OFF: Tarantino

[Nick English]

> I have to disagree (somewhat) here.  Sure, he is in no way the "first".
> But I don't see how that is really relevant in terms of criteria for
> evaluating the bulk of his work, which is excellent.

Where I think it's significant is in the fact that if you've seen it
all before, can you really consider it HIS work...excellent or not?
Again, I don't want to paint myself into an anti-Tarantino corner,
because that's really not my stance. And the stuff he does is not
necessarily stolen...in a lot of cases, I see it as a director
putting his personal stamp on certain techniques, cinematic
attitudes, etc., that have already been out there. And he does an
okay job at it. I guess my problem is mainly with the hype, because
so much of America, when they saw Pulp Fiction, was like, "Oh my
God...this is so bizarre and unique that it must have been made by an
alien in another solar system!"...To me, though, it was a pretty good
movie, but thanks to years of "trash cinema", it didn't totally move
me.

> his own style.  Second, I think we tend to forget that people don't
> suddenly arrive as superstars because the hype machine is so overblown as
> to make us think such stars have always been and always will.

Here I absolutely disagree. The '98 Volkswagen Beetle, for instance,
is selling like mad...thanks to absolutely nothing BUT hype. People
and products are "made" every day of the week. I'm not saying this is
what happened with Tarantino, but to say it doesn't exist is naive.


> Everyone who is hyped is bound to suffer backlash.  And no one controls
> hype.  Hype transcends any one individual; I really don't think you can
> blame Tarantino for it.  I'm sure he enjoys being famous and
> well-recognized, but whether he realizes it or not, it was never his
> decision alone that got him there.  Hate the hype, not the director --
> unless the work itself demands it.  And I don't see how that is the case
> here.
>
> --thomas

Just one last point, not really relevant to his talent, his career,
hype or anything else we've been discussing:  As a human being,
Quentin Tarantino is a first class asshole!

--  Nick