 Writer/director Quentin Tarantino has developed a huge cult following that has crossed over to the mainstream moviegoer since gaining notoriety for his unusual style of movie making for “Reservoir Dogs” (1992). The immensely popular “Pulp Fiction” (1994) followed which made his name, along with stars John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson, household words. With “Kill Bill” volumes 1 and 2 (2003 & 2004), Quentin Tarantino merged the “serials of old” style of filmmaking with the technology of today and brought the “chapters” style of old to his films as bridges between sequences along with songs and music to personify the era. The style of “Grindhouse” (2007) was a reminder for us boomers of the theatres of old where the now called ‘discount’ movie houses ran double features and the prints were scratched, some with missing scenes! “Grindhouse” presented two 90-minute stories with an intermission like the movie theatres of old. Now comes, "Inglourious Basterds", and, what a tale is, spun 'Quentin Tarantino' style...
In his latest, “Inglourious Basterds”, the ‘chapters’ technique is used as segues between two separate stories, happening simultaneously, that are heading toward the climax, in a cinema in France.
Story one: In Nazi-occupied France during World War II, a group of Jewish-American soldiers known as "The Basterds" are chosen specifically to spread fear throughout the Third Reich by scalping and brutally killing Nazis. Their leader, the infamous terror to the Nazis, Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt)! Their plan, blowup the theatre where, high-ranking members of the Third Reich are attending the première of a German propaganda film!
Story two: A French-Jewish girl (Mélanie Laurent) witnesses the killing of her entire family, makes her escape to Paris where she settles into running a movie theater. She, along with her projectionist/lover, conceives a plan to blow up the theatre when the première is moved to the theatre she manages!
Quentin Tarantino has firm directorial control of the story; the actors’ performances are over the top, yet subtle in their character nuances, and although the movie’s runtime of 153 minutes might seem long, “Inglourious Basterds” moves along with the right touches of comedic events!
Starring Brad Pitt, Mélanie Laurent, Christoph Waltz, Eli Roth, Michael Fassbender, Diane Kruger, Daniel Brühl, Til Schweiger, Gedeon Burkhard, and Jacky Ido.
Written and Directed by Quentin Tarantino; Rated R for strong graphic violence, language and brief sexuality; The Weinstein Company release; Runtime: 153 minutes. |
