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Featurette 01

b e low An image from . What most people remember about these films is the editing: both films were shown out of sequential order. This was a bold and innovative technique; it changed the perceptions of how a film could be watched. Few films have been able to replicate this model successfully, and only a few have actually tried. What people don’t remember about these films is what made them so engaging; in both films we are given an in-depth perspective from all or nearly all of the main characters. This created real depth in all of the characters and gave a chance for each individual’s story to develop and eventually collide violently at the “end.” I would argue more so than the editing that The Auteur Theory: this is the reason for these films’ success, it’s a highly entertaining and exciting experience to watch seemingly unrelated characters’ Tarantino’s Blood personal stories evolve, all the while unaware of the violent collision that will follow. Reservoir Dogs is a film about a diamond By Robert Conley heist that goes wrong due to the fact that one of the robbers is an undercover cop. keywords: , auteur, blood, Pulp Fiction, Each surviving individual’s story is told as they slowly but surely show up at the safe Unchained house, and talk to one another trying to figure out what actually happened and what As a huge fan of Quentin their films, more or less that the director went wrong. There is no clear protagonist or Tarantino, I have always considered him a is the only real factor behind their films’ antagonist; depending on the viewer it could master of film craft. His earlier films were success. There are three qualifications for be a story about an undercover cop or about incredibly innovative, rife with interweaving someone to be considered an auteur, as it a veteran thief. Ultimately it is both, and that plots and edited to encourage multiple has been explained to me: (1) Technical is why this film is unique and innovative. viewings. However, it seems that he has Competence; (2) A Stylistic Stamp; (3) thrown away his own stylistic stamp since Soulfulness. The first two can be determined Though Reservoir Dogs did not turn out to becoming famous and being given nearly quite easily: does the director know what he have any audience appeal (what audience unlimited resources for his projects; unless, of is doing and can you tell it’s the director’s in their right mind wanted to see a course, blood is his only stylistic stamp. I am film just by watching it (if you didn’t know highly derivative caper film, with the sole not saying that I no longer enjoy his films; beforehand)? Soulfulness is the more abstract distinction being unrelenting violence?), it just that I personally think that he has been idea from the auteur theory, being that you was a critics’ favorite, and the critics were given far too much credit for his collected can only gauge this based off of individuals’ then implicated in Tarantino’s career. works as a whole. “feelings” of films. All in all, the important (Chin 64) I will formally analyze his early works to thing to understand is that calling a director first argue that, yes, indeed, he is – or rather an auteur is the highest form of praise. The truth is, that other than the way the was – an auteur by looking at Reservoir Dogs story was presented (meaning edited) there (1992) and Pulp Fiction (1994). Then I will The early works was nothing more about it that was really fast-forward and discuss the Kill Bill: Vol. 1 Quentin Tarantino mesmerized the world exceptional. There are very few locations (2003) and Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004) franchise and with his first two films Reservoir Dogs and in the film and the majority of the time his latest cinema spectacular Django Unchained (2012) to show the stark contrast in his work; b e low An image from Pulp Fiction there are very few similarities between the former two films and the latter, except of course an excessive amount of blood. Simply put, if the use of blood is what makes him an auteur, then his skill has increased (being that he uses so much more nowadays); but I would argue that is not enough. The auteur theory was created by the Cahiers du Cinéma critics during the French New Wave film movement. Basically it’s the highest praise any filmmaker could receive, saying that the director is the “author” of

77 Film Matters Spring 2014 ➜ Featurette 01 Robert Conley

than Tarantino had ever had, in any of his other films, was his goal, then he succeeded. Django Unchained, Tarantino’s most recent film is visually spectacular. It features some of the most beautiful cinematography and interesting shots I have ever seen. While this film is a highly polished piece of work, it still lacks the innovative techniques that made Tarantino famous. This film blatantly follows a three-part structure to an extreme; the film is actually divided into three parts: Django being freed from , Django as a bounty

