Quentin Tarantino is frequently cited as one of the best living directors in Hollywood. Through films like "Reservoir Dogs" and "Pulp Fiction," he demonstrated his encyclopedic understanding of movies and his ability to remix familiar genres in original ways. In a 1994 interview with Empire, (via Far Out Magazine), Tarantino freely admitted, "I steal from every single movie ever made. I love it — if my work has anything it's that I'm taking this from this and that from that and mixing them together."
Throughout his career, Tarantino has recreated popular sequences by Federico Fellini, John Ford, and Mike Nichols, just to name a few. He created his own distinctive style by blending these familiar images with shocking violence, witty dialogue, oddball protagonists, and impeccable needle drops. By watching and mimicking great films, Tarantino learned to craft successful characters and stories, and he also knows how it looks when it's done badly.
Throughout his career, Tarantino has recreated popular sequences by Federico Fellini, John Ford, and Mike Nichols, just to name a few. He created his own distinctive style by blending these familiar images with shocking violence, witty dialogue, oddball protagonists, and impeccable needle drops. By watching and mimicking great films, Tarantino learned to craft successful characters and stories, and he also knows how it looks when it's done badly.
- 10/14/2022
- by Christian Gainey
- Slash Film
Following the success of “Reservoir Dogs” and his screenplay for “True Romance,” Quentin Tarantino got an offer from Miramax to write the sixth film in the “Halloween” horror movie franchise. Tarantino reveals in a new interview with Consequence of Sound that he never got started on the script but he did kick around a few ideas of what would happen. “Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers” (1989) ended with a mysterious man in black breaking the killer Michael Myers out of jail. It would have been up to Tarantino to figure out who the man in black is and what he and Michael Myers do next.
“Yeah, I was like, ‘Leave that scene where [the Man in Black] shows up, alright, and freeze Michael Myers,'” Tarantino said. “And so the only thing that I had in my mind, I still hadn’t figured out who that dude was, was like the first 20 minutes...
“Yeah, I was like, ‘Leave that scene where [the Man in Black] shows up, alright, and freeze Michael Myers,'” Tarantino said. “And so the only thing that I had in my mind, I still hadn’t figured out who that dude was, was like the first 20 minutes...
- 12/17/2019
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
From director James Yukich (Shawn Mendes: Live at the Greek Theatre), producers Don Murphy, Jane Hamsher (From Hell) and Alan Schechter (Showdown), with a screenplay written by Michael Davis (Shoot ‘Em Up) and Emmy Award Winner Peter Gould comes Double Dragon, the cult classic movie based on the video game smash hit.
Double Dragon roars to life with amazing special effects, spectacular action sequences, and a knock-about sense of humor. It’s the year 2007, and what remains of La is now ”New Angeles”, a city ravaged by earthquakes, tidal waves and vicious gangs. The evil tycoon Koga Shuko is obsessed with finding the two halves of a talisman known as the ”Double Dragon”, which will give him awesome mystical powers. Two teenaged brothers, Jimmy and Billy Lee find themselves in possession of the amulet’s missing half, thrusting them into the adventure of their lives. With the help of...
Double Dragon roars to life with amazing special effects, spectacular action sequences, and a knock-about sense of humor. It’s the year 2007, and what remains of La is now ”New Angeles”, a city ravaged by earthquakes, tidal waves and vicious gangs. The evil tycoon Koga Shuko is obsessed with finding the two halves of a talisman known as the ”Double Dragon”, which will give him awesome mystical powers. Two teenaged brothers, Jimmy and Billy Lee find themselves in possession of the amulet’s missing half, thrusting them into the adventure of their lives. With the help of...
- 12/14/2018
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
“I just want total domination of one major American City! Is that too much to ask for? Is it? Is it? Huh?” The ’90s are back! The Double Dragon (1994) Collector’s Edition Blu-ray and DVD will be coming on January 22nd as part of the “Mvd Rewind Collection”. Pre-order information can be found Here Who can forget this masterpiece?!?
