Biography for
Quentin Tarantino

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Date of Birth

27 March 1963, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA

Birth Name

Quentin Jerome Tarantino

Nickname

QT

Height

6' 1" (1.85 m)

Mini Biography

In January of 1992 a film titled Reservoir Dogs (1992) hit the Sundance Film festival. The writer-director was a first-timer by the name of Quentin Tarantino. The film garnered critical acclaim and the director became a legend in the England, UK and the cult film circuit. Two years later he followed up 'Dogs' with the film Pulp Fiction (1994). 'Pulp' premiered at the Cannes film festival, where it won the coveted 'Palme D'Or' the virtual equal of the Best Picture at the Academy Awards. At the 1995 Academy Awards, 'Pulp' was nominated for the Best Picture Oscar, also for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay, among others. Tarantino and writing partner Roger Avary came away with the award only for Best Original Screenplay. In 1995, Tarantino directed one fourth of the Anthology Four Rooms (1995) with friends and fellow auteurs Alexandre Rockwell, Robert Rodriguez, and Allison Anders. That film was released on December 25th in the United States to very weak reviews. This is mainly due to the heavy cutting of the first two segments and the introduction which make much of the plotline unintelligible, and creates a complete mess out of the second segment, directed by Alexandre Rockwell. The best two segments of the film are Robert Rodriguez's and Tarantino's. Tarantino's next film was From Dusk Till Dawn (1996), a crime/vampire film which he wrote and co-starred with George Clooney. The film did fairly well theatrically.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Kale Whorton

Trade Mark

His main characters drive cars from Chevrolet, such as Jules' 1974 Nova and Vincent's 1960s Malibu. He often frames characters with doorways and shows them opening and closing doors. Much of the violence and minor character dialogue is offscreen in his films.

Briefcases and suitcases play an important role in Pulp Fiction (1994), Reservoir Dogs (1992), Jackie Brown (1997), True Romance (1993), and Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004).

Makes references to cult movies and television.

Frequently works with Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Uma Thurman, and Samuel L. Jackson.

His films usually have a shot from inside a car trunk.

Lead characters usually drive General Motors vehicles, particularly Chevrolet and Cadillac.

He always has a Dutch element in his films: The opening tune, Little Green Bag, in Reservoir Dogs (1992) was performed by George Baker and written by Jan Gerbrand Visser and Benjamino Bouwens who are all Dutch. The character Freddy Newandyke, played by Tim Roth is a direct translation to a typical Dutch last name, Nieuwendijk. The code name of Tim Roth is Mr. Orange, the royal color of Holland, and the last name of the royal family. The Amsterdam conversation in PulpFiction, Vincent Vega smokes from a Dutch tobacco shag (Drum), the mentioning of Rutger Hauer in Jackie Brown (1997), the bride's name is Beatrix, the name of the Royal Dutch Queen.

The Mexican Standoff: All his movies (including True Romance (1993), which he only wrote and did not direct) feature a scene in which three or more characters are pointing guns at each other at the same time.

Often uses an unconventional storytelling device in his films, such as retrospect (Reservoir Dogs (1992)), non-linear (Pulp Fiction (1994)), or "chapter" format (_Kill Bill: Vol.1 (2003)_).

His films will often include one long, unbroken take where a character is followed around somewhere.

Often casts comedians in small roles: 'Stephen Wright' as the DJ in Reservoir Dogs (1992), Kathy Griffin as an accident witness and Julia Sweeney as the junkyard guy's daughter in Pulp Fiction (1994), 'Chris Tucker' as Beaumont in Jackie Brown (1997).

Widely imitated quick cuts of character's hands performing actions in extreme closeup, a technique reminiscent of Brian De Palma.

Long closeup of a person's face while someone else speaks off-screen (closeup of The Bride while Bill talks, of Butch while Marsellus talks).

Aliases. He uses aliases in nearly all of his movies: Honey Bunny and Pumpkin from Pulp Fiction (1994), Mr White, Blonde, Orange etc. from Reservoir Dogs (1992). Bill's team in Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) (Black Mamba, Copperhead, Cottonmouth, and California Mountain Snake).

Often plays a small role in his films (Jimmie Dimmick in Pulp Fiction (1994), Mr. Brown in Reservoir Dogs (1992), the answering machine voice in Jackie Brown (1997), The Rapist in Grindhouse (2007)_ and Warren in Death Proof (2007)_)

Frequently casts Michael Madsen.

