Kill Bill movie image Uma Thurman in a Quentin Tarantino film

The lead characters usually drive vehicles made by General Motors, for example a Cadillac or Chevrolet. Briefcases or suitcases play a main role in the film for example, ‘Reservoir Dogs’ (1992), ‘True Romance’ (1993), ‘Pulp Fiction’ (1994), ‘Jackie Brown’ (1997) and ‘Kill Bill: Vol. 2’ (2004), also his movies usually include a shot from the inside of a car boot. There are also several quick cuts of the character’s hands performing actions close-up and long close-up’s of a person’s face while someone else speaks off-screen.
Most of the time characters are framed with doorways and they are usually shown opening or closing the door. There is also minor character dialogue off-screen in his films.
He will often use weapons such as the ‘Samuri’ sword as in ‘Pulp Fiction’ (1994) and the ‘Kill Bill’ movies or the ‘Stake’ attached to a ‘Jackhammer’ which was used in the movie ‘From Dusk Till Dawn’ (1996). All though the violence is somewhat extreme, most of it is merely suggested off-screen, and a character seems to frequently be able to talk calmly through an intense situation which either results in delaying or avoiding violence through resolution.

Tarantino often creates his own fictional brands for the objects that are used in his movies. This is purely because he does not like the idea of product placement. Examples of this began in ‘Pulp Fiction’ (1994) where he uses ‘The Red Apple Cigarettes’ and ‘Big Kahuna Burger’. These fictional brands are also referred to in his other films now too.

The movies are usually set in Los Angeles with Spanish classical guitar frequently used for the soundtrack.
Tarantino also is known for making special reference to cult movies and television. He also works a majority of the time with the same actors including ‘Harvey Keitel’, ‘Uma Thurman’, ‘Samuel L. Jackson’, ‘Tim Roth’ and ‘Michael Bowen’. Also his movies usually have a Dutch element too them. For example in ‘Reservoir Dogs’ (1992) the opening tune ‘Little Green Bag’ was written by Dutch composers. Also the character played by ‘Tim Roth’ and ‘Freddy Newandyke’ is a direct translation to a typical Dutch surname, ‘Nieuwendijk’ and the code name of ‘Tim Roth’ is ‘Mr Orange’ and this is the royal colour of Holland and also the last name of the Dutch royal family too. In ‘Pulp Fiction’ (1994), the Amsterdam conversation ‘Vicent Vega’ is seen smoking from a Dutch tobacco drum. In ‘Jackie Brown’ (1997) Rutger Hauer is mentioned and the bride’s name is Beatrix which is also the name of the royal Dutch queen.

Tarantino also casts comedians in small roles too, including ‘Stephen Wright’ as the DJ in ‘Reservoir Dogs’ (1992), ‘Kathy Griffin’ as an accident witness and ‘Julia Sweeney’ as the junkyard man’s daughter in ‘Pulp Fiction’ (1994) and ‘Chris Tucker’ as Beaumont in ‘Jackie Brown’ (1997).
Quentin Tarantino Movies are also known for giving ‘comebacks’ for would-be forgotten actors by simply giving them main roles in the films. This includes ‘Lawrence Tierney’ and ‘Edward Bunker’’ in ‘Reservoir Dogs’ (1992), ‘John Travolta’ in ‘Pulp Fiction’ (1994), ‘Pam Grier’, ‘Robert Forster’ and ‘Sid Haig’ in ’Jackie Brown’ (1997), ‘Michael Parks’ in ‘Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003), ‘Kill Bill : Vol. 2 (2004) and ‘From Dusk Till Dawn’ (1996). Also ‘Sid Haig’ and ‘David Carradine’ in ‘Kill Bill: Vol. 2’ (2004) and ‘Sonny Chiba’ in ‘Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003).

The female characters in his movies usually wear a black and white trouser suit, for example ‘Uma Thurman’ in ‘Pulp Fiction’ (1994), ‘Pam Grier’ in ‘Jackie Brown’ (1997) and ‘Daryl Hannah’ in ‘Kill Bill: Vol. 2’ (2004). There will also be shots and or references within the film to or showing a woman’s bare feet, as in ‘Pulp Fiction’ (1994) where ‘Uma Thurman’ is barefoot in the introduction of ‘Mia’ and when ‘Samuel L. Jackson’ and ‘John Travolta’ discuss the ethics of foot massages. Also in ‘Kill Bill: Vol. 1’ (2004) where the ‘Bride’ is sitting in the back of ‘Buck’s’ truck trying to move her big toe, in ‘Death Proof’ (2007) where ‘Sydney Tamija Poiter’ is barefoot a majority of the time and ‘Rosario Dawson’ has her feet hanging out of the car window while she sleeps and also when she talks about stuntman ‘Mike’ bumping into her feet when he walks by.
Also all Tarantino’s movies feature a scene in which a group of characters are seen pointing guns at each other at the same time. The movies will often include a long unbroken take of one of the characters being followed around too.

Tarantino movies often use an unconventional storytelling device in his productions, for example retrospect in ‘Reservoir Dogs’ (1992), non-linear in ‘Pulp Fiction’ (1994) and chapter format in ‘Kill Bill: Vol. 1’ (2003). Also the titles of his films tell the audience of a new portion of the story for example in ‘Reservoir Dogs’ (1992) with the character names and in ‘inglourious Basterds’ (2009) where this is shown in chapter form and in ‘Pulp Fiction’ (1994) where there are explanations of what the audience will see.
Quentin Tarantino movies are also known for the ‘aliases’ which appear in almost all film films. For example ‘Mr. White’, ‘Blonde’, and ‘Orange’ from ‘Reservoir Dogs’ (1992), ‘Honey Bunny and Pumpkin from ‘Pulp Fiction’ (1994), ‘Bill’s Team’ in ‘Kill Bill: Vol.1’ (2003) and ‘Black Mamba’, ‘Copperhead’, ‘Cottonmouth’ and ‘California Mountain Snake’ in ‘Inglourious Basterds’ (2009). Also most of his characters use the word ‘Bingo’ in his films.

It is not unusual to see Tarantino playing small cameo type roles in his movies either. In ‘Reservoir Dogs’ (1992) he plays ‘Mr. Brown’, in ‘Pulp Fiction’ (1994) he plays the role of ‘Jimmie Dimmick’, in ‘Jackie Brown’ (1997) he is the voice of the answering machine, in ‘Grindhouse’ (2007) he plays the rapist and in ‘Death Proof’ (2007) he plays ‘Warren’.

Scenes will frequently begin with an introduction to a character’s background as in ‘Inglourious Basterds’ (2009) where ‘Hugo Stieglitz’ is introduced in the middle of the Nazi torture scene and in ‘Kill Bill’ Vol. 1 (2003) where ‘O-Ren’ is introduced with an interruption to the main story.
Tarantino is also known for making reference to his home state of Tennessee in his movies for example, ‘Butch’ plans to meet his connection in Knoxville, this is also where his grandfather bought the gold watch and the song ‘Tennessee Stud’ by ‘Johnny Cash’ appears in ‘Jackie Brown’ (1997). The film ‘Death Proof’ (2007) is set in Lebanon, Tennessee. Also in the film ‘Inglourious Basterds’ (2009) ‘Lt. Aldo Raine’ hails from Maynardville Tennessee.

Whether you like his films or not one thing is clear, Tarantino is one uniquely talented film-maker.Why not review a movie yourself? head over to ReviewShack and see latest movie reviews