A name synonymous with fame, game-changing filmmaker Quentin Tarantino is known throughout the world for his major works of art. He earned himself two Academy Awards for Writing with Pulp Fiction (1994) and Django: Unchained (2014), and a Golden Globe Screenplay for Once Upon a Time In Hollywood (2019). He became a martial arts movie master with Kill Bill (2003) and a wild- western wizard with The H8ful Eight (2015). And every fan knows about The Bear Jew and the infamous Inglourious Basterds.
However, as much as Tarantino has been coined a “natural born director,” his talent is often overlooked in his more obscure and undiscovered productions and experiences. As his Big 9 are just the tip of the iceberg, this list aims to highlight the lesser-known, yet equally unique projects of the movie making maestro.
10 Four Rooms (1996)
Four directors, four stories, four rooms. Four Rooms is a hidden gem, for many, from the 90s, although Rotten Tomatoes has it at a harsh 13%. The film was a collaboration between Allison Anders, Alexandre Rockwell, Robert Rodriguez, and Quentin Tarantino, each directing their own short story in this four-part project.
In a fictional L.A. hotel on New Year’s Eve, rookie bellhop Ted (Tim Roth) has four of the most unusual and unexpected encounters throughout the night in four different rooms. There's Anders with her witches, Rockwell with his guns, Rodriguez with his twisted surprises, and Tarantino with his suspenseful storytelling, all of who create an anomalous anthology that many fans feel should be revered, rather than roasted by critics.
9 My Best Friend's Birthday (1987)
This old-school black-and-white short film was Quentin Tarantino’s first official movie production and he directed, wrote, edited, and even acted in the retro comedy. My Best Friends Birthday paved the way for the plot of True Romance (1993), the feature-length film of a similar story, also written by Tarantino.
Clarence Poole, played by Quentin himself, is set on making his down-in-the-dumps best friend Mickey’s (Craig Hamman) birthday extra special by buying him a “lady of the night” (Crystal Shaw). However, through mishap and miscommunication, Clarence ends up with the woman himself, quickly falling in love with each other in true romantic style.
8 The Man With The Iron Fists (2012)
Arguably one of the most kickass films of the last decade, The Man with the Iron Fists is riddled with crazy kung fu fighting scenes and overall awesomeness. In a classic quest for gold, different gangs and assassins led by killers like Lucy Liu, Russell Crowe, and WWE Superstar Dave Bautista, descend upon a small Chinese village defended only by RZA of the Wu-Tang Clan aka The Man with the Iron Fists.
But actually, Tarantino isn't credited with the production of the film. The words “Quentin Tarantino Presents” at the beginning of the movie were a marketing technique used by director RZA to bring buzz to the film, knowing Tarantino’s rep in Hollywood. Being long-time friends, Quentin was happy to help after RZA assisted musically with Kill Bill (2003).
7 Sin City (2005)
According to IMDb, Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004) was scored by Tarantino’s fellow legendary film friend Robert Rodriguez for the “family discount” price of just one dollar. As a great mate in return, Tarantino offered to direct one scene in Sin City for the same dollar price: the twisted “drive to the pits” scene.
The murdered body of Detective Jack (Benicio del Toro) sits shotgun with a gun in his head. Driving the car is Dwight McCarthy (Clive Owens), heading to the pits to dispose of “Jackie Boy’s” corpse, all the while talking to his dead passenger through a cigarette and a storm. If this plot doesn’t scream Quentin Tarantino, you’re reading the wrong article.
6 Little Nicky (2000)
One of the wildest yet underrated Adam Sandler films to date, Little Nicky is a forgotten gem amidst a mountain of movies produced by the iconic comedian. Sandler plays Nicky, Satan’s (Harvey Keitel) “special” son who must go to New York to stop his older brothers from creating a literal Hell on Earth.
Throughout the movie, Quentin Tarantino cameos as a blind Deacon on the street and the only one who can sense Satan’s sons for what they really are. Rich with slapstick humor, the neurotic Deacon freaks when the devils are near, each time getting himself hilariously more injured than the last. As per usual, Quentin steals the show.
5 The Golden Girls (1985)
Appearing earlier this year on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Tarantino explained how his breakthrough blockbuster Reservoir Dogs (1992) was funded, in part, by his brief but brilliant impersonation of the King of Rock n Roll on The Golden Girls. Through continued reruns of the episode (a real fan favorite), the low paying gig continued (and continues) to accumulate and helped produce his original masterpiece.
In hilarious Golden Girls fashion, Rose (Betty White) mixes up the guestlist for Sophia’s (Estelle Getty) wedding with a list of Elvis impersonators instead- none dancing wackier than a young Quentin in the mix. Talk about a hunk-a hunk-a burnin’ love!
4 Iron Monkey (1993)
In ancient China, the Iron Monkey (Yu Rongguang) works as a pleasant physician by day and a kung-fu-fighting Robin Hood by night - robbing from the rich and helping the poor. But when martial arts master Wong Kei-Ying's (Donnie Yen) son (Angie Tsang) is held hostage by Governor Cheng (James Wong), he must fight the Iron Monkey or lose his boy.
Released in Hong Kong in 1993, Iron Monkey wasn’t introduced to the United States until October of 2001, credited largely to a blossoming Tarantino gaining fame through the 90s. With incredibly entertaining fight scenes, complex characters, and comically over-the-top action, Iron Monkey is Quentin’s quintessential kung fu film.
3 Past Midnight (1991)
What separates Tarantino from the rest, aside from his unique directing style, is his exceptional story writing ability. In addition to writing his own movies, he has had a hand in dozens of other screenplays - Past Midnight being one of them. Rewriting and improving the script significantly, he earned his first official film credit as associate producer, alongside Catalaine Knell.
Ben Jordan (Rutger Hauer) is released from prison after 15 years on account of his pregnant wife’s murder. He is assigned a social worker, Laura Matthews (Natasha Richardson) to keep him and his behavior in check. The two start to fall for one another, causing Laura to question the truth from that dark and stormy night.
2 Coriolis Effect (1994)
The “Coriolis Effect,” in scientific terms, drastically impacts the dynamics of weather patterns such as winds and storms. In this short film of the same name, best friends and storm chasers Ray (Dana Ashbrook) and Stanley (James Wilder) must overcome a stormy past of their own, reluctantly with the help of the magically mysterious Ruby (Jennifer Rubin) in this modern twist on the legendary Wizard of Oz (1939).
With one of the most energetic voices in Hollywood, Quentin’s upbeat and snarky tone only adds to his off-beat personality. His voice is easily recognized in the black and white film as the radio DJ, Panhandle Slim - checking off the "voice-only cameo" box in his most impressive filmography.
1 Love Birds In Bondage (1983)
Unlike all other Tarantino projects, Love Birds in Bondage is Tarantino's only unfinished production. Starting in 1983, he wrote and directed (partly) this off-beat comedy with the help of his late friend, Scott McGill. The film’s plot surrounded a woman who suffered brain damage from a car crash and is admitted into an insane asylum. Her lover can’t stand to be away and gets himself put away with her.
Unfortunately, the cast list was thin, with Tarantino the only standout actor involved, and the film’s production came to an end. Mysteriously enough, the film was destroyed by either McGill or his mother, but the world may never know the truth. No matter, the incomplete project paved way for My Best Friend’s Birthday, previously mentioned on this list as his directorial debut that started it all.
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