Kill Bill (Volumes 1 and 2)

What About It?
(for a full summary of Kill Bill 1 and 2, scroll down to "What Happens?"
Be sure to check out The Smoking Pen for more posts on "Kill Bill" as part of M's Tarantino Blogathon
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Kill Bill is not a complicated movie in terms of plot. Once you know it's a revenge story you know a lot about what to expect. The real enjoyment of Kill Bill is the overwhelming sense, that Tarantino has seen an awful lot of revenge movies, grind house movies, and 1970's martial arts movies, (which have many times been the same movies,)and here was given a chance to make the film the way he'd always wanted to see it. Kill Bill is a film that feels like pure, excited indulgence. It's easy to picture Tarantino and Uma Thurman talking about the story of "The Bride" that late become this film.  Rather than try to surprise the audience with a baffling plot, it delights in its own storytelling and brags about the impossible happening, only to top it with something more impossible in the next scene. We start with a woman that's been shot in the head by a master assassin. By all rights, that should be the end of the show. But Kill Bill is a list of "impossible things that could never happen." and it doesn't mind that one bit.

It reminds of the absurd stories that kids tell each other only for fun, being constantly added to with any objection. One kid might say, so the bride gets shot in the head and barely survives in a coma for four years. She wakes up and swears revenge. A second kid would interject, "But if she's been in a coma for four years, she wouldn't be able to walk." The first kid, rather than take back the beginning, amends it, says oh yeah, right, she escapes the hospital in a wheelchair and then by focusing on getting her big toe to move, she gets her legs working through pure training and will power.The second kid can only respond with, "Oh, yeah, ok, so then what happens?" The first kid might then continue, Well, then she decides to go after the people that tried to kill her, the five most deadly killers in the world. Both the kid telling the story and the one listening are hooked and the absurdity of the story, is part of the fun of telling it. It doesn't matter what could really happen, only what they want to see happen.

I've seen the idea presented that Kill Bill is part of the cinematic universe that the characters in Tarantino's main universe watch at the theatre, and I'm very fond of that idea. There is certainly a similarity between the "Deadly Viper Assassination Squad" and "Fox Force Five" the television pilot that Mia Wallace, Uma Thurman's role in "Pulp Fiction," had been a part of. Whether or not that's true, it certainly enjoys being in the film universe, and Tarantino's nods to film styles and other films only add to the enjoyment. Obviously great pains were taken to give this film the feel of a 70's martial arts film. It's certainly no accident that The Bride's yellow jumpsuit is identical to the one Bruce Lee wore. The impossible battles the bride overcomes would certainly fit well in a Bruce Lee film, or for that matter, any number of Martial Arts movies. The Invincible Martial arts teacher Pai Mei, is a staple from classic martial arts films, including those of the Shaw Brothers like "Executioners from Shaolin" It's not accidental that Tarantino shot part of the film at the same Shaw Brothers Studio in Hong Kong. The impossible feats such as Pai Mei standing on the blade of a sword are plentiful in 70's martial arts films. Tarantino didn't invent that, but he clearly enjoyed it and fully embraced the sensibility and runs with it here. He even treats the gore in traditional 70's martial arts fashion, severed limbs cause fountains of blood. Rather than go for realism he sticks with the form.

There is also the important inclusion of Sonny Chiba, who was huge in 1970's martial arts films (particularly The Street Fighter, which is mentioned and watched by Clarence in True Romance, another film Tarantino wrote.) Other touches, such as Elle Driver whistling "Twisted Nerve" a song from the 1968 Thriller of the same name about a deranged killer, changes her walk down a hospital hallway from harmless to threatening instantly. Beyond that many of his shots reference films from many genres. The Brides burial is nearly identical to a sequence in a "Django Film" Many of the Desert shots are patterned on "Once Upon a Time in the West" You could spend days comparing shots in Kill Bill to those in other films. Tarantino of course, makes no secret of being inspired by them, but he manages to make the shots his own, with the added benefit of bringing in associations from the other films, which gives the characters and the story a complexity that simply wouldn't be possible otherwise. Detractors may call it stealing shots, but in my mind, Tarantino loves paying in the same sandbox, where the toys were left by filmmakers that moved him. I haven't heard him bragging about "inventing" shots, so much as he brags about telling a thrilling and stylish story. I can easily imagine him watching a film and thinking, "Wow, that's a great shot." and then basing his own shot on it later, knowing how effective it will be for his purpose.  This is a man who insists on shooting at the Shaw Brothers Studio, because the martial arts films he loved were shot there. There's no attempt to hide influence, rather the reverse. Of course, for Tarantino, every film technique is fair game. He doesn't hesitate to go from black and white to color, or to tell one chapter with animation. He has no problem letting the Bride directly address the audience either, but he fits everything together and makes it work.

Of course the selection of actors in "Kill Bill" is also notable. David Carradine, our main villain is best known for the "Master of Kung Fu" TV series, which many of us grew up with. While we know that Bill is a completely different character, knowledge of the previous role makes it easier for us to believe how deadly he is. This is probably my favorite role that Carradine's ever done. Bill is an enjoyable villain in that he's completely evil and dishonest, but not reliably so. With a straight face, he can tell The Bride that the chapel massacre was him "overreacting."  Yet for all his evil, he seems genuinely pleased to discover that the Bride knew the "Five Point Palm Exploding Heart Technique." and knowing he's about to die, he can't help but tell her that she's his favorite person in the world. The fact that he's evil doesn't keep him from having some good points either, when he accuses The Bride of playing Clark Kent, she has to admit that he's right. While his screen time is less than most here, his presence saturates the film.

Michael Madsen's role is certainly enhanced by his role in another Tarantino film, "Reservoir Dogs." It seems that Tarantino knows how to play to Madsen's strengths. Here he's certainly a different character than Vic Vega, but we know that there's a lot of danger beneath the surface. The tension this creates in scenes such as  his boss at the strip club childishly berating him, is terrific. Of all the Deadly Vipers, Budd is the most resigned to his fate, yet he isn't going to go quietly. It's strangely thrilling moment when he bests the Bride as we realize he hasn't quite given up his spirit.  Of course we're just as happy when she escapes, and infuriated when Elle Driver betrays him. We learn that he didn't pawn the sword Bill gave him at all, only wanted to think so. And of course when he buries the Bride, he tells her "This is for breaking my brother's heart." It's a surprising amount of range for a relatively small scene. Of all of the characters except the Bride, Budd gets the closest to a full journey.

Lucy Liu is fantastic as O-Ren Ishii.  The Bride's battle with O'Ren and her henchmen/women is certainly the most steeped in martial art films and comes across as almost a film in itself. Her scene decapitating the man questioning her heritage, tells us what to expect from her. While their final showdown comes across as a bit short, the entire sequence is enough to anchor the first film. O'Ren's true threat is her treachery and ruthlessness and her minions are a direct extension of that. That said O'Ren could never stop the Bride because as Budd points out  "People got a job to do, they tend to live a little bit longer so they can do it. I've always figured that warriors and their enemies share the same relationship." As we know from the tradition of revenge movies, The Bride will live until she gets to Bill. The O'Ren scenes establish this and the fact that the Bride is not concerned about the impossible feats.

Vivica Fox is great as Vernita Green. She's out of the life now, but unlike Budd, she isn't resigned to anything. She has a daughter now and a new life, but she hasn't paid for her old one, and doesn't seem at all concerned about it. Her attempts to use her daughter as a tool to get the upper hand show us what we need to know about her character. Certainly their fight destroying everything in her quiet Pasadena home provides an interesting contrast. And of course this sets up the implication that the Bride herself is not unaware of consequences, as she tells Vernita's girl "I'll be waiting." as if we're watching the beginning of another film.

Daryl Hannah is a standout here and a treat to watch. Her Elle Driver is the most twisted of them all. She has seemingly tried to occupy the Bride's place in her absence, hardly changing her role at all in four years. We see the similarity and differences in the training from Pai Mei, the Bride gaining valuable training, while Elle has her eye plucked out. While everyone else seems to have other goals, Elle revels in the killing for it's own sake. She has little reason to kill Budd, except for the fact that he supposedly killed the Bride, which she wanted to do, and of course the ability for her to take credit for Budd's deeds. Elle is a fun house mirror image of what the Bride could've been.

Uma Thurman carries the lead role exceptionally well. While the Bride is certainly not one that the Academy would think about at Oscar time, she manages to handle the absurdity and impossibility of her character with gravity and a straight face. Although some of the feats are so improbable that they become comic, because of Thurman's commitment to the part, we simply accept the story and cheer her on. She comes across her as a convincing action hero without a doubt. Tarantino's decision to use an almost all female cast is an interesting one and proves that action movies don't have to be just for the guys.

