Quentin Tarantino: Interviews, Revised and Updated

Conversations With Filmmakers Series

by Gerald Peary (Editor)

Here, in his own colorful, slangy words, is the true American Dream saga of a self-proclaimed "film geek," with five intense years working in a video store, who became one of the most popular, recognizable, and imitated of all filmmakers. His dazzling, movie-informed work makes Quentin Tarantino's reputation, from his breakout film, Reservoir Dogs (1992), through Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) and Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004), his enchanted homages to Asian action cinema, to his rousing tribute to guys-on-a-mission World War II movie, Inglourious Basterds (2009). For those who prefer a more mature, contemplative cinema, Tarantino provided the tender, very touching Jackie Brown (1997). A masterpiece--Pulp Fiction (1994). A delightful mash of unabashed exploitation and felt social consciousness--his latest opus, Django Unchained (2012).

From the beginning, Tarantino (b. 1963)--affable, open, and enthusiastic about sharing his adoration of movies--has been a journalist's dream. Quentin Tarantino: Interviews, revised and updated with twelve new interviews, is a joy to read cover to cover because its subject has so much interesting and provocative to say about his own movies and about cinema in general, and also about his unusual life. He is frank and revealing about growing up in Los Angeles with a single, half-Cherokee mother, and dropping out of ninth grade to take acting classes. Lost and confused, he still managed a gutsy ambition: young Quentin decided he would be a filmmaker.

Tarantino has conceded that Ordell (Samuel L. Jackson), the homicidal African American con man in Jackie Brown, is an autobiographical portrait. "If I hadn't wanted to make movies, I would have ended up as Ordell," Tarantino has explained. "I wouldn't have been a postman or worked at the phone company. . . . I would have gone to jail."

Genres: Film, Nonfiction

242 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having most recently spent a lot of time reading David Lynch stuff, it was super thrilling to dive into a director who talks about his films and film in general so capaciously.
That said, I wish the collection had Quentin interviews or conversations that were less publicity focused around film releases. I've heard him get so eloquent and concise in podcasts and these interviews fall way short of those because it's not the genre of the interviews for press, and that's what's included here.

[SHUiZMZ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy interviews on directors and Tarantino is a major film geek before his notoriety as a director and screenwriter and enjoy hearing him talk about all the movies he loves. Also interesting hearing his book recommendations and author preferences.

[🕳️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quentin Tarantino is amazingly eloquent. A very cultured man. I learned many interesting stuffs reading the book.

The most impressive thing so far is his intuition. He seems to want to do everything in a certain way, in a correct time and space, which can be incomprehensible. It's like the touch-move rule in chess: Once you've decided to do it, you have to do it. Should something be done differently, it simply wouldn't be as good as it is. As per his comment on 'Natural Born Killers':

"Look, Quentin, would you be interested in doing this as a follow-up to Reservoir Dogs?" And my answer was no. I didn't want to do either one of them because they were both written to be my first film and by then I'd made my first film. I didn't want to go backwards and do old stuff. I think of them as like old girlfriends: I loved them but I didn't want to marry them any more.

He probably has a lust for life. When he films, colors must be bold and light must be ample. His diet smoothie comes with a Mountain Dew...

[Arthur Cravan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, I of course wish it was longer & covered more ground, but I still got plenty out of this.