Frequently casts Uma Thurman.

Frequently uses Mêlée weapons, such as the samuri sword that Butch uses in Pulp Fiction (1994) and the bride uses in the Kill Bill movies, also the stake attached to a jackhammer used by George Clooney in From Dusk Till Dawn (1996).

Extreme violence.

Frequently casts Samuel L. Jackson.

Frequently has a female character who wears a black and white pant suit ('Uma Thurman' in Pulp Fiction (1994), Pam Grier in Jackie Brown (1997), Daryl Hannah in Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004).

Often creates fictional brands of objects due to his dislike of product placement

Trivia

Was sued by Don Murphy for $5,000,000, accused of assault. Tarantino attacked Murphy in restaurant, slammed him against the wall and punched him. [14 November 1997]

Together with Lawrence Bender founded record company called A Band Apart Records. It will focus on film soundtracks and its releases will be distributed through Maverick Records, owned by Madonna. [30 July 1997]

Was planning to direct an episode of "The X Files" (1993) but refused to join the Director's Guild of America. The Guild refused his request for a waiver so that he could direct the show. [November 1996]

Claims that Tarantino acted in the film Dawn of the Dead (1978) or the film King Lear (1987) are incorrect. Quentin falsely listed these credits years ago on his acting resume to compensate for his lack of experience and these incorrect credits have subsequently been attributed to him in such places as Leonard Maltin's Movie and Video Guide and the Cinemania CD ROM.

First noted screenplay was titled "Captain Peachfuzz and the Anchovy Bandit," which was written in 1985.

Tarantino claims that James Best taught him how to act.

Collects old board games having to do with TV shows ("I Dream of Jeannie" (1965), "The Dukes of Hazzard" (1979), Mr. T ("The A-Team" (1983), etc.).

In all of his original screenplays the name of a police detective named Scagnetti is referred to at least once. Most of the times the particular scene was cut out of the final versions.

Is widely reported to have helped to write Tony Scott's Crimson Tide (1995).

As of the year 2001, he wanted to begin filming the film Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) with Uma Thurman. Production was delayed because of Thurman's pregnancy.

Is a big fan of The Three Stooges.

His father Anthony "Tony" Tarantino (actor and musician) is of Italian descent, and his mother, Connie McHugh, is half-Irish and half-Cherokee Indian.

Although he uses both elements in his films, QT strongly detests violence and drugs.

Is listed in the acknowledgments of actor Ethan Hawke's novel, "Ash Wednesday."

Two of Tarantino's favorite films are _'Manos' the Hands of Fate (1966)_ (which he owns a 35mm copy of) and Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan (1982), which he references in Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003).

Was the head judge at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival, where Pulp Fiction (1994) won the Palme D'or, the top honor, only ten years earlier.

In just about all his movies, you'll spot "Red Apple" cigarettes.

Considers Ride in the Whirlwind (1965) one of the finest Westerns ever made, even writing an extensive article about it in Sight And Sound Magazine, titled "A Rare Sorrow." The article is featured in the Pulp Fiction (1994) Special Edition DVD as an extra and also appears in Paul A. Woods' "Film Geek Files" (pgs. 129-132). Interestingly, the director of Ride in the Whirlwind, Monte Hellman, was the executive producer of Reservoir Dogs (1992).

Has an IQ measured at 160, despite dropping out of high school.

He is a good friend of Robert Rodriguez.

He has called Uma Thurman his "muse."

Named after the Burt Reynolds character Quint Asper from "Gunsmoke" (1955)

Was at one point in his life considering to become a novelist. He said that he tried writing two chapters of a novel about his experiences working at the Video Archives in Hermosa Beach. As can be immediately seen, novelistic narrative techniques bear a strong influence on his distinct filmmaking style.

Back in 1994 (post-Pulp Fiction (1994)), while in an interview with Charlie Rose, he cited his three favorite films as: Blow Out (1981) (dir. Brian De Palma), Rio Bravo (1959) (dir. Howard Hawks) and Taxi Driver (1978) (dir. Martin Scorsese).

