colleagues accepted, reading thanks to those including Tom Cruise and Chris McQuarrie.
Also on Sunday at UCLA’s Royce Hall, Ken Schretzmann and Holly Klein collected the animated feature prize,...
Everything Everywhere – which won the BAFTA in film editing – and Top Gun: Maverick, along with Eddie nominees Jonathan Redmond and Matt Villa for Elvis, Monika Willi for Tár and Mikkel E.G. Nielsen for The Banshees of Inisherin are nominated for the Oscar in film editing.
Everything Everywhere’s Rogers thanked mentors, friends and family, including the Daniels, remembering cutting the movie during lockdown. He also urged diversity, saying, “We can choose what stories we get to tell.” Hamilton wasn’t in attendance and colleagues accepted, reading thanks to those including Tom Cruise and Chris McQuarrie.
Also on Sunday at UCLA’s Royce Hall, Ken Schretzmann and Holly Klein collected the animated feature prize,...
- 3/6/2023
- by Carolyn Giardina
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
One of the supplemental materials on the "Kill Bill: Vol. 2" DVD back in the day was a deleted scene featuring a street fight between Michael Jai White and Bill himself, David Carradine. In 1997, White played one of the first Black movie superheroes when he starred in "Spawn," a full year before Wesley Snipes showed up onscreen as Blade. Over a decade later, on the heels of his appearance as the gangster Gambol in another comic book movie, "The Dark Knight," the blaxploitation-style action-comedy "Black Dynamite" allowed White to show off his skills as a third-degree black belt in Shōtōkan karate. That's just one of the martial arts styles that he's studied in real life, so pitting him against Carradine -- star of the '70s TV series "Kung Fu" and its '90s sequel "Kung Fu: The Legend Continues" -- led to a legit martial-arts match-up where you can...
- 2/20/2023
- by Joshua Meyer
- Slash Film
A 4K Steelbook! Haven’t seen this show lately, and discovered that it holds up remarkably well. Mr. Qt’s sophomore outing made an indelible mark on American movies — the darling of hipster crime filmmaking dazzled viewers with showcase set-piece scenes, entertainingly profane dialogue and ultra-hip inside-out time-shuffling narrative tricks. Add to that genuine star turns, especially Uma Thurman and John Travolta’s iconic dance scene. It’s old-fashioned movie-going in an avant-garde pattern, with raw violence and even rougher language. The stars include Samuel L. Jackson, Harvy Keitel, Ving Rhames, Tim Roth, Amanda Plummer and Bruce Willis.
Pulp Fiction 4K
4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital Code
Paramount Home Video
1994 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 154 min. / Street Date December 6, 2022 / Available from Amazon / 30.99
Starring: Tim Roth, Amanda Plummer, John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Frank Whaley, Bruce Willis, Ving Rhames, Rosanna Arquette, Eric Stoltz, Uma Thurman, Steve Buscemi, Emil Sitka, Christopher Walken, Maria de Medeiros,...
Pulp Fiction 4K
4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital Code
Paramount Home Video
1994 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 154 min. / Street Date December 6, 2022 / Available from Amazon / 30.99
Starring: Tim Roth, Amanda Plummer, John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Frank Whaley, Bruce Willis, Ving Rhames, Rosanna Arquette, Eric Stoltz, Uma Thurman, Steve Buscemi, Emil Sitka, Christopher Walken, Maria de Medeiros,...
- 12/10/2022
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Quentin Tarantino’s first feature may not be to all tastes, but it is an admirable feat of commercial filmmaking — what other director has broken into the front rank with such panache? The fifth time through, the splintered, elliptical structure still impresses, and there’s always something new to see in the performances of Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, and Steve Buscemi. The (rather bargain-priced) 4K disc set has everything — two formats, a digital code and those deleted scenes to ponder. And a Pulp Fiction 4K is due in just a week or so.
Reservoir Dogs 4K
4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital
Lionsgate
1992 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 100 min. / 30th Anniversary Edition / Street Date November 15, 2022 / Available from Amazon / 22.99
Starring: Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Chris Penn, Steve Buscemi, Lawrence Tierney, Randy Brooks, Kirk Baltz, Eddie Bunker, Quentin Tarantino.
Cinematography: Andrzej Sekula
Production Designer: David Wasco
Film Editor: Sally Menke
Dedicatees: Timothy Carey,...
Reservoir Dogs 4K
4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital
Lionsgate
1992 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 100 min. / 30th Anniversary Edition / Street Date November 15, 2022 / Available from Amazon / 22.99
Starring: Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Chris Penn, Steve Buscemi, Lawrence Tierney, Randy Brooks, Kirk Baltz, Eddie Bunker, Quentin Tarantino.
Cinematography: Andrzej Sekula
Production Designer: David Wasco
Film Editor: Sally Menke
Dedicatees: Timothy Carey,...
- 11/26/2022
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Genre: Drama, Crime
Rating: R
On 4K Ultra HD: November 15, 2022
Running Time: 100 minutes
Cast: Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Steve Buscemi, Harvey Keitel, Chris Penn, Edward Bunker, Kirk Baltz, Quentin Tarantino, and Lawrence Tierney
Written by: Quentin Tarantino and Roger Avary
Directed by: Quentin Tarantino
Produced by: Lawrence Bender
Executive Producers: Richard H. Gladstein, Monte Hellman, Ronna B. Wallace
Co-Producer: Harvey Keitel
Director of Photography: Andrzej Sekula
Production Designer: David Wasco
Edited by: Sally Menke
Casting by: Ronnie Yeskel
Costume Designer: Betsy Heimann
Synopsis:
Frenzied, soaked in blood, and featuring gangsters both ruthless and engaging (who debate the deeper meanings of “Like a Virgin”), Reservoir Dogs — Quentin Tarantino’s debut film about a heist gone horribly wrong — attained iconic cult status upon its release in 1992, and launched the career of a director whose singular vision has influenced a generation of filmmakers. To celebrate the movie’s 30th anniversary, the cocked-and-loaded world of Mr.
Rating: R
On 4K Ultra HD: November 15, 2022
Running Time: 100 minutes
Cast: Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Steve Buscemi, Harvey Keitel, Chris Penn, Edward Bunker, Kirk Baltz, Quentin Tarantino, and Lawrence Tierney
Written by: Quentin Tarantino and Roger Avary
Directed by: Quentin Tarantino
Produced by: Lawrence Bender
Executive Producers: Richard H. Gladstein, Monte Hellman, Ronna B. Wallace
Co-Producer: Harvey Keitel
Director of Photography: Andrzej Sekula
Production Designer: David Wasco
Edited by: Sally Menke
Casting by: Ronnie Yeskel
Costume Designer: Betsy Heimann
Synopsis:
Frenzied, soaked in blood, and featuring gangsters both ruthless and engaging (who debate the deeper meanings of “Like a Virgin”), Reservoir Dogs — Quentin Tarantino’s debut film about a heist gone horribly wrong — attained iconic cult status upon its release in 1992, and launched the career of a director whose singular vision has influenced a generation of filmmakers. To celebrate the movie’s 30th anniversary, the cocked-and-loaded world of Mr.
