Essay
draft
Quentin
Tarantino uses his authorship to recreate genres, he does this using his style
and different themes that would not usually be used in specific genres. In this
investigation I am looking at Inglorious Basterds ,a war film, and Django Unchained,
a western film.
The themes
Tarantino uses challenge the typical genres of both western and war films, and
yet some do conform. By challenging the genres he has resulted in creating more
complex genres. Django Unchained, is classed as a western film however
Tarantino uses an unrealistic mise-en-scene for example the costumes are very
stylised making them unrealistic and therefore the plot less serious. Tarantino
has also used stylistic dialogue in the film, the language they use is
exaggerated and not how people would talk in the time of the film an example of
this is the term "negro" used a lot and during the conversation
between the "KKK" attack. Their voices suggest that they're are
illiterate creating a mockery of the group, and therefore mocking racism. By
making a joke out of this situation, Tarantino implies the stupidity of racism
and people at this time.
The
unrealistic mise-en-scene and narrative in the films gives them themes of
fantasy and also some humour. Although Django does conform to some of the same
characteristics that a western would have like some of the costume are similar
only exaggerated and it also includes violence. The violence however, would
usually be shown as serious but Tarantino removes this feeling my exaggerating
the blood and making it almost comical. The style in which the violence is
shown is used in both Django and Inglorious Basterds, the colour of the blood
is very bright and unrealistic reminding the audience that the historical plots
are historically incorrect . The unrealistic violence is used more in Django
Unchained throughout, Tarantino may of done this to portray Django as the hero
and therefore Candie and the people who are killed as the villains. In many
films to do with racism and slavery the 'whites' are often portrayed as the villain
however Tarantino created Shultz who is a white German, to be a sidekick with Django and also saves
him at the beginning. The character "Stephen" played by Samuel L
Jackson is also challenging the theme of racism as he is black and yet labelled
as a villain and on the side with the "whites". Django says "Now
all you black folk I suggest you get away from these white folk. Not you
Stephen, you right where you belong." this dialogue suggests Tarantino
didn't want to follow the usual characteristics of a film based around slavery
and reverse some of the roles.
Again in Inglorious Basterds,
Tarantino has used his style and mise en scene to make his films look like a
graphic novel. An example of this is before the cinema scene, we are shown
Shoshanna applying what looks like war makeup on her face. Although the war
makeup conforms to the war genre, in the specific scene it does not fit
especially as she is a female. Tarantino has made Shoshanna like a hero, as she
is the personified ‘justice’ for the Jews. This is not normal for a war film as
typically the hero would be a male and fighting in battle, as they are
stereotyped as the ‘strong’ character. Tarantino decided not to challenge the
gender roles in Django and followed the usual stock character of ‘the damsel in
distress’, this being Hildy. Tarantino uses colour to foreshadow and evoke
emotion. An example of this in inglorious basterds is the scene before and
during the cinema scene. There is a lot of red used, this colour suggests blood
and fire, which is an accurate foreshadow as the cinema is then burnt down with
Hitler and everyone else inside. Before the fire, Tarantino shows Hitler and
the Nazis cheering the death of soldiers on the film and we also see some Nazis
killing Shoshannas family. And yet when we watch the Nazis die we are made to
feel empathy for them because of the torture we see and Shoshanna laughs while
the fire continues portraying her as a villain. Tarantino has done this to
question whether it is ok to cheer for death whoever the person, and the answer
is no.
By giving the films a
fantasised revenge it allows them to conform to the classic Hollywood narrative
as the heroes prevail evil and there is a general happy ending. The war and
slavery did not end with a simple happy ending there were many disruptions and
still today racism and discrimination towards religions continue. Tarantino may
of used a violent revenge as his ending to compare with the disruption which in
both films are caused by violence.