In the last Sight & Sound Greatest Films Poll (2002), he listed his Top Ten films as: Buono, il brutto, il cattivo., Il (1966) (aka "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly," Leone), Rio Bravo (1959) (Hawks), Taxi Driver (1976) (Scorsese), His Girl Friday (1940) (Hawks), Rolling Thunder (1977) (Flynn), They All Laughed (1981) (Bogdanovich), The Great Escape (1963) (J. Sturges), Carrie (1976) (De Palma), Coffy (1973) (Hill), Dazed and Confused (1993) (Linklater), _Tian xia di yi quan (1973)_ (aka "Five Fingers of Death," Chang) and Hi Diddle Diddle (1943) (Stone).

Considers two of his best friends to be Paul Thomas Anderson and Sofia Coppola.

Dropped out of high school when he was 16.

His mother was only 16 when she gave birth to him.

Once a vocal proponent of celluloid-over-digital film-making, Tarantino got his first experience with the latter technology by directing a segment of the film Sin City (2005) with his friend 'Robert Rodriguez' (I) . Rodriguez, who lauds the technology at every opportunity, made it his mission to convert Tarantino as well. At the end of shooting, Tarantino is reported to have said simply, "Mission accomplished."

In an appearence on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" (1992), he told him that his all time favorite James Bond Film is From Russia with Love (1963).

Hates product placement; hence, the use of the fictional cigarette brand Red Apple and defunct cereal Fruit Brute in his films.

Dropped out of Narbonne High School in Harbor City, California, at the age of sixteen to pursue film making.

Has six of his movies mentioned in FHM's (DK) "100 Best Male Movies Ever" (7 October 2004 issue): True Romance (1993) at #75, From Dusk Till Dawn (1996) at #73, Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004) at #26, Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) at #25, Reservoir Dogs (1992) at #11, and Pulp Fiction (1994) at #1.

Was offered the role of the President of the United States of America in Batoru rowaiaru II: Chinkonka (2003) but had to decline due to scheduling conflicts.

Known for giving comebacks to "forgotten" actors and/or cult actors by giving them important roles in his movies: John Travolta (Pulp Fiction (1994)), David Carradine(Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)), Lawrence Tierney (Reservoir Dogs (1992)), Pam Grier (Jackie Brown (1997)), Robert Forster (Jackie Brown (1997)), Sonny Chiba (Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003))... even in smaller/cameo roles: Sid Haig (Jackie Brown (1997), Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)), Edward Bunker (Reservoir Dogs (1992)) and Michael Parks (Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003), Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004), and From Dusk Till Dawn (1996), which QT wrote and co-starred in).

Frequently casts Michael Bowen.

Has stated that he would like to direct a James Bond movie at some point in his career.

Has named Rio Bravo (1959) as one of his favorite films.

Named his production company, A Band Apart, after the Jean-Luc Godard film Bande à part (1964) (Band of Outsiders).

Often references numerous attributes of the works of Jean-Luc Godard, particularly in Pulp Fiction (1994). The disjointed structure of Pulp Fiction (1994) may itself be an homage to Godard's use of jump cuts in À bout de souffle (1960) (Breathless), the film that launched the French New Wave of cinema.

Is a huge fan of the "Half-Life" (1997) computer game series, and has considered possibilities of directing a movie adaptation.

Ranked #81 on Premiere's 2004 annual Power 100 List. He was unranked in 2003.

Cites his influences as Martin Scorsese, Brian De Palma, Sergio Leone, and Jean-Luc Godard.

Ranked #8 in Empire (UK) magazine's "The Greatest directors ever!" [2005]

Was the spokesman for SkyperfecTV, a Japanese based satellite TV network, a competitor to the now locally defunct DirecTV endorsed by Arnold Schwarzenegger.

He directed one scene for Robert Rodriguez' Sin City (2005) as guest director

Eli Roth wanted to have the world premiere of Hostel (2005) at the 2005 Iceland Film Festival. During the festival, Roth and Quentin Tarantino were made honorary Vikings at Viking Village, in a ceremony arranged by Eythor Gudjonsson. Roth's Icelandic name is Eli Sheldonsson, and Tarantino's Icelandic name is Quentin Conniesson.

His all-time favorite director is Howard Hawks.

Every one of his movies has someone from the cast of Martin Scorsese's Mean Streets (1973). Harvey Keitel is in Reservoir Dogs (1992) and Pulp Fiction (1994), Robert De Niro is in Jackie Brown (1997), David Carradine is in Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) and Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004), and David Proval is in Four Rooms (1995) (with the exception of Death Proof (2007)).

