The Quick Zoom: A Mini-Essay on Quentin Tarantino

Quentin Tarantino

The Quick Zoom

Quentin Tarantino The Quick Zoom

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Chapter 1: Tarantino Chapter 2: The Zoom Chapter 3: Tarantino & the Quick Zoom

Chapter 1

Tarantino

American filmmaker Quentin Tarantino is one of the world’s most renowned and celebrated writer/directors of the 21st century.

His instantly recognizable and unique style of filmmaking has come to be described as Taranitoesque, a word that even made its way into the Oxford English Dictionary.1 This signature style of his is comprised of a combination of non-linear narratives, long sequences of dialogue, black humor and an unapologetic and excessive use of graphic yet stylized violence. Moreover, a huge part of what makes his movies so alluring, and ultimately successful, are his shot choices that bring the audience deeper into the narrative.2

Tarantino is a master of using the camera as a powerful storytelling device but what sets 2

him apart from other storytellers is not only his unique style but the way he is able to create completely original work by stealing directly from other movies. “I steal from every single movie ever made,” he said in a 1994 interview, and this isn’t far from the truth.

He takes bits and pieces from a variety of sources that span across numerous decades and genres, blending them together to create something new. It’s a technique known as pastiche, a vital element in postmodernism.1 One of his frequently used film techniques is so Taranitoesque you might even think it was invented by Tarantino himself, but in reality it was actually inspired by the classic Shaw Brothers’ Hong Kong action films.3 We’re talking about the quick zoom, alternatively known as the crash zoom, snap zoom or whip zoom.

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“ I steal from every single movie ever made.”

Chapter 2

The Zoom

Pioneered in the late 19th century, the zoom is one of the oldest, most basic and well known camera techniques.4 It consists of changing the focal length of a camera’s lens, resulting in either a zoom in or a zoom out effect, allowing us to redirect or focus the audience’s attention within a single shot.5 The technique is considered outdated and is rarely seen in modern cinema due to its unnatural quality. However, when used in the right context at the right time, the zoom can produce a highly effective cinematic effect. Stanley Kubrick, for example, is a master of using a slow zoom in his horror films to create suspense and unease. Tarantino, on the other hand, has mastered the use of the quick zoom, which matches perfectly with his bold and energetic style. The effect is expressive, with the violence of the camera work mimicking the intensity of the sensation and/or emotion, while our attention is forcefully drawn either to a detail (usually someone’s eyes) or, less frequently, to the bigger picture.3 5

Chapter 3

Tarantino & the Quick Zoom

The quick zoom can be seen in a few of Tarantino’s films, most notably in Kill Bill.

He uses the shot to either emphasize an action or object, introduce an imposing character, or add weight to a character’s mood or emotion.5 In addition, the shot is often paired with an exaggerated sound effect for maximum impact.

One particularly interesting use of the quick zoom is in Chapter 1 of Kill Bill because immediately following the quick zoom in comes a slow zoom out, demonstrating the contrasting effect of the two different types of zoom. In this scene, Vernita Green comes face to face with Beatrix. On the

Quick zoom (start), Vernita Green Fight Scene, Kill Bill: Vol. 1 6

one hand, the quick zoom reflects the shock Vernita feels when opening the door to find the unexpected and vengeful visitor, then the slow zoom, paired with a flashback and alarming music, takes the viewers through a slower-paced but intense reflection of the memories that come flooding back to Vernita. It’s a lot of information and emotion packed into one shot but our main attention is drawn to Beatrix’s vengeful gaze. Furthermore, the use of the quick zoom here exemplifies how the technique often signals an abrupt change in the intensity of a scene.

The scene is quiet and calm leading up to the shot, thereafter, chaos ensues in a violent and deadly fight scene.

In the Showdown at the House of Blue Leaves, another scene in Kill Bill, the technique is used a number of times. The action in the scene kicks off with a quick zoom in on the face of a lone Crazy 88 fighter, accompanied by his war cry, and followed by a quick zoom out. The second quick zoom this time reveals the arrival of the countless other fighters that Beatrix will have to defeat.

The other quick zooms within this scene are mostly used as a way of mimicking the sudden and abrupt movements of the samurai swords, adding both dramatic and comedic effect through parody, which is further reinforced by Tarantino’s use of cartoon-like sound effects.

Quick zoom (end), Vernita Green Fight Scene, Kill Bill: Vol. 1 7

Quick zoom in then out, Showdown at the House of Blue Leaves, Kill Bill: Vol. 1 8

Quick zoom in, Showdown at the House of Blue Leaves, Kill Bill: Vol. 1 9

While the quick zoom in Kill Bill is most often used to emphasize a violent act or introduce an imposing character, the technique in Inglourious Basterds and Django Unchained is commonly used to intensify a character’s mood or emotion. The stills below are both taken from shootout scenes within each of the movies, the quick zoom emphasizing the sudden terror felt by each character.

Quick zoom in, La Louisiane Shootout Scene, Inglourious Basterds 10

The effect, however, is not only used in violent scenes. In Django Unchained, it is used to add impact to the introduction of a of arch villain Calvin Candie or to add drama to a landscape scene or even to add comedic effect to an odd comment made by a character. Whatever the case, the uses for the quick zoom in Tarantino’s films are endless because of how synonymous the technique is with his storylines and cinematic style.

Quick zoom in, Candyland Shootout Scene, Django Unchained 11

Quick zoom in, Meeting Calvin Candie Scene, Django Unchained 12

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Quick zoom in, Opening Credits, Django Unchained

Bibliography

1.

Lee, N. 2020. How Golden Globes winner Quentin Tarantino steals from other movies. Insider. Accessed May 2021 at: https://www.businessinsider.com/quentin-tarantino-movies-steals-cinema-homage-reference-2019-7?IR=T

2.

Vasiliauskas, M. 2019. The Directing Style of Quentin Tarantino. StudioBinder.

Accessed May 2021 at: https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/shot-lists-quentin-tarantino/#Tarantino-Uses-Crash-Zooms

3.

Roche, D. 2018. Quentin Tarantino: Poetics and Politics of Cinematic Metafiction. 1st ed. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi. p. 306-309.

4.

McGregor, L. 2017. The Death and Rebirth of the Zoom. The Beat. Accessed May 2021 at: https://www.premiumbeat.com/blog/zoom-in-filmmaking/

5.

McCullagh, J. 2019. Mastering the Subtle Techniques of the Zoom and the Punch In. The Beat. Accessed May 2021 at: https://www.premiumbeat.com/blog/ mastering-zoom-and-punch-in/

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A mini-thesis by: Jayme Miller-DeLorenzo Bachelor of Communication Design History of Contemporary Art 2021 Professors: Paolo Castelli Sergio Giusti Video Essay: Tarantino // Crash-Zoom by Jorge Luengo Ruiz Link: https://vimeo.com/141729555 Filmography: Kill Bill: Vol. 1 Kill Bill: Vol. 2 Django Unchained Inglourious Basterds