From director James Yukich (Shawn Mendes: Live at the Greek Theatre), producers Don Murphy(Transformers, Natural Born Killers), Jane Hamsher (From Hell) and Alan Schechter (Showdown), with a screenplay written by Michael Davis (Shoot ‘Em Up) and Emmy® Award Winner Peter Gould (Better Call Saul, Breaking Bad) comes the cult classic movie based on the video game smash hit.
Double Dragon roars to life with amazing special effects, spectacular action sequences, and a knock-about sense of humor. It’s the year 2007, and what remains of La is now ”New Angeles”, a city ravaged by earthquakes,...
From director James Yukich (Shawn Mendes: Live at the Greek Theatre), producers Don Murphy(Transformers, Natural Born Killers), Jane Hamsher (From Hell) and Alan Schechter (Showdown), with a screenplay written by Michael Davis (Shoot ‘Em Up) and Emmy® Award Winner Peter Gould (Better Call Saul, Breaking Bad) comes the cult classic movie based on the video game smash hit.
Double Dragon roars to life with amazing special effects, spectacular action sequences, and a knock-about sense of humor. It’s the year 2007, and what remains of La is now ”New Angeles”, a city ravaged by earthquakes,...
- 12/13/2018
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Mark Harrison Aug 17, 2017
Anyone for monkey baseball? We examine the weird and wonderful unmade scripts of the Planet Of The Apes series
In 2006, screenwriters Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver were inspired by footage of domesticated chimpanzees who were unable to adjust to our lifestyles to write a sci-fi horror spec script that they called Genesis. Apparently, it was a while before the two of them realised that they were writing a Planet Of The Apes movie.
Their resultant pitch to 20th Century Fox led to 2011's Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes, the excellent, emotional prequel/reboot of the franchise that led to 2014's Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes and recent trilogy topper, War For The Planet Of The Apes. Together, the three films take Caesar from domestication to domination and have been huge critical and financial hits for the studio.
The development hell that plagued Fox's...
Anyone for monkey baseball? We examine the weird and wonderful unmade scripts of the Planet Of The Apes series
In 2006, screenwriters Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver were inspired by footage of domesticated chimpanzees who were unable to adjust to our lifestyles to write a sci-fi horror spec script that they called Genesis. Apparently, it was a while before the two of them realised that they were writing a Planet Of The Apes movie.
Their resultant pitch to 20th Century Fox led to 2011's Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes, the excellent, emotional prequel/reboot of the franchise that led to 2014's Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes and recent trilogy topper, War For The Planet Of The Apes. Together, the three films take Caesar from domestication to domination and have been huge critical and financial hits for the studio.
The development hell that plagued Fox's...
- 8/15/2017
- Den of Geek
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Looking for good books about the movies to read? We've got a bumper selection of recommendations right here...
A confession. I actually started writing this article in 2013, and the reason you've only reading it now is that I've made sure I've read every book on this list, save for one or two where I've marked otherwise. As such, what you're getting is a very personal list of recommendations. Each of these books has at least something to it that I think is of interest to someone wanting to learn more about film - or just enjoy stories of movie making.
I've tended to avoid picture books, with one exception, as these ones I've chosen are all intended to be chock-full of words, to relax with at the end of a long day. Which is what I did. There are one or two notable omissions, as I'm still...
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Looking for good books about the movies to read? We've got a bumper selection of recommendations right here...
A confession. I actually started writing this article in 2013, and the reason you've only reading it now is that I've made sure I've read every book on this list, save for one or two where I've marked otherwise. As such, what you're getting is a very personal list of recommendations. Each of these books has at least something to it that I think is of interest to someone wanting to learn more about film - or just enjoy stories of movie making.
I've tended to avoid picture books, with one exception, as these ones I've chosen are all intended to be chock-full of words, to relax with at the end of a long day. Which is what I did. There are one or two notable omissions, as I'm still...
- 12/10/2015
- by simonbrew
- Den of Geek
Simon Brew Aug 26, 2019
Not all publicity is good publicity, as Coca Cola found out in Natural Born Killers, a film that changed the way brands worked with movies.
