Violence being equated with morality in movies is such a problem. I mean the idea of critics
viewing movies through a moral lens. It reminds me of what Godard said when someone complained
about violence in his movie "it's not blood, it's red". And that there's the idea that violence in films is
as vital as the musical number, is as vital as the car chase. Violence is exciting and
there's still queasiness in the culture about us enjoying that.
Well I've done my best to move the needle.
I'm giving you fucking reasons.
You gonna tell me the reason you lost every goddamn cent I got in the world.
Let me tell you the reason motherfucker. The reason is, your ass ain't worth a shit no more.
You better fucking back off man.
What's difference between the violence in this scene, and this?
Man I don't even have an opinion.
Well you gotta have an opinion. I mean do you think god came down from heaven and stopped the...
What the fuck's happening. Ah shit man.
Both take place in a car, both are unexpected by the audience.
In Jackie Brown the murder of Louis, Ordell’s friend is intimate. You feel that as ruthless
as Ordell is, it means a lot more to him than another murder we see him commit, which feels
more routine, and is seen from a distance.
What’s interesting in this scene is Vincent’s reaction.
Ah man I shot Marvin in the face.
Why the fuck did you do that?
Well I didn't mean to do it, it was an accident.
It’s like he’s just spilt his coffee. He’s someone who is completely numbed to killing. And unlike Jules, is unwilling
to see the error of his ways.
In Django Unchained Tarantino uses violence to introduce a villain. The brutality of this scene is especially
effective because it’s juxtaposed with Calvin Candie, who, like a viewer watching violence
on a movie screen, is taking so much pleasure from it.
A gunshot can also act as a comic punchline.
I said tell Miss Lara goodbye.
Bye Miss Lara
Because Tarantino built it up with the portrayal of Calvin’s sister, Miss Lara,
whose manner grates on the audience.
This notorious sequence is on first viewing, as tense as a horror film
because of the constant threat of torture.
Previously Mr Blonde had been an elusive character, and is referred to by the others as a psychopath.
That was the most insane fucking thing I've ever seen.
And we already know even the more sympathetic characters have no sympathy for police officers.
They see them the same way Calvin Candie sees slaves, as less than human.
Did you kill anybody?
A few cops.
No real people?
Just cops.
When Blonde is left alone with the cop, the only other person present is Mr Orange, and
he looks practically dead. We can’t imagine he'll stop this situation.
So with all this knowledge in mind, we see where this is heading. We’re trapped in
this warehouse, with no sign of escape.
However, the music creates a contradictory impulse. A track like this is supposed to
make you want to tap your toes. So that sense of jubilance is now being crossed wired with dread
We don’t expect it to get as severe as it does so quickly. And the camera does what
many people in the audience will be doing, looking away. Which could make them feel safe,
knowing that this director is looking out for them, protecting them from seeing anything
too graphic. But then the safety of the shot is violated as Blonde moves into the frame
with the severed ear.
After this we have no idea what could possibly happen next. But we get some momentary relief.
In a single shot Tarantino takes us out of the intensity of the scene, and the song.
We hear everyday sounds, which give us a sense of normality again.
And time to process what we’ve just seen
But as soon as we see the gasoline, we know what’s in store for us.
And still locked in the grip of the same shot, we are pulled straight back in the direction
of the warehouse. Like a rollercoaster going back up for another drop.
And we hear the song once again, which is now intrinsically linked with extreme violence.
Finally the intensity is broken with an eruption of gunfire.
This technique he’s since developed, as a kinetic release
once he feels he’s toyed with the audience enough.
So if suspense is like sex, then this would be the orgasm.
And the longer he can draw it out
the more satisfying it will be for an audience.
This correlation of violence and sex is most apparent in Death Proof. Tarantino knew that
fans of his would be coming into the film to see him riff on the exploitation horror film
and therefore would expect high levels of violence. But he holds out for 45 minutes,
self-consciously teasing the audience.
That was it, so we made out for a little while on the couch.
And I said OK I'm gonna go to bed now, so, it's time for you to leave.
And then starts to whine, "ah, right now"?
I said yep, right now, lets go.
So when the violence eventually does erupt, he lingers on a specific body part that earlier
in in the film he repeatedly eroticised.
This commentary on violence against women also becomes the climax in his latest film,
where the two remaining characters manage to set aside their differences, which originally
stemmed from racial tension, and bond as men over a common hatred of what they see as this
conniving female.
Back to Reservoir Dogs.
Once Mr Blonde has been killed, we find out the cop actually knew about Mr Orange’s
real identity, and we’re surprised by how valiant he is.
This is echoed in Inglourious Basterds. Where Tarantino knows an audience is predisposed
to despise Nazis, but he wants to complicate matters by putting us in the perspective of
one of their officers, who courageously awaits his brutal death.
This reaches its peak in the climax, where despite how abhorrent we know the Nazis are,
we can’t help but have a human, sympathetic response when it appears like they are being
objectively slaughtered, by characters who have become so hell bent on revenge
they no longer care about their own lives.
But this doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy when the dastardly villain, who thinks he’s weaseled
his way out, finally gets his comeuppance.
This brings us back to the notion of taking pleasure in violence.
This action set-piece for example, is more purely pleasurable. aided by the almost cartoonish use of blood.
And it feels cathartic after watching so many horrific events unfold.
Even though Tarantino is dealing with an unpleasant world, he doesn’t just want to give you a history lesson.
He still wants audiences to go out on a high. I think this is why his violence is so memorable,
because it operates multiple parts of the brain, often simultaneously.
And finally, can violence in film really cause someone to commit violent acts themselves? Or is it
in fact the opposite. Could it be therapeutic.