- 10/1/2022
- by ComicMix Staff
- Comicmix.com
Few filmmakers could — and even fewer should — attempt what writer-director Quentin Tarantino has accomplished across his three decades of movie-making magic. Armed with an appetite for ultra-violent action, a knack for crafting dialogue sharper than a samurai sword, an infectious appreciation for the art of filmmaking, and, yes, a bit of a thing for feet, the two-time Oscar winner famously said: “You don’t have to know how to make a movie. If you truly love cinema with all your heart and with enough passion, you can’t help but make a good movie.”
Though he was born in Knoxville, Tennessee and spent some years living in Austin, Texas (where the legendary director hosted an annual movie festival called “Qt Fest” from 1996 to 2007), Tarantino grew up mainly in Los Angeles, California. As a young man, Tarantino was a staple of the now-closed Video Archives rental store in Manhattan Beach, where he worked while writing,...
Though he was born in Knoxville, Tennessee and spent some years living in Austin, Texas (where the legendary director hosted an annual movie festival called “Qt Fest” from 1996 to 2007), Tarantino grew up mainly in Los Angeles, California. As a young man, Tarantino was a staple of the now-closed Video Archives rental store in Manhattan Beach, where he worked while writing,...
- 9/2/2022
- by Alison Foreman
- Indiewire
“We in the killin’ Nazi bizness. An’ cousin, bizness is boomin’!” Brad Pitt scalps his enemies, Mélanie Laurent serves up a killer double bill for the Führer, Michael Fassbender is a movie critic turned secret agent, and the amazing Christophe Waltz makes all previous movie villains seem lightweight. Now on 4K Ultra HD, Quentin Tarantino’s brutal-but-funny war movie is really a critique of Hollywood escapism. It’s the ultimate wish fulfillment fantasy for every trigger-happy Audie Murphy Jr. who ever attended a matinee. I thought the movie would be tarred and feathered by America’s guardians of war nostalgia; instead it took eight Oscar noms plus a win for actor Waltz: “That’s a Bingo!”
Inglourious Basterds
4K Ultra-hd + Blu-ray + Digital
Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
2009 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 153 min. / Street Date October 12, 2021 / 29.98
Starring: Brad Pitt, Mélanie Laurent, Christoph Waltz, Eli Roth, Michael Fassbender, Diane Kruger, Daniel Brühl, Til Schweiger,...
Inglourious Basterds
4K Ultra-hd + Blu-ray + Digital
Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
2009 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 153 min. / Street Date October 12, 2021 / 29.98
Starring: Brad Pitt, Mélanie Laurent, Christoph Waltz, Eli Roth, Michael Fassbender, Diane Kruger, Daniel Brühl, Til Schweiger,...
- 10/9/2021
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
A special two-part episode. From the movie Werewolves Within, director Josh Ruben discusses a few of his favorite movies. Then, Werewolves Within writer Mishna Wolff plays a game of “find the woman” in some of her favorite movies.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode Josh Ruben:
Werewolves Within (2021)
Werewolves On Wheels (1971) – Adam Rifkin’s trailer commentary
Wrath of Man (2021)
Trapped Ashes (2006)
The ’Burbs (1989) – Ti West’s trailer commentary
The Fly (1986)
To My Great Chagrin: The Unbelievable Story of Brother Theodore (2007)
Road To Perdition (2002)
Stephen King’s Cat’s Eye (1985)
Nightmare On Elm Street Part III: Dream Warriors (1987)
Flight of the Navigator (1986)
Grease (1978)
Honey I Blew Up The Kid (1992)
Big Top Pee-Wee (1988)
A History of Violence (2005)
The Dead (1987)
The Peanut Butter Solution (1985)
Irreversible (2002)
Hunter Hunter (2020)
Man Bites Dog (1992)
The Human Centipede: The First Sequence (2009)
A Serbian Film (2010)
Planes Trains And Automobiles (1987)
Lost In Translation (2003)
JFK (1991)
Home Alone (1990)
The Second Civil War (1997) – Glenn...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode Josh Ruben:
Werewolves Within (2021)
Werewolves On Wheels (1971) – Adam Rifkin’s trailer commentary
Wrath of Man (2021)
Trapped Ashes (2006)
The ’Burbs (1989) – Ti West’s trailer commentary
The Fly (1986)
To My Great Chagrin: The Unbelievable Story of Brother Theodore (2007)
Road To Perdition (2002)
Stephen King’s Cat’s Eye (1985)
Nightmare On Elm Street Part III: Dream Warriors (1987)
Flight of the Navigator (1986)
Grease (1978)
Honey I Blew Up The Kid (1992)
Big Top Pee-Wee (1988)
A History of Violence (2005)
The Dead (1987)
The Peanut Butter Solution (1985)
Irreversible (2002)
Hunter Hunter (2020)
Man Bites Dog (1992)
The Human Centipede: The First Sequence (2009)
A Serbian Film (2010)
Planes Trains And Automobiles (1987)
Lost In Translation (2003)
JFK (1991)
Home Alone (1990)
The Second Civil War (1997) – Glenn...
- 6/29/2021
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
Many people (rightfully) talk about the opening, tomb-raiding sequence of Raiders of the Lost Ark, which introduces adventurer archaeologist Indiana Jones to the audience as he lifts a golden idol from a booby-trapped Peruvian temple. But it’s not as common to hear about the movie’s ending…
No, I’m not talking about the scene in which the supernatural force inside the Ark of the Covenant melts the Nazis’ faces, or even the long, ominous final shot of the Ark being packaged away in some nondescript government warehouse—we talk about those plenty. I’m referring to the final scene between our hero, Dr. Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford), and his partner-in-adventure Marion (Karen Allen). In the Raiders denouement, Marion meets a grumpy Indy on the steps of a Washington D.C. building after his fight with government bureaucrats, the latter of whom said they’ll be taking care of...
No, I’m not talking about the scene in which the supernatural force inside the Ark of the Covenant melts the Nazis’ faces, or even the long, ominous final shot of the Ark being packaged away in some nondescript government warehouse—we talk about those plenty. I’m referring to the final scene between our hero, Dr. Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford), and his partner-in-adventure Marion (Karen Allen). In the Raiders denouement, Marion meets a grumpy Indy on the steps of a Washington D.C. building after his fight with government bureaucrats, the latter of whom said they’ll be taking care of...
- 6/12/2021
- by Kayti Burt
- Den of Geek
by Cláudio Alves
To this day, I am shocked at how poorly the Kill Bill movies did with AMPAS. Both pictures conquered precursor support, including Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Guild nominations, but failed to secure a single Oscar nod. I consider this duo to be Quentin Tarantino's magnum opus, so the outrage is particularly intense when it comes to its awards run. It's a couple of perfect movies, from Robert Richardson's cinematography to Sally Menke's immaculate editing. However, no matter how great those elements might be, this is the Almost There series, so our focus today is the work of an actress who is only matched by Samuel L. Jackson when it comes to her ability to embody Tarantino's vision onscreen.
