The TV series Quentin Tarantino bizarrely called Britain’s greatest export: “I watch it a lot”
For many film lovers, Quentin Tarantino is the quintessential Marmite director. You either love his chatty, highly aestheticised approach to stories about crime, revenge, violence, and heroism that pay homage to a bygone era of cinema, or you take any opportunity to slander his repetitive stylistic approach, perhaps his characterisation of women, or his self-indulgent dialogue.
Whether you love or loathe him, Tarantino has enjoyed a long and successful career as one of the biggest names of his generation. His style is instantly recognisable, regardless of the genre he’s working within – to the point that movies he has written but not directed, like True Romance and Natural Born Killers, still possess an overwhelming Tarantino edge. He established his mark on cinema from the very beginning, and over the course of more than 30 years, he has continued to assert himself as an auteur and one of few who possess mass appeal.
Tarantino speaks to a wide range of viewers because his style leans on a vibrant blend of old and new. As much as he utilises techniques associated with modern cinema, he also references classic movies through the use of various genres, actors, pieces of music, and themes. His revisionist western, Django Unchained (the title a reference to Sergio Corbucci’s 1966 film Django), demonstrated this by using the western genre to explore an angle that was not commonly depicted during the genre’s heyday.
Evidently, Tarantino draws inspiration from countless films, spanning both mainstream classics and obscure gems—a testament to the countless hours he has spent watching movies over the years. Captivated by cinema from a young age, Tarantino educated himself on the art of filmmaking by devouring any movie he could find. Before becoming a director, he further honed his encyclopedic knowledge of film while working at the Video Archives store in California.
With all that in mind, it’s clear that Tarantino has explored films from around the world, including many from the United Kingdom. Over the years, he’s expressed his admiration for a range of British movies, from The Yellow Balloon to Shaun of the Dead. However, it’s a British television show that he once described as “the greatest British import of this decade”. Of course, you’d be forgiven assuming he’s referring to one of the many acclaimed British series of recent years, such as Peaky Blinders, Happy Valley, Fleabag, or Killing Eve.
However, this is Tarantino we’re talking about, and sometimes you have to expect the unexpected. Talking to Empire, the filmmaker revealed, “I actually do like Peppa Pig; I watch it a lot. I’ll say it – Peppa Pig is the greatest British import of this decade.”
Having spent plenty of time watching the animated children’s show since becoming a father, Tarantino seems to understand why the show has remained so popular since it began airing in 2004. The show, which follows a four-year-old anthropomorphic pig as she attends school, plays with friends, and interacts with her family, is a worldwide sensation, having found popularity in hundreds of countries.
While it’s hard to imagine Tarantino watching Peppa Pig, let alone championing it as “the greatest British import of this decade,” we can hardly deny the show’s legacy as one of the most successful kids series of all time.
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