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July 17, 2014

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1992 film shows Tarantino’s pop culture genius

“LET me tell you what ‘Like a Virgin’ is about.”

Thus begins “Reservoir Dogs,” with a group of besuited tough guys sitting around a diner, talking about the Madonna catalogue. The said interpretation, spoken by Mr Brown (played by director and writer Quentin Tarantino), is lewd, unexpectedly knowledgeable and certainly unique.

More importantly, it demonstrates what I’ve dubbed the Quentin Tarantino Principle (QTP): It scarcely matters what the characters in a movie talk about, but how they talk about it. If the characters are constructed well, and the actors can properly convey them, it adds to our understanding of them and overall enjoyment of the movie.

So to go along with a rousing talk about an early Madonna tune, throughout “Reservoir Dogs” we hear about Marvel superheroes, favorite movie actors, the differences in dating girls of different races and radio song hits of the 1970s.

It should be noted that before Tarantino, these sort of discussions rarely existed in movies. Other than in very specific tributes or parodies, it was considered irrelevant or even in poor taste to reference pop culture.

Tarantino, from his casting, style flourishes to genre stylings, is a pop culture vulture. What his imitators fail to realize, though, is that he doesn’t merely pay tribute; he mines them to previously unknown depths and even contributes.

After the initial diner talk, the film jumps time and place to a car, where Harvey Keitel is agonizing with Tim Roth as they speed to a warehouse. We learn that their planned jewelry heist went awry and they suspect someone had tipped off the police. They are soon joined at the warehouse by a frantic Steve Buscemi and sadistic Michael Madsen.

Through their conversation and flashbacks to the planning of the heist and the immediate aftermath of it, we learn about the different characters. Soon, other characters start showing up at the warehouse, and the intensity level rises.

In contrast to Tarantino’s later movies, this one spends almost all its time in one location: the warehouse. It’s a heist movie where you never see the heist, an action movie with very little action; a movie obsessed with ephemeral pop culture that feels timeless; a tough guy flick filled with subtle emotional shifts.

A remarkable film, “Reservoir Dogs” may show its influences and outside interests on its sleeve, but it’s utterly singular.

 (Brian Offenther is a Shanghai-based DJ/freelancer.)

 ‘Reservoir Dogs’ (1992)

• Where to see it: Dada, 115 Xingfu Rd (near Fahuazhen Rd)

• When to see it: July 22, 9pm

• Price: Free

• What to see: After a jewel heist goes awry, colorfully nicknamed criminals convene at the designated meeting spot to assess the damage and figure out who, if anyone, tipped off the police. The first true Quentin Tarantino film, its pop culture-centric dialogue, racially charged language, eclectic soundtrack, and stylish violence has made it a modern day classic.

• Brian’s score: 10/10




 

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