Cinema Speculation- Views on Movies from Tarantino

 Cinema Speculation by Quentin Tarantino

Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair film bill at the Beverly by pop culture geek, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Quentin Tarantino by Jeff Balke, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

I can’t believe I didn’t know about this book! Seeing Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction were events that changed my ideas about film, stories, acting, and soundtracks. I’ve been a huge Tarantino fan since, and although I haven’t felt the same way since seeing Pulp Fiction in theaters, I try to make an effort to see his films on the big screen. This book was a great way to learn more about where many of his characters, stories, and ideas about film emanated from. While the popular story is that Tarantino worked in a video store in the 80s, he shares some of his first experiences going to movies with his mom’s boyfriend and seeing a lot of grindhouse films. I found myself developing a long list of films to watch based on this book, and I’ve been rewarded from many of them (Eaten Alive! From Tobe Hooper a personal favorite). However, I also loved how this book isn’t just a memoir or explanatory book about his favorite films or influences; rather, Tarantino goes on to analyze some of his favorite directors, films, and actors. I loved how knowledgeable he is, and I especially love his voice for writing about his favorite films. It’s almost better than listening to him talk about these influences and films since the passion and excitement are there, but it seems like he’s had time to review and edit his thoughts a little more. I almost feel like this would be a great book to have as a reference work, to revisit or open up when I’m unsure what to watch, or even just creating a more organized list of films to explore based on Tarantino’s viewing interests. Really enjoyed this one, and I hope that QT writes more books about films, whether his own or those that have influenced him.