If You Like Quentin Tarantino… [Book Review & Giveaway]
The short film Who Do You Think You’re Fooling? makes the convincing argument that Quentin Tarantino, um, borrowed concepts from the 1987 Hong Kong actioner City on Fire for Reservoir Dogs.
But what other films did the wildly successful auteur draw inspiration from? That question is answered in Karharine Rife’s If You Like Quentin Tarantino, a entertaining reference guide that has the uneviable task of examining works that have either influenced or been influenced by QT.
Spanning chronologically from Reservoir Dogs to Django Unchained, the book suggests a Netflix queue-busting amount of movies that span from the original Taking of Pelham 1,2,3 (from which Tarantino took the idea of naming criminals after colors) to the blaxploitation spoof Black Dynamite.
By contextualizing each of these films within a different part of Tarantino’s career, Rife is clearly looking to immerse readers into the world of unknown cinema that the director has found so much guidance from. Elsewhere in the tome, she provides an appendix of exploitation and cult releases from Tarantino’s Rolling Thunder distribution hub, offers up a rundown of every film ever to have been screened at his QT Fests, and even finds time to pay tribute to Grindhouse’s under-appreciated Planet Terror.
If You Like Quentin Tarantino won’t win the director any new fans, yet for those who are caught in his cinematic web it is yet another opportunity to learn about lesser-known films that could become obsessions.
Want to win a copy? Leave a comment with your favorite Tarantino film. We’ll pick one of you at random at the end of next week.
Jackie Brown. Tarantino pays homage to a genre in the best way possible — by giving a former star the chance to strut her stuff again, and boy does she strut it. Also, Delfonics, and Samuel L. Jackson’s long hair.
Cool! Sounds like a fun book! Tarantino films have led me to find some awesome genre picks I would’ve never found on my own.
Big fan of all his movies. Right this second ahmina go with Pulp Fiction as my fave. It was the 1st movie I saw twice theatrically. The 1st time I just got sucked in & wentr along for the amazing ride. The 2nd time was awesome for the little things I missed & for gauging the audience reactions to some of the shocker moments like the adrenaline shot scene!
When I was younger, I saw Jackie Brown on a date and it was the only movie I ever walked out on. I’d have certainly stayed through if my date didn’t like it – needless to say, we didn’t date long.
I still find Inglorious Basterds a go-to movie – style, substance, and humor from beginning to end with amazing acting by all players.
Kill Bill, Volume 2. Not only is it amazing on its own, but it makes Volume 1 seem like a totally different movie.
LOVE Death Proof. The car chase scene at the end is incredible.
pulp fiction.
Kill Bill!
You gotta go with Pulp Fiction.
It may not be his best but my favorite Tarantino film is Inglourious Basterds. Tackling subjects like the Holocost and Hitler in 2009 in such a badass, stylized way that also remained respectful and very entertaining was quite a feat.
Kill Bill Vol. 1, it really makes you want to view KB Vol. 2!
I thought Django was his best so far, but Basterds and Pulp Fiction were damned close. I have yet to watch a Tarantino movie that wasn’t great though
Reservoir Dogs will always be a special one for me. My introduction to the man…
Pulp Fiction – always classic.
I must say Inglourious Basterds… It is by far the most fascinating movie I’ve ever seen.. the script, the irony,the drama, the revenge are the elements which makes this Tarantino’s creation a MASTERPIECE.