Introduction
Hollywood is a place where many talented or, at least, lucky people demonstrate their skills and gain popularity. Some individuals need more time to be recognized in the film industry, and Quentin Tarantino is one of those whose road was not quite fast but efficient. Today, this filmmaker is known around the globe for his works like Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, Inglourious Basterds, and The Hateful Eight. In fact, there are several movies like Four Rooms and Sin City where Tarantino was a partial director (one or several segments) and several films where he acted like From Dusk till Dawn or Desperado. He is not just a successful actor or director but a person who was able to shape the filmmaking industry and approve his style in world cinema.
Research Problem
The analysis of Tarantino’s work is crucial for film studies due to the impact this man had on the audience and other filmmakers. From the very beginning of his directing career, Tarantino proved the right of sinister criminal dramas and horrors for existence. He showed how the aesthetics of violence could look like and attract the attention of millions of people. At this moment, much research has been done about the cultural, psychological, and technological aspects of Tarantino’s movies. However, not many researchers focus on his global impact on the movie industry. Therefore, a theme of my future scientific research will be the impact of Tarantino on world cinema to explain what achievements and aspects of his work should be recognized.
Research Background
Today, it is not difficult to find scholarly and popular articles about Quentin Tarantino and his contributions. There are many books and video files on the topic, and TV programs are created to analyze the peculiarities of his work. I want to surf several scholarly journals and online magazines to reveal what people with different backgrounds think about Tarantino. There are nine independently directed movies in his collection, and the last one, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, scored the biggest box office results and multiple controversies (Pagello 2). Regarding his successful career in filmmaking, a new adjective was introduced in the Collins English Dictionary, “Tarantinoesque,” to underline his impact (Hoad). Thus, certain Tarantinoesque techniques may be observed in movies made in different parts of the world. For example, there is a tendency to introduce unpredictable story structures and neglect all standards of narration like it was done in Pulp Fiction. Violence that was stylistically presented in Kill Bill is now observed in many popular movies like another form of art. Finally, the use of derivative shots and light adds a special spice to Tarantino’s movies.
Tarantino’s Works
There are many reasons to recognize the words of Tarantino among other American projects, and the evaluation of violence is one of them. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood proves a high level of the aesthetics of cinematic violence, which allows manipulating the audience’s reaction (Pagello 21). Kornhaber admits that this story exposes the truth of moviemaking in different decades. Instead of thinking about the cinematic golden age as something pure and perfect, Tarantino offers to find out the relation between onscreen and actual violence (Kornhaber). The worth of Tarantino’s work is an ability to combine reality, action, and fiction and create a story of full value. In addition, he is not afraid to raise the topics that most people are afraid of or ashamed of due to their amorality. Male rape, overdose, and debauchery destroy all the ideals of a good life. Still, these topics help Tarantino to use the audience’s feelings as his instruments (Hsieh). The results are unpredictable, which increases the ratings and value of all his nine movies.
Opinions
Due to the style chosen by Tarantino for his movies, it is normal to see different reactions and attitudes towards his works. Some people find these films too offensive and unnecessary oppositions to contemporary cinema (Pandolfo et al. 2). At the same time, his mastery of implementing a psychoanalytical perspective and managing classical genres and conventions with unique ideological aspects fascinates (Pandolfo et al. 2). Bean offers to concentrate on every little detail in Tarantino’s movies as there is always something to learn about the artist from his works. In one of his interviews, Tarantino said, “The more I hide it, the more revealing I can be” (qtd. in Bean). According to James, Inglourious Basters is a masterpiece where “classical realism” and “pure movie fantasy” are properly combined. The success of Tarantino is his unpredictability through the prism of violence, reality, humor, and sarcasm. He does not try to establish new rules and make someone else follow his methods. His goal is to communicate with the audience, and world cinema could take a lot of lessons from this simple still effective step.
Research Plan
Regarding the legacy Tarantino offers to the filmmaking industry, his works have to be examined from new perspectives. My research plan is worth attention because it includes the analysis of the filmmaker’s personal life and professional growth, the depiction of lifelong changes in movies, and the creation of a unique style. My goals are not only to retell Tarantino’s story and add it to the world cinema but to take particular events and study them thoroughly in regard to their potential impact on other filmmakers. Archival research allows learning what different people think about Tarantino and his contributions to the industry. Personal observations and secondary research are appropriate because it is necessary to use the already done works (movies) and define their impact on filmmakers from different countries. In total, there will be three main areas in my study: personal information, archival data, and secondary evaluation. Tarantino introduced many specific techniques in his movies, and my task is to find similar approaches in other films, which will prove the level of his influence on the ways of how movies are made.
Conclusion
Since Tarantino released his first movie, Reservoir Dogs, people could enjoy eight more works where this ingenious filmmaker used strong musical background, unpredictable storylines, and professional camera movements. People could hate or adore his movies, but the truth is it is hard to stay indifferent to this form of art. Tarantinoesque techniques captivate and challenge many independent movie makers around the globe. That is why my goal is to learn the details of Tarantino’s work, including his past, education, and early career steps, and explain how his experience shaped his style. Then, I want to reveal the main characteristics of his works and the ways how he made movies in order to clarify what world cinema is still under the impact of Tarantino’s movies. There are many influential figures in the movie industry, and Quentin Tarantino is surely one of those whose contributions have to be recognized at a global level.
Works Cited
Bean, Travis. “Rewriting History: The Psychology Behind Quentin Tarantino’s Box Office Power.” Forbes, Web.
Hoad, Phil. “Is Quentin Tarantino the World’s Most Influential Director?” The Guardian, Web.
Hsieh, Ian. “How Mr Quentin Tarantino Changed Cinema.” Mr. Porter, Web.
James, Caryn. “Why Inglourious Basters Is Quentin Tarantino’s Masterpiece.” BBC, Web.
Kornhaber, Spencer. “Quentin Tarantino’s Ultimate Statement on Movie Violence.” The Atlantic, Web.
Pagello, Federico. Quentin Tarantino and Film Theory: Aesthetics and Dialectics in Late Postmodernity. Palgrave Macmillan, 2020.
Pandolfo, Ana Cristina, et al. “Reality and Fiction – Tarantino’s Filmography on the Couch.” The International Journal of Psychoanalysis, vol. 99, no. 3, 2018, pp. 756-764.