In Jane Hamsher's excellent book, Killer Instinct, the producer charts the difficult path she and Don Murphy had in bringing Natural Born Killers to the big screen. Natural Born Killers was, of course, originally a Quentin Tarantino screenplay, one that changed dramatically when Oliver Stone signed up to direct the movie.
Tarantino sold the rights to the movie for $10,000 after he'd tried to set the project up himself--this was before the Oscar-winning success of Pulp Fiction--and he would regret the decision. That said, rumors that he held animosity toward Stone himself were just that. In interviews since, Tarantino has always been respectful toward the Platoon director.
Back to Killer Instinct though: There are a couple of passages in the book...
Not all publicity is good publicity, as Coca Cola found out in Natural Born Killers, a film that changed the way brands worked with movies.
In Jane Hamsher's excellent book, Killer Instinct, the producer charts the difficult path she and Don Murphy had in bringing Natural Born Killers to the big screen. Natural Born Killers was, of course, originally a Quentin Tarantino screenplay, one that changed dramatically when Oliver Stone signed up to direct the movie.
Tarantino sold the rights to the movie for $10,000 after he'd tried to set the project up himself--this was before the Oscar-winning success of Pulp Fiction--and he would regret the decision. That said, rumors that he held animosity toward Stone himself were just that. In interviews since, Tarantino has always been respectful toward the Platoon director.
Back to Killer Instinct though: There are a couple of passages in the book...
- 12/11/2013
- Den of Geek
Feature Simon Brew 11 Dec 2013 - 06:58
Not all publicity is good publicity, as Coca Cola found out in Natural Born Killers, a film that changed the way brands worked with movies
In Jane Hamsher's excellent book, Killer Instinct, the producer charts the difficult path she and Don Murphy had in bringing Natural Born Killers to the big screen. Natural Born Killers was, of course, originally a Quentin Tarantino screenplay, one that changed dramatically when Oliver Stone signed up to direct the movie.
Tarantino sold the rights to the film for $10,000 after he'd tried to set the project up himself - this was before the Oscar-winning success of Pulp Fiction - and would regret the decision. That said, rumours that he held animosity towards Oliver Stone himself were just that. In interviews since, Tarantino has always been respectful towards him.
Back to Killer Instinct, though. There are a couple of...
Not all publicity is good publicity, as Coca Cola found out in Natural Born Killers, a film that changed the way brands worked with movies
In Jane Hamsher's excellent book, Killer Instinct, the producer charts the difficult path she and Don Murphy had in bringing Natural Born Killers to the big screen. Natural Born Killers was, of course, originally a Quentin Tarantino screenplay, one that changed dramatically when Oliver Stone signed up to direct the movie.
Tarantino sold the rights to the film for $10,000 after he'd tried to set the project up himself - this was before the Oscar-winning success of Pulp Fiction - and would regret the decision. That said, rumours that he held animosity towards Oliver Stone himself were just that. In interviews since, Tarantino has always been respectful towards him.
Back to Killer Instinct, though. There are a couple of...
- 12/10/2013
- by sarahd
- Den of Geek
Not content with cliché year-end wrap pieces, the voracious political media machine has resorted to reanimating the rotting corpses of memes past. Now, not only do we now have to avoid the stumbling, vacant groans of "Brains!" from Birther queen Orly Taitz, MSNBC's The Dylan Ratigan Show has also thrust open the cemetery gates for "Death Panels." Using a report from Newsmax (Newsmax!) as its impetus, a panel that includes Jonathan Alter, Jane Hamsher, and Matt Lewis kicks the Death Panels around for awhile, but fails to deliver the requisite double-tap.
- 12/28/2010
- by Tommy Christopher
- Mediaite - TV
Film review: 'Permanent Midnight'
In "Permanent Midnight", based on the autobiographical Jerry Stahl book of the same name, Ben Stiller plays a permanently strung-out Hollywood TV writer wallowing in a wildly destructive love-hate relationship with heroin.
Call it "Leaving Los Angeles".
