Did Disney's "THAT DARN CAT!" Inspire Tarantino's "FROM DUSK TILL DAWN"? (video)

 

Quentin Tarantino's script for "From Dusk Till Dawn" (1996)...

...features two bank robbers and their frightened hostage, a female teller.

So does Walt Disney's 1965 comedy, "That Darn Cat!"

One particular scene from the Disney film clearly inspired Tarantino...

...and both are equally unsettling. 

 

(Originally posted on 1/14/21)

I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it. Thanks for watching!

Did Disney's "THAT DARN CAT!" Inspire Tarantino's "FROM DUSK TILL DAWN"? (video)

Was This Scene In "Inglourious Basterds" Inspired By "The Culpepper Cattle Company"? (video)

 

Video by Porfle Popnecker. I neither own nor claim any rights to this material. Just having some fun with it. Thanks for watching!

 

 

Was This Scene In "Inglourious Basterds" Inspired By "The Culpepper Cattle Company"? (video)

HELL RIDE -- Movie Review by Porfle

 Originally posted on 9/27/13

 

Is the phrase "Quentin Tarantino Presents" before a film's title a reliable sign of quality?  After watching HELL RIDE (2008), my answer to that question would be, in a word, no.  And in two words, hell no.  If this is any indication, then Tarantino might as well start calling people into the bathroom after he takes a dump so that he can proudly "present" the results to them.

What little storyline there is often gets lost in the seemingly random editing, or is put on hold every time some mangy old biker dudes get their hands on the non-stop parade of salacious silicone babes who seem to infest this flick like tribbles.  What it all boils down to is that way back in 1976, some rival bad-guy bikers called the Six Six Sixers murdered good-guy biker Pistolero's girlfriend, and now, thirty some-odd years later, Pistolero (writer-director Larry Bishop), with the help of fellow gang members the Victors, decides to get revenge. 

I've read that Bishop used to be a biker himself and has firsthand experience with the lifestyle, which seems to add zero validity to this particular project.  Basically what you've got here is a bunch of middle-aged actors who have been roped into a turkey and they know it, so they're just goofing their way through it.  Michael Madsen, who has been known to sleepwalk through films he doesn't take seriously, invests about as much effort in the role of Pistolero's devil-may-care cohort "The Gent" (he wears a tuxedo jacket instead of a leather jacket for some damn reason) as he would if his neighbor pointed a home video camera at him. 

David Carradine, as rival gang leader "The Deuce", is there simply to lend whatever coolness factor he can to his few scenes, while Dennis Hopper comes off as nothing more than a silly old fart.  Even Vinnie Jones as evil, oral-sex-obsessed rival biker "Billy Wings" seems embarrassed here, which may be the film's most noteworthy accomplishment. 

As for young Eric Balfour as the mysterious newcomer Cheyenne, he seems to take the whole thing about as seriously as Bishop, meaning that he's just as arch and stiff a presence.  Nobody,  however, can match Larry Bishop's hernia-inducing attempts to be a badass--at times, he treats the simple act of standing in one spot with such sinew-stretching intensity that we fear he may implode.

The movie is filled with flashbacks, flash forwards, changes in style, changes in film stock, switches from color to black-and-white and back, zoom-ins, zoom-outs, focus fiddling, and most other types of cinematic frou-frou you can think of, but there's no rhyme or reason to any of it.  Bishop's clearly trying to be arty in several sequences, but his visuals look sloppy instead.  And when his character goes out into the desert and takes peyote in one scene, this gives the director an excuse to indulge in the usual meandering drug-trip nonsense with its skin-deep philosophizing.

There are homages to Tarantino's homages, such as a mysterious box whose contents we never get to see, and a POV shot looking up from inside the box that's a miniature version of the way Tarantino shoots people opening car trunks.  There's the jukebox soundtrack, featuring several truly ear-curdling songs.  And of course, there's the dialogue.  HELL RIDE contains stretches of dialogue that might make you wish Jules Winnfield and Vincent Vega had never discussed foot massages or mentioned the words "Royale with cheese." 

At one point Pistolero and his aptly-named girlfriend Nada (sexy Leonor Varela) get into a pun war that includes every possible variation of the word "fire"--she's got a fire that needs putting out, he's got the firehose, she's a fire alarm, he's a fire-eater, etc.  It's a wonder they didn't manage to work "fire ants" into it somewhere.  Later, Bishop starts doing the same thing with the word "business", and you start wishing you could just grab a gun and shoot at the screen like Elvis used to do.

