cinephile. But the writer/director’s love for cinema is most obviously
expressed through his own films. In addition to showing his characters
spending a great deal of time discussing cinema, Tarantino’s films are
jam-packed with homages and visual references to the movies that have
intrigued him throughout his life.
Many
filmmakers pay homage, but Tarantino takes things a step further by
replicating exact moments from a variety of genres and smashing them
together to create his own distinct vision. Just like ‘Kill Bill: Vol 2‘
(2004) draws on ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly‘ (1966) and ‘Samurai
Fiction‘ (1998), Tarantino’s work often reflects Spaghetti Westerns and
Japanese cinema–both new and old. His unique way of referencing other
films allows him to bend genre boundaries and shatter the mold of what
we expect to experience. While his methods are often criticized and he
is accused of "ripping off" other filmmakers, it seems that Tarantino is
simply writing love letters to the art he is ever so passionate about.
filmmakers pay homage, but Tarantino takes things a step further by
replicating exact moments from a variety of genres and smashing them
together to create his own distinct vision. Just like ‘Kill Bill: Vol 2‘
(2004) draws on ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly‘ (1966) and ‘Samurai
Fiction‘ (1998), Tarantino’s work often reflects Spaghetti Westerns and
Japanese cinema–both new and old. His unique way of referencing other
films allows him to bend genre boundaries and shatter the mold of what
we expect to experience. While his methods are often criticized and he
is accused of "ripping off" other filmmakers, it seems that Tarantino is
simply writing love letters to the art he is ever so passionate about.
From German silent-cinema to American B
movies, the following video uses split-screen to demonstrate a few of
the hundreds of visual film references over the course of Tarantino’s
career.
movies, the following video uses split-screen to demonstrate a few of
the hundreds of visual film references over the course of Tarantino’s
career.
Tarantino Films:
‘Reservoir Dogs’ (1992)
‘Pulp Fiction’ (1994)
‘Jackie Brown’ (1997)
‘Kill Bill: Vol. 1’ (2003)
‘Kill Bill: Vol. 2’ (2004)
‘Death Proof’ (2007)
‘Inglourious Basterds’ (2009)
‘Django Unchained’ (2012)
‘Pulp Fiction’ (1994)
‘Jackie Brown’ (1997)
‘Kill Bill: Vol. 1’ (2003)
‘Kill Bill: Vol. 2’ (2004)
‘Death Proof’ (2007)
‘Inglourious Basterds’ (2009)
‘Django Unchained’ (2012)
Referenced Films (in order of appearance):
‘City on Fire’ (1987)
‘Django’ (1966)
‘Band of Outsiders’ (1964)
‘8 1/2’ (1963)
‘The Warriors’ (1979)
‘Psycho’ (1960)
‘Kiss Me Deadly’ (1955)
‘The Flintstones’ (1960-66)
‘Superchick’ (1973)
‘The Graduate’ (1967)
‘Citizen Kane’ (1941)
‘Goke, Body Snatcher From Hell’ (1968)
‘Lady Snowblood’ (1973)
‘City of the Living Dead’ (1980)
‘Black Sunday‘ (1977)
‘Game of Death’ (1978)
‘Miller’s Crossing’ (1990)
‘Death Rides a Horse’ (1966)
‘Gone in 60 Seconds’ (1974)
‘Samurai Fiction’ (1998)
‘Blade Runner’ (1982)
‘The Searchers’ (1956)
‘Once Upon a Time in the West’ (1968)
‘Five Fingers of Death’ (1972)
‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’ (1966)
‘Convoy’ (1978)
‘The Bird With the Crystal Plumage’ (1970)
‘Unforgiven’ (1992)
‘The Searchers’ (1956)
‘Metropolis’ (1927)
‘Django’ (1966)
‘Gone With the Wind’ (1939)
‘The Great Silence’ (1968)
‘A Professional Gun’ (1968)
Jacob T. Swinney is an industrious film editor and filmmaker, as well as a recent graduate of Salisbury University.
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