While the picture sees itself as a black comedy, there's a tiresome, self-absorbed smugness coursing through its needle-punctured veins. Not that there isn't a place for another addiction movie, but there's a been-there, done-that feel to writer-director David Veloz's approach that will likely have audiences turning elsewhere for their entertainment fix.
For his third big-screen appearance of the summer (after "There's Something About Mary" and "Your Friends & Neighbors"), Stiller turns in a committed if somewhat one-note performance as Stahl's alter-ego. Missing is any tangible trace of warmth or likability that would keep viewers' sympathies in tow despite his constant, self-indulgent screw-ups.
Instead, one watches with growing disinterest as Jerry sabotages his career (as a writer on a thinly veiled version of "ALF"), his marriage of convenience to his British wife (Elizabeth Hurley) and his relationship with their newborn child.
To further erode the involvement factor, first-time director Veloz, who shared screenwriting credits on "Natural Born Killers", structures Stahl's odyssey as one big flashback, restlessly moving back and forth in time as he spins the story of his life to Kitty (Maria Bello), a fellow user and potential love interest, from their cheap hotel room. Again, any willingness to connect with the film is thwarted by all the intrusive shifting and narration.
Despite the liabilities, "Permanent Midnight" is not without a few inspired sequences, including one speed-induced scene during which Jerry and his dealer constantly slam their bodies against a high-rise plate glass window. In another surreal instance, he's pulled over by a perplexed cop for going what looks like 5 mph down an empty street in a seriously drugged-up state, oblivious to the baby, in a day-old diaper, at his side.
The supporting cast also have their moments. Hurley is convincing as Jerry's green-card bride who nevertheless falls in love with him and initially tries to help him overcome his problems. Also good are Liz Torres as another of his drug buddies and Janeane Garofalo as an agent who's a fan of his work. The real Stahl pops up in a cameo as a jaded doctor.
On the other end of the camera, cinematographer Robert Yeoman, who effectively evoked heroin's purple haze in Gus Van Sant's "Drugstore Cowboy", does yeoman work here. And aural contributions from the likes of Prodigy, Moby and Morcheeba add an appropriately wired texture to composer Daniel Licht's trippy score.
PERMANENT MIDNIGHT
Artisan Entertainment
Director-screenwriter: David Veloz
Producers: Jane Hamsher, Don Murphy
Based on the book by: Jerry Stahl
Executive producer: Yalda Yehranian
Director of photography: Robert Yeoman
Production designer: Jerry Fleming
Editors: Steven Weisberg, Cara Silverman
Costume designers: Louise Mingenbach,
Lori Eskowitz
Music composer: Daniel Licht
Music supervisor: Jeff Rabhan
Casting: Ronnie Yeskel, Richard Hicks
Color/stereo
Cast:
Jerry: Ben Stiller
Sandra: Elizabeth Hurley
Jana: Janeane Garofalo
Kitty: Maria Bello
Nicky: Owen C. Wilson
Vola: Lourdes Benedicto
Craig Ziffer: Fred Willard
Dita: Liz Torres
Running time -- 97 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
Call it "Leaving Los Angeles".
While the picture sees itself as a black comedy, there's a tiresome, self-absorbed smugness coursing through its needle-punctured veins. Not that there isn't a place for another addiction movie, but there's a been-there, done-that feel to writer-director David Veloz's approach that will likely have audiences turning elsewhere for their entertainment fix.
For his third big-screen appearance of the summer (after "There's Something About Mary" and "Your Friends & Neighbors"), Stiller turns in a committed if somewhat one-note performance as Stahl's alter-ego. Missing is any tangible trace of warmth or likability that would keep viewers' sympathies in tow despite his constant, self-indulgent screw-ups.
Instead, one watches with growing disinterest as Jerry sabotages his career (as a writer on a thinly veiled version of "ALF"), his marriage of convenience to his British wife (Elizabeth Hurley) and his relationship with their newborn child.