She's Uma Thurman and she's never been better than here, playing Beatrix Kiddo aka The Bride aka Black Mamba aka Mommy…...
To this day, I am shocked at how poorly the Kill Bill movies did with AMPAS. Both pictures conquered precursor support, including Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Guild nominations, but failed to secure a single Oscar nod. I consider this duo to be Quentin Tarantino's magnum opus, so the outrage is particularly intense when it comes to its awards run. It's a couple of perfect movies, from Robert Richardson's cinematography to Sally Menke's immaculate editing. However, no matter how great those elements might be, this is the Almost There series, so our focus today is the work of an actress who is only matched by Samuel L. Jackson when it comes to her ability to embody Tarantino's vision onscreen.
She's Uma Thurman and she's never been better than here, playing Beatrix Kiddo aka The Bride aka Black Mamba aka Mommy…...
- 4/28/2020
- by Cláudio Alves
- FilmExperience
Filmgoers don’t know the name Paul Hirsch nearly as well as those of Brian De Palma, George Lucas or John Hughes, but after a five-decade career as a film editor, he’s been an integral part of some of the biggest movies ever.
Hirsch says editing is a creative art despite the mechanical specialization of the pre-digital days, and his new book “A Long Time Ago in a Cutting Room Far, Far Away” (Chicago Review Press) makes a powerful case for the influence an editor can have over the creative direction of a film.
The book’s opening paragraph tells a story about how the decision to switch a wide shot to a close-up of the star in one of his early movies (De Palma’s “Obsession”) convinced Columbia Pictures to pick up and distribute the film. “Context is everything,” writes Hirsch, who along with Marsha Lucas and Richard Chew...
Hirsch says editing is a creative art despite the mechanical specialization of the pre-digital days, and his new book “A Long Time Ago in a Cutting Room Far, Far Away” (Chicago Review Press) makes a powerful case for the influence an editor can have over the creative direction of a film.
The book’s opening paragraph tells a story about how the decision to switch a wide shot to a close-up of the star in one of his early movies (De Palma’s “Obsession”) convinced Columbia Pictures to pick up and distribute the film. “Context is everything,” writes Hirsch, who along with Marsha Lucas and Richard Chew...
- 11/7/2019
- by Drew Turney
- Variety Film + TV
In honor of Women's History Month, this March, Syfy Fangrrls is launching a new limited podcast dedicated to women in genre films whose accomplishments have gone unrecognized or have been forgotten. In today's Highlights, we also have details on the California run of Evil Dead The Musical and Popcornflix's first wave of streaming movies with Terror Films.
Syfy Fangrrls Presents Limited Podcast Series Forgotten Women of Genre: "Syfy Wire Fangrrls present: Forgotten Women of Genre.
March is Women's History Month and while Syfy Fangrrls celebrates women's achievements throughout the year, they’re going above and beyond for the upcoming month with a limited podcast series called Forgotten Women of Genre.
Science fiction, fantasy, and all associated genres have finally evolved from a niche interest into a mainstream staple. But the women who have been instrumental in creating and shaping the nerdverse have largely gone unrecognized. Until today. Forgotten Women...
Syfy Fangrrls Presents Limited Podcast Series Forgotten Women of Genre: "Syfy Wire Fangrrls present: Forgotten Women of Genre.
March is Women's History Month and while Syfy Fangrrls celebrates women's achievements throughout the year, they’re going above and beyond for the upcoming month with a limited podcast series called Forgotten Women of Genre.
Science fiction, fantasy, and all associated genres have finally evolved from a niche interest into a mainstream staple. But the women who have been instrumental in creating and shaping the nerdverse have largely gone unrecognized. Until today. Forgotten Women...
- 3/18/2019
- by Tamika Jones
- DailyDead
Polish cinematographer Łukasz Żal (“Cold War”) scored an upset victory over director Alfonso Cuarón (Oscar Best Picture frontrunner “Roma”) in the battle of
black-and-white movies Saturday night at the 33rd annual Asc Awards (at the Ray Dolby Ballroom in Hollywood).
While Cuarón was the first director ever nominated by the Asc in the theatrical category to shoot his own movie, it really wasn’t such a stretch that the cinematographers went with their own by rewarding Żal. He previously shared the Asc Spotlight Award in 2014 with co-dp Ryszard Lenczewski for their work on the black-and-white “Ida” (also directed by Pawel Pawlikowski).
In terms of the Oscar race, however, the Asc has only been an average bellwether, which tips in Cuarón’s favor in his bid to become the first director honored for shooting his own movie. Since 2000, only nine times have they matched (including Emmanuel “Chivo” Lubezki’s three consecutive wins).
With “Cold War,...
black-and-white movies Saturday night at the 33rd annual Asc Awards (at the Ray Dolby Ballroom in Hollywood).
While Cuarón was the first director ever nominated by the Asc in the theatrical category to shoot his own movie, it really wasn’t such a stretch that the cinematographers went with their own by rewarding Żal. He previously shared the Asc Spotlight Award in 2014 with co-dp Ryszard Lenczewski for their work on the black-and-white “Ida” (also directed by Pawel Pawlikowski).
In terms of the Oscar race, however, the Asc has only been an average bellwether, which tips in Cuarón’s favor in his bid to become the first director honored for shooting his own movie. Since 2000, only nine times have they matched (including Emmanuel “Chivo” Lubezki’s three consecutive wins).
With “Cold War,...
- 2/10/2019
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
What studios are willing to bid to win the newest Tarantino movie is staggering: an upfront agreement to a $100 million production budget, first-dollar returns, and final cut. At a time when even $35 million for an original action film like “Baby Driver” is considered a gamble, this is unprecedented.
The reason is self evident: What Tarantino can do is otherwise missing from American filmmaking. He only directs his own scripts and has never made a sequel, but his films are global events. Tarantino remains one of the only directors whose original films can rake in two-to-one foreign-to-domestic box office returns.
Read More:Quentin Tarantino Receiving Wild Pitches From Studios to Buy New Movie, From Classic Cars to Mock Posters
Still, the studios’ dog-and-pony shows are odd. So many people associated with Harvey Weinstein were victims of his abuse, tainted by their association with the apparent serial rapist, or left in the wreckage at 99 Hudson Street.
The reason is self evident: What Tarantino can do is otherwise missing from American filmmaking. He only directs his own scripts and has never made a sequel, but his films are global events. Tarantino remains one of the only directors whose original films can rake in two-to-one foreign-to-domestic box office returns.
Read More:Quentin Tarantino Receiving Wild Pitches From Studios to Buy New Movie, From Classic Cars to Mock Posters
Still, the studios’ dog-and-pony shows are odd. So many people associated with Harvey Weinstein were victims of his abuse, tainted by their association with the apparent serial rapist, or left in the wreckage at 99 Hudson Street.
