Quentin Tarantino - the Film-Maker of the New Generation - Essay Example

QUENTIN TARANTINO Quentin Tarantino - The Film-maker of the New Generation School Dubbed as one of the world's leading independent film-makers, Quentin Tarantino is deemed by most as an immensely gifted writer and director. In this regard, he has been widely recognized as an icon of the American pop culture. This paper provides an overview of how this brilliant film-maker rose to prominence and the cinematic styles he utilizes that make his movies stand out. Moreover, this paper discusses Tarantino's contribution to the American pop culture and culture in general. Considered as one of the premiere independent film-makers of all times, Quentin Tarantino is deemed by most as an immensely gifted writer and director. His critically-acclaimed films have contributed much to the enrichment of the movie industry and to the American pop culture in general. In this paper, readers would be able to know more about this brilliant artist. How and why did this film-maker become prominent Considered as a stylish auteur, Tarantino gained popularity in the 1990s with the release of Reservoir Dogs that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 1992. With this Tarantino, who was then unheard of, became a small-time sensation specifically to the cult film industry in the United States and United Kingdom ("Quentin Tarantino - The Film Maker," 2004). At that time, Tarantino presented a fresh outlook on film with his bold use of non-linear storylines, unforgettable dialogue and gory violence that brought new life to traditional American film archetypes ("Wikipedia," 2005). Inspired by the success of his first film, Tarantino made other movies and with Pulp Fiction he has left a permanent mark in the film industry. This movie won the Best Original Screenplay at the Academy Awards and the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 1994. Given the myriad honors bestowed upon his films by prominent award-giving bodies, Tarantino became the center of attention in the film circle ("Quentin Tarantino - The Film Maker," 2004). Depicted as a motor-mouthed, geeky hipster with an encyclopedic knowledge of both popular and art-house cinema, he is regarded as the most famous of the young directors behind the independent film revolution of the previous decade ("Wikipedia," 2005). What creative elements does he employ in his film-making When asked about his core strength as a film-maker, Tarantino asserted that his expertise lies in his manner of story-telling. He attributed this strength from his intuitive understanding of what the audience desire (Suellentrop, 2003). Truly, the way he creatively makes the story unfold sets his films apart. His movies are renowned for their insightful dialogue, splintered chronology and pop culture obsessions ("Wikipedia," 2005). Apart from this, Tarantino also incorporated violence extensively in his films as one of the creative elements he employs. This element is clearly evident in his key films such as Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, and Kill Bill, where there are profuse blood spattered and flowing in various scenes ("Wikipedia," 2005). It should be highlighted though that what actually affects the audience is not directly the violence but rather the casualness by which the major characters go about the violent scenes. At times, this effect is achieved by applying morbid humor to such tension-filled and gritty scenes. In this regard, Tarantino is described as a master storyteller who has a weird and artistic manner of creating completely unnaturalistic dialogue in a way that appears casual and improvised ("Quentin Tarantino - The Film Maker," 2004). He often uses unconventional storytelling devices in his films, namely retrospective (Reservoir of Dogs), non-linear (Pulp Fiction) and chapter format (Kill Bill and Four Rooms). ("Wikipedia," 2005) In terms of cinematography, Tarantino popularized the trunk shot, which he employed in most of his movies. As such, this became his signature camera angle albeit this is not his original idea. Moreover, Tarantino employs the Mexican standoff in all his movies which feature a scene wherein three or more characters are simultaneously pointing guns at each other. ("Wikipedia," 2005) What types of movies did he make in terms of genre In terms of style What factors might explain his choice of genre and style In light of his astonishingly broad knowledge of movies, film criticism and film history mostly gathered from his stint as a video clerk, Tarantino is a proponent of genres including blaxploitation films, Hong Kong action cinema, Spaghetti Westerns, giallo horror, French New Wave and British cinema. How much these genres influenced Tarantino is evident in his works that regularly quote other movies and genres in their styles, stories and dialogue. For instance, Kill Bill exhibited the cinematic traditions of WuXia, Japanese film, giallo horror and Spaghetti Westerns, which is a type of highly-fluid, violent and minimalist cinematography that shunned many of earlier conventions for Western films. ("Wikipedia," 2005) In terms of style, Tarantino initially created a stylish, witty and blood-soaked heist movie that set the milieu in his later films ("Wikipedia," 2005). More importantly, in his movies, Tarantino applied the style that exhibits careful attention to the quotidian and banal that has led critics to compare Tarantino with F. Scott Fitzgerald of the 1990s. Possessing the observant sensitivity, Tarantino is described as, "a Fitzgeraldian observer of the delicate dance of social interaction...he's genuinely curious philosophic investigator of manners and morals." (Suellentrop, 2003) As mentioned, his style entails dialogue-laden scenes with crude but witty and funny dialogues, and out-of-order chronology. Although Tarantino has been directly involved in the writing and directing of at least eight films, five of his more popular, successful and critically-acclaimed films embody the core of his style. These movies include Reservoir Dogs, True Romance, Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown and Kill Bill. ("Quentin Tarantino - The Film Maker," 2003) How did his movies contribute to American pop culture Culture in general Given his style in film-making, Tarantino's films have become significant part of the American pop culture. His works have enhanced the American pop culture such that he has somehow created his own genre of film-making - i.e. Tarantinoesque. This genre involves, "Fractured, chronologically reshuffled narratives; violence often played for laughs as much as for shocks; incidental dialogue scenes pushed centre stage; (and) astute bold use of music," (Jolin, n.d.). Tarantino also claimed that the new genre and style he introduced have made it easier, to some degree, for other artists to employ the theme in violence as part of their creative element in their films. (Jolin, n.d.) Although the contribution of Tarantino's movies to culture in general may seem debatable since some contend that his films are regarded as moral vacuums that are more concerned with coolness than warmth, some critics assert that his films impart lessons on trust mainly between mentors and pupils as well as reinforce the concept of "honor-among-thieves" to the audience. (Jolin, n.d.) Conclusion In view of the above discussion, Tarantino's genius is undeniable. His films, which have created a cult following of their own, have opened new windows to be explored in the cinematic field. As his visual trademarks and writing style remain unrivaled hitherto, Tarantino has evolved into an acclaimed maker of premium post-modernist films. His works have served as the benchmark with the advent of a new genre in film-making. Works Cited Quentin Tarantino - Film Maker. (2003). BBC. Retrieved March 5, 2006 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A2116658. Jolin, D. Quentin Tarantino. New York Film Academy. Retrieved March 5, 2006 from http://www.nyfa.com/film/news_events/20great/08tarantino.htm. Suellentrop, C. (2003). Quentin Tarantino. Slate. Retrieved March 5, 2006 from http://www.slate.com/id/2088322#ContinueArticle Wikipedia. (2005). Retrieved March 5, 2006 from http://www.en.wikipedia.org. Read More