To further erode the involvement factor, first-time director Veloz, who shared screenwriting credits on "Natural Born Killers", structures Stahl's odyssey as one big flashback, restlessly moving back and forth in time as he spins the story of his life to Kitty (Maria Bello), a fellow user and potential love interest, from their cheap hotel room. Again, any willingness to connect with the film is thwarted by all the intrusive shifting and narration.
Despite the liabilities, "Permanent Midnight" is not without a few inspired sequences, including one speed-induced scene during which Jerry and his dealer constantly slam their bodies against a high-rise plate glass window. In another surreal instance, he's pulled over by a perplexed cop for going what looks like 5 mph down an empty street in a seriously drugged-up state, oblivious to the baby, in a day-old diaper, at his side.
The supporting cast also have their moments. Hurley is convincing as Jerry's green-card bride who nevertheless falls in love with him and initially tries to help him overcome his problems. Also good are Liz Torres as another of his drug buddies and Janeane Garofalo as an agent who's a fan of his work. The real Stahl pops up in a cameo as a jaded doctor.
On the other end of the camera, cinematographer Robert Yeoman, who effectively evoked heroin's purple haze in Gus Van Sant's "Drugstore Cowboy", does yeoman work here. And aural contributions from the likes of Prodigy, Moby and Morcheeba add an appropriately wired texture to composer Daniel Licht's trippy score.
PERMANENT MIDNIGHT
Artisan Entertainment
Director-screenwriter: David Veloz
Producers: Jane Hamsher, Don Murphy
Based on the book by: Jerry Stahl
Executive producer: Yalda Yehranian
Director of photography: Robert Yeoman
Production designer: Jerry Fleming
Editors: Steven Weisberg, Cara Silverman
Costume designers: Louise Mingenbach,
Lori Eskowitz
Music composer: Daniel Licht
Music supervisor: Jeff Rabhan
Casting: Ronnie Yeskel, Richard Hicks
Color/stereo
Cast:
Jerry: Ben Stiller
Sandra: Elizabeth Hurley
Jana: Janeane Garofalo
Kitty: Maria Bello
Nicky: Owen C. Wilson
Vola: Lourdes Benedicto
Craig Ziffer: Fred Willard
Dita: Liz Torres
Running time -- 97 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
- 9/14/1998
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Film review: 'Apt Pupil'
More than a few eyebrows were raised when Bryan Singer revealed that he was planning to follow up his acclaimed "The Usual Suspects" with a Stephen King novella.
But Singer, working from an adaptation by first-time screenwriter Brandon Boyce, does it up right. An effectively chilling and quite disturbing psychological thriller, "Apt Pupil" is the best screen King in years and further evidence of Singer's potential as a filmmaker of considerable ability.
Screened this week at the Venice International Film Festival, the TriStar picture, though certain to spark controversy over its unflinching Holocaust themes, is apt to do some sturdy boxoffice when it arrives in theaters next month on the strength of excellent word-of-mouth and critical response.
As with "The Usual Suspects", Singer knows how to put together one terrific cast. Brad Renfro displays a deft clarity of character as 16-year-old Todd Bowden, an intense high school student who becomes obsessed with the Holocaust. When history class studies aren't enough to satisfy his burning curiosity, he spends his after-school hours in the library poring over reams of documentation.
Todd ends up getting more than he bargained for when he spots an elderly bus passenger (Ian McKellan), whom he recognizes from an SS photograph. After doing a little detective work involving dusting a mailbox for fingerprints, Todd goes to the man's house with the evidence.
The boy blackmails the elusive Nazi war criminal into providing the gory details of his past atrocities in exchange for his silence. But the compliant Kurt Dussander, or Arthur Denker as he is now known, proves to be neither as weak or as threatened as he would at first appear. Warning Todd that he's playing with fire, it soon becomes clear that both are in possession of a full box of matches, and the interchangeable game of cat and mouse that ensues makes for riveting viewing.
Singer and screenwriter Boyce keep it involving and unsettling, particularly in their decision to make the Renfro character a bit of a cipher. It remains (for the most part) deliberately unclear whether his actions stem from an overactive curiosity or something much darker or pathological.
