Tarantino = Overrated??

[Ernest Rister]

It is amazing to me the high standards to which we hold our film artists -- Quentin Tarantino? Overrated? Orson Welles never directed a hit film in his life...some of you Welles experts are probably familiar with the story where a young man praised the purity of Welles films because they weren't tainted with commercial success and Welles turned on the guy and told him that commercial success was fundamental to a director, because that allowed him to continue to work. Welles lamented the fact that he made work that no one paid to see -- people praising it 30 years later did little good for him at the time. It broke his heart.

So here is Tarantino, who for better or worse influenced an entire generation of filmmakers and has had the blessing to continue working in the film business. Overrated? He is an a rare circle of filmmakers whose work changed film history. He's had his flops and his hits. You know what? If he never made another film again, his place in the eternity of film is secured, and I think he knows it. He has nothing left to prove. In fact, I'd say he's been pretty much screwing around and not taking himself seriously ever since Pulp Fiction.

I've been told numerous stories about Quentin, none of them good, by people who were very jealous of him and threatened by him. If half of the stories are true, then I can't say I respect Quentin as a man, but it is impossible to not respect his place in film history.

[Ernest Rister]

Looks like I killed another thread.

[Porkchop Express]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

Looks like I killed another thread.

Your response answered the question in my opinion.

[Neil_Luv's_BLU]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

It is amazing to me the high standards to which we hold our film artists -- Quentin Tarantino? Overrated? Orson Welles never directed a hit film in his life...some of you Welles experts are probably familiar with the story where a young man praised the purity of Welles films because they weren't tainted with commercial success and Welles turned on the guy and told him that commercial success was fundamental to a director, because that allowed him to continue to work. Welles lamented the fact that he made work that no one paid to see -- people praising it 30 years later did little good for him at the time. It broke his heart.

So here is Tarantino, who for better or worse influenced an entire generation of filmmakers and has had the blessing to continue working in the film business. Overrated? He is an a rare circle of filmmakers whose work changed film history. He's had his flops and his hits. You know what? If he never made another film again, his place in the eternity of film is secured, and I think he knows it. He has nothing left to prove. In fact, I'd say he's been pretty much screwing around and not taking himself seriously ever since Pulp Fiction.

I've been told numerous stories about Quentin, none of them good, by people who were very jealous of him and threatened by him. If half of the stories are true, then I can't say I respect Quentin as a man, but it is impossible to not respect his place in film history.

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

Looks like I killed another thread.

To be honest I do not see why you would think you killed the thread Ernest... you hit all the right notes for me with the comment that preceded the thread killing paragraph!

Mega Kudos coming your way

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

Looks like I killed another thread.

Nah, I think your post actually has a very good and thought-provoking point. Nobody's responding because there is no strong counter-argument.

Good job!

[Sponge-worthy]

Tarantino's movies are always a bit surreal, and I think that is what draws either the accolades or the ire. One is either swept up in the experience or turned off by it. Personally, I think what he does is largely effective, and he's made some great movies (Reservoir Dogs and Deathproof being my least favorites).

I don't think he's "overrated." At least, I don't get the sense that people, on the whole, see Tarantino as the greatest-of-all-time, or anything like that. But, people tend to get excited when he does roll out a new movie because his stuff is reliably unique and his style is pure cinema, so folks are curious to see what he's got. In that regard, I'd say he's "correctly rated."

[JRS03]

I will say one thing.....his over use of the "F" word can get pretty annyoing. He could take half of those out and you would even have a better film. I think he uses that word sometimes just to use it.

[AKORIS]

Originally Posted by JRS03

I will say one thing.....his over use of the "F" word can get pretty annyoing. He could take half of those out and you would even have a better film. I think he uses that word sometimes just to use it.

funny you mention this-- I'm not a prude and I don't mind R-rated language--

however I CANNOT STAND movies that have the F-word in EVERY sentence!!!!!! It's obnoxious and quite frankly sloppy writing---
many of Tarentino's flicks overdo this and make an already unpleasant
experience worse...

[clownface]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

It is amazing to me the high standards to which we hold our film artists -- Quentin Tarantino? Overrated? Orson Welles never directed a hit film in his life...some of you Welles experts are probably familiar with the story where a young man praised the purity of Welles films because they weren't tainted with commercial success and Welles turned on the guy and told him that commercial success was fundamental to a director, because that allowed him to continue to work. Welles lamented the fact that he made work that no one paid to see -- people praising it 30 years later did little good for him at the time. It broke his heart.

