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#010 Quentin Tarantino: Pulp Fiction vs. Death Proof w/ Guest Michael Denniston



In today's episode Nate and Austin compare Quentin Tarantino's best and worst rated films, Pulp Fiction (1994) and Death Proof (2007), respectively. Nate gets a weird feeling in his pants every time Tarantino is on screen, Austin cried during Marley & Me, and special guest Michael Denniston names Click as his favorite movie of all time. Check back next Sunday at 7pm PST where we will compare Spike Jonze's Her (2013) and Where the Wild Things Are (2009), his best and worst rated films. Be sure to follow Michael's podcast War Machine vs. War Horse on twitter @warmachinehorse and check out his podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, or followingfilms.com.

And hear about Quentin Tarantino's inspiration for Pulp Fiction: [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5KkI_YS4ug[/embed]

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Pulp Fiction Notes

PLOT: The lives of two mob hit men, a boxer, a gangster's wife, and a pair of diner bandits intertwine in four tales of violence and redemption.
  • Ratings: IMDb 8.9 | RT 94% C / 96% A
  • Released: 1994
  • Director: Quentin Tarantino (Inglourious Basterds, Kill Bill, The Hateful Eight, Django Unchained, Reservoir Dogs)
  • Writer(s): Quentin Tarantino, Roger Avary
  • Cinematographer: Andrzej Sekula (Reservoir Dogs, American Psycho, Four Rooms)
  • Notable actors: Tim Roth, John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Amanda Plummer, Phil LaMarr, Bruce Willis, Ving Rhames, Rosanna Arquette, Uma Thurman, Steve Buscemi, Christopher Walken, Kathy Griffin, Harvey Keitel
  • Budget: $8.5 million
  • Box office: $213.9 million
  • Fun Facts:
    • The shot of Vincent plunging the syringe into Mia's chest was filmed by having John Travolta pull the needle out, then running the film backwards.
    • Uma Thurman originally turned down the role of Mia Wallace. Quentin Tarantino was so desperate to have her as Mia, he ended up reading her the script over the phone, finally convincing her to take on the role.
    • The movie cost $8 million to make, $5 million of which went to pay the actors' salaries.
    • The word "fuck" is used 265 times.
    • Quentin Tarantino wrote "The Wolf" character specifically for Harvey Keitel

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Death Proof Notes

PLOT: Two separate sets of voluptuous women are stalked at different times by a scarred stuntman who uses his "death proof" cars to execute his murderous plans.
  • Ratings: IMDb 7.1 | RT 67% C / 72% A
  • Released: 2007
  • Director: Quentin Tarantino (Inglourious Basterds, Kill Bill, The Hateful Eight, Django Unchained, Reservoir Dogs)
  • Writer(s): Quentin Tarantino
  • Cinematographer: Quentin Tarantino
  • Notable actors: Kurt Russell, Zoe Bell, Rosario Dawson, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Eli Roth, Omar Doom, Michael Bacall
  • Budget: $8.5 million
  • Box office: $25 million as Grindhouse, $30 million as Death Proof
  • Fun Facts:
    • Zoe Bell does all of her own stunts
    • Quentin Tarantino stated he came up with the idea of "Death Proof" when he was talking to a friend about buying a car. Tarantino wanted to buy a Volvo because he "didn't want to die in some auto accident like the one in Pulp Fiction". In regards to the safety of the car, his friend had said, "Well, you could take any car and give it to a stunt team, and for $10,000 or $15,000, they can death-proof it for you." The "death proof" phrase had stuck to Tarantino after that.
    • The film was physically scratched to achieve its dirty look, rather than digitally scratch the film footage.
    • The only Quentin Tarantino movie that takes place completely in chronological order and without flash-backs.
    • Quentin Tarantino admitted later in an interview that he believed he "over-tweaked" Death Proof, but was still very proud of it.

  Intro music by: Calm The Fuck Down (Broke For Free) / CC BY 3.0  


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