The supporting cast is always a big part of Tarantino films and "Kill Bill" is no exception. Sonny Chiba as the legendary Hanzo Hattori gives us both comic relief in his sushi chef guise, and respect as the ultimate sword maker. Michael Parks in dual roles as Sheriff Earl Parks and Esteban Vihaio gives us two enjoyable sequences. Chia Hui Liu also has two roles as Pai Mei and Johnny Mo, Pai Mei certainly being the most notable. His sequence gives us a strong and affectionate connection to the 70's films.

"Kill Bill" doesn't aim to reinvent the wheel, simply to construct Tarantino's version of what a wheel should be. In this case it's a story, a great big story that we only need to believe while watching it, and we do because it's so exciting to see the Bride settle the score,and we like all good stories, we just need to know what happens next. Tarantino's love of grindhouse cinema has never been a secret and he certainly gave nods to it in Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction, and headed a little further in that direction with "Jackie Brown" but here he dives completely in, playing with every toy in the film sandbox. It feels very much like a celebration of all the films that inspired him, but also stands on its own just fine. He must have had fun, since his next film was "Death Proof" billed as a true Grindhouse throwback. Kill Bill is such a departure from his previous films that I have difficulty even comparing them. It's a fantastic entry into the grindhouse martial arts revenge film tradition.

What Happens?

We're told that the  "Revenge is a dish best served cold." (Old Klingon Proverb) We then see in Black and White, a bloody and badly wounded Bride (Uma Thurman) sobbing on the floor of a church. We hear Bill's cowboy boots approach on the hard wood floor, before he (David Carradine) leans down and explains while wiping her face with his personally monogrammed handkerchief, that "There's nothing sadistic about his actions." but rather "This is me at my most masochistic." The suffering bride tells Bill that she's carrying his baby. We hear a gunshot, the sound of Bill shooting her in the head, and the credits begin. We're then introduced to the five names of the actor playing the "Deadly Viper Assassination Squad" In order then continue the credits as as we watch the Bride lying still on the floor.


1. Lucy Liu as O'Ren Ishii
2.Vivica A. Fox as Vernita Green
3. Michael Madsen as Bud
4. Daryl Hannah as Elle Driver
5. David Carradine as Bill

Chapter 1
The Bride drives a pick  up truck to a nice house in a quiet upscale neighborhood and rings the doorbell. While waiting, she remembers another scene from her wedding, and one of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad, Vernita Green (Vivica A. Fox) attacking her. The moment the door opens she punches Vernita in the face. The two of them fight, going from fists to knives pretty quickly. They pause their fight however, when Vernita's young daughter, Nikki gets home from school.  Although Nikki notices the place is trashed, Vernita blames the dog for the mess. The two women insist that everything is OK. The Bride asks Nikki how old she is, and mentions that her little girl would be about her age now.
We learn that Vernita and The Bride were both members of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad, Vernita is "Copperhead" and the Bride was "Black Mamba." The Bride says she won't kill Vernita in front of her child and they plan to meet later to finish the fight. However, Vernita attempts to shoot the Bride with a hidden gun, and the Bride responds by killing her with a throwing knife as Nikki walks back into the room. The Bride tells her to come find her when she grows up if she "It was not my intention to do this in front of you. For that, I'm sorry, but you can take my word for it, your mother had it coming." She tells Nikki if she can't get over it "I'll be waiting."  The Bride leaves in her pick up which we see is labelled "Pussy Wagon" She crosses Vernita's name off the number 2 spot on her  "Death List Five" We see that O'Ren Ishii is already crossed off.

Pulp Fiction

What About It?
(for a full summary, go down the page to What Happens?)

Quentin Tarantino was working in movies well before Pulp Fiction and certainly some people noticed Reservoir Dogs, and his contributions to True Romance and Natural Born Killers, but Pulp Fiction was the start of Tarantino as a major force. You could see Tarantino in all of the previous films, whether the absurdly over the top pop culture referencing dialogue, the stylized criminal element, the element of casual violence, and people bound by their own unspoken codes, but Pulp Fiction is where he was able to put all these pieces together exactly how they should be. Filmed out of chronological order, it's a film that feels like several films locked together. With the amazing abundance of talent and smart writing here, even the smallest character seems significant, as nothing is in this film that doesn't add to the flavor he's going for. It isn't difficult to look at all the crime films in the time following Pulp Fiction to see what a profound and immediate impact it had. For some time it seemed like everything coming out was tipping it's hat to Pulp Fiction, although not a lot of those films remained memorable, as stylization isn't everything. What Tarantino got that a lot of his imitators missed was that all the style in the world is no substitute for unique and interesting characters.

Vincent (John Travolta) and Jules (Samuel L. Jackson) are the two characters most associated with the film. Their occupation and their suits could have come out of Reservoir Dogs, (Vincent's brother, Vic Vega is even a character in that film) and that's good because it works. We don't picture hit men having discussions over theology and the significance of a foot massage, but Travolta and Jackson sell it very well. It makes sense that guys whose job consists mostly of waiting would spend a good deal of time talking. Their dialogue also makes them far more engaging than say, characters who look silently across the street. They're hit men, but they're sociable ones, not inhuman monsters. They're as entertained by gossip as anyone, as Mia points out. Most of us have probably had similar conversations. Watching them head to an appointment making small talk like it's just another day at work, we relate to them. There are little reminders that their work is a serious kind, such as checking the trunk and wishing for shotguns, but even when they're about to kill someone, Jules sees no reason not to discuss cheeseburgers.

Their habitual disagreements are also fun to watch and telling about their characters. When they're miraculously spared from death, Jules is all too ready to see "divine intervention" while Vincent can't even entertain such an idea. They've both seen all kinds of situations, and at the very least, a close brush with death, could be cause to reevaluate what you're doing, particularly when it's an inevitable part of your line of work. Jules sees that and his bags are practically packed. Vincent though, has no intention of doing anything else.  It's interesting that while most of the characters here are given different settings, we don't see Jules without Vincent's presence. Vincent is the perfect symbol for the lifestyle Jules wants to leave. We can also figure that this isn't a new idea, he is insistent that Marsellus' supposed action of throwing a man of a balcony over a foot massage, is excessive. Vincent's defense of the action is telling about him, he's simply justifying why he stays. Jules is a character who is building up his own justifications to cut strings and do something else. It's very clear though, that Jules, doesn't know much of any other occupation, but his idea of "walking the Earth" is perhaps as sensible as being a hit man anyway. And again, Vincent seeing his decision as "deciding to be a bum." tells us everything about Vincent. He sees himself as a guy who is working for a living and can't understand what Jules is planning at all. It's a great touch that Jules' catch phrase is a key in his finally understanding how to turn a corner. It also reveals much about Jules that the "scripture" he's memorized is largely made up. As he says he would quote it because "I just thought it was some cold blooded shit to say to a motherfucker before I popped a cap in his ass." He also went to the trouble to get a wallet that reads "Bad Motherfucker." These details are all part of Jules sense of place in the world. Perhaps he is a "bad motherfucker." but that isn't very relevant, when he's also somebody that should be dead.

"The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who would attempt to poison and destroy My brothers. And you will know My name is the Lord when I lay My vengeance upon thee."

In analyzing his own favorite phrase, Jules basically tells his whole journey,  "See, now I'm thinkin' maybe it means you're the evil man and I'm the righteous man, and Mr. 9 Millimeter here, he's the shepherd protecting my righteous ass in the valley of darkness. Or, it could mean, you're the righteous man and I'm the shepherd and it's the world that's evil and selfish. Now, I'd like that, but that shit ain't the truth. The truth is, you're the weak and I am the tyranny of evil men, but I'm tryin' Ringo. I'm tryin' real hard to be the shepherd." Up until the miracle, despite the fact that he killed people for money, Jules imagined he was "righteous." In that light, it makes sense that he would have a problem with Marsellus being "excessive." Jules opinion of what "righteousness is, however, is entirely his own. He's lived to long in a world of different than normal morality to just be a normal citizen, thus his plan to "walk the earth."

Vincent is the other side, firmly entrenched in what he does. Like anyone in the film however, he does have a code he follows. His code isn't tested by Jules, but by Mia. Although he has every intention of doing what Marsellus asked of him, we see when he and Mia return from Jackrabbit Slim's that it isn't as easy as he would like it to be. Mia is certainly off limits, yet he can't help but be drawn to her. She pays attention to things and treats him with respect, even though, he has been ordered to show her a good time. She isn't afraid to broach delicate subjects either, and when she asks Vincent "Isn't it more exciting when you don't have permission?" we can't blame him for finding that an interesting statement. Vincent does manage to follow the rules, and save Mia's life, but clearly it isn't about the letter of the law as we see when he asks Mia to keep the overdose a secret from Marsellus. His loyalty clearly has some limitations. He feels that a foot massage would cross those boundaries, but keeping Marsellus wife's near death a secret, even though strictly speaking he had done nothing wrong, does not. On his date with Mia, we see that Vincent is interested in all sorts of things, and although he doesn't watch TV, he knows the difference between Marilyn Monroe and Mamie Van Doren. Despite the difficulty in maintaining loyalty, it's gratifying to see Vincent and Mia form a deep relationship, due to the worst possible circumstances. We see that Vincent is as human as Jules is, he's just determined to earn his living this way.