a b ov e An image from Kill Bill: Vol. 1 hunter, then Django rescuing his wife. For the relatively simple story, and the fact that only takes place in an empty warehouse; also, the letting the situation evolve between loosely one character gets the majority of the screen- cinematography is nothing special. Of course connected characters, was nothing short time; this film felt excessively long (over three there are other redeeming factors about of brilliant and highly innovative. As far hours). the film such as the actors and an excellent as auteuristic editing there is no one key soundtrack; but this film can easily be viewed transition in these films; it happens every Django Unchained is the most brutal film as shallow. time a sequence ends and it cuts to a different Quentin Tarantino has ever made. Unlike Pulp Fiction took the model from Reservoir character at a different time. For Quentin Kill Bill or , where the Dogs and expounded on it exponentially, Tarantino’s first films I would definitely say violence was thrilling and carried a visceral more characters and even more tenuous this is his stylistic stamp, and he deserves to kick, the carnage here is often ugly and connections. There is really no way to sum be considered an auteur for that alone. The difficult to watch. The movie is a up this film without filling up pages upon thing is… you don’t receive this status from set in the , but its central pages; it’s about a boxer, two hit men, two just one or two films, it comes from your subject is slavery and the unspeakable thieves, a crime boss, and the random collected works; and what is to come – more abuse of blacks in the era, and Tarantino events that eventually connect them. This a and more – follows a classical three-part doesn’t shy from coming in close to show challenging film to watch at first; not until structure that dominates Hollywood. you the details. There are sequences in several viewings did I ever get a sense of the film, such as a scene in which two what was actually going on. The later works men are forced to fight each other to the Kill Bill: Vol. 1 and Kill Bill: Vol. 2 are where death using only their hands, that are [N]ot only do movies constitute a kind of Tarantino’s work becomes overly gratuitous; horrifying – intentionally so. (Rodriguez planetary envelope, literally a “film” of he seemed to be on a mission to include as n. pag.) collective imaginal references wrapped much blood as possible in a film. So much around the world, but that this “film” so that he was threatened with an NC-17 After watching this film I was left with the is peculiarly apt to dismemberment, to rating; because of this he had to change an impression that this was Tarantino saying, breaking up before our eyes even as it still incredibly bloody scene into black and white. give me unlimited money and I will make holds together, to a built-in “crisis” that This is a stereotypical revenge story, nothing you a rigidly structured movie with lots is part of its very nature. The two films special about it, just an excessive amount of of blood and violence. Personally, I was that form a background to these remarks, blood. All of the events seem to transpire in disappointed with this film. and Pulp Fiction, are, sequential order throughout the films; but This debate ultimately comes down to I suggest, movies that set out actively to we are informed in Vol. 2 that not all of the personal preference; as the auteur theory represent this cinematic crisis. (Bartlett 1) killings were shown in order (a cheap trick at always does. I myself prefer Tarantino’s best). All in all these are boring films, while older films that play with narrative structure The film is broken up into chapters or there is constant action, it’s just not enough. and encourage multiple viewings. But one “situations” as Tarantino names them in the The characters lack depth and the story is could argue that Tarantino has mastered film; this helped add at least a small amount far-fetched. If the inclusion of more blood his craft in Django Unchained with impressive of structure being that time is the big question when watching this film (a viewer of this film is always asking themselves: when is this happening?) There is a much clearer protagonist in this film, but once again there is more than one character that could be seen as the protagonist, being that the screen-time is more or less shared equally. One major change is the complete lack of an antagonist. These films are masterpieces. They introduced a completely new way to make and watch films. Choosing to not follow only one character on-screen but nearly all, a b ov e An image from Django Unchained

78 Film Matters Spring 2014 Featurette 01 The Auteur Theory: Tarantino’s Blood cinematography and mise-en-scène. The only thing the films have in common is lots of blood, which as earlier stated could be perceived as Tarantino’s stylistic stamp; but I reject that idea. I accept Tarantino as an auteur for his innovative earlier works (films that were truly different from anything at the time), but I personally revoke this status because of his later works (maybe he just ran out of ideas, or did not want to continue to do the same type of thing). I am not saying that he needs to make carbon copies of Reservoir Dogs or Pulp Fiction (even though I would definitely watch and enjoy them), but I would like to see something different from him. While watching on-screen violence and seeing lots of blood is entertaining, it does not make you an auteur; Tarantino of the 1990s, please come back to us. / e n d /

Works Cited

Bartlett, Tony. “The Party’s Over (Almost): Terminal Celebration in Contemporary Film.” Contagion: Journal of Violence, Mimesis, and Culture issue 5 (1998): 1–13. Print. \ Chin, Daryl. “Festivals, Markets, Critics: Notes on the State of the Art Film.” Performing Arts Journal 19.1 (1997): 61–75. Print. \ Rodriguez, Rene. “Django Unchained: Quentin Tarantino’s Southern-fried Western Is a Bloody Good Time.” Miami. 24 December 2012. Web. 17 April 2013. \

Robert Conley is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington Film Studies department. He is now living in NYC and establishing himself as a professional editor.

79 Film Matters Spring 2014 ➜