- 11/17/2017
- by Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
Spend a quarter-century talking about a 90-minute movie and you’ll start running out of new things to say. This was evident at last night’s 25th-anniversary screening of Reservoir Dogs, which the Tribeca Film Festival managed to make far more than the standard classic-that-people-will-pay-to-see-gets-brief-theatrical-engagement deal. More, even, than the extended post-screening discussion with Quentin Tarantino, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Steve Buscemi, and Harvey Keitel — more unique, and more of a selling point for completists such as yours truly — were its setting (NYC’s gorgeous Beacon Theater, which offered one of the biggest screens on which you could ever hope to see a scrappy crime movie) and specifications (Tarantino’s own, more-or-less-flawless 35mm print).
Though there’s this writer’s particular perspective: grow up obsessed with cinematic production methods in the era of IMDb “Did You Know?” sections, well-detailed Wikipedia articles, and ten-year-anniversary-dvd special features, and you’ll suddenly be able to communicate information,...
Though there’s this writer’s particular perspective: grow up obsessed with cinematic production methods in the era of IMDb “Did You Know?” sections, well-detailed Wikipedia articles, and ten-year-anniversary-dvd special features, and you’ll suddenly be able to communicate information,...
- 4/29/2017
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
Looking back on this still-young century makes clear that 2007 was a major time for cinematic happenings — and, on the basis of this retrospective, one we’re not quite through with ten years on. One’s mind might quickly flash to a few big titles that will be represented, but it is the plurality of both festival and theatrical premieres that truly surprises: late works from old masters, debuts from filmmakers who’ve since become some of our most-respected artists, and mid-career turning points that didn’t necessarily announce themselves as such at the time. Join us as an assembled team, many of whom were coming of age that year, takes on their favorites.
Grindhouse was intended to be the ultimate homage to the kinda cool, kinda sexy, kinda divine (but not too divine as to make you realize you’re still dealing with trash), kinda exploitation cinema on which Quentin Tarantino...
Grindhouse was intended to be the ultimate homage to the kinda cool, kinda sexy, kinda divine (but not too divine as to make you realize you’re still dealing with trash), kinda exploitation cinema on which Quentin Tarantino...
- 4/6/2017
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
Quentin Tarantino’s films are famous for their non-linear narratives, for how they jump around in time like a skipping DVD, sometimes even willing their ways into alternate histories. And yet, despite all of their twisty plotting, his movies are increasingly defined by — and remembered for — self-contained scenes that stretch to the breaking point and seem to become iconic even as you’re first watching them. From the ingeniously knotted “Pulp Fiction” to the bifurcated “Death Proof”; from the sprawling “Kill Bill” (which is divided into 10 discrete chapters), to the snowbound “The Hateful Eight” (which limits itself to two locations and finds Tarantino challenging himself to hold a single note of suspense for hours at a time), these epic stories are shaped around chatty, taut, and indelible sequences that simmer with the potential for sudden acts of violence.
In honor of the filmmaker’s 54th birthday (and with a humble...
In honor of the filmmaker’s 54th birthday (and with a humble...
- 3/27/2017
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
We're about one month away from the announcement of this year's Honorary Oscar recipients. They're usuallly announced at the end of August for a November Governor's Awards ceremony. This year's ceremony will be on November 12th. Last year rumors circled that it was Doris Day's turn but that didn't turn out to be accurate. For the past two years, The Film Experience has tried to make up for the dearth of movie site reporting about the Oscar Honorary careers (beyond the sharing of press releases / YouTube videos of their speeches) with mini-retrospectives so we're always hoping they'll choose well to give us wonderful careers to discuss right here.
Let's reprint a list of worthies we shared a year or so ago, with a few adjustments, in case any of the elites in the Academy are undecided about who to put forth or get behind for these coveted honors.
James Ivory...
Let's reprint a list of worthies we shared a year or so ago, with a few adjustments, in case any of the elites in the Academy are undecided about who to put forth or get behind for these coveted honors.
James Ivory...
- 7/19/2016
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Around this time last month, I wrote a piece about superstar editors Maryann Brandon and Mary Jo Markey (the duo have worked together for some time now, their latest project being little movie directed by a guy named J.J. Abrams called 'The Force Awakens') and also Margaret Sixel, the Oscar-winning editor who was responsible for stringing together the chaotic audio-visual symphony of "Mad Max: Fury Road." The piece alluded to a larger point, which is that women have played an integral role as film editors throughout the history of the medium. This goes all the way back to the pictures of Arthur Penn (think “Bonnie and Clyde” and “Night Moves,” cut by the great Dede Allen) and goes well into the later half of the 20th century with giants like Sally Menke, Quentin Tarantino’s go-to editor who worked on every film of his save for “Django Unchained” and “The Hateful Eight...
- 3/17/2016
- by Nicholas Laskin
- The Playlist
The talk of Hollywood’s diversity problem has rightly dominated much of the cultural conversation as of late, particularly in the latter half of 2015. And yet if there’s one creative field in which women in particular can hope to thrive, it’s editing. From legends of the craft like Thelma Schoonmaker and Sally Menke, who cut their teeth working largely for Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino, respectively, to lesser-known but promising names like Dody Dorn (“Memento,” “Fury”) and Lisa Lassek (the “Avengers” films), editing is a medium in which women have long played an integral role. There are many potential reasons for this, but Maryann Brandon — who, alongside frequent collaborator Mary Jo Markey, edited J.J. Abrams’ megahit “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” — has her own theories. She insists that the reasons are historical. “One advantage that women have had in editing is that women were editors from the beginning of the film business,...
- 2/17/2016
- by Nicholas Laskin
- The Playlist
Now this is a list that could result in a lot of fascinating dissection and thanks to HitFix it comes to our attention almost three years after it was originally released back in 2012, celebrating the Motion Picture Editors Guild's 75th anniversary. Over at HitFix, Kris Tapley asks, "Is this news to anyone elsec" Um, yes, I find it immensely interesting and a perfect starting point for anyone looking to further explore the art of film editing. In an accompanying article we get the particulars concerning what films were eligible and how films were to be considered: In our Jan-feb 12 issue, we asked Guild members to vote on what they consider to be the Best Edited Films of all time. Any feature-length film from any country in the world was eligible. And by "Best Edited," we explained, we didn't just mean picture; sound, music and mixing were to be considered as well.
- 2/4/2015
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
A random bit of researching on a Tuesday night led me to something I didn't know existed: The Motion Picture Editors Guild's list of the 75 best-edited films of all time. It was a feature in part celebrating the Guild's 75th anniversary in 2012. Is this news to anyone else? I confess to having missed it entirely. Naturally, I had to dig in. What was immediately striking to me about the list — which was decided upon by the Guild membership and, per instruction, was considered in terms of picture and sound editorial as opposed to just the former — was the most popular decade ranking. Naturally, the 1970s led with 17 mentions, but right on its heels was the 1990s. I wouldn't have expected that but I happen to agree with the assessment. Thelma Schoonmaker's work on "Raging Bull" came out on top, an objectively difficult choice to dispute, really. It was so transformative,...