Vincent is insistent about respect, but he has no desire to be in charge. He's quite happy to be back up for Jules, and we see when he is sent alone to look for Butch that he isn't as careful as he should be. They were "lucky" he tells Jules when they cheat death, so he is "unlucky" when Butch kills him, but it likely has more to do with the gun he left on the counter, and the fact that he insisted on having a stare down with Butch earlier. It's no wonder that this role revived Travolta's career. He's entertaining every moment he's on the screen, and plays "the Elvis man" perfectly.

Ving Rhames' Marsellus Wallace is really the character that connects them all. He's the boss and the guy that people will believe throws a man over a balcony over a foot massage. Clearly he thinks nothing of having people beaten or killed, as Jules' and Vincent's careers depend on it. Yet here, we get to see Wallace as not just the boss, but a guy like anyone else. He underestimates Butch and pays for it, and then as luck would have it, is severely abused by Maynard and Zed. For his own reasons, Butch rescues him, and we see that despite his brutality, he has his own code somewhere. He lets Butch go free, although he has a shotgun in his hand and could easily take him out with it. He owes Butch his life possibly and certainly some dignity. Even so, he has to place conditions on them being "even." What Butch did for him has a concrete value. It's worth erasing their disagreement, but not if he tells anyone about it, or if he comes back to L.A. People have said that it's what someone does when no one is watching that tells the most about them, and in this case it reveals Marsellus' own sense of loyalty. He's a crime boss but a very particular one. We also notice that Jules has no fear of telling Marsellus he's retiring. Vincent suggests that he'll laugh if Jules tells him why. This is a guy that inspires fear, but also trust in those close to him. Rhames plays him perfectly as a formidable force, even under the worst circumstances.

My favorite character, however, is Butch. It may just be that I like Bruce Willis, but this isn't a standard Willis character. Butch is far from the wisecracking John McLane. When he first meet him he's notable for not saying anything, but not saying it aggressively in Charles Bronson fashion. He's not a regular inhabitant of Wallace's world of crime, just a boxer that sees the opportunity to make some money and be happy with the woman he loves. Of course Tarantino's love of the pulp/noir genre comes through here as well. The boxer taking a dive is another staple of the genre, as seen in "The Set-Up" and "The Harder They Fall" among others. Butch wants to take the opportunity for all it's worth though, accepting not only Wallace's pay off, but placing his own bets, with the odds sure to pay off if he wins, since everyone knows about the fix. We know that Butch grew up without a father, and has made his own idea of what manhood is. The young Butch is instantly recognizable by the way he listens without saying a word. He ends up being quite formidable beating a boxer to death without even realizing it. We see that Butch as much as anyone else has made up his own codes and is more than just a thug. We see him get furious when realizing Fabienne didn't grab the watch his father left him. He catches himself and realizes that she couldn't know how important it was, because he didn't tell her. It doesn't make the watch less important, but it does show that he's careful about assigning blame. As tough as he may be to others, to Fabienne, who is clearly very delicately constituted, he endeavors to be gentle. Butch's code has nothing to do with Marsellus Wallace, although he rightly assumes that crossing him will put him in a lot of danger. Danger doesn't stop him from going to get his watch though, even though his apartment is the worst place for him to be. As with the boxing match, Butch is quick to seize opportunity when finding Vincent without his gun, and when Marsellus crosses the street in front of him. Neither he or Marsellus could've predicted Maynard and Zed's behavior. Butch's strength of character really comes through though, when he's about to leave but decides not to leave Marsellus there. It's worth considering that Marsellus is the biggest enemy Butch has, and he really has nothing to gain from saving him. It's the principle of the thing though. Butch can't leave anyone to that fate. Fortunately, Wallace respects this but that' not something he could've counted on.

Tim Roth and Amanda Plummer are also great as Pumpkin and Honey Bunny. The two armed robbers who think they're bigger fish than they are. Although their roles are relatively small, they make quite an impact, coming across as an affectionate pair who just happen to be deranged. Honey Bunny's distress when Jules grabs Pumpkin is almost to watch and her presence alone creates massive suspense. We can't be sure what she's capable of. Uma Thurman's Mia is another standout. Her personality had a lot to do with it being a memorable experience. She's a femme fatale who's mostly a danger to herself and not what we expect from being Wallace's wife. Although the marriage dynamic isn't heavily explored, we get a character who knows what she wants and takes it without apology, only having the misfortune of finding the wrong coat pocket.
Christopher Walken's appearance is also great, and you can depend on him to make even a minor role a highlight of a film. The gravity with which he tells the story of the watch is so compelling the means of hiding it don't diminish it's importance at all. Harvey Keitel's Winston Wolf is fantastic, and illustrates how effective having the right actor in a small part can be. We never question that Winston Wolf is the only guy in the world that can solve this problem.

True to it's title, Pulp Fiction is populated entirely with new takes on the world of pulp characters. We recognize them, but they're given a chance to be themselves here. They can say what they want and do what they want or not. But the way they're treated it's tough to think of them as old here. This is a film that says, "What if all the characters from all those stories, the hit men, the fixer, the boxer taking a dive, the femme fatale, and the two bit hoods all got together in the same movie, in present day?" It sounds sure to make an interesting story and it does. The out of order filming gives it an energy that makes it fly by even though it's a fairly long film. Just as we get settled on a character and wonder what they'll do next, we move to another and ask the same thing. Pulp Fiction is informed by pulp, but isn't bound by it. Maybe these shady characters will meet gloomy ends, but maybe they won't. It's not afraid of happy endings any more than of bad ones. Butch and Fabienne ride off towards retirement. Honey Bunny and Pumpkin get away with a great take, and get to stay alive. There are consequences and things to be suffered, but maybe there's true love or divine intervention. We don't know until they get to it and that's certainly the mark of a great story.

What Happens?


The film opens on a couple in a diner, Pumpkin (Tim Roth) and Honey Bunny (Amanda Plummer) discussing. Pumpkin is declaring that he's "all done. through with this shit." Honey Bunny reminds him that the always says this and then forgets in a day or two which makes him sound "like a duck." when he complains "Quack, quack, quack." During the discussion, they amend the "not doing it again" to mean "after tonight." Pumpkin mentions that robbing banks is easier, because they're instructed not to resist in any way, and you don't even need a gun. He tells a story about a man robbing a bank with his cell phone. She asks if he wants to rob banks. He tells her that he's only illustrating that it would be easier than what they've been doing.

Reservoir Dogs

What Happens?

Reservoir Dogs opens in a restaurant with a group of guys talking. The group is involved a planning heist and other than the heist organizers, Joe Cabot (Lawrence Tierney) and his son Nice Guy Eddie (Chris Penn) the men in the group go only by their code names; Mr. Brown (Quentin Tarantino), Mr. White (Harvey Keitel,) Mr. Blonde (Michael Madsen,) Mr. Orange (Tim Roth,) Mr. Pink (Steve Buscemi,) and Mr. Blue (Eddie Bunker.)

Mr. Brown initiates a conversation about the true meaning of Madonna's "Like a Virgin" insisting that the meaning is entirely physical while Mr. Blonde contends that it's about "meeting a nice sensitive guy." Joe pays for the meal telling the group they can take care of the tip by each throwing in a buck. This starts a debate on the merits of tipping waitresses, as Mr. Pink doesn't believe in tipping just because it's expected. He changes his mind when Joe insists. Joe says "Alright, Ramblers, let's get rambling."



The screen turns to black as we hear a radio program "K-Billy's Sounds of the Seventies" announced by Steven Wright  as the credits start and we see the group walking slow motion in black suits and sunglasses. The credits continue over another brief black screen and we hear Mr. Orange and Mr. White talking. Mr. Orange is panicked that he's going to die and Mr. White reassures him. We then see them in a car with Mr. Orange in a white backseat covered in blood. Mr. White holds his hand and continues telling him he isn't going to die.
Mr. White: Are you a doctor?
Mr Orange: No, I'm not.
Mr. White: Ok, so you admit you don't know what you're talking about. So, if you're through giving me your amateur opinion, lie back and listen to the news. I'm taking you back to the rendezvous and Joe's gonna get you a doctor. The doctor's gonna fix you up and you're gonna be ok. Now, say it! You're gonna be Ok.
When Mr. Orange continues screaming Mr.White insists until he repeats it. They arrive at a warehouse and Mr. White lays Orange down on the ground and checks his wound. White tells Orange he can't do anything except wait for Joe. Orange tells White he's scared and asks him to hold him, which White obliges, continuing to reassure him. Orange begs White to take him to a hospital, but White insists that he can't. He tells Orange that while it's very painful, it takes days to die from a gutshot.

