Quentin Tarantino has a clear opinion when it comes to series. Unlike his beloved films, he is rather skeptical about them. Now he explains why that is so.
Quentin Tarantino and cinema are a love affair that rarely exists. The director, who has made 9 or 10 films (depending on how you count), never tires of emphasizing how important cinema is to him and which films are among the best.
His own works are full of allusions and homages to older films. He is also one of the few directors in Hollywood who still shoots on analog film – just like his colleague Christopher Nolan.
But while some other well-known directors such as David Fincher (Mindhunter) or David Lynch (Twin Peaks) have also made series for television or streaming services, Tarantino has so far stayed away from them. This could have something to do with his attitude towards series.
Pulp Fiction – Trailer for the cult film by Quentin Tarantino
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Series are good, but just series
What does Tarantino think? The director spoke about series on Joe Rogan’s podcast. After all, they are very popular with the audience. Large-scale productions like Game of Thrones have reached cinema level for several years now. Tarantino knows this too, but is a little more critical.
He admits that series can be good, but they are and will remain “just” series. Some rely on classic film language and elements as we know them from the cinema. This makes them appear impressive and captivate their audience.
The big problem: According to Tarantino, most series are forgotten after they end. They entertain while you’re watching, but after the finale there’s usually not much that sticks with you. On the contrary, after watching a film, Tarantino remembers the story and its characters for a long time.
Why is that? According to Tarantino, series have many small highlights that are emotionally captivating. However, they do not come to a satisfactory resolution that stays in the head. Things are different with films that are shorter and in which everything that is told comes to a final point. There are no distractions from the essentials.
Does this apply to all series? Tarantino emphasizes that there is an exception. He calls the series Homeland and its first season. It’s really well written and ends with a final sequence that stays in your head for a long time. The reason: Everything that happened in the previous episodes serves the emotional conflict in the finale.
Tarantino demands that series conclude their narrative threads skillfully and have something to say that sticks with the viewer and creates an impression. His opinion on the matter is certainly controversial. What do you think about that? Are you series fans or do you watch more films? Feel free to write it to us in the comments. The director is also skeptical about a popular film: “Simply stolen” – For Tarantino, a $3 billion franchise is a copy of a Japanese cult film