- 2/4/2015
- by Kristopher Tapley
- Hitfix
Last week, editor Joe Bini presented a Keynote highlighting the role of an editor in the filmmaking process at Sundance Institute’s first-ever Art of Editing Brunch, where the Institute announced a new partnership between the Documentary Film Program partnership and the Karen Schmeer Film Editing Fellowship, highlighted this year's Sally Menke Editing Fellow and celebrated the achievements of all editors premiering work at Sundance. Below is Bini’s speech, followed by a cautionary fable titled "The Serf." The post originally appeared on the Sundance Institute's blog. We are privileged to honor these two legendary editors, Karen and Sally, who left such an incredible legacy of great films and approaches to films. Editors of the caliber of these two have an innate understanding of filmmaking due to the very job they have dedicated their lives to. Because they spend their time working with the actual medium of film, images and sounds,...
- 2/3/2015
- by Joe Bini
- Indiewire
In case you didn't know, Robert Rodriguez has his own channel on television call The El Rey Network. We mentioned it earlier this year when featuring a brief talk between Rodriguez and his friend and fellow filmmaker Guillermo del Toro from the channel's program "The Director's Chair," which features long discussions with various filmmakers about their craft. Before del Toro sat in the chair, it was Rodriguez's friend and frequent collaborator Quentin Tarantino in the hot seat, and they had a chat that lasted about an hour and a half. Thankfully, it's not online for you to enjoy without a cable subscription. Watch below! Here's the entire hour and a half conversation between Robert Rodirugez and Quentin Tarantino: Thanks to The Film Stage for bringing our attention to this fascinating conversation, which ranges from Tarantino's early days as a filmmaker when he was only making $10,000 a year all the...
- 12/9/2014
- by Ethan Anderton
- firstshowing.net
On Black Friday, Mondo will release these awesome Pulp Fiction posters designed by artist Laurent Durieux. Usually Mondo posters are limited but this time around, the series is being released as a timed edition. In other words, they’ll make as many as they presell. So if you order a print, you are guaranteed a copy. You have from Friday, November 28 through Monday, December 1 to purchase the poster, with 10 percent of the proceeds from the sale going to the Sally Menke Fellowship. Here ‘s what they look like. The regular blue one is available as a timed edition on Black Friday. The variant aqua edition will be available at a later date via @MondoNews. They measure 36 x 24 inches and will cost $60, plus shipping. Click here to buy the poster on Friday.
The post Buy Mondo’s First ‘Pulp Fiction’ Poster This Week appeared first on Sound On Sight.
The post Buy Mondo’s First ‘Pulp Fiction’ Poster This Week appeared first on Sound On Sight.
- 11/26/2014
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
Amazon has a sale today on the Quentin Tarantino Xx: 8-Film Blu-ray Collection, which includes Reservoir Dogs, True Romance, Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, Kill Bill: Vol. 1, Kill Bill: Vol. 2, Death Proof and Inglourious Basterds. The set is normally priced at $119.99, but today it's only $59.99 and to make your set complete you can also pick up Django Unchained on Blu-ray for only $14.50. amz asin="B009B0OG1O" size="small"As for what the 8-film collection includes, here are the details: Blu-ray Special Features - 2 Discs Critics Corner: The Films of Quentin Tarantino - In-depth critics' discussion piece exploring Tarantino's films that redefined cinema and the impact of one of the most influential writers/directors of our time. 20 Years of Filmmaking - Take a look at Tarantino's career from the beginning, with interviews from co-workers, critics, stars and master filmmakers alike as well as a tribute to his greatest collaborator,...
- 11/3/2014
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
The subject of India's Kathputli colony, home to a number of performers, puppeteers and magicians, is one that has been tackled before, but never so effectively as it has by directors Jimmy Goldblum and Adam Weber in their documentary feature "Tomorrow We Disappear." In the inspiring film, Goldblum and Weber detail not only the lives of these artists, but their place in a future that may not hold a place for them much longer. Tell us about yourselves. Adam: I came up through a fairly traditional Hollywood route, working under the legendary editor Sally Menke ("Inglorious Basterds"). I also edited Michel Gondry's documentary on Noam Chomsky, "Is the Man Who Is Tall Happy?" Jimmy and I were college roommates. Jimmy: I'm a director and producer who got his start mostly in the world of interactive and transmedia storytelling. An interactive narrative I produced, "Live Hope Love," won the Emmy...
- 4/14/2014
- by Ziyad Saadi
- Indiewire
Feature James Clayton 21 Feb 2014 - 06:09
Editors are a vital yet oft-overlooked part of filmmaking. James takes a closer look at the work of these mystery craftspeople...
Here's a pretty disturbing proposition for you to mentally chop down into easily digestible chunks - Lars Von Trier's Nymphomaniac makes its way into cinemas this week. The controversial Danish director's new ensemble movie revolves around the reminiscence of a sex addict named Joe (Charlotte Gainsbourg) who's found in the street by an academic (Stellan Skarsgård). Joe proceeds to tell him her personal story and the film plays out in flashbacks across different time periods, fleshed out by an array of well-known actors who engage themselves in graphic carnal activity.
In truth, however, none of the stars - among them Shia Labeouf, Jamie Bell, Uma Thurman and Willem Dafoe - have sex in this frank, visceral feature, even though it may appear that they are.
Editors are a vital yet oft-overlooked part of filmmaking. James takes a closer look at the work of these mystery craftspeople...
Here's a pretty disturbing proposition for you to mentally chop down into easily digestible chunks - Lars Von Trier's Nymphomaniac makes its way into cinemas this week. The controversial Danish director's new ensemble movie revolves around the reminiscence of a sex addict named Joe (Charlotte Gainsbourg) who's found in the street by an academic (Stellan Skarsgård). Joe proceeds to tell him her personal story and the film plays out in flashbacks across different time periods, fleshed out by an array of well-known actors who engage themselves in graphic carnal activity.
In truth, however, none of the stars - among them Shia Labeouf, Jamie Bell, Uma Thurman and Willem Dafoe - have sex in this frank, visceral feature, even though it may appear that they are.
- 2/20/2014
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
Django Unchained So much was made of Quentin Tarantino's long-anticipated Western--it's overlong, too much use of the "N" word, the director's strange and misplaced appearance as a redneck with an Aussie accent--that you'd have thought the South was rising again. Oh, and did we mention the violence? 'Cause yeah, there's that. All, in fact, true--this is the first movie Qt has made since his longtime editor Sally Menke died, and it shows in an unnecessary three-hour runtime that includes drawn-out scenes of slaves fighting and hooded Kkk-ers kidding around on horseback. Tarantino seems to like doing two movies in one, and Django seems like just that; the first half of this film is the best stuff he's done since Jackie Brown while the second...