Mr. Pink arrives next and finds out about Mr. Orange. He tells them that Mr. Brown got shot by a cop.Pink insists that they got set up, due to the cops arriving on the scene too quickly. White and Pink discuss the set up situation. White recalls the alarm going off, the cops showing up and then Mr. Blonde started shooting everyone. Mr. Pink corrects him, pointing out that the cops didn't arrive when the alarm went off, but when Blonde started shooting. Mr White asks Pink how he got out. Pink says "I shot my way out."

We then take a look at Mr. Pink's escape. He runs down the sidewalk, pushing through pedestrians, with three cops chasing him on foot. Crossing the road, he gets hit by a car, breaking it's windshield. He uses the surprise to pull the woman driving out of her car as the cops catch up. They exchange shots around a corner and Pink takes the car and escapes.

We go back to the warehouse and Pink asks White if he killed anybody.
White: A few cops.
Pink: No real people?
White: Just cops.
Pink asks "Could you believe Mr. Blonde?" White answers "That was the most insane fucking thing I've ever seen. Why the fuck would Joe hire a guy like that?"
Pink: I don't wanna kill anybody. If I got to get out of that door and you're standing in my way, one way or the other you're getting out of my way.
White: That's the way I look at it. The choice between doing ten years and taking out some stupid motherfucker, ain't no choice at all. But I ain't no madman either. They discuss the rest of the crew. Pink reveals that he has the diamonds so they're not worried about anyone taking them. Pink is concerned that whoever set them up could've given the cops the warehouse location. Pink starts trying to eliminate possible rats. asking White about everyone in the crew. Pink suggests Orange could be the rat, but White gets angry saying "Listen, that kid in there is dying from a fucking bullet I saw him take. So don't you be calling him a rat!" Pink answers "Look. I'm right Ok? Somebody's a fucking rat."

We flashback to Mr. White meeting with Joe. The two are clearly old friends, as Joe asks about a girl named Alabama, White's former girlfriend and partner. White explains they're not together anymore and asks about a telegram Joe sent him. Joe explains "Five man job, busting in and busting out of a diamond wholesaler's." White asks Joe if he can unload the diamonds and Joe tells him no problem, asking about a source White had, who White informs him is in prison for twenty years.
White: What's the exposure like?
Joe: Two minutes tops, but it's a tough two minutes. Daylight, during business hours, dealing with a crowd, but you'll have the guys to deal with the crowd.
White: How many employees?
Joe: I'd say around twenty, security, pretty lax.

Back at the warehouse, White checks on Orange, and Pink tells him, he's getting out of there. White insists that he can't leave Orange as he took a bullet for him. White wants to get in touch with Joe, thinking he can get help. Pink reasons that Joe won't be happy to hear from them. They discuss the situation, White revealing that Orange had begged him to bring him to a hospital. White is hesitant to "turn him over to the cops." but Pink reasons they should do it, since he asked, and doesn't know anything about them.
White: But he knows all about me.
Pink: What? Wait, you didn't tell him your name, did you?
White: First name, and where I was from.
Pink: Why?
White: I told him where I was from a few days ago. It was just a natural conversation.
Pink: What was telling him your name when you weren't supposed to?
White: He asked! We had just gotten away from the cops. He just got shot. It was my fault he got shot. He's a fucking bloody mess. He's screaming. I swear to God, I thought he was gonna die right then and there.I'm trying to comfort him, telling him, not to worry, everything's gonna be ok, I'm gonna take care of him. And he asks me what my name was. I mean, the man was dying in my arms. What the fuck was I supposed to do? Tell him, I'm sorry, I can't give out that fucking information? It's against the rules? I don't trust you enough? Maybe I shoulda, but I couldn't.
Pink: I'm sure it was a very beautiful scene.
White: Don't fucking patronize me!
Pink: Do they have a sheet on you where you're from?
White: Yeah
Pink: Well, that's that then.

Pink insists that since Orange knows so much about White they can't bring him to a hospital. White tells him to back off, saying if they don't, Orange will die. Pink says "I feel bad about that. But, some folks are lucky and some ain't." White punches Pink in the face, knocking him to the ground, and the two of them pull guns on each other. Pink insists that he's acting professional and it isn't his fault.

We then see that they're being watched by Mr. Blonde who's leaning on a wall close by. He says "You kids shouldn't play so rough. Somebody's gonna start cryin'" Pink gets up off the floor and asks Blonde what happened. He asks if he knows what happened to Blue. Blonde doesn't answer, just takes off his sunglasses and looks at White and Pink. White gets mad, cutting off Mr. Pink.
White: Enough! You better start talking, asshole! 'Cause we got shit we need to talk about. We're already freaked out. We need you acting freaky like we need a fucking bag on our hip.
Blonde: Okay. Let's talk.
White and Pink explain they think there's a rat. They tell Blonde they don't think the warehouse is safe anymore and suggest he leaves with them.
Blonde: Nobody's going anywhere.
White: Piss on this, fucking turd. We're out of here.
Blonde: Don't take another step Mr. White.
White: [pointing his gun at and approaching Blonde] Fuck you, maniac! It's your fucking fault we're in this trouble.
Blonde: What's this guy's problem?
White: What's my problem? Yeah I got a fucking problem.I got a big fucking problem! When any trigger happy madman almost gets me shot!
Blonde: What the fuck you talkin' about?
White: That fucking shooting spree! In the store, remember?
Blonde: Fuck em. They set off the alarm. They deserved what they got.
White: You almost killed me! Asshole! If I'd known what kind of a guy you were, I never would have agreed to work with you.
Blonde: Are you gonna bark all day, little doggie? Or are you gonna bite?
White: What was that? I'm sorry. I didn't catch it. Could you repeat it?
 Blonde: Are you gonna bark all day, little doggie? Or are you gonna bite?




White approaches Blonde but Pink runs in between them and tries to defuse things. Pink reasons that Blonde is the only guy they can trust as he's "too homicidal to be working with the cops" Pink tells them they need to work together to figure out who the bad guy is. Blonde starts laughing and says "Wow. That was really exciting" Looking at White he says. "Bet you're a big Lee Marvin fan aren't you?" White laughs, and Blonde says "Me too. I love that guy. My heart's beating so fast I 'm about to have a heart attack." He tells them he has something outside to show them, and reveals he has a cop tied up in his trunk. They reason that the cop may be able to tell them something about the set up. Blonde also tells them that he talked to Nice Guy Eddie, who said he's on his way to the warehouse.

We then cut to 'Mr. Blonde" in the past. We see Joe in his office talking on the phone. He's told that Vic Vega (Mr. Blonde) is outside and Joe asks to send him on. Joe says "Welcome home Vic! How does freedom feel?" Blonde tells him "It's a change. Joe offers him a drink and tells him to get comfortable. Blonde says his parole officer won't let him leave the halfway house. Blonde thanks Joe for sending him packages in prison. He asks about Blonde's plans, when Nice Guy Eddie arrives. Eddie hugs Blonde and apologizes for not picking him up himself explaining that he's had his head up his ass. Blonde says "It's funny you should say that because that's what me and your Daddy were just talking about."
Eddie: That i should've picked you up?
Blonde: No, that you got your head up your ass. I walk in the door and he's like, "Vic,Vic, I'm so glad somebody's finally her that knows what's going on. My son Eddie's a fuck-up. He's ruining the business.  I mean I love the guy, but you know he's flushin' everything down the toilet. I mean, that's what you said, right Joe? I mean, tell him yourself.

Joe: Well, I hate for you to hear it like this, but Vic come in, asked me how business was, and you don't lie to a man who's done time for you.
Eddie: That's very true.
Eddie and Blonde start wrestling before Joe breaks it up, saying "You guys wanna crawl around on the floor, do it in Eddies's office not mine." The two keep giving each other a hard time, until Joe gets serious and tells Eddie about Blonde's parole problem. Eddie suggest he come work for them, but Blonde explains he has to keep the parole officer happy before he can work for them again. Eddie suggests that they get him a job as a dock worker. Blonde doesn't want to work, but Eddie tells him he doesn't have to work, but according to the records he'll have a job. Blonde thanks them and tells them he'd like to do some "real work." Joe tells him "Well, it's hard to say. It's a strange time now." He suggests he go along with the dock worker cover for the moment and they'll let him know when something comes up. Eddie has an idea though, to use Blonde on a job, that they wouldn't normally put him on, since he's always been good luck to them. Joe asks "How would you feel about pulling a job with five other guys?" Blonde says "I'd feel great about it."

We then find Eddie driving in the present trying to call his father, explaining to Joe's assistant that Blonde told him things turned ugly and he took a cop hostage to get away. At the warehouse, Pink, White and Blonde are beating the cop. Blonde finds some duct tape which they use to tape the cop to a chair. White and Pink hit him and White tells the cop he's going to talk.

