Is Quentin Tarantino a worthy inheritor of Shakespeare’s legacy? What would it take to be the next Shakespeare? Can one ever come close to emulating his sphere of influence and creativity? Quentin Tarantino gives us hope where others seem to fall short. Jack Fairman investigates.
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ith the highly anticipated premiere of Django Unchained, the spotlight is shining brighter than ever on Quentin Tarantino. Critics would agree that he is considered to be a “superstar” (in its modern discourse) not just because of his notorious films but also for his equally outlandish persona. As pop culture takes its turn as the language of the 21st century, Shakespeare remains the all-encompassing figure for comparison. In our time, Tarantino is a trailblazer of the English language’s transformation that no longer worships Shakespeare’s temple. With each film, Tarantino is on track to fill the Bard’s shoes through the use of innovative genre film aesthetics and original storytelling. But let us take a step back. From the humble days of working at his local video store to making his name on the international stage at the Cannes Film Festival in 1992, Quentin Tarantino is undoubtedly special. Even his name, Tar-an-ti-no, rolls off the tongue with a rhythm that is just too cool. The eccentric Italian has become a pop culture icon, alluding
to a flurry of cultural references and coining his own, which culminated with him being named “Icon of the Decade” at the 10th Empire Awards. Manhola Dargis of the New York Times talks of his “pop cultural storehouse” that he constantly raids for cultural references, which add that Tarantino “flavour” to his works. Although not the highlight of his works, amusingly, many people credit Pulp Fiction for preventing some awkward situations by clarifying the fact that you don’t order a “Quarter-Pounder” in Paris, but rather a “Royale with cheese”. And he’s not all about just coining famous one-liners, I mean, who ever thought that the infamous “Pussy Wagon” from Kill Bill would make an appearance in the 2010 music video for Telephone with Beyoncé and Lady Gaga? Another source for pop culture aficionados to sink their teeth into. Now, for something a bit more controversial. Tarantino’s legacy is already leaving an impression like that of Shakespeare, and for those that disagree – hear me out. Although Shakespeare may have provided an entirely new lexicon for us to learn, and may also disagree with some of Tarantino’s vocabulary choices, they have little to complain about him living up to the influence he has had on the masses and other filmmakers. What may seem an unlikely match, Tarantino’s impact on popular culture draws comparisons to Shakespeare’s influence on English which has been arguably the cornerstone of the language itself. Is this undermining the magnitude and significance of Shakespeare’s legacy? Does it bring forth a contrived comparison merely because Tarantino’s films are just “cool” and “indie”? Not at all, and here’s why. Beliefs that won’t let go of “old-English” are holding back an organic transformation of the language. Today’s youth have moved on from the Bard’s
world which seemingly imposes a Shakespearian covenant that all English must abide by. However, Tarantino has broken this covenant successfully and has cultivated a following earning critical and public praise. Unlike other mediums, films are able to reach more people, particularly in an era where teenagers rarely read, and more people find escapism onscreen. The popularity and influence of films is one of the main reasons why institutionalised English literature cannot be universally appreciated as it cannot rise above the popularity of modern media. With trailers of his new spaghetti-western Django Unchanied, the public have already caught glimpses of his notorious use of aestheticized violence, not to mention a lot of death. Tarantino is a master of the genre film and a craftsman of aesthetic techniques. By combining Spaghetti-western style pace, Stanley Kubrik-esque cinematography and a plot that has no sense of time, his films tick the box of breaking away from the Hollywood mould. Take his most recent film Inglorious Basterds as an example. He has cleverly manipulated the Nazi stereotype, affiliated with most Holocaust movies, and turned them into an eccentric and even comical group to watch. Tarantino explained in an interview from 2009 that “even the Germans were laughing” at one the screenings in Hamburg. The opening scene is masterful in capturing the cynically, playful evilness of Hans Landa a.k.a. the “Jew Hunter”. It winds up in a non-linear fashion, building tension even through some more light-hearted moments, as the Jewish family hides under the floorboards of the house. Brad Pitt, when commenting on the development of the film’s plot, said that one
chapter would “focus of the detail of a moment and let it breathe” then move onto the next sequence. Tarantino’s episodic style of using chapters to direct the flow of his films is something that modern cinema has never experienced before. With blood that gushed out like a fire-hose, Tarantino’s use of aestheticized violence in Kill Bill created imagery that was not excessive. Rather, it aligned to the style of the film and was original in presenting violence as the core theme that the characters centred around. Although Kill Bill may be no Titus Androniucus I’m sure it would’ve put a grin on Will’s face anyhow. Dissimilar to most modern-day directors, Tarantino actually writes the script of his films. His story-telling is where he captivates his audiences and gains many admirers as he exceeds at a “Bardic” level. When we actually investigate some of the most highly-acclaimed movies, we notice that many are not written by the director. Although I am not denigrating the skill of transforming a book to the screen, they are not using English for their own expression, instead the expression of another person. Tarantino is able to do both. The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler’s List, Fight Club, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Forrest Gump, The Lord of the Rings, The Dark Knight, The Silence of the Lambs, A Clockwork Orange – all notably culturally and aesthetically significant films, and all based off published literature. For Inglorious Basterds, he pretty much rewrites Nazi history, defined by the fact that he kills Hitler in a German cinema. It is so audacious and bold it takes some time to digest. If there is one thing he has showed us, it is that his vision will not be manhandled by accepted
norms – a concept that has ultimately rocketed him to stardom. Tarantino’s time has not yet come. Although you can already predict great things he is yet to move on from being cult director, to becoming legend. Firstly, he hasn’t died yet (and we hope he won’t anytime soon) and secondly, he still has many films ahead of him.
Tarantino has been a pioneer of modern society’s transformation from Shakespearian English and has been an innovator of the film industry and an icon of popular culture. Realistically, Quentin Tarantino is the closest person that modern society has to take the reins of Shakespeare’s legacy. And with an IQ of 160, who would say that he isn’t genius enough to take it on.