@@thebatman4279 judging by his conflict with Denzel on Crimson Tide, I highly doubt Tarantino is the kind of guy to get confrontational with people face-to-face.
I've just seen the film. I definitely enjoyed it more than Kermode but he's absolutely right about Tarantino's inability to reign himself in. Parts of the film feature some of his best work but other parts go on and on and on. It's much better than Kill Bill or Death Proof but it would've been 10x better if he had cut it down to 100 minutes.
Well he has said that Jackie Brown is his best film to date precisely because it's the only Tarantino film that goes beyond paying homage to a genre. With Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction, there was something fresh and exciting about his style. But with Kill Bill and Death Proof, it demonstrated that all the wit and invention was gone. What Kermode really wants for him to make more films like Jackie Brown, and personally I agree with that.
Everything after Jackie Brown he's continued to make his movies self absorbed where he cannot help himself. Django and Hateful Eight suffer the same problems.
Dear Mark, thank you so much!!! I agree with every word you say. He could be a great director, but he is just a big kid with too much freedom and nobody to tell him, when he fucks up.
Critics like Kermode seem like they don't even really like movies. It's like he goes out of his way to dislike a movie. It's like he walks in disliking it and will find every reason to dislike it and his interest in criticism seems less about genuinely deconstructing and understanding, and perhaps appreciating art and more-so just a launching pad for his own persona and waffling opinions. Critics like Mark just want to be celebrities, this review is disingenuous.
I read somewhere (from QT himself I think) that the original script for Inglourious Basterds came out to 6 hours long and that he had intended to make it into a miniseries, however Luc Besson had convinced him to make it into a film. So what we have is a film with scenes that have the pacing of a miniseries, but have been crammed into 2.5 hrs instead of 6 hours
I can see how that can be a problem for some, but for me it makes the work far more rewatchable. If it were a miniseries I'd just watch my favorite scenes on RU-vid.
Quentin's movies are not for everybody, nor should be - any piece of unique, individualistic art. IF you enjoy dialogue, IF you enjoy suspense and IF you enjoy a thrilling movie experience and all of those things individually, and as a combination and overall effect - I am banking that you will or will have gotten a deeply lasting kick out of this movie. People who think the dialogue is boring or too long clearly dislike or have a less interesting or less caring ear, for crackling dialogue.
Mark's impression of Tarantino proves how mature his film critism and depth of understanding even by just the attitude and speaking style of movie makers.
although I adore kermode's reviews, and i do, i feel his tarantino reviews reflect a personal agenda that are disguised by arbitrary comparisons with other films and personal attacks on his character
I can't say I find his fan boying as something bad, I remember when Kill Bill came out and it was part of the reason I took a interested in Japanese live action films that are not Kurosawa's. The down side often is when you know most of what he's steeling from, you realize what doesn't fit. He uses the theme music from Battle Without Honor or Humanity in kill bill, the theme is played if I remember right just before the big fight scene with the 88, The problem is that theme was originally played over images of the atomic bomb and it's aftermath in a film series based on real gang wars that has deeply nihilistic tone. He takes things without always understanding what they are, This is also shown when he takes the Lady Snoowblood's theme song and drops a mention of Lone Wolf and Cub, both are dark violent revenge stories.It's a problem that more I watch other films the more I notice.
I used to think that Kermode was too hard on Tarantino.....then I finally saw Kill Bill [1&2] a few years ago and everything he said finally made sense to me. Having said that, I liked Inglourious Basterds a bit more than him - primarily because I thought Diane Kruger was fantastic. It is [for all intents and purposes] a spaghetti western set in WW2 [although pretty much all Tarantino's movies are some form of spaghetti western so that's not a surprise]. My favorite scene involves Kruger, Michael Fassbender and the Basterd when they're undercover in a tavern.....it's somewhat similar to the opening scene that Kermode eludes to but I preferred it. He is absolutely correct that the film is totally ill disciplined - it is really a series of bits revolving around one setting rather than a rigorously coherent narrative. Also, I kind of feel that making a film episodic is quite lazy. I'd love to see if he could actually make a film that's around the 90 minute mark again.... The film's good fun though :)
A great artist is one who can challenge him or herself with every new work, even if they return to the same themes over and over again. Imagine if P.T. Anderson was still making ensemble films like Boogie Nights; we'd never have the masterpiece that was There Will Be Blood. All Tarantino needs to do is step out of his comfort zone and he could become a truly brilliant filmmaker.