Eddie shows up and Pink tells him about the set up. Eddie is mad and tells them there was no set up and that it's no wonder the cops showed up with all the shooting. Eddie assumes that Orange is dead but White tells him he isn't yet, but will be if they don't get a doctor. Blonde asks where Joe is and Eddie says he's coming down there and he's pissed. They tell Eddie that brown is dead, but no one knows what happened to Blue. Blonde says "Either he's alive or he's dead, or the cops got him, or they don't." Eddie asks why they're beating on the cop. Pink explains they want to know who set them up. Eddie says "If you fucking beat this prick long enough, he'll tell you he started the goddamned Chicago fire. Now that don't necessarily make it fucking so!" Pink tells Eddie he has the diamonds. Eddie suggests that they go get them as well as getting the cars out of the lot, leaving Blonde at the warehouse. White tells him they can't leave Blonde with Orange and the cop, "because he's a fucking psycho." Blonde claims White has been threatening him since he cam to the warehouse, but Pink and White tell Eddie that the job went bad because Blonde started shooting everyone.Blonde explains "If they hadn't done what I told them not to do, they'd still be alive." Whit starts clapping (Blonde joins in) and says "My fucking hero!" Eddie reasons "What does it matter who stays with the cop? We're not letting him go after he's seen everybody." They stick with Eddie's plan and leave Blonde to watch the cop and Orange.

As soon as they leave, Blonde takes off his jacket and approaches the cop, (Kirk Baltz) who insists he doesn't know about any set up no matter how much he gets tortured.  Blonde gets upset with the cop when he reminds Blonde that his boss said there was no set up, insisting that he doesn't have a "boss". Blonde then says "Listen kid, I'm not gonna bullshit you, all right? I don't give a good fuck what you know, or don't know, but I'm gonna torture you anyway, regardless. Not to get information. It's amusing, to me, to torture a cop. You can say anything you want cause I've heard it all before. All you can do is pray for a quick death, which you ain't gonna get" Blonde pulls out a straight razor and turns on the radio, which plays Steeler's Wheel's "Stuck in the Middle With you." He starts dancing to the song, while making his way over to the cop, slashing his face and then cutting off his ear and asking "Was that as good for you as it was for me?" He holds the severed ear in his hand and pretends to talk into it, asking the cop if he can hear it. Blonde runs out to his car and gets a gas can, dancing his way to the cop again before dousing him with gas as he struggles. Blonde pulls the tape from the cop's mouth and the cop begs him to stop, telling him he has a little kid and he doesn't know anything and won't say anything. Blonde just says "You all through?" preparing to light the gas.

We then see Blonde get shot many times and realize Orange is awake and still has his gun. He attempts to get up but can't. Orange asks the cop his name and he answers "Marvin Nash." Orange tells Marvin that he's a cop, but Marvin says he already knows and he also knows his name is "Freddy something." Orange says "Newandyke, Freddy Newandyke." He tells Orange that they were introduced months ago, but Orange doesn't remember. Marvin asks "How do I look?" Orange says "I don't know what to tell you Marvin." Marvin gets upset about being disfigured but Orange asks him to hold on, as there are cops only a block away. Marvin complains again about the disfigurement and Orange yells 'Fuck you! Fuck You! I'm fucking dying here!" He tells Marvin they aren't making a move until Joe shows up and he should be on the way. So "We're just gonna sit here and bleed until Joe Cabot sticks his fucking head through that door."

We then move to the past and see "Mr. Orange." in civilian clothes, announcing to his police contact, Holdaway (Randy Brooks) that he has an in to one of Joe Cabot's jobs. Holdaway is excited to hear it. He tells Holdaway that Nice Guy Eddie set up a meeting with Joe. Eddie picked him up and he met with Joe and Mr. White. As Mr. White didn't look familiar Orange deduced he was from out of town, and finding out White was a Brewer's fan he further knew he was from Wisconsin. Holdaway tells him to look through the Milwaukee files under armed robbery until he puts a name to White's face. Holdaway asks about a referral from"Long Beach Mike." and whether it helped him get on the inside. "Perfecto." Orange says. Referring to Long Beach Mike, he tells Holdaway, "Do right by him, he's a good guy. I wouldn't be inside if it wasn't for him." Holdaway senses trouble and tells Orange "No. No. Long Beach Mike is not your fucking amigo man. Long Beach Mike is a fucking scumbag. He's selling out his amigos. That's what kind of a nice guy he fucking is, alright?" Holdaway asks if he used "the commode story." and we see see Orange and Holdaway practicing the delivery of "an amusing anecdote about a drug deal." Holdaway has given Orange a script, and instructed him to make it his own and remember every detail in the commode where the story is to have taken place. We see Orange practicing at home alone later trying to make it believable. He practices in front of Holdaway again and finally we see him telling Joe, Eddie, and Mr. White the story. He handles their interruptions to ask for details adeptly. The story turns out to be about him using an airport restroom using a urinal with pot on him and running into a group of sheriff's dept. guys who have a drug dog that barks at him, without losing his cool. The story impresses Joe. Holdaway asks about Joe and Orange tells him he's a cool and funny guy."

We see White and Eddie picking him up. He tells himself before leaving "They don't know. They don't know shit. You're not gonna get hurt. You're fucking Beretta. They believed every fucking word, because you're super cool." When Orange gets in the car we see that they have police tailing them. Mr. Pink is also in the car, talking about the differences between white and black women, claiming that black women won't put up with things that white women will. Eddie agrees and tells a story about a black cocktail waitress named E-Lois, whose husband "did things to her"  until one night "he fell asleep. She sneaks up on him and put some Wacko glue on his dick, glues his dick to his belly." Orange gets into the conversation by pointing out some facts about Pam Grier. The four of them are all laughing and having a good time until they arrive at their meeting with Joe, who says
"So, you guys like to tell jokes and giggle and kid around, huh? Gigglin' like a bunch of young broads sittin' in a schoolyard. Well, let me tell a joke. Five guys, sittin' in a bullpen, in San Quentin, wondering how the fuck they got there. What'd we do wrong, what should we've done, what didn't we do? it's your fault, my fault, his fault, all that bullshit. Finally, someone comes up with the idea; Wait a minute, while we were planning this caper, all we did was sit around tellin' fuckin' jokes! Got the message? Boys, I don't mean to holler at ya. When this caper's over - and I'm sure it's gonna be a successful one, hell, we'll get down to the Hawaiian Islands, hell, I'll roll and laugh with all of ya. You'll find me a different character down there. Right now, it's a matter of business."
He reinforces the importance of using aliases and any personal information. He then assigns them all their color names. Mr. Pink has a problem with his and complains, but Joe tells him that's it. Mr. Pink asks why they can't their own colors and Joe says "Tried it once, it doesn't work. You get four guys all fighting over who's gonna be Mr. Black. They don't know each other so nobody wants to back down. " He tells Pink to be thankful he's not Mr. Yellow.

Orange goes over all the details of the plan with Mr. White in a car before the job. We then flash to them in the car after the job. We see Mr. Brown drive his car into another car with blood in his eyes while White and Orange get out. A cruiser pulls up to them and White shoots the two cops in it dead while Orange watches and Brown dies of his wound. They walk away together, and try to steal a car at gunpoint not realizing the driver has a gun. She shoots Orange, who's on the driver's side. Orange then shoots her dead and we see him in the back like he was at the beginning with White reassuring him.

We move back to the warehouse, with Marvin tied up, Orange lying in the same place and Blonde, dead across the room. Eddie gets back with White and Pink and wants to know what happened. Orange explains that Blonde, slashed the cops face, cut off his ear and was about to burn him alive. Eddie doesn't seem pleased and asks "This cop?" before shooting the Marvin dead.  Eddie says "He went crazy? Worse or better?" Orange then insists that Blonde was "pulling a burn" and was planning to kill him as well and was going to kill the rest of them when they returned and leave with the diamonds for himself. White exclaims "That sick piece of shit." Eddie says "It doesn't make sense." White says "It makes perfect sense. You didn't see how he acted during the job."

Eddie says "You're saying that Mr. Blonde was gonna kill you and then when we got back, he was gonna kill us, take the satchel of diamonds, and scram? I'm right about that, right? That's correct. That's your story?"
Orange says "I swear on my mother's eternal soul that's what happened." Eddie says 'The man you just killed just got released from prison. He got caught in a company warehouse, full of hot items. He could've fuckin' walked. All he had to do was say my Dad's name, but he didn't. He kept his fucking mouth shut. He did his time and he did it like a man. He did four years for us. So, Mr. Orange, you're telling me that this very good friend of mine, who did four years for my father, and in four years never made a deal, no matter what they dangled in front of him...You're telling me that now that this man is free, and we're making good on our commitment to him, he's just gonna decide, out of the fucking blue, to rip us off! Why don't you tell me what really happened.

