Tarantino (addendum)

1993 - True Romance (directed by Tony Scott) - I think it's probably lucky for Tarantino that he didn't get to direct this one. Billed as "Tarantino's follow-up to last year's smash Reservoir Dogs," it would've been nothing more than a disappointment. It's a decent enough crime flick, but -- outside of the infamous meeting between screen psychos Christopher Walken and Dennis Hopper -- nothing too special. Tarantino rescues the character of Clarence and a lot of his dialogue from his unfinished first film. It's interesting to see the difference in delivery between Slater's Clarence and Tarantino's Clarence when they give the same speech about Elvis. I think I prefer Tarantino's acting; he was more passionate and believable talking about the King. (7/10)


1994 - Natural Born Killers (directed by Oliver Stone) - I think it's probably lucky for viewers that Tarantino didn't get to direct this one. Supposedly, the script started life as the second half of True Romance. It's hard to see how Clarence and 'Bama turned into Mickey and Mallory. Tarantino apparently felt the same way and disowned the film. Thirteen years later, it's still a spot-on parody of our media culture. How appropriate that I watched it on the day CNN shameful spent hours covering Paris' return to jail. Unsubtle as all get-out, but -- beginning with the Roadrunner beeps in the very first scene at the diner -- never meant to be anything else. (8/10)