- A new unit studying the director Quentin Tarantino to learn more about scripting, narrative and the use of dialogue in film.
- We will focus mainly on his film Pulp Fiction (1994), but will draw on examples from his other work.
- A written textual analysis on a five-minute section from Pulp Fiction - to be submitted 18th August 2011.
Today's objectives
- develop research skills - searching for information, scanning text for information, collating info, summarising info
- know background information about Quentin Tarantino
"You got guns on us. You decide to shoot, we're dead. Up top, they got grenades. They drop them down here, you're dead. That's a Mexican Standoff, and that was not the deal. No trust, no deal."
— Lt. Aldo Raine, Inglourious Basterds
Key words:
- genre - a type of film which follows certain conventions (eg. horror, comedy, western)
- trope - a storytelling device or convention easily recognisable by the audience (eg. For example, that guy in every horror movie who tells his friends "I'll be right back" is most assuredly not going to be back - this is known as TEMPTING FATE )
Task:
Answer the following research questions on your film blog.
Use the post title: Quentin Tarantino, label it: Tarantino, textual analysis, film history
Questions (in YOUR OWN WORDS PLEASE! CUT AND PASTING will lead to mark of zero, and you will have to redo at home)
1) Name two distinctive features of Tarantino’s films.
2) How was Tarantino’s education in film different to the normal method of film-school?
3) Despite the success of Reservoir Dogs, Tarantino’s first film in 1992, it was criticized by many. Why?
4) What genre do Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction belong to?
5) Identify three recurring CAMERA ANGLES/SHOTS used by Tarantino. Include a screen shot example of each, with a brief caption about the possible effects created by each (eg. to give a sense of power to audience/character, to disorient the viewer, etc)
6) Explain USING YOUR OWN WORDS what Tarantino’s Mirror shot is, and possible effects of using it. Include a screen shot.
7) A recurring trope in Tarantino’s films is the Mexican standoff.
a) Briefly explain what it is.
b) Explain where the term comes from.
c) Examples of two non-Tarantino films that use it (with screen shots of possible).
d) Provide screen shots from two Tarantino films that use it.
8) A “MacGuffin” is used in Tarantino’s film Pulp Fiction.
a) What is a MacGuffin? Explain in fifty words.
b) What is the MacGuffin in Pulp Fiction?
c) Provide examples fo MacGuffins from two non-Tarantino films, with screen shots if possible.
You can use following website links to help:
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