| DVD Roundup June 2004
 The Five Films of Quentin
Tarantino
In 1994, Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp
Fiction blazed onto the screen with an unprecedented combination of violence and
pop-culture humor that critics loved, audiences flocked to, and other filmmakers for years
after tried to imitate. While there were certainly bigger moneymakers at the box office in
the 1990s, Pulp Fiction is likely the best-remembered film of that decade, and more
or less a phenomenon that went far beyond the big screen.
But despite Pulp’s success, Tarantino
didn’t receive the accolades he deserved. In my opinion, Pulp Fiction should
have taken home Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director. Instead, Tarantino and Pulp
had to settle for nominations in those categories, while the sugarcoated Forrest Gump
was given Best Picture and its director, Robert Zemeckis, was crowned Best Director. But
Tarantino didn’t leave the Academy Awards empty-handed that year. Along with former
friend Roger Avary, who helped write the Pulp Fiction script, he received the Best
Screenplay award.
While Pulp is Tarantino’s best-remembered film,
that doesn’t mean he’s a one-hit wonder destined for a box on Hollywood
Squares. Pulp Fiction is just one of five great Tarantino films, each special
in its own way. Here’s a brief look at those films, along with what I liked most and
least about each:
 Reservoir Dogs ****
(1992): Compared by many to Stanley Kubrick’s 1956 film The Killers,
Tarantino’s debut film features a ragtag group of criminals known as Mr. Pink (Steve
Buscemi), Mr. White (Harvey Keitel), Mr. Orange (Tim Roth), Mr. Blonde (Michael Madsen),
and Mr. Brown (Tarantino). These black-suited, fast-talking shysters became some of the
most memorable bad guys of the ’90s. Reservoir Dogs starts by thrusting us
into their story immediately after their robbery goes wrong.What I liked: The oddball characters, the quirky dialogue,
the effective use of flashbacks, and the well-written story, which had me pegged to my
seat until the end.
What I didn’t like: The infamous ear-cutting
scene, which many people loved, I thought was gratuitous. Tarantino didn’t need to
show us that much to prove that Mr. Blonde is a real bad guy.
About the DVD: In 1997, a relatively featureless
version of Reservoir Dogs was put out on DVD. In 2003, six Reservoir Dogs: 10th
Anniversary Special Edition DVDs were released. The content appears to be identical on
each, but there’s a wealth of extras, including more footage of the ear-cutting
scene. The difference between each is simply the cover: Five of them each feature a
different "Mr." character for the cover graphic, and the sixth features four
characters. Mr. Brown, played by Tarantino, is omitted on the front cover of that release
but can be seen in another group shot on the back. Forget the 1997 version, even if you
find it for a reasonable price on the used market. If you’re going to purchase Reservoir
Dogs on DVD, definitely get one of the 2003 releases. If you’re an absolute
fanatic and want to flesh out your collectibles on disc, buy all six.
|
 Pulp Fiction ***** (1994):
What more can be said about this groundbreaking film that hasn’t already been said?
Not much, so I’ll stop even before I start. Besides, if you haven’t seen Pulp,
where have you been?What I liked: Everything.
What I didn’t like: Nothing. But if push comes
to shove, I can say that perhaps the "Jack Rabbit Slim’s" segment went on a
little too long. That, though, is being really critical.
About the DVD: Pulp Fiction was first
released on DVD in 1998. As with Reservoir Dogs, that initial release was bland. In
2002, Pulp Fiction: Collector’s Edition arrived, which did far more justice to
this modern masterpiece of filmmaking. Will they release it a third time on DVD with
further improvements and scrape even more money from our pockets? Based on the popularity
of Pulp and how well it holds up over time, I wouldn’t be surprised if that
happens -- I already own the two versions, and I most certainly would own a third if it
came out.
|
 Jackie Brown ****1/2
(1997): Quieter and more character-driven than Tarantino’s first two films, Jackie
Brown disappointed many people because it wasn’t as zany as Pulp Fiction
or as violent as Reservoir Dogs. But did these people really expect Tarantino to do
what he’d already done? Tarantino’s too talented a filmmaker for that, and
I’m glad he decided to stretch himself with this clever, underappreciated crime
caper.What I liked: Tarantino’s boldness
in trying something new, Pam Grier’s sex appeal as Jackie Brown, and the way Melanie
(Bridget Fonda) asks Louis (Robert De Niro) to make love to her.
What I didn’t like: All the people who trashed
this film simply because they wanted to see Pulp Fiction: Vol. 2.
About the DVD: Unlike Reservoir Dogs and Pulp
Fiction, there’s been only one release on DVD: Jackie Brown: Collector’s
Edition. Because this is probably Tarantino’s least popular film, I doubt
we’ll see another release, unless one day it’s packaged in a Tarantino boxed
set.
|
 Kill Bill: Vol. 1
****1/2 (2003): When Tarantino took a lengthy break after Jackie Brown, many
thought he was washed up. Even when word came out that he was working on an ultra-violent
martial-arts epic about a pregnant bride (Uma Thurman) who survives an assassination
attempt on her wedding day to seek revenge, there was a rumor that it would be a flop, and
that Tarantino would become a Hollywood has-been. In hindsight, when I heard that story
line, perhaps I, too, thought that was possible. No one, including his biggest fans,
expected a comeback like this one. I also suspect that no one but Tarantino could have
made this film so successfully. Kill Bill: Vol. 1 pays homage to the martial-arts
films of the 1970s, and is considered by some to be Tarantino’s best work yet.What I liked: Tarantino stretching himself in the action-film
genre, Uma Thurman as The Bride, and the cliffhanger ending that leaves us on the edge of
our seats in anticipation of Kill Bill: Vol. 2.
What I didn’t like: Nothing whatsoever -- well,
maybe just the DVD release (see below). Kill Bill: Vol. 1 was my favorite film of
2003.
About the DVD: Following in the tradition of Reservoir
Dogs and Pulp Fiction, a bare-bones DVD was put to market just a week before Kill
Bill: Vol. 2 was released in theaters. The DVD’s video and sound quality are
great, but the packaging is basic, the extras minimal. You just know that a more
expensive version will be released sometime in the future, probably as part of a package
with Kill Bill: Vol. 2.
|
 Kill Bill: Vol. 2
****1/2 (2004): People who were expecting to see the same thing as Vol. 1 may
walk away disappointed, but Tarantino’s proven before that he doesn’t like to do
the same thing twice. Vol. 2 follows The Bride on her final quest to kill Bill, but
Tarantino tones down the violence in favor of the story to give a more epic feel to this
modern-day martial-arts classic.What I liked:
The Bride’s fight with Elle Driver (Daryl Hannah), the coffin scene, the shift in
tone and style from Vol. 1, and the spectacular use of sound effects.
What I didn’t like: David Carradine’s
blasé Bill.
About the DVD: It’s not here yet, but unlike
with Vol. 1, we likely won’t see a featureless Vol. 2 DVD. Instead, I
suspect we’ll see a complete Kill Bill two-movie package with a wealth of
extras -- and a whopper price tag that will make us wish there was a trade-in program for
the original Vol. 1 release. |
...Doug Schneider
das@hometheatersound.com |