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- 4/17/2013
- by affiliates@fandango.com
- Fandango
Since Quentin Tarantino's long-time editor and collaborator Sally Menke died unexpectedly after completing Inglourious Basterds, many fans of the audacious auteur wondered how his next venture, the freed slave-centered spaghetti western Django Unchained would come together. Would he stumble without the support system and friend he credited with being a major contributor to his works? Clocking in at 165 minutes, Django Unchained was one of the longer films released in 2012, yet in some ways it seemed too short, leaving several curious questions unanswered. Tarantino himself admits much was chopped from Django, but not all of it was cut in the editing room. Since the film came out we've learned why the "D" is silent, and why Amber Tamblyn became the featured extra credited as "Daughter of a Son of a Gunfighter." Now celebrated stunt woman and recurring Tarantino performer Zoe Bell has revealed a little bit about her mysterious masked character.
- 2/7/2013
- cinemablend.com
Since I started writing for Sound on Sight during Fantasia 2011, 2012 was my first full year of writing for the site. I started the year by joining Josh on the Mousterpiece Cinema Podcast. During the year I attended Fantasia for the 15th time in 16 festivals and I attended Ridm (Québec’s only Documentary Film Festival) for the first time.
The following is an expanded version of my Sound on Sight ballot for the best feature films of 2012. I should probably explain that I see fewer feature films every year than say Ricky or Josh. On the other side of that, as the Festival Director of the YoungCuts Film Festival, I watch more short films than most (over 1,000 short films per year). It is entirely possible that I didn’t see your favourite feature film this year. On the other hand, I also probably watch some feature films that you never saw.
The following is an expanded version of my Sound on Sight ballot for the best feature films of 2012. I should probably explain that I see fewer feature films every year than say Ricky or Josh. On the other side of that, as the Festival Director of the YoungCuts Film Festival, I watch more short films than most (over 1,000 short films per year). It is entirely possible that I didn’t see your favourite feature film this year. On the other hand, I also probably watch some feature films that you never saw.
- 1/7/2013
- by Michael Ryan
- SoundOnSight
Up until “Inglorious Basterds,” and stretching all the way back to the first feature of his career, “Reservoir Dogs,” ever-present alongside Quentin Tarantino was his editor Sally Menke. She was twice nominated by the Academy for her work with Qt (and three times by BAFTA), but sadly Menke passed away in 2010 at the age of 56. Fred Raskin (a former assistant editor under Menke on “Kill Bill” and the editor of the last three “Fast & Furious” films) took over editing duties on “Django Unchained,” and Menke's must have been some tough shoes to fill. Tarantino has spoken about the emotional experience of working on 'Django' without Sally by his side, and recently told The Huffington Post that during the entire editing process on his latest there was a sign put up that read “Wwsd” – What Would Sally Do? Well now comes another insight into one of the key relationships that arguably helped.
- 1/2/2013
- by Joe Cunningham
- The Playlist
In just barely over a week since its Christmas release, Quentin Tarantino’s eighth feature film, Django Unchained, has exhaustively become a source of public controversy for its setting amongst southern, pre-Civil War plantations where the height of the black man’s plight in the United States was the accepted norm. Not the least of the film’s detractors, the also ever-increasingly controversial auteur Spike Lee has openly refused to patronize his notorious rival’s latest, fairly stating he cannot comment much further due to this position but adding that the piece appears to be a disgrace to his ancestors.
As talked to death as the subject already feels, my own leanings would leave me remiss not to weigh in after what feels like much more than seven days digesting and discussing the new work of one of my – and just about everyone else’s – favorite filmmakers, and the decidedly preemptive reaction to it from,...
As talked to death as the subject already feels, my own leanings would leave me remiss not to weigh in after what feels like much more than seven days digesting and discussing the new work of one of my – and just about everyone else’s – favorite filmmakers, and the decidedly preemptive reaction to it from,...
- 1/2/2013
- by Tom Stoup
- SoundOnSight
Award-nominated, beloved film and television editor Sally Menke worked with Django Unchained director Quentin Tarantino until her death in 2010. She had just completed Inglourious Basterds with Qt the previous year, which was nominated for a Best Film Editing Academy Award, BAFTA and more. Working with the passionate, nerdy, hyper filmmaker can't always be easy, but Menke has always spoken highly of Tarantino. "Quentin and I have such a specific way of working we've developed during the past 11 years, it's just natural. He's an extension of me, and I'm an extension of him. We're kinda like a movie husband and wife," she once said. The below videos from the set of Basterds and Death Proof reveal more of that playful relationship. As website...
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- 12/31/2012
- by Alison Nastasi
- Movies.com
Django Unchained
Directed by Quentin Tarantino
Written by Quentin Tarantino
USA, 2012
Quentin Tarantino wears his style on his sleeve. Homages, tributes, and callbacks to older films, forgotten performers, and oft-ignored genres are part and parcel of his filmography. But one element of his aesthetic has become more pronounced over the years: his fierce, almost laughable, dedication to being deliberate. If his films, or setpieces within them, are like a domino display, we’re invited to sit down, watch him set each and every one in the proper place, and then gather in awe as he topples the whole thing with a slight push. In that respect, Django Unchained, his florid and entertaining spaghetti Western, is very much of a piece with seemingly dissimilar works like Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, and Kill Bill.
Jamie Foxx, in subtle, career-best work, is Django, a slave marching in the middle of Texas in 1858 when,...
Directed by Quentin Tarantino
Written by Quentin Tarantino
USA, 2012
Quentin Tarantino wears his style on his sleeve. Homages, tributes, and callbacks to older films, forgotten performers, and oft-ignored genres are part and parcel of his filmography. But one element of his aesthetic has become more pronounced over the years: his fierce, almost laughable, dedication to being deliberate. If his films, or setpieces within them, are like a domino display, we’re invited to sit down, watch him set each and every one in the proper place, and then gather in awe as he topples the whole thing with a slight push. In that respect, Django Unchained, his florid and entertaining spaghetti Western, is very much of a piece with seemingly dissimilar works like Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, and Kill Bill.
Jamie Foxx, in subtle, career-best work, is Django, a slave marching in the middle of Texas in 1858 when,...
- 12/25/2012
- by Josh Spiegel
- SoundOnSight
Directed by Quentin Tarantino
Featuring Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Samuel L. Jackson, Kerry Washington
Great filmmakers like Kubrick, Fellini or even a David Lean made masterpieces that changed the cinema landscape.
Tarantino's mark in cinema is broad but focused: he takes a genre or sub-genre and reinvents it. He did this for the gangster film (Reservoir Dogs), martial arts film (Kill Bill), car chase film (Death Proof) and now he does it for the western with Django Unchained.
Much like Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds was inspired by the original film The Inglorious Bastards (1978), Django Unchained is inspired by the original Django 1966 film starring Franco Nero (who does a brief cameo in Unchained), but the two films are relatively unrelated. Django Unchained takes place 3 years before the American Civil War, slavery at its peak.
Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz) is bounty hunter looking for the Brittle Brothers, a viscous gang...