Joe enters the room, and says "What the hell for? It'd just be more bullshit. This man set us up." Eddie apologizes for not knowing what happened. and Joe says "That's alright, I do."
White then interrupts and says "What the fuck are you talking about?"
Joe: That lump of shit's working with the LAPD.
Orange [struggling to speak] I don't have the slightest fucking idea what you're talking about.
White: Joe, I don't know what you think you know, but you're wrong.
Joe: Like hell I am.
White: Joe, trust me on this. You made a mistake. He's a good kid. I understand you're hot. You're super fucking pissed. We're all real emotional, but you're barking up the wrong tree. I know this man. He wouldn't do that.
Joe: You don't know jack shit. I do. The cocksucker tipped off the cops and had Mr. Brown and Mr. Blue killed.
Pink: Mr. Blue is dead?
Joe: Dead as Dillinger.
White: How do you know all this?
Joe: He was the only one I wasn't 100% on. I should have my head examined, I should have my head examined, going ahead when I wasn't 100%.
White: That's your proof?
Joe: You don't need proof when you have instinct. I ignored it before, but no more.
Joe pulls his gun and points it at Mr. Orange. White then pulls his gun and aims it at Joe. Eddie then aims his gun at White. Pink tries to tell them to act professional. Eddie also urges them to put down the guns and settle things with conversation. White says "Joe, you kill that man, you die next." Joe fires, setting the others off. While they're lying on the ground Pink takes off leaving the warehouse. Joe and Eddie appear dead but White is alive. He crawls over to Orange, cradling his head. He says "Looks like we're about to do a little time." We hear cops outside. Orange says "Larry, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." White puts his gun up to Orange's head, wailing in anguish and the cops burst in telling him to drop the gun. He forces himself to shoot Orange before dying.



What About It?

Reservoir Dogs is a crime movie not terribly concerned with the crime itself as much as how people fall apart afterwards. Like most heist movies, you know things will go wrong the question is really how they'll go wrong and what exactly happens to each of the characters, each of whom has his own motivation and fuse. It's a brilliantly entertaining movie, and it's strength largely lies with the acting and the smart original dialogue. The character's are well enough established that they could all be identified simply by how they say speak.

Mr. Blonde, the psycopath is entertainingly twisted. He doesn't appear to be willing to back down from anything. He doesn't hesitate to kill people as punishment for pulling an alarm, even though he just got out after four years in prison. He enjoys making light of Mr.White, the senior man in the heist crew, calling out his tough guy talk while showing no concern whatsoever that White will back it up. He freely admits to Marvin the policeman that he doesn't care about information, but is going to torture him just because he finds it amusing. Blonde obviously does enjoy torture, and pain is not enough but he also has to disfigure, and with everything he does, inspires him to top himself. Slashing the cops face leads to cutting off his ear. As if to ensure humiliation he has to talk into it making a joke to the man. The pain is not enough. He's compelled to overdo it so much as to nearly make it absurd. Rather than shoot the man after disfiguring him, he remembers a gas can in his car and that's not even enough, as he shows by pulling the tape from his mouth to hear him beg and scream. He treats torture as a performance art even dancing rather than just walking over to his victim, as if he wants him to be strangely entertained by his own pain.Yet, despite his sadistic nature, he is also unquestionably loyal and observant of formalities, at least when it comes to Joe and Eddie. Michael Madsen delivers perfectly, playing his part perfectly cool. The contradictions of the character seem perfectly natural in the performance, and we understand we he worries Mr. White and Pink, as well as why Eddie, can't even imagine he'd betray them. His dancing and twisted deadpan have no doubt altered the world's appreciation of "Caught in the Middle With You" forever.

Harvey Keitel's Mr. White is the centerpiece of the group. He's practical and professional, but not afraid to do what he has to do as he illustrates when he tells Orange how to handle a resistant teller. He has no problem smashing someone's nose with a gun butt or slicing off a finger, but he views these things as tools of the trade, not having any interest in inflicting pain for it's own sake. White would rather hae things go smoothly than have to hurt anyone. Violence is simply a practicality, he's a businessman that wants to make money. He does have a strict moral code however, as we see when he's willing to shoot Joe, his old friend rather than allow him to kill a man he feels indebted to. He forms a real attachment to Mr. Orange, based on little more than his feeling and the fact that Orange took a bullet he thought should have been his. White does want to be respected for his experience and this puts him inevitably at odds with Mr. Blonde, whose fearlessness makes him almost effortlessly the alpha dog. White feels compelled to assert his authority, and is only able to back down due to Mr. Pink intervening. He takes the chance to back off, realizing that asserting authority would require one of them ending up dead. His defining characteristic is that he does have a sense of honor and appropriateness. Keitel is terrific as usual, his performance giving the ensemble a solid center and a stabilizing presence.

Steve Buscemi's Mr. Pink, unlike White and Blonde, has no interest at all in macho posturing. He sees himself as a professional only looking to get paid witout getting arrested. He's not afraid to pull a gun or even shoot a cop, but would much rather not be seen at all. He thinks of himself as the smartest guy in the room, and may well be right as he is the only one who has the slightest chance at getting away. He doesn't threaten anyone and no one sees him as a threat. He's the most nuerotic of the group and he would likely be considered almost paranoid if he weren't a criminal with many reasons that make his worries valid. His decision to stash the diamonds before going to the warehouse, shows his attention to detail. And, if he hadn't done that, it could've been a very different movie as the three active me who don't trust each other stuck in a warhouse with all the diamonds would've certainly increased the tension and the odds that one or two of them would have died sooner. Buscemi is perfectly cast here, and he portrays Pink's nervous restlessness very well.

It's Tim Roth however that's easiest to invest in. Unlike all of the others, he's not a criminal at all, he's only acting like one. To him, these are the bad guys and he wants things to fall apart. But at the same time, he's only human. Holdaway's concern for him acting as if an informant is his friend proves valid, as it becomes clear that he has a lot of respect for Mr.White. In the short time they spend together, he comes to think of Mr. White as a friend and certainly has a great deal of respect for the man, helped no doubt by White not abandoning him and even going up against everyone, including his old friend Joe, rather than let him be shot. Their friendship is a mutual debt of sorts, developing due mostly to circumstance. Orange is closer to a criminal than he realizes and when he shoots the woman who shot him, he crosses the moral line, although he doesn't ever forget his job, although staying alive becomes increasingly important after he's shot. Orange has to shoulder all their concerns while concealing his own hidden agenda, all while the clock is ticking due to his gutshot. He remains enough of a cop, that he can't watch another cop get burned to death, although killing Mr. Blonde puts him in a precarious position. Although his gesture does nothing but give the cop a less painful death, the impulse shows he hasn't completely forgotten himself. But at the end the labels don't matter so much. Revealing he's a cop to Mr. White, reveals that he doesn't view Mr. White as simply a criminal, but he respects him (and owes him) as a man. He has to know that White will kill him, but he respects him enough to put that decision in his hands. The fact that much of this part was acted lying in a pool of blood on the floor makes it that much more remarkable. Roth goes all out, shrieking from his gutshot, to remaining composed attempting to reasure Marvin. In his own chapter we see the difficult line he's walking and he convinces us as well as Joe's crew.

The other performances are all dead on as well, Chris Penn is wonderful as Nice Guy Eddie, playing both a convincing son and number two man to Joe's operation. Lawrence Tierney's Joe Cabot is the perfect no nonsense drill instructor and man with a plan. Kirk Baltz as tortured cop Marvin Nash is also as good as someone could be while tied up to a chair, being tortured and waiting. There's not a weak performance anywhere in the film.

This was Quentin Tarantino's first feature, and a hugely influential modern film, which has influenced many films since. Whether you like him or not, there's no denying that he's a powerful director with his own sense of style, which has been imitated in varying degrees wholesale. Reservoir Dogs certainly revived interest in the possibilities of a crime movie, and once Pulp Fiction came out, Tarantino's stamp changed the crime movie landscape. His snappy, sharp and original dialogue has certainly been recognized as effective, so much that you can't do a low budget crime movie without it anymore. (Well you can, but you wouldn't know it based on what followed it.) He's clearly well versed in action/heist movie conventions as well as storytelling in general and the language of music videos, using all of his knowledge to great effect.

In fairness, crime movies, at least the best ones, have always valued great sharp dialogue and smart characters, but Tarantino adds his own blend of pop culture and obscenity, making it more engaging and almost forcing you to listen, perhaps asking youself "Did he just say that Like a Virgin is about a guy with a big dick?" If that bothers you, Tarantino might not be your best director, but whether you find his dialogue lewd or not, it isn't unrealistic, other than it's concentration, and it is original enough to make you listen to the story. Lewdness concerns aside, even the everyday dialogue is entertaining, sustaining a rapid fire pace, while not seeming rushed. If dialogue can be action packed, then Tarantino has that down. He's also very conscious of  the atmosphere that music adds, choosing songs carefully to fit the scenes they're used for, always adding to the whole. The use of "Stuck in the Middle with You" for the torture scene was great not only in that it fit so well, but because it paused when Blonde went outside, resuming again when he entered the warehouse, implying that outside, there's a whole world unaware of the atrocity occuring right there. In Reservoir Dogs, Tarantino shows that he knows how to get your attention and keep it. You may not even realize that most of the film was just a few guys in a warehouse, guys in a diner, and once in a while guys trying to find a car. You don't notice because it always feels like something's happening even if it's only two guys talking knowing that it's going to fall apart any minute.

