Even now, Reservoir Dogs is considered by many to be the best independent film ever made. There may be a case for that. After all, what began as an indie project later down the road became a worldwide phenomenon. This wasn’t until many years after its release, but all good things tend to come in time. As such, the film’s writer/director Quentin Tarantino is now larger than life. If there’s even a whiff of a script or rumor that he’s writing something, financiers are getting in line to throw money at his films. This, thanks in part, to Reservoir Dogs.
What it made it so appealing? Was it the film’s execution despite such a low budget?
What it made it so appealing? Was it the film’s execution despite such a low budget? Was it the script, or maybe the casting? Could it have been Tarantino’s directing perhaps? One can safely assume it’s probably every one of those things, and maybe even some that aren’t mentioned. Some believe a driving factor behind the film’s success is the complexity of the plot and how it was executed with simplicity. Reservoir Dogs is about a heist gone wrong. This sounds simple enough, but there are obviously other reasons as to why the arrangement of incidents is not so cut and dry. For one thing, the film has a nonlinear structure. So there’s quite a bit of jumping back forth from before and after the botched robbery.
Another component of which Tarantino was given considerable praise was in the film’s resourcefulness. The movie was budgeted well below what’s normally suitable to properly produce a feature length picture. It wouldn’t have probably even been what it was without Harvey Keitel. The budget increased with his decision to join the cast and assist in producing. Though this was the case, it didn’t stop Tarantino from stretching every dollar as far as he could. The addition of Steve Buscemi didn’t hurt matters either, as his performance is one of the best to behold in the film. Michael Madsen and Tim Roth were also not slouches, making more than enough out of their screen time to leave an impactful impression. Then, there’s Tarantino and his use of dialogue, profanity, and violence. He’s since become famous and held in the highest regard where these elements are implemented, and Reservoir Dogs helped set the standard in this aspect for how his movies would play out in the future.
This year the movie will become a classic. Thirty years ago, Tarantino burst into the world of cinema and he did it with a bang with Reservoir Dogs.
This year the movie will become a classic. Thirty years ago, Tarantino burst into the world of cinema and he did it with a bang with Reservoir Dogs. It will forever stand as the ultimate example of how to make use of the money one has, as opposed to how much one lacks. He didn’t rely upon a major studio, or a huge A list star to springboard him into greatness. He used his own writing, relationships, and creative instinct to produce something that could very well remain unrivalled long after he’s passed on. He may be a giant now, but it couldn’t have happened without Reservoir Dogs.
