Happy Birthday Mr Tarantino

Today is the birthday of one of my heroes, Quentin Tarantino. His work inspires me to keep writing, and keep working so that maybe some day I could create art like some of masterpieces he has over the years. 

I remember the first time I saw a Tarantino movie; it was Pulp Fiction and I was way too young to be watching it. My mum and dad always let me watch movies I shouldn't - my sister often reminds me of being a toddler pointing an imaginary gun at my dad and saying 'f**k you ass***e' in a Schwarzenegger accent! The adrenalin scene in Pulp Fiction terrified me and it wasn't untill I was about 15 that I saw it again and fell in love with it. 

Tarantino writes dialogue that I could listen to all day. Some of the conversations and monologues that he creates are so memorable you can't help but recite along to when you're watching. Samuel L. Jackson got some fabulous examples of these in PF but this is true of all of his movies. Inglorious Bastards made me an instant fan of Christopher Waltz whose brutal performance as Hans Landa made me fear and hate him but also desperate to see his character back on screen. 

Tarantino also has a skill for shocking the viewer with graphic images and intertwining them with humour - just think of poor Marvin (if you know, you know), or the brilliant iconic scene in Reservoir Dogs where Michael Madsen playfully dances to 'Stuck in the Middle With You' whilst deforming a police officer. His black sense of humour is what I live for.

Tarantino never disappoints. As a fan you know what you are expecting from one of his movies and all you have to do is sit back and enjoy the visual feast. When he released Kill Bill I was 16 and honestly felt like he had written it for me. I'm not ashamed to say that I am also a massive Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee fan and love martial arts movies, and as a teen girl that mixed with a kick ass female assassin, it was everything I wanted from a movie. More recently he brought out Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. This was not as well received by the general public, as people thought it was a bit boring. As a Tarantino fan, for me it was an instant classic. Tarantino is a story teller like no other and his characterisation is stunning. In OUATIH he takes two actors known for being eye candy in their earlier careers and creates these gritty, deep characters really showcasing the artists that Pitt and DiCaprio have become, and just as with every other Tarantino movie, for the faithful fan, the movie builds up to an absolutely momentous crescendo that makes your wince, laugh and have seared onto your memory for a some time after. 

What's my favourite Tarantino movie. I still don't know. It's usually the one I'm watching at the time. Each one has its own special elements which mean I will never get bored of watching them. It's believed that Tarantino will release one more movie which both excites and upsets me. Who knows what he will turn his hand to. One thing for sure however is that if his final piece is to end his collection the way his movies end its going to be truly exhilarating.