Reservoir Dogs is certainly a heist movie, although we never see the heist. And like most heist movies, it's largely about the difficulty of getting independent natured people to work together with greed as a motivator. Of course the difficult becomes impossible, when one of the guys is a cop, and another is a psychopath, but such complications are not unusual in these films. You should know from the beginning that it's not going to work out, the only question, again, is how badly it's not going to work.

The central human story is that of the friendship of Mr White and Mr. Orange. While it's not a happy ending, it is an affirmation that no matter your occupation, you can sometimes be surprised to find honor and decency in another human being. It just might affect you enough that you see the debt as more important than your own life. In this case, it is, but Mr. White doesn't take that lightly either. He doesn't want to kill Mr. Orange, but he must, because he has his code, which was the only thing that made him respectable to begin with. Like any great tragedy, these characters are doomed by the only things that made them worth saving. There's no happily ever after, but at least a couple of them manage to go out with dignity.

True Romance

Clarence (Christian Slater) is a lowly clerk at a comic book store, who happens to love kung fu movies and Elvis. The problem is he's lonely and doesn't understand why a woman won't go see a Sonny Chiba triple feature with him on his birthday.

Going by himself, no doubt his initial plan anyway, he's lucky enough to get popcorn spilled on his lap by Alabama (Patricia Arquette) She not only watches all three kung fu movies with him, but takes him out for pie afterwards. They hit it off wonderfully and before long he has her in bed. Certainly a great birthday, but a little too good to be true.

He soon hears the catch when Alabama reveals that she's a call girl, hired by Clarence's boss as a secret birthday present. She has however, fallen instantly in love with Clarence and just wants to be with him. Clarence takes it all in stride, as he's just as smitten. They waste no time, getting married the next morning, and start their life as couple. Alabama reveals that a guy named Drexl (Gary Oldman) was her pimp, and this knowledge doesn't sit well with Clarence. While considering this, Elvis (Val Kilmer from the neck down) appears behind Clarence in the bathroom mirror and convinces him to get rid of Drexl, also adding "I like you Clarence, Always have, Always will."

Drexl meanwhile establishes himself as a seriously dangerous character. He not only pimps but deals cocaine He casually shoots some thugs he's dealing with without missing a beat, as a punchline to a joke. Oldman creates quite a character in Drexl, a psychopath in dreadlocks, covered with scars who also happens to believe that he's black. When Clarence comes calling he isn't threatened, although Clarence reveals a bit of psychosis himself, not backing down in the slightest. After a bit of a struggle Drexl has Clarence at his mercy and brags to his assistant:
Drexl: He must have thought it was white boy day. It ain't white boy day, is it?
Marty: No man, It ain't white boy day.



Clarence turns the tables on Drexl, and kills him, forgetting that he left his driver's license in his hand. On the way out he takes a large amount of cocaine and heads back to Alabama. They decide to find Clarence's friend Dick (Michael Rappaport) in Hollywood, to get help selling it. They hit the road stopping in to see Clarence's father, Clifford (Dennis Hopper,) who used to be a cop. Clarence wants him to check and see what information the cops have about Drexl's murder. He establishes that they assumed it was drug related, possibly Blue Lou Boyle, a powerful mob figure that Drexl was tied in with. Clarence leaves the number and address for Dick's place with his Dad and they're off.


It turns out, however, that Blue Lou's men aren't far behind. Led by Jimmy Coccotti (Christopher Walken)they pay Clifford a visit. Coccotti makes it clear that things won't be pleasant. introducing himself:
Coccotti: You know who I am, Mr. Worley?
Clifford Worley: I give up. Who are you?
Coccotti: I'm the Anti-Christ. You got me in a vendetta kind of mood. You tell the angels in heaven you never seen evil so singularly personified as you did in the face of the man who killed you. My name is Vincent Coccotti. I work as counsel for Mr. Blue Lou Boyle, the man your son stole from. I hear you were once a cop so I can assume you've heard of us before. Am I correct?
Clifford Worley: I've heard of Blue Lou Boyle.
Coccotti: I'm glad. Hopefully that will clear up the "how full of shit am I?" question you've been asking yourself.

 They soon start working him over, but Clifford doesn't give up anything. Realizing he's not walking away he manages an act of defiance, by asking for a cigarette and telling the Sicilian Coccoti a story about the Sicilian lineage. Coccotti doesn't appreciate this and kills Clifford. They also find Dick's address on the fridge. Despite the outcome, it's a treat to watch Walken and Hopper play off each other.

 
Clarence and Alabama have reached Dick's place, meeting Dick's roommate Floyd (Brad Pitt,) a pothead who never leaves the couch but listens to everyone's conversations. Dick is amazed at the amount of cocaine, and they conclude they'll need a big money person, as Clarence wants to sell it all at once and fast. Fortunately Dick goes to acting class with Eliot (Bronson Pinchot) who is assistant to super successful producer Lee Donowitz. Donowitz agrees to do the deal but wants a sample before setting up the meeting.
 
Blue Lou's man, Virgil stops by Dick's and find Floyd is very helpful, giving them Clarence and Alabama's hotel without any coercion at all, muttering under his breath once they're well out of earshot  "Don't condescend me, man. I'll fuckin' kill ya, man"
 
Elliot has been busted with the sample bag of coke all over his face. The cops pressure him and threaten him with the prospect of prison sex, and he quickly breaks and agrees to wear a wire for the meet, helping them bust Donowitz in exchange for dropping his own charges.
 
Virgil quickly finds the hotel. Clarence has gone out for food so Alabama is alone. She tries to claim she's someone else, but Virgil doesn't buy it, beating her horrificly. She tries to fight back but Virgil seriously overpowers her. She doesn't tell him anything but he eventually finds the cocaine under the bed. Although Alabama can barely move, she holds a corkscrew up to Virgil. Admiring her spirit, he puts down his gun and toys with her offering a free shot. She surprises him by jamming it into his foot, which allows another struggle  culminating in Alabama hitting him over the head with a toilet lid, lighting him on fire with lit hairspray and finally shooting him. Clarence gets back soon after, and they clean her up and put her in a hooded sweatshirt hoping to downplay the injuries.
 
Clarence, Alabama and Dick meet up with Elliot and head over to meet Donowitz. Clarence nearly kills Eliot in the elevator because he has a bad feeling. Elliot doesn't handle it well and starts crying and pleading "I wish someone would come take me away." The police laugh at Elliot from a room down the hall from Donowitz, expressing their like for Clarence's crazy wild man behavior. They don't pick up on Elliot's strange pleading, Clarence apologizes and they head for the meet.
 
They spend some time chatting with Donowitz. Clarence admires his film "Coming Home in a Body bag" He convinces Donowitz that he's on the level, while Elliot tries to stay close enough that the cops can hear everything through the wire. Donowitz has mercenary type bodyguards with automatic weapons protecting him. Clarence visits the bathroom for another conference with Elvis, as the cops storm in unaware that the bodyguards really hate cops. Of course Blue Lou's men are also en route, and there is soon a ridiculous amount of shooting which we hope Clarence and Alabama can get through.
 
Ultimately. True Romance is a movie which lives up to it's title. Tony Scott delivers an ugly world full of bright colors and copious amounts of blood and action. Thanks to Quentin Tarantino's script and truly top notch acting talent, the dialogue is just as exciting. We end up with a twisted fairytale about Romeo and Juliet, if they'd had no families, and been influenced by Elvis, poverty and pop culture. The character's aren't deep but they don't need to be with as much talent as is assembled here. Gary Oldman, Christopher Walken and Dennis Hopper all turn in vividly memorable performances.
 
Christian Slater was great here as the low key yet surprisingly competent oddball. Watching him here it's easy to see why he was predicted as a major talent to watch. Patricia Arquette shows the most range, able to convincingly play eager arm candy as well as a woman who can bash a man's head in with a toilet lid. Their morals are a bit flexible, but one thing that we never doubt is that Clarence and Alabama really love each other. That alone lets them navigate through the treacherous, and ugly environment around them. It's surprisingly sweet for such a graphic and dark movie, but that's alright sometimes. As Alabama says,

"I had to come all the way from the highway and byways of Tallahassee, Florida to MotorCity, Detroit to find my true love. If you gave me a million years to ponder, I would never have guessed that true romance and Detroit would ever go together. And til this day, the events that followed all still seems like a distant dream. But the dream was real and was to change our lives forever. I kept asking Clarence why our world seemed to be collapsing and things seemed to be getting so shitty. And he'd say, "that's the way it goes, but don't forget, it goes the other way too." That's the way romance is... Usually, that's the way it goes, but every once in awhile, it goes the other way too.