Was originally offered the chance to direct Men in Black (1997), but turned it down.

Was originally offered the chance to direct Speed (1994/I), but turned it down.

Is Godfather to two of Michael Madsen's sons; Hudson and Calvin Michael -- Michael and his wife DeAnna joked in OK! magazine about naming Quentin Godfather to their newest son Luke Ray as well.

Is spoofed by a character named "Quentin Tarentino" in the short film Let's Get Real! (1999), which contains several satirical references to Pulp Fiction (1994).

Has stated that he would like to make and star in a film telling the story of John Brown, the abolitionist.

Named his favorite films of 2005 as Sin City (2005), Domino (2005), Hustle & Flow (2005) and The Devil's Rejects (2005).

Has named My Bloody Valentine (1981) his all time favorite slasher film.

During his stay in the Philippines, Tarantino got trapped in traffic due to flooding as he was traveling to Malacanang Palace to meet President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and receive a lifetime achievement award. Refusing to give up, he and his partner Tikoy Aguiluz got off their limousine and took a pedicab each to reach the palace. After arriving, Tarantino stated "It was a lot of fun. It just took a long time but it was not bad at all".

Has two sisters and one brother: Tanya Marie Tarantino (b. Pasadena, California, 4 Oct 1964), Ronnajean Tarantino (b. Arizona, Phoenix, 22 June 1969) and Edward James Tarantino (b. Simi Valley, California, Simi Valley, 3 Oct 1974).

His father was born in Queens, New York, and has a sister named Diane. Their parents are Dominic Tarantino and wife Elizabeth.

His mother, born in Tennessee, 3 September 1946, is the adopted daughter of Ellis Shaffer and wife Elizabeth "Betty".

His parents divorced and his mother later married Curtis "Curt" Zastoupil.

When he was a kid, one of his favorite movies was Bud Abbott Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948). He has credited this film with helping him learn genre distinctions.

Wrote the forward for the hardcover book "Unfiltered: The Complete Ralph Bakshi".

Was offered a chance to direct Westworld (2009), but turned it down.

Was ex-girlfriends Mira Sorvino's date the night she won her Best Supporting Actress Oscar.

Personal Quotes

(at MTV Movie Awards 1994) as he won Best Picture for _Pulp Fiction (1994)_) "Pop quiz, hotshot: you go to the awards ceremonies all year long; you keep losing to Forrest Gump (1994)! It's really annoying the hell out of you - what do you do? You go to the MTV Awards!"

On "rival" director Guy Ritchie marrying Madonna: "I guess I'll have to marry Elvis Presley to get even."

If I've made it a little easier for artists to work in violence, great! I've accomplished something.

When people ask me if I went to film school I tell them, 'no, I went to films.'

On using surfing music, when hating the surfing culture: "It's like surf music, I've always like loved that but, for me, I don't know what surf music has to do with surf boards. To me, it just sounds like rock and roll, even Morricone music. It sounds like rock and roll Spaghetti Western music, so that's how I kind of laid it in."

Movies are my religion and God is my patron. I'm lucky enough to be in the position where I don't make movies to pay for my pool. When I make a movie, I want it to be everything to me; like I would die for it.

On the comparison between Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)'s group fight and Neo vs. 100 Agent Smiths in The Matrix Reloaded (2003): "First off, I've always thought of the black suits as mine, so I don't think of them as Agent Smiths, I think of them as Reservoir Dogs with less cool sunglasses. The similarities between the fight sequences never occurred to me until I had a director's screening and Luc Besson turned up with Keanu Reeves as his guest. I watched Keanu watching and suddenly I felt it."

On media criticisms of violence in his movies: "Sure, Kill Bill's a violent movie. But it's a Tarantino movie. You don't go to see Metallica and ask the fuckers to turn the music down."

On media criticisms of violence in his movies: "What if a kid goes to school after seeing Kill Bill and starts slicing up other kids? You know, I'll take that chance! Violent films don't turn children into violent people. They may turn them into violent filmmakers but that's another matter altogether."

On collecting movies: "If you're a film fan, collecting video is sort of like marijuana. Laser discs, they're definitely cocaine. Film prints are heroin, all right? You're shooting smack when you start collecting film prints. So, I kinda got into it in a big way, and I've got a pretty nice collection I'm real proud of."