Featuring Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Samuel L. Jackson, Kerry Washington
Great filmmakers like Kubrick, Fellini or even a David Lean made masterpieces that changed the cinema landscape.
Tarantino's mark in cinema is broad but focused: he takes a genre or sub-genre and reinvents it. He did this for the gangster film (Reservoir Dogs), martial arts film (Kill Bill), car chase film (Death Proof) and now he does it for the western with Django Unchained.
Much like Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds was inspired by the original film The Inglorious Bastards (1978), Django Unchained is inspired by the original Django 1966 film starring Franco Nero (who does a brief cameo in Unchained), but the two films are relatively unrelated. Django Unchained takes place 3 years before the American Civil War, slavery at its peak.
Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz) is bounty hunter looking for the Brittle Brothers, a viscous gang...
- 12/23/2012
- by Kelly Michael Stewart
- Planet Fury
Christoph Waltz and Jamie Foxx are bounty hunters with a cause in Django Unchained.
Django Unchained
Written and directed by Quentin Tarantino
USA, 2012
If you ask a girl about the nuances of makeup, she’ll probably tell you that great technique is one where you barely notice the result. Ask a filmmaker about the nuances of editing and he or she will probably tell you the same. Ask Quentin Tarantino the same question and he’ll probably agree. His long-time cutting room dance partner, Sally Menke, was a bit of a virtuoso in her field (described by Variety as the “definition of precision”), and as such, her work was largely unnoticed by those in the un-know. Django Unchained, Mr. Tarantino’s first film since Ms. Menke’s untimely death, sees Fred Raskin stepping in to fill her sizable boots, but unfortunately for both he and his director, their collaborative result is a Tarantino film that,...
Django Unchained
Written and directed by Quentin Tarantino
USA, 2012
If you ask a girl about the nuances of makeup, she’ll probably tell you that great technique is one where you barely notice the result. Ask a filmmaker about the nuances of editing and he or she will probably tell you the same. Ask Quentin Tarantino the same question and he’ll probably agree. His long-time cutting room dance partner, Sally Menke, was a bit of a virtuoso in her field (described by Variety as the “definition of precision”), and as such, her work was largely unnoticed by those in the un-know. Django Unchained, Mr. Tarantino’s first film since Ms. Menke’s untimely death, sees Fred Raskin stepping in to fill her sizable boots, but unfortunately for both he and his director, their collaborative result is a Tarantino film that,...
- 12/21/2012
- by Justin Li
- SoundOnSight
As you may have already heard, I believe Django Unchained is the best film of 2012.
It is also, arguably, the finest film of Quentin Tarantino’s career, and I say that as someone who holds the man in ridiculously high regard as my favorite American filmmaker. Be it his utterly singular dialogue, vibrant characterization, or the best traditional cinematography of anyone working today, I simply find Tarantino’s work more creatively stimulating than any other modern director. Most important, though, is the incredible sense of energy, enthusiasm, and excitement with which Tarantino imbues his films. No matter how many sorts of genres, themes, characters, or periods the man tackles, every Tarantino film is filled to burst with sheer, unbridled cinematic joy, endless flourishes of creativity, imagination, and relentless passion for the art of filmmaking.
In 2009’s Inglourious Basterds, Quentin Tarantino seemed to take his craft to the next level by...
It is also, arguably, the finest film of Quentin Tarantino’s career, and I say that as someone who holds the man in ridiculously high regard as my favorite American filmmaker. Be it his utterly singular dialogue, vibrant characterization, or the best traditional cinematography of anyone working today, I simply find Tarantino’s work more creatively stimulating than any other modern director. Most important, though, is the incredible sense of energy, enthusiasm, and excitement with which Tarantino imbues his films. No matter how many sorts of genres, themes, characters, or periods the man tackles, every Tarantino film is filled to burst with sheer, unbridled cinematic joy, endless flourishes of creativity, imagination, and relentless passion for the art of filmmaking.
In 2009’s Inglourious Basterds, Quentin Tarantino seemed to take his craft to the next level by...
- 12/20/2012
- by Jonathan R. Lack
- We Got This Covered
It's been two years since Sally Menke, Quentin Tarantino's longtime film editor, was found dead, but he is still mourning her loss. "Django Unchained" is the first film Tarantino has made since her passing, and he admits in a new interview that her presence was still felt on the film's set.
"We did have a sign on the Avid [editing equipment], through the entire editing, that was 'Wwsd.' What Would Sally Do?" Tarantino tells The Huffington Post with a laugh.
Though he admits that trying to figure out what Menke would have done as an editor "would have been a fool's game," Tarantino did say that making the movie wasn't the same without the collaborator who helped him make films like "Reservoir Dogs," "Pulp Fiction," the "Kill Bill" movies and "Inglourious Basterds."
"I just miss her," he says. "Actually, more in the last stages of the journey. Because those were...
"We did have a sign on the Avid [editing equipment], through the entire editing, that was 'Wwsd.' What Would Sally Do?" Tarantino tells The Huffington Post with a laugh.
Though he admits that trying to figure out what Menke would have done as an editor "would have been a fool's game," Tarantino did say that making the movie wasn't the same without the collaborator who helped him make films like "Reservoir Dogs," "Pulp Fiction," the "Kill Bill" movies and "Inglourious Basterds."
"I just miss her," he says. "Actually, more in the last stages of the journey. Because those were...
- 12/18/2012
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Pop2it
Lesson learned: if you refer to a plot point in a Quentin Tarantino movie as "harebrained," Quentin Tarantino just might want to speak to you about your observation. You see, I wasn't supposed to interview Tarantino -- those duties had fallen to my esteemed editor. But while I was at the press day for "Django Unchained" to speak with Christoph Waltz and Samuel L. Jackson, my editor and I were both informed that Tarantino would speak only to me. Seems he had read my review of "Django" and wanted to discuss some of the specifics with me (e.g. the aforementioned "harebrained" comment). What resulted was a spirited debate that (A) not many filmmakers would openly invite and (B) subverted the traditional interview format. We were basically just two film fans arguing over a movie -- only in this case one of the arguers created the movie in question.
Since...
Since...
- 12/18/2012
- by The Huffington Post
- Huffington Post
For some, a new Quentin Tarantino film isn't just another movie opening -- it's an experience that borders on the religious. The director has only released a handful of films since his groundbreaking debut "Reservoir Dogs" back in 1992, and each one has carried with it the weight and expectations of a whole group of comic book-reading, Asian DVD-importing film freaks (full disclosure: myself included). Whether he's tackling a two-part kung fu revenge epic, rewriting World War II, or showing us that a car might be death proof, Tarantino goes all in each time he gets behind the camera. Which brings us to his seventh film, the eagerly-anticipated "Django Unchained." The second part of a planned historical trilogy (the third would be a '30s-set gangster movie), "Django Unchained" takes place two years before the Civil War and follows a slave named Django (Jamie Foxx), as he teams up with a...
