Print Topic

SimplyScripts Screenwriting Discussion Board  /  Movie/Television Rumor  /  Tarantinoverse!
Posted by: Electric Dreamer, May 31st, 2012, 12:25pm
Came across this mind expanding article that had to be shared!
So every Tarantino movie can be viewed as revisionist sci-fi!

Check the excerpt...

As it turns out, Donny Donowitz, ‘The Bear Jew’, is the father of movie producer Lee Donowitz from True Romance – which means that, in Tarantino’s universe, everybody grew up learning about how a bunch of commando Jews machine gunned Hitler to death in a burning movie theater, as opposed to quietly killing himself in a bunker.

    Because World War 2 ended in a movie theater, everybody lends greater significance to pop culture, hence why seemingly everybody has Abed-level knowledge of movies and TV. Likewise, because America won World War 2 in one concentrated act of hyperviolent slaughter, Americans as a whole are more desensitized to that sort of thing. Hence why Butch is unfazed by killing two people, Mr. White and Mr. Pink take a pragmatic approach to killing in their line of work, Esmerelda the cab driver is obsessed with death, etc.

    You can extrapolate this further when you realize that Tarantino’s movies are technically two universes – he’s gone on record as saying that Kill Bill and From Dusk ‘Til Dawn take place in a ‘movie movie universe’; that is, they’re movies that characters from the Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, True Romance, and Death Proof universe would go to see in theaters. (Kill Bill, after all, is basically Fox Force Five, right on down to Mia Wallace playing the title role.)

    What immediately springs to mind about Kill Bill and From Dusk ‘Til Dawn? That they’re crazy violent, even by Tarantino standards. These are the movies produced in a world where America’s crowning victory was locking a bunch of people in a movie theater and blowing it to bits – and keep in mind, Lee Donowitz, son of one of the people on the suicide mission to kill Hitler, is a very successful movie producer.

    Basically, it turns every Tarantino movie into alternate reality sci fi. I love it so hard.


http://collider.com/inglourious-basterds-connection-quentin-tarantino/170038/?_r=true

Looks like I'll be dusting off my Tarantino flicks and ordering in!

Regards,
E.D.
Posted by: Mr. Blonde, May 31st, 2012, 2:25pm; Reply: 1
Good call, Brett. I'll definitely have to check that whole thing out, although a couple of the snippets are a bit of a stretch.
Posted by: Forgive, May 31st, 2012, 6:22pm; Reply: 2
Mmmm ... kinda nice theory - reminds me of the Muslim take on religion:

First there was Judaism, then there was Christianity, and then finally - the one that I really meant to do - Islam! And all others fit into this base.

So, by this theory, we have to assume that IB was always in QT's mind, and that he developed all the other films within the framework of that.

Really ... ?

Or does the term "I had a Grand Plan all along" spring to mind ... ?

And I do mean this, if you'll excuse me, but what if people are just scraping for stuff - after all, RD was a major cinematic moment, and everything else after it (ever though some have been better than others) ... just hasn't been ... erm, anywhere near as good.
Posted by: James McClung, May 31st, 2012, 8:38pm; Reply: 3
Hmm. I believe Death Proof is part of the "movie movie universe" as it features Earl McGraw, same as Kill Bill and From Dusk Till Dawn.

Anyway, an interesting article. I never realized how much Inglourious Basterds ultimately puts all the other films into perspective. Naturally, the end of WWII in a movie theater would indeed impact the culture of the world significantly. Genius.
Posted by: Electric Dreamer, June 1st, 2012, 9:24am; Reply: 4

Quoted from James McClung
Hmm. I believe Death Proof is part of the "movie movie universe" as it features Earl McGraw, same as Kill Bill and From Dusk Till Dawn.

Anyway, an interesting article. I never realized how much Inglourious Basterds ultimately puts all the other films into perspective. Naturally, the end of WWII in a movie theater would indeed impact the culture of the world significantly. Genius.


It makes me wonder what QT and Eli Roth were on when they hatched this!
And how do I score some of that! ;D

The Bear Jew's kid makes war movies, love it!

E.D.
Posted by: DarrenJamesSeeley, June 1st, 2012, 10:59pm; Reply: 5
While there is the famous case of the Vega bros., there is also Curdled which Tarintino helped produce. It contains a reference to the Gecko bros. from From Dusk ‘Til Dawn (in addition to TV reporter Kelly Hogue)

Also 'Alabama' from TR may have also known "Mr. White" from Res. Dogs. (Since both scripts were written about the same time- this was the case. In Tarinto's TR script, Clarence dies leaving Alabama a widow. She would have went to Milwalkee where she would meet the character who would become "Mr. White". In one change to the script as it went to film, Tony Scott had Clarence live.

