Quentin Tarantinomade an enormous splash with his first two screenplaysTrue RomanceandNatural Born Killerswhich were directed byTony ScottandOliver Stonerespectively. From there, Tarantino was able to direct his own scripts such asReservoir DogsandPulp Fiction. Since the release of his ninth film, the critically acclaimedOnce Upon a Time…in HollywoodstarringBrad Pitt,Leonardo DiCaprio,Margot Robbie, andMargaret Qualley, the filmmaker has announced his plans to retireafter his upcoming filmThe Movie Critic. Tarantino has always been a filmmaker obsessed with curating his own career, and “to end it with, like, a good movie is kind of phenomenal,” he toldthe Pure Cinema Podcast. “I mean, most directors’ last films are fucking lousy.”
In a 2009 Sky Cinema promo, Tarantino stated, “My hands down favorite British movie that has come out since I’ve been making movies: it’sEdgar Wright’sShaun of the Dead.” He also called Wright’s follow-upHot Fuzzhis favorite movie of 2007 on adirectors' commentaryof the film of the Special Edition DVD. Both filmmakers began their careers in the ’90s and have become close friends over their shared love of movies, even chatting about their favorite films for three hours ona special episode of the Empire Film Podcast. Their knowledge of obscure pop culture is evident, and from time to time comes in handy in helping each other, like when Tarantino inspired Wright to name his 2021 filmLast Night in Soho.
‘Pulp Fiction,’ ‘Reservoir Dogs,’ and ‘Django Unchained,’ Feature Quentin Tarantino’s Love of Music
In the booklet that accompanied his soundtrack collection CD,Tarantino wrote, “One of the things I do when I am starting a movie, when I’m writing a movie or when I have an idea for a film; is, I go through my record collection and just start playing songs, trying to find the personality of the movie, find the spirit of the movie. Then “boom” eventually I’ll hit one, two or three songs“ or one song in particular, oh this will be a great opening credit song.” This gave way to some of cinema’s most iconic opening credit sequences in recent history, includingPulp Fiction’s “Miserlou,“Reservoir Dogs’s “Little Green Bag,” andDjango Unchained’s repurposing of the1966Djangotheme.
A classic anecdote among hardcore Tarantino fans is that his love of marrying music to film once saw him haggle with a Tokyo clothing store clerk. According to the director, on his DVD Special Features forKill Bill, Tarantino discovered the Japanese ’60s-stye throwback bandThe 5.6.7.8’swhilehearing one of their songs played in an urban clothing store in Tokyo. With no time to visit a music shop before going to the airport, Tarantino offered to buy the CD from the clerk for double the retail price. After approval from the store manager, Tarantino got it, and The 5.6.7.8’s not only havetheir songs featured in the movie, but appear as the house band in
O-Ren Ishii’s nightclub.
‘Death Proof’ Was What Brought ‘Last Night in Soho’ to Life
While promoting 2021’sLast Night in Soho,Edgar Wright revealed the origins of the film’s title. “InDeath Proof, Quentin uses aDave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tichsong, “Hold Tight.” I was talking to him about that song, and that band, and he said, ‘Have you ever heard “Last Night in Soho?” He played it for me, and he goes, ‘This is the best title music for a film that’s never been made.'” Inspired, Wright compiled a playlist of over 300 ’60s songs which he called “Soho” to help inspire his writing, much like Tarantino himself. At the time, though,the songwas only intended to feature on the soundtrack of Wright’s new film, not become its titular needle drop, but after some trouble finding a name, Wright admitted, “It was staring me in the face.”
By the time Wright had decided to name the film after “Last Night in Soho,” he explained, “Quentin was deep intoOnce Upon a Time in Hollywood, so I hadn’t really had time to tell him. And then it was in the trades. I said, ‘Hey, did you hear what my movie’s called?’ He said, ‘Yeah, I read it.’ I said, ‘Are you annoyed with me?’ He goes, ‘You know what? Only you could make that movie.’ I said, ‘Well, I’m going to thank you on the end credits for giving me the song.'”
Edgar Wright Thanks Quentin Tarantino in ‘Last Night in Soho’s End Credits
After accepting a thank-you credit from Wright in exchange for inspiringLast Night in Soho’s title, Tarantino admitted that the inspiration didn’t actually begin with him.Wright explained to Total Filmthat Tarantino then added, “OK, but I’ve got to fess up now. What I said about it being the best end-credits song for a movie that doesn’t exist, is something that [American filmmaker and Tarantino’s collaborator onFour Rooms]Allison Andersused to say. So if you credit me, you’ve also got to credit her.” At the time of this Total Film interview, however, Anders had yet to be told that she’d been thanked by Wright. “Since the interview I told Allison Anders that I had taken indirect inspiration from her via Quentin Tarantino and thanked her in the end credits,“Wright later tweeted. “She was thrilled and sent me a 7 inch of the song in question. Which is so lovely of her. It’s on my mantel piece.”
This wouldn’t be the first time Wright used a song both in his soundtrack and his title.Simon and Garfunkel’s “Baby Driver” plays over the end credits of Wright’s 2017 filmBaby Driver. “I just really like that song.” Wright explained topress on the Atlanta set in April 2016. “The lyrics of that song don’t really have anything to do with the movie, but that song and that album I used to love a lot as a kid.” It’s clear that there’s more to Wright’s inspiration than just Tarantino’s ear to the ground. His films, no matter how outlandish, have always been intrinsically linked to a lifetime of various inspirations, which is what gives his films such heart. After all, for a low-budget gore-fest, Tarantino’s favorite modern British filmShaun of the Deadis, at its core, a “zom-rom-com”!
