Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Members of a criminal gang begin to suspect each other following a botched robbery. Who among them is the mole who betrayed them all?
Quote.
“…Joe Egan and Gerry Rafferty were a duo known as Stealers Wheel, who had a 1972 hit with ‘Stuck in the Middle with You,’ the clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right, here I am, stuck in the middle with you…”
PRIOR TO THE HEIST, THE MEETING.
The camera moves around a table where the characters are sitting. What could a group of criminals preparing to rob a bank possibly discuss?
Mainly Madonna and whether or not to leave a tip for the waitress.
This is Quentin’s fantastic world: in those first memorable eight minutes.
And in the language used to describe them, of course.
Because words are important, even fundamental, almost as much as the violence that will manifest a little later.
With words, a world is created, characters are built and characterized, and something new, something to remember, is delivered to the cinematic universe.
In this regard, do you want to know what “Like a virgin” is about?
Considerations.
Quentin Tarantino imposes himself on the international stage with this, his first work.
Reservoir Dogs is a dense work, full of references, which harks back to the Kubrick of “A Clockwork Orange” for its use of synchronous flashback, which relives the same action from different angles and points of view.
A very theatrical staging and precisely because of this, original.
A film that tells of a robbery without ever showing it, but rather focusing on its preparation and consequences, with sudden bursts of violence.
And it does so using dialogues of great craftsmanship, etched into collective memory.
A cast of actors always up to the task.
From the sadistic Mr. Blonde/Madsen, to the neurotic Mr. Pink/Buscemi, passing through the apprehensive Mr. White/Keitel and the courageous Mr. Orange/Roth, up to Mr. Blue/Bunker, Eddie the handsome/Penn and the boss Joe/Tierney.
Without forgetting, of course, Tarantino himself/Mr. Brown, who certainly doesn’t choose the best of colors for his character.
All seasoned with a deadly soundtrack that represents a true taste of the entire Supersound of the 70s.
A debut with a bang.