Natural Born Killers

Natural Born Killers is not a subtle film. It's an attack as much as it is a movie, but anyone familiar with Oliver Stone shouldn't be surprised by that. What he's saying is no surprise, but he does manage to say it in a truly unique way, creating characters both evil and watchable at the same time. 

The story is a simple one, but the most striking element is how it's told. Stone's constantly changing style gives the experience a dreamlike hallucinogenic quality. The initial flashes between black and white and color, at one point showing the same scene skewed by the change, only intensifies as the film progresses. Old newsreels, Nature footage of rattlesnakes, fireworks on a screen behind them, giant movie monsters, headlines, violent snarling cartoon characters, you really don't know what you'll be looking at next. Mickey and Mallory's America is so media saturated that when they cruise the highways, they drive against and into movie screens reflecting their moods. The media colors everything in the film so obviously that you have to ask if the presentation is also the story.

Woody Harrelson is fantastic as Mickey Knox, half of the mass murdering duo known to the admiring world at large as "Mickey and Mallory"  Mickey is cool and calculating. He's not overly bright but doesn't really need to be as his only objective is to kill people and make keep Mallory happy (although the second isn't so easy.)

Julette Lewis' Mallory is perhaps more disturbed than Mickey, except that her main concern is being thought of as sexy. We see their meeting in a flashback scene, stylized brilliantly as a twisted Leave it to Beaver like sitcom in which Rodney Dangerfield, using his well known comic persona to twisted and disturbing effect, is Mallory's father, who rules the house by force. He brags about beating his wife and talks openly about sexually abusing his daughter. His disturbing and violent language is accompanied by a laugh track which pops up at the least laughable moments, as well as other standard sitcom sound effect staples such as applause when Mickey shows up to the door as a meat delivery man, delivering 50 lbs of meat. Seeing Mallory on the stairs while Mickey waits for her father, he takes an instant liking to her suggesting that she dressed attractively because fate told her he was coming today. They steal her father's car. He calls the cops and Mickey goes to prison. Mallory visits him there and when she tells him her father is moving them so he can't find her, he takes advantage of a tornado while out on work detail to shoot some guards steal a horse and escape.

The first thing they do is kill Mallory's parents, her father for the abuse, and her mother for doing nothing about it. Mallory turns to her little brother Kevin in the hallway,as the fire they started with her mother spreads and says 'You're free now Kevin." as the fire grows and applause cuts in.

They get married on a bridge over a river, exchanging blood from their palms over the water. Mickey uses "the power vested in me as god of my world." to make it official.


In present day Mickey and Mallory travel around killing people, and stealing money. They keep to certain codes, such as, at every mass murder scene they leave one person alive to tell the story and spread their fame. The codes have variations however, to many a victim's surprise.

While they continue killing, the American public celebrates them, Stone doesn't hesitate to cut from them to scenes of their fans wearing "Kill Me Mickey" T-shirts, waving picket signs of support, or being interviewed by news crews about why they love Mickey and Mallory. Of course, just because they kill people together, they don't escape relationship problems. Mallory is insecure, and Mickey is insensitive. They clearly love each other, but each is shown as a product of a fractured background without the knowledge to get past it.

Their exploits are followed closely by Detective Jack Scagnetti, a cop obsessed with mass murderers. In his own way he is just as twisted as they are, and he is also as hungry for fame. Scagetti is writing a book called "Scagnetti on Scagnetti."  The title is a fitting choice for a character as self obsessed as they get. He is obsessed with catching Mickey and Mallory, and beyond that just with Mallory. Sizemore plays Scagnetti perfectly as a character without an ounce of humanity beyond his obsession. He's as ugly as they are, but they at least have some feeling for each other.

Robert Downey Jr., plays Wayne Gale, the star and producer of a tabloid news show revolving around killers called, "American Maniacs" He covers all the celebrated mass murderers and serial killers presenting himself as a crusader for justice, although behind the scenes he's contemptuous of his viewers, and treats both his wife and misstress terribly. His only concern is ratings, and how he appears on the screen.


Mickey and Mallory continue killing but can't escape the relationship problems they've learned from their childhoods. Upset that Mickey is looking at the pretty hostage tied up in the corner while making love to her, Mallory takes off to a gas station, seduces the attendant and kills him when he doesn't please her. Mickey meanwhile has the hostage to occupy him. They reunite quickly and things start to fall apart. Their issues only get worse as they drive while tripping on mushrooms. Things get worse when they run out of gas in the desert and they are forced to wander on foot to find gas or transportation.

They find the lodge of an Old Indian, who doesn't speak English. He recognizes them, however as having "The demon" and "too much tv"  The Indian starts a ritual presumably to help them. He tells them a story about a woman nursing a rattlesnake back to health, and when bit, finds the snake unsympathetic, reminding her that he's a rattlesnake.  He handles his own rattlesnake while telling the story and releases it from the lodge saying "Go and be a snake now."
Mickey and Mallory experience visions which end when Mickey gets up and shoots the Old Indian. Mallory is upset about this and scolds Mickey like a dog, saying "Bad, Bad."  The Indian says he knew they were coming as he'd seen them in a dream years ago,

Rushing away from the scene they're bitten by rattlesnakes, Mallory much more than Mickey. They take the Indian's truck and head for the city (driving alonside hellish nightmare imagery) finding "Drug Zone"  a Walmart style emporium with shelves full of any cheerfully labeled drug solution you could think of except for "Snake Bite Juice" Mickey finds a clerk behind the glass (who happens to be watching American Maniacs feauturing Mickey and Mallory) The clerk hits the silent alarm and when Mickey realizes it, he kills the clerk, ahile telling barely conscious Mallory to run and get the car. The cops are outside already and they grab Mallory easily. Mickey kills many of the cops before tossing his weapon so Scagnetti won't cut Mallory with a knife. Mickey kills several more cops with his own knife when they try to grab him, until being tasered to the ground. They beat him for quite a while with billy clubs after he's immobile. The whole incident is captured on camera.

One Year later Scagnetti is called to Warden Dwight McKluskey's (Tommy Lee Jones) prison to escort Mickey and Mallory to an electro-shock type treatment. Mckluskey's reasoning is that Scagnetti, the celebrated cop who apprehended them, will be quickly cleared should "an accident" happen on the trip. Jones is terrific as a no nonsense warden who doesn't hesitate to administer hands on punishment. He's also as self absorbed as any of the other characters jumping at the chance to be a celebrity himself. Scagnetti reveals that he is also damaged, his career inspired by Whitman's clock tower shooting of his mother when he was a boy.

Wayne Gale is also present at the prison, trying to talk Mickey into an exclusive interview. Mickey is clearly pleased that his ratings are better than everyone except Charles Manson. When Mickey agrees plans need to be changed to allow the interview. Mckluskey agrees to allow it on Superbowl Sunday in the interests of furthering his own name and celebrity.

Scagnetti takes advantage of the delay by spending some time alone with Mallory. Although warned by the guards that she's killed people in her cell, he insists, being sexually fascinated with her. Mallory encourages him enough that he strips down to his boxer shorts and a tie. She attacks him when he's vulnerable and they struggle while the interview is going. A riot also occurs possibly incited by Mickey's pronouncement that he's a "Natural Born Killer" (a soundbite Gale is ecstatic with)


Mckluskey and most of the guards leave to take care of the riot and Mickey uses the confusion to take a guard's gun and kill most of those with him leaving a guard for a hostage along with Gale and most of the camera crew to televise their escape live. They rush to get Mallory, giving her the chance to kill Scagnetti. The prisoners overtake the prison and Gale quickly joins Mickey and Mallory in killing any guards in the way, exclaiming that he feels so alive the whole time.

The prisoners tear Mckluskey apart and Mickey and Mallory end up in the woods with Gale and a videocamera. to cover their last murder (Gale) before they retire and start a family. Gale pleads for his life, but Mickey informs him that he's scum and to try and have a little dignity. All of the characters involved are a product of their upbringing and the media. But Mickey and Mallory of all the characters involved become the most sympathetic in that they as opposed to Gale, Scagnetti and McKluskey want something bigger than themselves and despite the fact that they're intentionally evil, can at least try to love another human being. Not that this is encouraging as they prospect of Mickey and Mallory raising a family is a frightening one. They're cold blooded killers alright, but at least they don't lie about it and manipulate the masses.

It should also be mentioned that Natural Born Killers has one of the best soundtracks imaginable, using Leonard Cohen's deep brooding to great effect, as well as tracks from the Cowboy Junkies, Bob Dylan, Nine Inch Nails, Lou Reed and many others. The songs blend seamlessly into the movie and really enhace the experience. Also of note, Quentin Tarantino wrote the starting screenplay, which was heavily modified but shows through in parts such as the opening diner scene. I can't tell you if you'll like it or not, but I will say it isn't as much about killers as it is about a media with obvious disdain for its audience. It's a unique picture which has a lot to say in a very interesting and direct way.