- 12/17/2012
- by Drew Taylor
- Moviefone
Django Unchained
Written by Quentin Tarantino
Directed by Quentin Tarantino
USA, 2012
Has Quentin Tarantino’s work to date actually been…restrained? It’s not a descriptor often thrown at the populist auteur, whose frequently digressionary writing style and dual penchants for graphic violence and meta-textual indulgences has made him one of the most easily distinguished popular filmmakers of the last two decades. Yet, for all of his past excesses, Django Unchained is his shaggiest film to date, a nearly three-hour ramble that threatens to be as bracing an exploration/exploitation of pre-Civil War American race relations as Inglourious Basterds was of WWII, before falling victim to some serious pacing issues.
Set two years before the outbreak of the Civil War, Django opens with bounty hunter “Dr.” King Schultz (Christoph Waltz) opting to free a black slave by the name of Django (Jamie Foxx) in order to more effectively track down a trio of fugitives,...
Written by Quentin Tarantino
Directed by Quentin Tarantino
USA, 2012
Has Quentin Tarantino’s work to date actually been…restrained? It’s not a descriptor often thrown at the populist auteur, whose frequently digressionary writing style and dual penchants for graphic violence and meta-textual indulgences has made him one of the most easily distinguished popular filmmakers of the last two decades. Yet, for all of his past excesses, Django Unchained is his shaggiest film to date, a nearly three-hour ramble that threatens to be as bracing an exploration/exploitation of pre-Civil War American race relations as Inglourious Basterds was of WWII, before falling victim to some serious pacing issues.
Set two years before the outbreak of the Civil War, Django opens with bounty hunter “Dr.” King Schultz (Christoph Waltz) opting to free a black slave by the name of Django (Jamie Foxx) in order to more effectively track down a trio of fugitives,...
- 12/14/2012
- by Simon Howell
- SoundOnSight
So far the critics are being kind to Quentin Tarantino's bloody Western-down-South, singing the praises of the film's stellar cast and its fierce yet disturbingly funny confrontation with the most shameful chapter of American history. Division comes concerning the film's length, with some enjoying the epic 165-minute runtime, and others finding it an overbloated self-indulgence. Review roundup below. Tarantino's brilliant script for "Django Unchained" is better than the fun, talky, well-made violent revenge western that he finally relinquished --weeks late--after a long battle in the editing room to get it down to 2 hours 45. This is nothing new for the slow and deliberate writer-director. But Tarantino has been accustomed to working closely with long-time editor Sally Menke, who sadly died at age 56 last September. She'd get started early every morning; he'd come in noonish to work with her for the day. He trusted her, and she could argue...
- 12/12/2012
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
In a short period of time, two 20th anniversary box sets have been released, both using Xx in their titles. The wonderful Canadian band Great Big Sea just had their celebratory two-disc set come out and now comes Tarantino Xx, a more appropriately named set, commemorating the filmmaker’s two decades in the business.
Quentin Tarantino began like so many of did, obsessed with movies and television and pop culture. His tastes ran along the fringes such as the Hong Kong martial arts fare and the Blaxploitation films of the 1970s. A walking, talking cornucopia of film lore, he was the perfect video store employee, never at a loss for a recommendation regardless of taste. He fortunately turned those interests to filmmaking, bringing his knowledge and passion to screenplays for others and his own works.
If you had to write one line about his work it would be “Always shoot first,...
Quentin Tarantino began like so many of did, obsessed with movies and television and pop culture. His tastes ran along the fringes such as the Hong Kong martial arts fare and the Blaxploitation films of the 1970s. A walking, talking cornucopia of film lore, he was the perfect video store employee, never at a loss for a recommendation regardless of taste. He fortunately turned those interests to filmmaking, bringing his knowledge and passion to screenplays for others and his own works.
If you had to write one line about his work it would be “Always shoot first,...
- 12/3/2012
- by Robert Greenberger
- Comicmix.com
Quentino Tarantino recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of the release of his immense directorial debut, Reservoir Dogs. Tying in nicely with that anniversary is Tarantino Xx, a new eight-film Blu-ray collection that hits shelves in the UK today.
The box set includes all seven of the films Tarantino has directed to date (not counting the upcoming and highly anticipated Django Unchained, of course), with a brilliant addition in True Romance, which Tarantino wrote and the late Tony Scott directed.
With the box set coming out on Blu-ray today, we’ve got a great new featurette with Robert Rodriguez, with whom Tarantino has worked with many times over the years.
Included in the collection, Tarantino Xx, in chronological order, are:
Reservoir Dogs, True Romance, Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, Kill Bill Vols. I and II, Death Proof, and Inglourious Basterds.
“Tarantino Xx contains eight films chosen by Tarantino to illustrate the first 20 years of his career,...
The box set includes all seven of the films Tarantino has directed to date (not counting the upcoming and highly anticipated Django Unchained, of course), with a brilliant addition in True Romance, which Tarantino wrote and the late Tony Scott directed.
With the box set coming out on Blu-ray today, we’ve got a great new featurette with Robert Rodriguez, with whom Tarantino has worked with many times over the years.
Included in the collection, Tarantino Xx, in chronological order, are:
Reservoir Dogs, True Romance, Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, Kill Bill Vols. I and II, Death Proof, and Inglourious Basterds.
“Tarantino Xx contains eight films chosen by Tarantino to illustrate the first 20 years of his career,...
- 11/26/2012
- by Kenji Lloyd
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Hopefully you've been keeping track of the daily Black Friday Deals Week posts I've been featuring each morning, if not here is today's, but of course there are also new releases to consider and today we have a few that may be of interest. Tarantino Xx: 8-Film Collection This eight-film Quentin Tarantino collection includes True Romance (which Tarantino wrote and Tony Scott directed), Kill Bill: Volume One, Kill Bill: Volume Two, Inglourious Basterds, Jackie Brown, Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction and Tarantino's Death Proof from the Grindhouse double feature. All of these were previously available on Blu-ray before this collection was put together, but it does include a couple of newly produced special features of its own which include: Critics Corner: The Films of Quentin Tarantino - In-depth critics' discussion piece exploring Tarantino's films that redefined cinema and the impact of one of the most influential writers/directors of our time.
- 11/20/2012
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
In anticipation of the release of Tarantino Xx: 8-film Collection on Blu-ray this November 20th, 2012, check out the full interior artwork created by Mondo artist Ken Taylor. Stylistic, bold and unique, Ken Taylor add the same artistic flair to this boxed set as he has for so many of his Mondo poster designs, including this amazing poster for Drive (2011) amongst others. A fitting addition to a boxed set already so highly anticipated it could literally make some film buffs’ heads actually explode. For many, this may be a rare opportunity to own some Mondo art, even if mass produced, as original Mondo prints typically sell out within minutes, if not seconds. For many, it’s been a long wait as we’ve watched various Blu-ray editions of Tarantino films pop up in other countries, but not in the United States… ’till now. Tarantino + Blu-ray + Mondo = a very happy fan of cool cinema!
- 10/27/2012
- by Travis Keune
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
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