Quentin Tarantino names the element of ‘Reservoir Dogs’ that impressed him most
While it is hard to imagine a time when Hollywood’s now iconic Quentin Tarantino was merely a wildcard on the directorial scene, this was the case prior to the release of his debut feature flick, Reservoir Dogs, in 1992. Yet despite the dwindling of his status, the film would become a shining badge on his belt of beloved, bridging absurd, cult films.
However, what is arguably more absurd than even Tarantino’s cinematic style is the discovery of the director’s own reflective takeaways, gained upon watching his inaugural gangster film back, this time taking the seat of the observer. Starring a cast that would go on to harness a reoccurring arsenal for his later pace-making, Harvey Keitel adopted the role of Mr. White, while Steve Buscemi accepted Mr. Pink. But at the latter end of the film’s heist-for-hire rainbow was, of course, Mr. Orange, played veritably by Tim Roth.
Relatively unknown at the time, Roth has since chartered appearances in Rufus Norris’ Broken and Tarantino’s later The Hateful Eight. However, the actor’s low-key stature in the early 1990s was not the sole reason Tarantino was awed upon revisiting Reservoir Dogs.
With Reservoir Dogs a pinnacle for the cinematic strokes we now expect within the premiere of a Tarantino film, its purposely convoluted narrative and tendency to flick between timelines have proven an expected accolade in the eyes of other directors and also to Tarantino himself. But while the director has often been vocal at backing his ideas – once telling a Channel 4 interviewer, “I’m shutting your butt down” upon a seemingly critical line of questioning – his later revelation on Reservoir Dogs is comparatively enlightening and ultimately justified.
The film’s plot unfolds as an unfolding tale of a failed jewellery store robbery. Tarantino’s band of hired criminals secures the wanted gems but is soon intercepted by the cops, resulting in an on-street shoot-out and the eventual shooting of Mr. Orange. But despite the reassurance given by Mr. White (Harvey Keitel), Roth’s character proceeds to bleed out for the duration of the movie, staged in a warehouse.
In continuing the flashes from past to present and introducing a cop held hostage in the warehouse, it starts to clarify that the pack are amongst a seeming rat, explaining the police presence at the scene of the heist. As intended, Mr. Orange becomes a mere “lump” in the scene amid the ongoing drama, despite his continued presence and blood loss, as Tarantino told Film Comment in 1994.
Stating his success on his cinematic intentions, he explained that “one of the things that really came off was you just forgot Orange was in the room. It wasn’t like we were cheating by framing him out, he [just] doesn’t make the impression”. This explains why Tarantino’s ultimate satisfaction as an audience member came when the plot of the film took hold, clarifying that Roth’s character was the double-crosser all along, leading him to shoot Mr. Blonde in a shocking revelation.
As the director concludes, “The whole thing as a writer was to constantly throw something new in their path. So, when Orange shoots him, it’s a real jolt”.
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