Legendary auteur Quentin Tarantino is known for his two primary fetishes: feet and films. A true lover of cinema, Tarantino has become a phenomenon in his own right, having won various awards and accolades due to his unimaginable impact and contribution to cinema.
However, the auteur still considers himself “a student of cinema” and has equated his graduation day to “the day [I] die”. Quirky, unapologetic and unabashed in his works, he is the king of violence, bloodshed and controversy. His oeuvre is a focal point of study among cinephiles and some of his most famed works include Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Django Unchained, Kill Bill, Jackie Brown and more.
A fanboy of iconic filmmakers like Sergio Leone and Martin Scorsese, Tarantino’s most recent release Once Upon A Time In Hollywood was his romantic and nostalgic homage to the cinema industry he adores. With Tarantino suggesting it may be his penultimate film, it is a perfect curtain call to his illustrious career.
A film fanatic, Tarantino has always appreciated the works of his contemporaries, namely Bong Joon-ho, Christopher Nolan and more. Tarantino had also named his favourite Paul Thoms Anderson film- surprisingly enough, it is not legendary, widely praised There Will Be Blood, starring Daniel Day-Lewis.
Tarantino revealed that Anderson’s Boogie Nights was, in his opinion, one of the best films released after 1992. However, he picked out one fatal slaw in Burt Reynolds’ character.
While acknowledging how “fantastic” Reynolds was, in the film, Tarantino said, “Me and Paul have talked about this, though. I actually think there is a slight flaw in Boogie Nights, and the flaw is the perception of Burt Reynolds’ character.”
He continued, “Paul can say he’s not based on the director Gerard Damiano, who directed Deep Throat, but he obviously is. He looks exactly like him, and Damiano has a very unique look. Burt Reynolds doesn’t look like that, so you actually have to go out of your way to make him look like Damiano. That’s not Burt Reynolds’ look, that is Gerard Damiano’s look.”
Tarantino and Paul Thomas Anderson are “friendly competitors” and have an enviable bromance where they bond over drinking and their shared passion for films and filmmaking. They are always in awe of each other, referring to each other’s prowess with immense adoration and admiration.
Starring Mark Walhberg, Burt Reynolds and Julianne Moore among others, Boogie Nights is PTA’s 1997 masterpiece that is basically a period piece revolving around Eddie Adams’ entry into the porn industry. A place where he finds success and pleasure in his hedonistic, carefree lifestyle. However, a drug-fuelled path soon leads him to spiral towards his downfall.
A brilliant critique of the porn industry and the fierce competition that exists, the film acts as a brilliant exposé to the trade. With a brilliant ensemble that delivers magnetic performances, PTA’s ingenious vision culminates into a brilliant masterpiece via magnificent visuals and surreal long takes.
Watch this incredibly cool film on Netflix now!
