RESERVOIR DOGS
US, 1992, 99 minutes, Colour.
Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Chris Penn, Steve Buscemi, Lawrence Tierney, Quentin Tarantino.
Directed by Quentin Tarantino.
Reservoir Dogs made a huge impact on its first release. Quentin Tarantino had burst onto the movie scene. Within three years he had won the Palm d'Or at Cannes Film Festival with Pulp Fiction and had won the Oscar for best original screenplay. He was to go on, spasmodically, with several films including Jackie Brown and the two Kill Bill films. He also served as producer and adviser for quite a number of films – and the word ‘Tarantinoesque’ became part of the film critics’ language for the many imitations of his content and style.
Reservoir Dogs, in fact, was based on some Hong Kong thrillers, including City on Fire.
The film shows a bank robbery. However, little detail of the robbery itself is seen, the focus being on the six criminals who carry out the robbery on behalf of a Mr Big, Lawrence Tierney, and his son, Chris Penn. Eventually, the thieves fall out and clash between themselves. One of them is an undercover policeman – and there are several suspicions, until finally the wounded undercover policeman confesses and is killed.
One of the distinctive Tarantinoesque features of the film is Tarantino’s skill with pop cultural conversation, a feature of all his films. This film begins with that kind of conversation amongst the robbers, introducing them and their characters and style with a conversation about Madonna and interpretation of her song, ‘Like a Virgin’.
Harvey Keitel appears as Mr White, the central character, and there is strong support with Tim Roth as the undercover policeman, Steve Buschemi as Mr Pink. The villain of the piece is Michael Madsen. He is the sadistic and angry member of the group – and the scene where he tortures a policeman, cutting off his ear, to the song ‘Stuck in the Middle with You’ has become one of the key moments of gangster films.
1.The impact of the film? Its reputation? Its influence on gangster films during the 1990s?
2.The talents of Quentin Tarantino: as a writer, director, actor? His perspective on films? References to other films? His interest in Pulp Fiction? Crime, criminals? An amoral world? The Hong Kong influences? His enjoyment of language – and pop culture conversations? The opening conversation between the men and the discussion of Madonna?
3.The bank robbery tradition, crimes, the situation, violence, the aftermath? His using the traditions of the bank robbery? His not showing much of the robbery itself? His variations on the theme? Exploration of the characters?
4.Tarantino and the visual presentation of violence, on-screen, off-screen? The flashbacks? The killing of Mr Orange? The scene with Mr Blond and the torture of the policeman? The building up to the final shoot-out and bloody finale?
5.The importance of the structure of the film: the initial talk, the hiring by the Mr Big, his son? Their going to do the robbery? The flashbacks on each of the characters, each of them returning from the robbery? The importance of the flashbacks, especially for Mr Orange? The truth about his identity? The fact that he had killed a woman driver, giving him credibility amongst the other men, misleading Mr White?
6.The opening, the flip discussion about Madonna, ‘Like a Virgin’? Tipping? The building up of their characters, their interactions? The importance of their names, the bonds between them, hostilities and rivalries? The anonymity of the names? The impact of the various colours? The mood of the opening, the language, attitudes towards the crime?
7.The truth, the police waiting for the robbers, Mr Orange as the undercover agent, the dangers for him, his having to act as a criminal, talk like a criminal? His interactions with Mr White? The betrayal, Mr White defending him, learning the truth, killing him?
8.Mr White: Joe and his son, the plan, the guns, the bond with Freddie? His name, his sense of responsibility? His being wounded? Seeing Mr Orange and the car, the shooting? Bringing him back? Their talk, his care? Defending him against attacks? His being disillusioned, shooting him – and his own death?
9.Mr Orange, seeing him wounded at first, his reaction to Mr Blond and the torture, killing him? The liaison with the police? The flashbacks, his being recruited, the training? His learning the jokes? The audition, his confidence? Joe and his son, not believing him? The three with the guns? Eddie andMr Blond? The sex issues? Mr Orange and his confession, his being killed by Mr White?
10.Mr Blond, Michael Madsen’s presence and style, brutality, coming out of prison, his being loyal to the Mr Big, his not being the traitor? Life of crime, participation in the bank robbery? His sadistic personality, taking the policeman, tying him up, the torture, the song, the slashing of the ear? His being shot by Mr Orange?
11.Mr Pink, Steve Buscemi’s presence, size, whining, inconspicuous, suspicions? Participation in the robbery, his brutality? His place in the group? His name and his colour? The diamonds? His wanting to escape, his being shot?
12.The others, Mr Brown, his talk, Tarantino himself? His death?
13.The picture of the police, the contact with Mr Orange, their waiting for the band? The attack, the woundings? The policeman being taken, his fears, Mr Blond, the torture, his ear?
14.The issues of crime, police work, recruiting, undercover work – and its dangers?
15.A portrait of criminals, the planning of a crime, execution, criminal brutality? The pros and cons of the value of this film? Its later influence on film-makers?