ive disagreed with kermode before, but this is the first time ive thought less of him for a review. i dont get the bitter, personal attacks. i know its not on the same level (nothing is), but inglorious reminded me of once upon a time in the west. the. brutality, tension, rich colour palette, one liner dialogue, and general vibe all struck me as sergio-esque. and there aint no higher compliment than that.
ive got mates who are the same way with nolan. once theyre settled on the idea that something is rather overrated they hyperbolize how bad they are to a ridiculous degree just to get the point across. often see certain bands getting excessive criticism in a similar manner. its fine for a guy on the street to love to hate something, but a professional film critic should have some objectivity. marks repeated claims he wants to like tarintino films are so clearly b.s
Yes, yes, hear, hear! Did QT turn Kermode down for a interview? Piss on his rug? Steal the family cat? There is something in his reviews of recent QT films that seem almost personally subjective ,stemming from something aybe behind the scenes that we don't know about? One major complaint of his for INGLORIOUS BASTERDS & DJANGO is that they are too long. I must disagree with that. I would rather have much film of that quality than 100 shorter and less interesting films.
bathasleftthecave It isn't personal attacks, it's the truth. And of course Inglourious Basterds reminds you of Leone's work, Tarantino has ripped it straight off... Sergio Leone was a fucking genius of cinema, Quentin Tarantino is a fanboy who's dependent on other peoples work.
lol once upon a time is the biggest rip off compilation ever made. i don't have a problem with directors wearing thier influences on thier sleeves. if it's a good movie i don't care where it drew inspiration. serg and tarintino are both directors i would place in the very small club of guys who make "artful" blockbuster films
bathasleftthecave "If it's a good movie I don't care where it drew inspiration" - That I agree with, but, Inglourious Basterds is not a good movie in my opinion. The writing is awful and lacks focus, the directing and constant references to other films reminds me of movies I should be watching instead, and, well, the whole thing is just overly long, tedious and boring. Sure, some scenes are really good on their own, but as a whole the film is pretty damn bad - a joke compared to Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction and Jackie Brown. Castellari's Inglorious Bastards is way, way more entertaining. Mindless exploitation with no pretentions of being "artful".
It almost sounds like Mark Kermode is jealous. I understand what he says about a director being a fanboy instead of making a "real" film, but i dont think thats the case when it comes to this one. I mean, he brought up Mike Myers as a "fanboy" way of casting. Whats wrong with Mike Myers. He does a good job. creates an interesting character. Whats wrong with that? I think Kermode is angry because Tarantino does what ever he wants to do, and for some reason it pisses him of.
I love the impression of Quentin and Eli. "Stop it. STOP IT!" shouts Kermode with reference to Tarantino's self-indulgence. -"I feel like that when you are doing impressions."
I love Tarantino and I don't regret going to the cinema to see the film and I don't regret buying it on DVD but about an hour of the film is Tarantino poking his own arse over how great he thinks he is culminating in the subtle as a sledgehammer ' "this may be my masterpiece" A film by Quentin Tarantino' ending. Kermode hits the nail on the head once again.
@viralfunnies Does that mean you would never be critical of Justin Bieber, Manson or Hilter until you've either made an album, started a cult or taken over a country?
Dude, you miss the point. Tarantino is the best “cover” director of all time. He makes supremely entertaining films, great dialogue, great everything, but disposable. He likes trash and pulp fiction, and is the best at it.
Kermode looks up to lots of individualistic directors (Nolan springs to mind immediately), I think it's more that he feels Tarantino never questions his decisions and makes films without the discipline he feels they need.
Kermode is so out of his mind. He has a personal problem with Tarantino and that's it. He says the same ridiculous shit anytime he gets the chance to "review" a QT film...every character sounds like Tarantino..completely untrue. This time it's " he's undisciplined, doesn't understand scores/soundtracks" Eli Roth ruined it, Mike Myers ruined it...Mike Myers scene was an homage to fucking Austin Powers? Is this guy serious? I don't like Myers at all, but in no way did his presence ruin the film.
