Quentin Tarantino as an Auteur
Tarantino's Auteur signature
Repetitive Tropes:
- Appearances in his own films. Often plays a small character.
- Use of bear feet (Reference to foot massage and dancing, tracking shot of Mia Wallis' feet)
- Violence.
- Dialogue.
- Use of the same actors (Samuel L Jackson, Uma Thurman, Tim Roth, Tarantino)
- Masculinity and gender.
-Bathrooms.
- Restaurants.
- Mexican standoff.
Post Modernism:
- Replacement of realism with artifice ( Mis-en-scene, character, story)
- Style, Worms eye view shot out of the car boot.
- Realism of dialogue (Use of racist and sexually charged language)
-Use of music (contrapuntal sound)
- Long takes (foot massage scene)
- Corpse or Injured point of view shots.
Outline the key features of Pulp Fiction which demonstrates Tarantino's auteur signature.
Auteurship is the key features and repetitive tropes used by the film director in a body of their work. This therefore is recognisable to the spectators as their techniques are repeated. Tarantino can be viewed as an auteur through his repetitive use of tropes and through his use of mis-en-scene and themes. Tarantino can also been seen as a post modernist director.
This essay will explore the use of repetitive tropes and themes in Pulp Fiction as well as in his other well known films such as Kill Bill 1 and 2, Jackie Brown and Reservoir Dogs. One recurring feature in Tarantino's films are the repetition of camera shots and angles. The corpse or injured point of view shot is common in his films. In pulp fiction we see this camera angle when Marcellus Wallis wakes up after being hit by Butch. It is also seen in his other work such as in Jackie Brown where Jackie and Ray are looking at the corpse of Ordell. The birds eye view out of the trunk of a car is also a camera angle which Tarantino repeatedly uses. We see this shot used in the opening sequence of Pulp Fiction when Vincent and Jules arrive at the apartment. It can also be seen in his other body's of work such as Reservoir Dogs, Death proof and other of his well known films.
Another common trope used throughout Tarantino's body of work and Pup Fiction is his repetition of bare feet and bathrooms. The first reference to feet is during the opening sequence where Vincent and Jules visit the apartment. The scene takes place in the corridor of the apartment as they discuss the topic of massaging feet. This scene also portrays Tarantino as a post modernist director through his use of the long take. The conversation lasts over three minutes and only cuts when they enter the apartment. We also see a tracking shot of Mia Wallace's feet this is similar to Jackie Brown where we see a close up of feet touching and rubbing across a glass on the coffee table. Tarantino's use of bathrooms is also used in a body of his work. In Pulp Fiction we see Vincent visit the bathroom 3 times. The first he is alone and talking to himself n the mirror. This eventually leads to his death as we see him shot whilst in the bathroom. This is also an example of a Tarantino situation born out of pure chance or accident as Vincent choses that moment to go to the toilet whilst Butch who is trying to find comes home for his watch. The bathrooms could also be used to show change. Each time Vincent goes to the toilet he reflects on himself and exits the bathrooms to life or death situations. Therefore the bathrooms show upending doom and reflection.
Tarantino can be seen as a post modernist director. His use of mis-en-scene and characters allow him to replace the element of realism with artifice however his use of racist and sexually charged dialogue contrasts with this as it adds realism to the film. The characters style and appearance are over the top and unrealistic such as their hair and suits. Violence is also unrealistic in Tarantino's film.
Repetitive Tropes:
- Appearances in his own films. Often plays a small character.
- Use of bear feet (Reference to foot massage and dancing, tracking shot of Mia Wallis' feet)
- Violence.
- Dialogue.
- Use of the same actors (Samuel L Jackson, Uma Thurman, Tim Roth, Tarantino)
- Masculinity and gender.
-Bathrooms.
- Restaurants.
- Mexican standoff.
Post Modernism:
- Replacement of realism with artifice ( Mis-en-scene, character, story)
- Style, Worms eye view shot out of the car boot.
- Realism of dialogue (Use of racist and sexually charged language)
-Use of music (contrapuntal sound)
- Long takes (foot massage scene)
- Corpse or Injured point of view shots.
Outline the key features of Pulp Fiction which demonstrates Tarantino's auteur signature.
Auteurship is the key features and repetitive tropes used by the film director in a body of their work. This therefore is recognisable to the spectators as their techniques are repeated. Tarantino can be viewed as an auteur through his repetitive use of tropes and through his use of mis-en-scene and themes. Tarantino can also been seen as a post modernist director.
This essay will explore the use of repetitive tropes and themes in Pulp Fiction as well as in his other well known films such as Kill Bill 1 and 2, Jackie Brown and Reservoir Dogs. One recurring feature in Tarantino's films are the repetition of camera shots and angles. The corpse or injured point of view shot is common in his films. In pulp fiction we see this camera angle when Marcellus Wallis wakes up after being hit by Butch. It is also seen in his other work such as in Jackie Brown where Jackie and Ray are looking at the corpse of Ordell. The birds eye view out of the trunk of a car is also a camera angle which Tarantino repeatedly uses. We see this shot used in the opening sequence of Pulp Fiction when Vincent and Jules arrive at the apartment. It can also be seen in his other body's of work such as Reservoir Dogs, Death proof and other of his well known films.
Another common trope used throughout Tarantino's body of work and Pup Fiction is his repetition of bare feet and bathrooms. The first reference to feet is during the opening sequence where Vincent and Jules visit the apartment. The scene takes place in the corridor of the apartment as they discuss the topic of massaging feet. This scene also portrays Tarantino as a post modernist director through his use of the long take. The conversation lasts over three minutes and only cuts when they enter the apartment. We also see a tracking shot of Mia Wallace's feet this is similar to Jackie Brown where we see a close up of feet touching and rubbing across a glass on the coffee table. Tarantino's use of bathrooms is also used in a body of his work. In Pulp Fiction we see Vincent visit the bathroom 3 times. The first he is alone and talking to himself n the mirror. This eventually leads to his death as we see him shot whilst in the bathroom. This is also an example of a Tarantino situation born out of pure chance or accident as Vincent choses that moment to go to the toilet whilst Butch who is trying to find comes home for his watch. The bathrooms could also be used to show change. Each time Vincent goes to the toilet he reflects on himself and exits the bathrooms to life or death situations. Therefore the bathrooms show upending doom and reflection.
Tarantino can be seen as a post modernist director. His use of mis-en-scene and characters allow him to replace the element of realism with artifice however his use of racist and sexually charged dialogue contrasts with this as it adds realism to the film. The characters style and appearance are over the top and unrealistic such as their hair and suits. Violence is also unrealistic in Tarantino's film.
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