The impression I get from this movie's publicity is that if you liked GRINDHOUSE, you should love HELL RIDE.  But as far as I'm concerned, whatever you may have liked about one is sadly lacking in the other.  Getting the "right" actors together and having them be super tough and spout loopy dialogue at each other doesn't make a good movie if there isn't a decent story and a solid directorial vision.  HELL RIDE's problem is that it thinks it's a cool-as-hell movie to begin with, but doesn't have what it takes to actually be one.

HELL RIDE -- Movie Review by Porfle

Porfle's Trivia Quiz: "PULP FICTION" (1994) (video)

 

Most of us have seen "Pulp Fiction." (spoiler alert if you haven't...)

But how much do you remember about this Quentin Tarantino classic?

Take the quiz and find out!

Question #1: What do they call a Big Mac in France?
A. Le Géante
B. Le Eiffel Tower
C. Le Big Mac
D. Le McD
E. Le Mickey D

Question #2: What kind of hamburger is Brad eating?
A. Aunt Fanny's
B. Big Kahuna
C. Red Apple
D. White Castle
E. Cowabunga

Question #3: What flavor milkshake does Mia Wallace prefer?

A. Martin & Lewis
B. Abbott & Costello
C. Sandler & Young
D. Amos & Andy
E. Sonny & Cher

Question #4: What book is Vincent Vega reading?

A. Modesty Blaise
B. Casino Royale
C. Wuthering Heights
D. Murderer's Row
E. The Seven Minutes

Question #5: What kind of cereal does Lance eat?

A. Count Chocula
B. Franken Berry
C. Captain Crunch
D. Frute Brute
E. Cocoa Puffs

Bonus question: What is in Marcellus Wallace's briefcase?


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

Porfle's Trivia Quiz: "PULP FICTION" (1994) (video)

"ONCE UPON A TIME...IN HOLLYWOOD": A Love Letter To Making Movies - Tune In Thursday, January 30th

Quentin Tarantino, Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie and the filmmakers showcase the artistry that went into creating this story of an enduring friendship in a time of change. A special look at Quentin Tarantino’s acclaimed ninth movie,

ONCE UPON A TIME...IN HOLLYWOOD.


Catch the Special Live!

Thursday, January 30th at 7:30pm PST

CBS 2 LA
(Please check your local listings for station and timing information)
   
Thursday, January 30th at 7:00pm PST
KTLA 5
(Please check your local listings for station and timing information)


Watch the Special HERE!

Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood visits 1969 Los Angeles during the final moments of Hollywood’s golden age where everything is changing, as TV star Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his longtime stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) face the challenges of an industry they hardly recognize anymore.

The film features a cast that includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Emile Hirsch, Margaret Qualley, Timothy Olyphant, Julia Butters, Austin Butler, Dakota Fanning, Bruce Dern, Mike Moh, Luke Perry, Damian Lewis and Al Pacino.

Written and Directed by: Quentin Tarantino
Produced by: David Heyman, Shannon McIntosh, Quentin Tarantino
Executive Producers: Georgia Kacandes, Yu Dong, Jeffrey Chan
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Emile Hirsch, Margaret Qualley, Timothy Olyphant, Julia Butters, Austin Butler, Dakota Fanning, Bruce Dern, Mike Moh, Luke Perry, Damian Lewis, Al Pacino

"ONCE UPON A TIME...IN HOLLYWOOD": A Love Letter To Making Movies - Tune In Thursday, January 30th

How To Improve The Breakfast Scene From "Pulp Fiction" (1994) (video)

In Pulp Fiction's breakfast scene, there's a visual callback to the opening scene...

...with Pumpkin and Honeybunny.

But I think Tarantino made a mistake actually cutting away to them.

He should've just let us hear the "Garcon!" so we could connect the dots ourselves.

We've redone the scene to play that way. See what you think.


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

How To Improve The Breakfast Scene From "Pulp Fiction" (1994) (video)

"21 YEARS: QUENTIN TARANTINO" -- Director Tara Wood Reclaims Rights to Authorized Docu from Weinstein Co., Seeking New Distributor

AUTHORIZED TARANTINO DOC FREED FROM WEINSTEIN WRECKAGE

"21 YEARS: QUENTIN TARANTINO"

Conclusion of Year-Long Legal Battle Restores Rights to Wood Entertainment, Currently Seeking New Distribution

Los Angeles, CA February 14, 2019—Director Tara Wood has successfully reclaimed the rights to the authorized Quentin Tarantino documentary feature, “21 Years: Quentin Tarantino”. The film, a celebration of Tarantino’s works-to-date, looks at the passion behind the worldwide box office dominator. The lightening rod that is Tarantino’s career illuminates the discussion of changes in the industry.

