The infamous flop Quentin Tarantino adores: “That’s the film that everybody says is crap?”
The 1990s was a great time for American cinema. A wave of indie movies emerged, demonstrating that movies made on low budgets with interesting stylistic choices and featuring daring themes could find success. The era was comparable to the ‘New Hollywood’ boom, with these indie movies standing in opposition to some of the blockbuster epics that were being shoved down consumers’ throats. Quentin Tarantino was one of the main figures from this era, releasing Reservoir Dogs to equal shock and acclaim in 1992.
Featuring unforgiving violence, a retro soundtrack, and witty dialogue, the movie announced Tarantino’s unavoidable entrance into the film industry, and he has been an influential mainstay ever since. With his next feature, Pulp Fiction, his dominance over Hollywood became even greater. Made on a budget of around $8million, the movie grossed a whopping $213.9million, becoming one of the most important indie movies of all time. With its ensemble cast, which included actors like John Travolta and Bruce Willis, Tarantino’s film was stylish, fun, and brutal, cementing him as a vital cinematic voice.
The filmmaker has continued to make movies to great success, from Kill Bill to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Not only has Tarantino become one of the most popular filmmakers of his generation, but he is also known for his outspokenness and willingness to share his opinions on practically any movie you can think of. If you looked up ‘cinephile’ in the dictionary, you’d find a photo of Tarantino – the filmmaker has seen countless movies and gained a near encyclopedic knowledge as a result.
No movie is off-limits for Tarantino. He’ll watch and express his opinion on nearly anything, from Hong Kong action movies to American rom-coms. Sometimes, these opinions aren’t exactly in line with the general consensus among critics. If Tarantino likes a movie, he’ll give his honest opinion, and that was certainly the case when he expressed his thoughts on the 2013 flop The Lone Ranger.
The movie was directed by Gore Verbinski, also known for making several Pirates of the Caribbean movies, The Ring, and Rango. Unfortunately for the director, his attempt to make a Western went terribly, failing to make back the massive $250million budget. Despite starring some significant actors, like Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, and Armie Hammer, the film was criticised for everything, from its messy script to bad performances. Tarantino ended up being one of the few people with something positive to say, although his review didn’t come without complaints, too.
“The first forty-five minutes are excellent …the next forty-five minutes are a little soporific. It was a bad idea to split the bad guys in two groups; it takes hours to explain, and nobody cares. Then comes the train scene—incredible! When I saw it, I kept thinking, ‘What, that’s the film that everybody says is crap? Seriously?,” he told Les Inrockuptibles.
“That being said, I still have a little problem with the film. I like Tonto’s backstory—the idea that his tribe got slaughtered because of him; that’s a real comic-book thing. But the slaughter of the tribe, by gunfire, from the cavalry, it left a bitter taste in my mouth. The Indians have really been victims of a genocide. So slaughtering them again in an entertaining movie, Buster Keaton style… That ruined the fun a bit for me. I simply found it…ugly,” he concluded.
Never Miss A Take
The Far Out Quentin Tarantino Newsletter
All the latest Quentin Tarantino content from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.