Welcome to our Reference Degustation where we take you through a six course menu of foot long quippy Tarantino debauchery. First course: Reservoir Dogs.

Suit up, watch your back and always remember to tip. Color me Badd with Reservoir Dogs this week.

Director: Quentin Jerome Tarantino
Writer: Quentin Jerome Tarantino
Released: January 1992
Budget: $1,200,000
Worldwide Gross: $2,913,644
Actors: Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen

Breakdown and Analysis

  • Reservoir Dogs was Oti’s first Tarantino film. He has always been lukewarm on it and would give KT the side eye when she would recite Pulp Fiction.
  • KT talks to the obnoxiousness people have when they love Tarantino. It’s not enough to like his films but have it become integral to their personality.
  • QT has great dialogue especially around banal observations with great casting and direction.
  • KT came to a realisation of why Tarantino films haven’t entered her inner heart chambers. The films are a lot of fun but never really offer much in the way of emotion. Oti perfectly references Rick and Morty.

General Questions

What are your views on the QT approach to violence? For example, how he used contrapuntal music for the torture scene in Reservoir Dogs. < JAMIE
Blonde’s character is elevated by the approach to violence and music. It is gratuitous with a G. At times squeamish but that’s to be expected given the nature of the film and directing.

What are your thoughts on the QT-verse theory (films within films)? < ROB
Oti makes a joke to ancestry.com assisting in connecting the dots of the interconnectedness across films. Vegas, red apple cigarettes. People get into minor details and KT acknowledges that super fans will notice but also implores people to try broadening their frame by watching more films. KT also gives examples of people that are really into those monkey NFTS, unless you are into it, you are into it. Not yucking yums, just try other yums.

Is QT the best contemporary director to match visuals & music? < JAMIE
Oti praises his taste in music as he enjoys the soundtrack and score more than any other element of his films. However, cannot agree that QT is the best out there. KT partially agree in matching visuals and music to inform tonality. However, he is not the best overall. KT praises James Gunn as well as Jeymes Samuel. Especially the way Jeymes was able to not only interweave score with scene but mix Reggae with Western. We both agree that QT is a pivotal milestone in the landscape of cinema and it is clear when filmmakers are influenced by him.

Direction/Stylistic Choices

At what point does QT’s stylised, hyper-aware dialogue become a hindrance to the film rather than part of the magic/charm? < BEN
Oti resonated with this question because at no point did he want to see these characters triumph or make it out alive. He mentions how poorly written wrestling is but you still find yourself rooting and booing for them. There were moments that Oti found predictable but the biggest problem was not having strong emotions for the ensemble cast.

Rewriting history < JULIO
N/A.

California/Hollywood/Film/Genre < ROB
Ticks in all cadences and instances.

Pop Culture References < JULIO
KT is very excited to see Pam Grier in Jackie Brown.

Casting/Characters

Feeeeeeeeeeeeet < JULIO BRENT
Surprisingly not. We have a frank discussion about how tit and ass shots are just as uncomfortable now as we are becoming more aware of the problematic behind the scenes.

The reluctant hero < ROB
We come to agreement that Mr Orange would be the hero in this film if we were to choose one. Mr White was too quick to emotionally lay down his own life for Mr Orange. Spending 30 minutes in a car with someone can change your life.

Casting old favourites and reviving their careers < JULIO
Harvy Kietel. Aside from his character being ridiculous, Harvey brings a wonderful performance. His experience brought a presence to the film.

Racism/N Word

Every Time I show one of his movies to someone that hasn’t seen them I always wait for the moment he or someone else drops that N word to see how they react. My grandmother back in the day walked out the room when I showed her Reservoir Dogs so she wasn’t fucking with it. < BRENT
Oti shares his experience and how Africa has it’s own derogatory terms. In saying that, the liberal and casual use from Tarantino is uncomfortable. We agree that the N word usage did nothing to deepen or enhance the story. Oti wanted QT to deliver but KT argues that others might feel like he did deliver. He got too comfortable.

Are QT race related quips justified in this film? < PAUL
Racial slurs < JULIO
The car scene when they were talking about Black women felt unnecessary and we again grappled with the intent of including these scenes.

Why does QT insist on including himself (usually as a racist) when he can’t act? < BEN
QT appearing in his own films adds nothing aside from the fact that his films are indulgent. So insisting on casting himself when he can’t act is pure indulgence.

Unrelated but vital points

  • Oti makes a Demon Slayer reference.
  • We sound off on the best film soundtracks. Oti claims Save the Last Dance. KT mentions all Bad Boys, Rush Hour and You Got Served.
  • According to KT, Matrix Resurrections is the best 4th sequel in that it addresses the copy-cat throughout the years and offers a meta lens.
  • KT references Sex Lives of College Girls.
  • Oti jokes about Boris Johnson and his non-parties while KT wants to hear from our Briton friends and lovers about the Rule Britannia episode in Inside No. 9.
  • Unprovoked, Oti comes for Tim Roth.
  • Oti coins ‘Presence and No Sense’.
  • KT is hoping to see QT make a film where a white character is itching to say the N word but doesn’t and witness the racist backlash.