In 2017, Wood, co-director of 2014’s acclaimed “21 Years: Richard Linklater”, asked The Weinstein Co. to release the documentary following the onslaught of sexual harassment allegations against company founder Harvey Weinstein. “TWC should respectfully release us from our deal,” Wood said in a statement at the time, “To allow the project to be handled with the care and consideration it, Mr. Tarantino, and all the participants deserve.” The company refused, and Wood embarked on a prolonged legal battle.

Now, Wood is proud to announce that the film has returned to the creative team at Wood Entertainment, and is ready to find the right home for distribution.

“We are thrilled, and eager to conduct our final interviews and complete the documentary, free from Harvey Weinstein and his complicit cohorts” said Wood last week. “We look forward to finding a new distribution partner, timed with the July 2019 release of Quentin’s next film, ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD.”

Quentin Tarantino’s career is unmatched in its wellspring of talent and the diversity of subjects in his eight films to date. In the trendsetting RESERVOIR DOGS and the ground-breaking PULP FICTION, Tarantino revolutionized the status quo. He reworked genre and celebrated badass women in films like JACKIE BROWN, KILL BILL and the gasoline-charged DEATH PROOF. He took on issues of race in America in DJANGO UNCHAINED and boldly rewrote history in INGLORIOUS BASTARDS, leaving us snowbound in the ultimate “who done it” murder mystery, THE HATEFUL 8. His films reap as much controversy as they do accolades. The documentary coincides with the end of an era – the collaboration of Tarantino with the now disgraced Harvey Weinstein.

Longtime staple Tarantino collaborators speak to the essence of his passion and the success of his career: Michael Madsen, Samuel L. Jackson, Tim Roth, Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jamie Foxx, Eli Roth, Zoë Bell, Robert Forster, Diane Kruger, Kurt Russell, Louis Black, Richard Gladstein, Scott Speigel, and Stacey Sher.

Wood concluded, “This project has always been in honor of Mr. Tarantino's career, and as a woman, creator and protector of that vision, I am grateful to have it back in caring, respectful hands.”

21 YEARS: QUENTIN TARANTINO
Genre: Documentary
Rating: NR
Language:English
Year: 2019
Status: Post Production
Production Co.: Wood Entertainment

Featuring:
Zoë Bell
Louis Black
Robert Forster
Jamie Foxx
Richard Gladstein
Samuel L. Jackson
Jennifer Jason Leigh
Diane Kruger
Lucy Liu
Michael Madsen
Tim Roth
Eli Roth
Kurt Russell
Stacey Sher
Scott Speigel
Christoph Waltz

Directed by: Tara Wood
Produced by: Tara Wood, Jake Zortman
Executive Produced by: Veronica “Riki” Rushing, Robert C. McGirr,
Lorraine Lamb
Cinematography by: Jake Zortman
Edited by: May Kuckro, Eric Myerson, Jeremy Ward

"21 YEARS: QUENTIN TARANTINO" -- Director Tara Wood Reclaims Rights to Authorized Docu from Weinstein Co., Seeking New Distributor

Quentin Tarantino's "ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD" -- First Photo From Set

Quentin Tarantino's "ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD" -- First Photo From Set 

August 9, 2019

Quentin Tarantino's ninth feature film is a story that takes place in Los Angeles in 1969, at the height of hippy Hollywood.

The two lead characters are Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio, right), former star of a western TV series, and his longtime stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt, left).

Both are struggling to make it in a Hollywood they don't recognize anymore. But Rick has a very famous next-door neighbor...Sharon Tate.

Written and Directed by:
Quentin Tarantino

Produced by:
David Heyman
Quentin Tarantino
Shannon McIntosh

Executive Producer:
Georgia Kacandes

Cast:                             
Leonardo DiCaprio
Brad Pitt

Photo Credit: Andrew Cooper; © 2018 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Quentin Tarantino's "ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD" -- First Photo From Set

Phantom Bullet Holes in "PULP FICTION" (1994) (video)

Phantom Bullet Holes in "PULP FICTION" (1994)

When Jules and Vincent enter the apartment, there are no bullet holes in the wall.

Later, the bullet holes suddenly appear -- BEFORE they get shot at.


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

Phantom Bullet Holes in "PULP FICTION" (1994) (video)