There's a bit of Hitchcock in Singer's technical approach that suits the shades-of-gray material. That vibe is also captured by composer-editor John Ottman (who also wore both hats for "The Usual Suspects"), who works director of photography Newton Thomas Sigel's crisp, clean visuals into a rhythmic synergy with his thematically complex score.
APT PUPIL
Sony Pictures Releasing
TriStar Pictures
Phoenix Pictures presents
a Bad Hat Harry production
A Bryan Singer film
Director: Bryan Singer
Producers: Jane Hamsher,
Don Murphy, Bryan Singer
Screenwriter: Brandon Boyce
Based on the novella "Apt Pupil" by: Stephen King
Executive producer: Tim Harbert
Director of photography: Newton Thomas Sigel
Production designer: Richard Hoover
Editor: John Ottman
Costume designer: Louise Mingenbach
Music: John Ottman
Casting: Francine Maisler, Kathryn Eisenstein
Color/stereo
Cast:
Kurt Dussander: Ian McKellen
Todd Bowden: Brad Renfro
Richard Bowden: Bruce Davison
Archie: Elias Koteas
Ed French: David Schwimmer
Monica Bowden: Ann Dowd
Running time -- 117 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
But Singer, working from an adaptation by first-time screenwriter Brandon Boyce, does it up right. An effectively chilling and quite disturbing psychological thriller, "Apt Pupil" is the best screen King in years and further evidence of Singer's potential as a filmmaker of considerable ability.
Screened this week at the Venice International Film Festival, the TriStar picture, though certain to spark controversy over its unflinching Holocaust themes, is apt to do some sturdy boxoffice when it arrives in theaters next month on the strength of excellent word-of-mouth and critical response.
As with "The Usual Suspects", Singer knows how to put together one terrific cast. Brad Renfro displays a deft clarity of character as 16-year-old Todd Bowden, an intense high school student who becomes obsessed with the Holocaust. When history class studies aren't enough to satisfy his burning curiosity, he spends his after-school hours in the library poring over reams of documentation.
Todd ends up getting more than he bargained for when he spots an elderly bus passenger (Ian McKellan), whom he recognizes from an SS photograph. After doing a little detective work involving dusting a mailbox for fingerprints, Todd goes to the man's house with the evidence.
The boy blackmails the elusive Nazi war criminal into providing the gory details of his past atrocities in exchange for his silence. But the compliant Kurt Dussander, or Arthur Denker as he is now known, proves to be neither as weak or as threatened as he would at first appear. Warning Todd that he's playing with fire, it soon becomes clear that both are in possession of a full box of matches, and the interchangeable game of cat and mouse that ensues makes for riveting viewing.
Singer and screenwriter Boyce keep it involving and unsettling, particularly in their decision to make the Renfro character a bit of a cipher. It remains (for the most part) deliberately unclear whether his actions stem from an overactive curiosity or something much darker or pathological.
There's a bit of Hitchcock in Singer's technical approach that suits the shades-of-gray material. That vibe is also captured by composer-editor John Ottman (who also wore both hats for "The Usual Suspects"), who works director of photography Newton Thomas Sigel's crisp, clean visuals into a rhythmic synergy with his thematically complex score.
APT PUPIL
Sony Pictures Releasing
TriStar Pictures
Phoenix Pictures presents
a Bad Hat Harry production
A Bryan Singer film
Director: Bryan Singer
Producers: Jane Hamsher,
Don Murphy, Bryan Singer
Screenwriter: Brandon Boyce
Based on the novella "Apt Pupil" by: Stephen King
Executive producer: Tim Harbert
Director of photography: Newton Thomas Sigel
Production designer: Richard Hoover
Editor: John Ottman
Costume designer: Louise Mingenbach
Music: John Ottman
Casting: Francine Maisler, Kathryn Eisenstein
Color/stereo
Cast:
Kurt Dussander: Ian McKellen
Todd Bowden: Brad Renfro
Richard Bowden: Bruce Davison
Archie: Elias Koteas
Ed French: David Schwimmer
Monica Bowden: Ann Dowd
Running time -- 117 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
- 9/11/1998
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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