From a Quentin Tarantino interview with Ella Taylor in the Village Voice:
Film criticism is in a strange place. Talk about 17 years later! [After "Reservoir Dogs."] I could never have imagined that print film reviewing would be dying. It's unfathomable to me. I don't like reading film criticism on a laptop. I like holding it in my hand.
You're a geezer, Quentin.
Exactly. It seems to me from reading a lot of the film criticism that came out of Cannes this year that the few print critics that are left writing are so busy combating these Internet bozos that there's a new formalism, a new self-seriousness among remaining critics, to prove they're professionals. Even some of the younger critics who are still writing in print--well, they're not that young--are coming across like young fogies. There are some good online critics, but then there's these fanboy types: "Ooh, this sucks balls." It's a little bit like '78, '79, '80, where exuberance in filmmaking is not getting its due anymore. For example, "The Blues Brothers" never got any respect. Now, it truly is beloved, as it goddamn well should be. I mean, it's sad to think of what happened to John Landis after "An American Werewolf in London," but in those two movies, he was the first fanboy director making movies out of his head.
And, regarding his favorite movies of all time in life:
I can tell you now. This got picked up on from [your] piece [17 years ago] for the next five years, those top three in particular: "Taxi Driver," "Blow Out," and "Rio Bravo." I've changed. I know I was cagey about it before, but my favorite movie of all time is "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly." That's the best movie ever made. I can't even imagine myself doing better; that's how much I love it. I would also throw "His Girl Friday" in there. The fifth will always be however I feel at the moment. So I'll throw in "Carrie," give De Palma a shout-out.
(Above: Tarantino dances up the red carpet at Cannes, 2009. AP photo.)
Isn't De Palma already getting a shout out with BLOW OUT in QT's top 5? I prefer CARRIE, myself, but anyone with eyes knows that THE PHANTOM OF PARADISE is better than both.
And this isn't directed at you, Jim, but: is anyone else tired of the phrase "of all time"?
JE: I am. I had a friend who had a wonderful phrase: "... in life." As in "Those are the best movies in life!" I like that.
I don't get it. Where's the context?
JE: Click on the link. The full, six-page interview is there.
Good to see you had a successful procedure, Jim. Welcome back!
I dunno, it just seemed more point-blank than usual.
Interesting interview, slightely different talking points that a lot of the ons I've been reading (Though I did love him on The Treatment).
I must say, as a Jew, I am a bit freaked out by the talk of 'the Jewish response' to the film. Are 'offensive history-perverting trash' and 'Kosher porn' my only avenues? I feel so much pressue to have an opinion about it. I hope it doesn't taint my first viewing .
Oh, and I'm with him on not reading reviews on a laptop. If I've got more than 2-3 pieces to read, I'll always prefer to print them out.
JE: My advice is to see the movie for yourself. It's always worthwhile to bounce different people's takes off one another, but you don't need to take anybody else's word for it -- least of all Eli Roth's or Lawrence Bender's... or even Quentin Tarantino's. I like to quote filmmakers talking about what they say they were intending to do, because they can offer an illuminating perspective. But all that matters is what's actually on the screen.
I went on a short tirade in response to the title. Though it turns out not to be as relevant to the article proper, I want to say it anyway. It needs to be said, and I don't know when the chance will come again.
I'm really tired of hearing the term "fanboys" [in movie reviews.] It implies that fans are stupid and will automatically love anything connected with their favorite franchise. By constantly throwing the term "fanboys" around, critics dismiss all fans as cartoonish idiots, and they reduce film criticism to name calling.
JE: I'm with you. I do not use it. But Tarantino does here -- in two remarkably different contexts. He gives an example of what he considers to be the "fanboy" attitude first; then uses it as a term of appreciation for John Landis.
I think fanboy is a word that means something and as such is useful. Go to the Chud boards and tell me what those people are if not that.
Also I love that Quentin loves His Girl Friday, which is also one of my favorites. He even referenced it in the Pulp Fiction screenplay to describe how Pumpkin and Honey Bunny talked.
I understand QT's frustration with the lack (or even the lack of quality) of critics still writing in print. But it's not the critics' fault and certainly not the fault of those that write their criticisms online. Newspapers just aren't interested in film criticism anymore. People don't care enough to read it. And with newspapers losing money as it is (with people seeming to care less and less about actual news stories) they aren't going out of their way to hire critics to write in print. Believe me, if someone offered me a job in print, I'd trade my blog in without a second thought.
I have alot of criticisms of QT as a person, but I really do love his passion. This is fantastic: "Even though I quit school when I was in junior high..... It's like my whole life I'm studying for a professorship in cinema, and the day I die is the day I graduate."
I also love that his favourite film is "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly;" that film was an absolute masterpiece which needs to be essential viewing for any future film buffs!
Two questions, however. Why doesn't he like "The Usual Suspects?" Obviously, only he can answer that, but I find that curious as it was arguably among the most creative of the independent films of the mid to late 90's (although how independent it was, is of course open to debate.) Also, he mentioned a top 5. This may come across as pedantic, but didn't he mention six films? With Carrie being the sixth?
JE: I can only assume that spelling and math are not his strong subjects.
Really not surprised he'd pick Good Band and Ugly. You can really tell in his work how he derived a lot of his style from Leone. I rewatched The Good the Bad and the Ugly recently after a long time of not having seen it, and after seeing that final gun battle again, I can say that Kill Bill was very Leonian (or that gun battle was very Tarantinoian).
JE: You can detect the Leone influence even with your eyes closed. Music cues in "Kill Bill" and "Inglourious Basterds" are from Ennio Morricone scores for Leone pictures.
I think he is talking about the original Blow-Up by Michelangelo Antonioni. Made in 1966. It starred David Hemmings and Vanessa Redgrave. It also featured the Jimmy Page era Yardbirds. The DePalma "Blow-Out" is a remake.
No, he was most certainly talking about DePalma's "Blow Out." QT is a certifiable DePalma fanatic, and has talked up that film in numerous previous interviews.