It is an attack but what he's saying is true. I was bored to tears at times during Inglorious Basterds. It's overly long, indulgent and doesn't do what it says on the tin.
I think every individual scene is brilliant on its own but the movie itself is far too long and drawn-out. I agree with Kermode that it's ill-disciplined, but I think I enjoyed it more than he did because there were enough extraordinary moments to keep me interested. I gave it a 7/10.
I think criticism is a vital part of any person ever being talented and making... whatever. Criticism has a two-fold role; a) it allows the talented person who's doing something an "from the side" look at their work, thus showing them where and how they could be even better, and b)it educates the audience to apply critical thinking and discriminatly consume better products. I think this is very important.
Comparisons to Kubrick are way off the mark! Kubrick was making a film critiquing the de-humanisation of man through the military. Tarantino made a film that celebrates militaristic dehumanisation, dehumanising the protagonist’s their foils and the audience that consumes it.
@Transformers2themax I think the biggest mistake Tarantino did during pre-production of Basterds was watching Paul Thomas Anderson's "There Will Be Blood", and loving it. TWBB was a masterpiece of minimalism where although some scenes seemingly went on forever, they all served a purpose in telling an epic story rich with themes. Tarantino took that concept and applied it profusely to his own project, except his is long-winded, empty, and at times down-right boring.
@Transformers2themax You said earlier "Your average German soldier at that time was neither a member nor a supporter of the Nazi Party". Well maybe, but Saving Private Ryan does NOT suggest otherwise. Hell, there's even a scene where a German soldier yells "Fuck Hitler!" If all this comes down to you objecting to taking sides in the war, that's your opinion, but it seems silly to me. The Nazi empire was so obviously evil, the American one wasn't. (Not at that stage, anyway.)
1. His use of pre-existing music is clearly a minor criticism of the film. 2. The tricks he used in Pulp Fiction were fresh and original at the time, and Jackie Brown was an obvious step forward in maturity. The problem is that Tarantino is relying on the same old tricks. You don't see Scorsese or P.T. Anderson making the same movie over and over again. No, they take risks.
I never did get why people love obvious references so much, does it make them feel smarter that they get them? I always loved The Simpsons (golden age anyway), but when all other fans were really up in their arms about an episode, I'd usually be thinking something like, "Okay, so they took The Shining/Cape Fear and summed it up in 10 minutes and added some twists, I get it. It had a good laugh or two, but really, what elevates this above other Simpsons episodes?"
He never said the movie was crap. He said that the film had great things in it but the film as a whole is baggy and overlong and over-indulgent. Makes sense to me.
@Transformers2themax I hate to break it to you, but Germany during the Nazi period was a rather negative place to be. It's hardly surprising that movies should use that fact for dramatic purposes. "...Actually just propaganda, but folks consider it realistic." I think it's safe to say that most SS men and concentration camp guards were deeply unpleasant people and those are the ones movies focus on. German civilians and Wehrmacht soldiers are very rarely demonized in movies.
@Transformers2themax "He likes subtle, generic, straight-to-the-point films." That statement is self-contradictory; are you sure you didn't mean "simple" instead of "subtle"?
True but generally he likes to balance out his projects and explore other areas of storytelling. For instance, he made Cape Fear and The Age of Innocence in between those two films. Even now, he has just followed the cop/criminal thriller The Departed with the gothic psychological horror movie, Shutter Island. He's much more willing to step out of his comfort zone.
Fanboys? So Steven Speilberg who directed Indiana Jones ,being a "fanboy" of adventure serial shorts was influence by the look and the style of films from that era, is he a goofy director?George Lucas took many influences from Japanese films, westerns, and serial adventures from the 40's to make Star wars. Is he a childish director? Last I heard he is a million dollar marketing genius. These critics really need to stop nit picking and come with real critiques. Hint.... Ebert!
He loved Star Trek and is a big champion of the Harry Potter franchise. He was the one critic who refused to join in on the Slumdog Millionaire backlash just as it was becoming the hit that it is. And maybe QT did cut a lot out of his screenplay; in my opinion he still could've cut more out of it. He's a critic expressing his own point-of-view. Why is it that fanboys love to personally attack anyone who disagrees with them? Who are the real snobs here?
