Reservoir Dogs

Quentin Tarantino, USA 1992, 99 minutes

Five years down the line, and Reservoir Dogs remains as powerful as the day on which it was released. With Dogs, Tarantino's forced hip style was still cool and he wasn't quite so much of a self-obsessive. Borrowing heavily from other sources (here we see the influence of Tarantino's background as a video store clerk), he manages to weave contrasting elements together to give us what undoubtedly stands out as a major turning point in American indie cinema.

An LA crime boss recruits and colour codes six stereotypical professional gangsters to carry out a heist at a diamond bank. Of course, it all goes horribly wrong. The four survivors are forced to hide out at their rendezvous, tempers fray and personalities clash as they try to work out who set them up. A cop becomes involved in one of the most talked about scenes of the decade and it all ends in a brutal conclusion.

Tarantino's script is first-rate, taking sound bites on pop culture and melding them to a well chosen set of leads, all of whom get their big scenes. Although his trademark chronological jumping could become irritating, the technique works well as we never get to see the actual robbery, only the build-up and aftermath. His direction is also steady, in particular throughout the set-pieces such as the gang striding down the road to the strains of "Little Green Bag" and the `ear-scene' (effective because of how little it does show).

It is strange to think that since Dogs, Tarantino has only directed one other whole film, the funnier and more polished Pulp Fiction. Since then he has tried to concentrate on his acting career (which he shouldn't because he can't), as well as having some of his earlier scripts made by other directors (including the brilliant True Romance>/I>, his semi-autobiography/wish-fulfilment script, perfectly done by Tony Scott). Some may say that Tarantino has burnt out, and other, fresher filmmakers have taken his place. Nevertheless, Reservoir Dogs stands out as one of the most audacious debuts from any filmmaker this decade.

Review by Neil Chue Hong
Taken from EUFS Programme 1997-98

Reservoir Dogs is certainly the classiest, most stylish film released in the last few years. The sheer power of Tarantino's first film left most people who saw it completely stunned. Let's get one thing clear, despite the rather pompous moralising by Hollywood has-beens over the last year or so, such as Jane Fonda, and their singling out of this film in particular, almost all the violence is off screen. We never see the robbery that became a bit of a bloodbath, and whilst characters do die, surely it is better to show realistic pain rather tham the cartoon silliness of an Arnie movie or just slump to the floor like an extra from a 60's western? The suggested violence and its treatment testifies more to Tarantino's skill than any apparent bloodythirstyness - and personally I feel the overall message of the film is one of retribution rather than a simplistic splatter and slash movie. But then again perhaps I don't have Mary Whitehouse's insight.

The story is basically that of an armed robbery that has gone tragically wrong and is told in a series of flashbacks and forwards as the survivors return to their hideout. They slowly realise that they have been betrayed and begin to look for the informer in their midst.

The true fascination with the film is in the characters and the destruction that they bring upon themeselves. Mr. White (Harvey Keitel) in particular as the seasoned thug teaching Mr. Orange (Tim Roth) the ropes of the armed robbery trade. Always in the background is the radio - 'K. Billy's Super Sounds of the Seventies weekend - the Station Where the Seventies Survived' - playing some terrific tracks that will never quite be the same again. Another thing not to miss is the title sequence - a gem in its own right set to the music of the George Baker Selection's 'Little Green Bag' and featuring some very sharp suits. Possibly the best film we will show. this decade.

Review by Dave Pallin
Taken from EUFS Programme 1993-94