It should be noted that Jackie Brown seems to be the exception to this Tarintinoverse. However, as another Elmore Leonard novel ("Out Of Sight") was being adapted, a deal was worked out between the studios that would allow Micheal Keaton to reprise his role as ATF agent Ray Nicolette.
Posted by: Electric Dreamer, June 2nd, 2012, 8:46am; Reply: 6

Quoted from DarrenJamesSeeley
While there is the famous case of the Vega bros., there is also Curdled which Tarintino helped produce. It contains a reference to the Gecko bros. from From Dusk ‘Til Dawn (in addition to TV reporter Kelly Hogue)

Also 'Alabama' from TR may have also known "Mr. White" from Res. Dogs. (Since both scripts were written about the same time- this was the case. In Tarinto's TR script, Clarence dies leaving Alabama a widow. She would have went to Milwalkee where she would meet the character who would become "Mr. White". In one change to the script as it went to film, Tony Scott had Clarence live.


Hey Darren,

I've never seen Curdled, sounds interesting.

How do you know there's a Mr. White/Alabama connection?
I know Clarence bought it in QT's draft, but I must've missed the RD connection.

E.D.
Posted by: Mr. Blonde, June 2nd, 2012, 9:47am; Reply: 7
They mention it when Joe and Mr. White are talking in one of the flashbacks. He asks about "'Bama" and he says he hasn't seen her in a few years.
Posted by: tailbest, June 3rd, 2012, 4:39pm; Reply: 8
And don't forget that Tarantino wrote the original draft of Natural Born Killers which included a character named 'Scagnetti' played by Tom Sizemore. In Reservoir Dogs, Mr. Blonde's parole officer was a real ball buster named Scagnetti. Not sure if it was the same character, but certainly someone related.
Posted by: Mr. Blonde, June 3rd, 2012, 4:44pm; Reply: 9
Yeah. Good ol' Seymour Scagnetti.
Posted by: Electric Dreamer, June 4th, 2012, 9:20am; Reply: 10

Quoted from tailbest
And don't forget that Tarantino wrote the original draft of Natural Born Killers which included a character named 'Scagnetti' played by Tom Sizemore. In Reservoir Dogs, Mr. Blonde's parole officer was a real ball buster named Scagnetti. Not sure if it was the same character, but certainly someone related.


Wow. Another good catch.
I remember the name, great name. LOL.
Yeah, I think it's the relation thing, like Donowitz.

It seems all this is Tarantino's Shermer, Illinois.
Let's see how many 80's teens get that one. :P

Of course, now the speculation can begin...

IB changed World War II...
What can Django change?
Abolishment of slavery?
The outcome of the Civil War?!?! ;D

Regards,
E.D.
Posted by: rc1107, June 4th, 2012, 12:45pm; Reply: 11
In True Romance, Drexyl's last name was Spivey.  I can't remember where, but I remember another Tarantino movie where somebody had the last name Spivey.

Also, in 'True Romance', Clarence's boss was named Lance, who we never see.  In 'Pulp Fiction' Vince's dealer's named Lance.  I don't know if there's any connection or if they're the same person or not, or if he just named him because Quentin's boss in real life was named Lance.

Also, a very subtle thing I've never heard anybody mention before, is a relation to The Vega brothers and Julia Roberts' character in The Mexican.  I believe she tells a story about her Grandma Vega.  QT had nothing to do with 'The Mexican' as far as I know, but it was produced by Lawrence Bender, who produced Quentin's films.
Posted by: Electric Dreamer, June 4th, 2012, 2:16pm; Reply: 12

Quoted from rc1107

In True Romance, Drexyl's last name was Spivey.  I can't remember where, but I remember another Tarantino movie where somebody had the last name Spivey.


Ding ding ding.
Good call, Mark.
We have another winner...

Finally, when Joe and Mr. White are talking, Joe mentions 'Marsellus Spivey.' In True Romance, the pimp's name is Drexel Spivey.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105236/faq#.2.1.9

E.D.

Posted by: Penoyer79, June 4th, 2012, 4:25pm; Reply: 13
i think tarantino just likes the names and uses them over again...

unless i hear from the horse's mouth..... i'm not going to read too much into it.
Posted by: tailbest, June 6th, 2012, 1:53pm; Reply: 14

Quoted from Penoyer79
i think tarantino just likes the names and uses them over again...

unless i hear from the horse's mouth..... i'm not going to read too much into it.


I agree with that. He has/had a stable of character names that he used. It is fun to just see in the "Tarantinoverse" where these or off-shoots of characters have ended up.
Print page generated: May 9th, 2024, 3:26pm