On how to take the violence in Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) (re: The final duel with Lucy Liu): "It's supposed to be kind of amusing and poetic at the same time. And also just a teeny-tiny bit solemn. When you see her head, it's funny. And then her line, 'that really was a Hattori Hanzo sword,' that's funny. But then, the next shot is not funny, when she tips over and Meiko Kaji is singing about revenge on the soundtrack. So, it's all together. Funny. Solemn. Beautiful. Gross. All at the same time."

On becoming famous: "Going into a videostore and going through the videos, looking at every title they have, trying to find some old spaghetti western, that's gone."

I have an idea for a Godzilla movie that I've always wanted to do. The whole idea of Godzilla's role in Tokyo, where he's always battling these other monsters, saving humanity time and again- wouldn't Godzilla become God? It would be called Living Under the Rule of Godzilla. This is what society is like when a big fucking green lizard rules your world.

On violence in Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003): "When I was on "The View" (1997), Barbara Walters was asking me about the blood and stuff, and I said, 'Well, you know, that's a staple of Japanese cinema.' And then she came back,'But this is America.' And I go, 'I don't make movies for America. I make movies for planet Earth.'"

On directing the "ER" (1994) episode "Motherhood": "When I was directing ER, I didn't want to stand out. Everyone else is wearing all that crap. I wanted to fit in. I didn't want to be the odd man out. I wanted to be inside, not on the outside. When I was directing the ER thing, the emergency room guys wore the green scrubs. I wore those for a few days. Then, I wore the blue scrubs, which were the surgeons,' for a few days. When I wore the nurse's pink scrubs, though, that's when I became a hero on the set. The nurses didn't think I was going to throw in with them. I ended the episode, the last two days, wearing the nurses' scrubs. When I walked on the set all the nurses applauded me. They were like, 'Oh my God, he's so cool!'"

On Thriller - en grym film (1974) and its influences on Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003): "And that is, of all the revenge movies I've ever seen, that is definitely the roughest. The roughest revenge movie ever made! There's never been anything as tough as that movie."

"If you want to make a movie, make it. Don't wait for a grant, don't wait for the perfect circumstances, just make it." - Giving advice to young aspiring filmmakers at the 1994 Independent Spirit Awards

I hope to give you at least 15 more years of movies. I'm not going to be this old guy that keeps cranking them out. My plan is to have a theater by that time in some small town and I will be the manager - this crazy old movie guy. (March 2005)

I will never do 'Pulp Fiction 2', but having said that, I could very well do other movies with these characters.

I've come to a point where I like Pauline Kael's reviews of Godard more than Godard's films.

(On making another "Kill Bill" movie) "Oh yeah, initially I was thinking this would be my "Dollars Trilogy". I was going to do a new one every ten years. But I need at least fifteen years before I do this again. I've already got the whole mythology: Sofie Fatale will get all of Bill's money. She'll raise Nikki, who'll take on The Bride. Nikki deserves her revenge every bit as much as The Bride deserved hers. I might even shoot a couple of scenes for it now so I can get the actresses while they're this age."

I'm never going to be shy about anything, what I write about is what I know; it's more about my version of the truth as I know it. That's part of my talent, really - putting the way people really speak into the things I write. My only obligation is to my characters. And they came from where I have been.

The exploitation films were made in such an artless way with these big wide shots of Sunset Boulevard or of Arcadia or downtown L.A. or wherever. In mainstream films, especially in the 1980s, the Los Angeles you saw wasn't the real one; it was a character with this back-lot sort of atmosphere. They tried to luxuriate it. In exploitation films, you see what the place really looked like, you see the bars and mom-and-pop restaurants.

There's only one list that's more illustrious than the list of directors who won the Palme d'Or. It's the list of directors who didn't.

I don't believe in putting in music as a band aid to get you over some rough parts or bad film making. If it's there it's got to add to it or take it to another level.

When I give props to these movies, you have to understand - it's not like they were all good. There's an expression: You have to drink a lot of milk before you can appreciate cream. Well, with exploitation movies, you have to drink a lot of milk-gone-bad before you can even appreciate milk! That's what part of the love of these movies is - going through the rummage bin and finding the jewels.

Where Are They Now

(September 2006) Currently at the shooting of Hostel: Part II (2007).

(August 2007) Planning to write a book about the Philipinne B-movie industry.

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