What I hate is Kermode constantly referring to Tarantino being ill disciplined and his films being too baggy - but then not specifying where exactly this occurred. I realise that he was probably avoiding spoilers, but I'd like to know where others think it should've been cut back. I watched it for the umpteenth time last night on telly and was as engrossed in it as I was the first time I saw it on the big screen. Never once was I bored. Oh and is it only me that gets the irony that Kermode's reviews are totally ill disciplined and baggy? Happy to provide specifics if required.
Tarantino makes films about other films. His films are not about anything, really. The brutal truth he references other film-makers work because he has no real ideas of his own. Jackie Brown is his only truly original movie. I want to watch a film about characters and story, not a film about other films.
Fair enough. And hey, I'm not interested in starting flame wars like a lot of users here. You don't have to agree with Kermode; hell, I disagree with him quite often. He likes Paul Haggis' Crash!
Go back and watch all of the reviews for the twilight movies. You'll notice that he only said the first one worked, he didn't praise it, he said that it worked. That, I agree with 100%.
@Transformers2themax Listen to the review again -- he makes a very, very good point about the degeneracy of Tarantino's recent work (recent meaning post-Jackie Brown).
i don't know. i don't think i would like Inglorious Basterds if it was 90 minutes long and it had a normal story-line. what's fun about it is that there's a unique voice and intent to it. this is a case of someone going "i'd like things i don't like to be different so i'd like them".
@Transformers2themax "Nothing by Tarantino is a drama." That's not true, drama is integral to all films, even the lowest B-grade action flicks. Pulp Fiction is a great example of drama done well. Basterds had drama at times (especially the magnificent opening that Kermode himself praised), except the times when it's mired by boring characters eating strudel and yammering on about unimportant stuff that serves no purpose in the film.
People should stop seeing Kermode as a God. He is just a film critic and his words are just his opinion and he only just manages to stay on he right side of pretentious.
Director Quentin Tarantino delivers A very well acted, gruesome, stylish, well written, humourous & A very realistic war film. (86%) (4.5/5 stars) (positive)
@terratrema Lask of content duly noted. You've not substantiated any of your minimal counter arguments, answered any of my questions or explained what I have said that indicates that I am a Trotskyite.
@TulseLuper Well, Kevin Spacey almost made him cry by just joking around. If people had the attention span to acually listen and watch movies anymore, they might understand what a good movie is all about. Not just trash talking like they are the Gordon Ramsey's of film-making.
Tarantino's movies are getting worse. Self indulgent, juvenile wish-fulfillment twaddle. He needs to get back to story telling and be less obsessed with trying to get approval from black gangsters.
Rudi Leandro It's a shame. Reservoir Dogs, Pulp fiction and Jackie Brown were plotted masterfully and had great characters. He's crap these days - it annoys me that the fan-base lap it up and are less critical.
K Russell The 'Tarantino' fanboys/girls are the most stubborn group of worshippers I've ever come across. They're convinced that their glorious Tarantino is a God of film making, one of the greatest of all time, and anything that he makes (regardless of quality) is an absolute masterpiece. I truly think he's the most overrated director of all time... I'm not saying he's bad, he just doesn't deserve all the ridiculous praise he gets.
I couldn't disagree more with this review. It's awfully easy to say "he can do better" when you're sitting in a cushioned chair in a movie theater. I speak from experience when I say that making a movie is an extremely taxing project, both physically and mentally, especially when you are involved with every part of production as quentin is. If you don't make the movie that you want to make, then it's easy to give up. I think it's genius personally.
This is why I think the movie is irreponsible and propaganda. Ultra violence is legitamised through a crude play on jewish persecution. The audience cheers, claps and enjoys the torture and brutalisation of a de-humanised enemy in exactly the same way the nazi audiences did in the propganda films watched by them within the film. We all know the film is fictional and the war didn't end like that but all the more reason that Jews have to be strong and resoloute in their determination to keep
They have been good but I don't feel he allows himself to reach his full potential which I think is a shame. He could be a much better filmmaker if he didn't feel so bound by commercial success. Like I've said my main gripe with Basterds is the morally reprehensible political subtext not his craft. I'm not arguing the film was poorly made.
I didn't hate the film, like I thought I would: but he nails on the head here. Tarantino is just too self indulgent for his own good. I had other issues with the morality of the film, but I won't get into that here. . .