The only movies that made Quentin Tarantino break his golden rule of directing: “Passed that test, 110%”
As ironic as it sounds, the only thing that can stop Quentin Tarantino from watching movies is making one of his own. For someone who eats, sleeps, lives, and breathes cinema, it must take a herculean effort for the auteur to avoid the work of his contemporaries when he’s knee-deep in shooting.
That’s not to say the Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction architect sticks his fingers in his ears, drowns out the noise, and refuses to watch anything once he’s started production. However, he absolutely will not under any circumstances look at a film that’s even remotely connected, either tonally, narratively, or thematically, to the one he’s filming.
In a way, it makes sense. For such a voracious devourer of movies covering everything from the classics to the obscure, Tarantino probably doesn’t want to be subconsciously influenced by something he’s watched in his free time. For example, when he made Django Unchained and The Hateful Eight, he’d stay as far away from westerns as possible.
And yet, sometimes he just can’t help himself. Whether it’s curiosity, hype, or a desire to check in on the competition, the two-time Academy Award winner has only broken his self-imposed golden rule of directing three times, and on each occasion, he felt justified in going against his word because he enjoyed the hell out of them.
When Bertrand Travernier asked if he watches movies when he’s making one, Tarantino explained his process. “Yes, but not films that are related to the subject that I’m filming: those ones, I’ve already seen them,” he said. “But it’s gotta get my attention, because it could be my own rushes I was watching onscreen.”
In keeping with his reputation as a magpie of influences, inspiration, and personal favourites, the trio have nothing in common, although the last two do share a genre. “Up until now, only three movies have passed that test 110%,” he continued. “When I was filming Pulp Fiction, I loved Dazed and Confused by Richard Linklater.”
It’s not what anyone would consider a companion piece to his magnum opus, but Linklater’s coming-of-age classic has a damn sight more in common with Pulp Fiction than a sequel and a crossover have with his two-part roaring rampage of revenge.
“When I was filming Kill Bill in 2003, two horror films caught my attention: Final Destination 2 by David R Ellis, and Freddy vs Jason,” the writer and director elaborated. “That knocked me off my feet, but I’m a big fan of Ronny Yu, especially of The Bride with White Hair, which I really love.”
The Final Destination franchise is much more attuned with Death Proof than it is with Kill Bill, but what exactly does Freddy vs Jason have to do with Uma Thurman wreaking revenge on those who betrayed her and left her for dead? There are some sharp implements ideal for stabbing and maiming, sure, and plenty of blood, but these are Tarantino’s rules, and we’re not here to argue.
It’s not very good either, but anyone who knows anything about Tarantino is aware he loves some right old shite.
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