So here is Tarantino, who for better or worse influenced an entire generation of filmmakers and has had the blessing to continue working in the film business. Overrated? He is an a rare circle of filmmakers whose work changed film history. He's had his flops and his hits. You know what? If he never made another film again, his place in the eternity of film is secured, and I think he knows it. He has nothing left to prove. In fact, I'd say he's been pretty much screwing around and not taking himself seriously ever since Pulp Fiction.

I've been told numerous stories about Quentin, none of them good, by people who were very jealous of him and threatened by him. If half of the stories are true, then I can't say I respect Quentin as a man, but it is impossible to not respect his place in film history.

I Concur!

[SeanMF]

I'll have to watch the Kill Bill movies sometime but most of his other movies I've seen and I think he is overated and i'm not a fan. I know many that do like his movies though.

[surfdude12]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

In fact, I'd say he's been pretty much screwing around and not taking himself seriously ever since Pulp Fiction.

.

exactly put , and that's why he's not a "Great" director in my eyes. Sure, Pulp Fiction was a classic, but all the great directors I love never just made one great film, they never let up when the first one was done. That's why he's overrated IMO: his ambition-fed sloth. a pardox yes, but true.

[J. J. Hunsecker]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

I've been told numerous stories about Quentin, none of them good, by people who were very jealous of him and threatened by him. If half of the stories are true, then I can't say I respect Quentin as a man, but it is impossible to not respect his place in film history.

Really? C'mon, man, give me the gossip!

I know Tarantino's former writing partner, Roger Avary, said of Quentin, "I've realized that I can't hang out with him. I talk with him, and he just sucks stuff from me." That's the only bad thing I've heard about the man, though.

[hc666]

I love most of his movies but yeah he is overrated... he craps like the rest of us haha

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by J. J. Hunsecker

Really? C'mon, man, give me the gossip!

I know Tarantino's former writing partner, Roger Avary, said of Quentin, "I've realized that I can't hang out with him. I talk with him, and he just sucks stuff from me." That's the only bad thing I've heard about the man, though.

Well, the stuff I've heard is secondhand, by people who are jealous and resentful, and it wouldn't be productive for anyone to repeat here. As far as Mr. Avary goes, just know that essentially he feels Tarantino has stolen all the credit for Pulp Fiction and they've had a major falling out over it.

[J. J. Hunsecker]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

Well, the stuff I've heard is secondhand, by people who are jealous and resentful, and it wouldn't be productive for anyone to repeat here. As far as Mr. Avary goes, just know that essentially he feels Tarantino has stolen all the credit for Pulp Fiction and they've had a major falling out over it.

From what I've read, it seems like it is common knowledge that Tarantino based several scenes in Pulp Fiction on Avary's script "Pandemonium Reigns," including the bits about the gold watch, the rape scene in the pawn shop, Marvin's accidental shooting in the car, and the bullets missing Vince and Jules. Tarantino admitted as much in a Playboy interview. Avary was upset about not getting screenwriting credit, not the fact that Tarantino took his ideas and reworked them.

It may be a case of "success has many fathers while failure is always an orphan." Of course one would want some credit for one of the most acclaimed films of the last fifteen years. I'm sure if the movie had bombed or turned out poorly, we wouldn't hear about Avary's uncredited contributions.

Taratino has always been rather tight-lipped about acknowledging where he got some of his ideas, it seems in order to create the illusion that they were original. He's never admitted that City on Fire was used as the basis for Reservoir Dogs, for instance.

I understand that you don't want to air what amounts to hearsay on these public boards. If only there was a way to hear these rumors in private. Maybe if I could read, say, a message where no one else could see it. If only these forums had such a way!

[Lacit170]

just saw Inglorious Basterds..... was a good movie... some parts were sloooooow... but again... nothing special in my opinion...

[jimmystewart]

Tarantino is very overrated. the only 'alright' film I have seen of his was PF. The other ones: RD, KB, JB etc were all very meh...and KB was utter crap.

[Mahatma]

I personally love Reservoir dogs.To put that into the horrible bin which almost all his latter films are,is doing it a great missjustice.Thought "Jackie Brown" was ok.Miles better than KB,but not in the same league as RD and PF.

My two norwegian kroners anyway