One of the most popular American directors of the past decades, Quentin Tarantino recently spoke with Variety to discuss the best films he watched recently, praising Top Gun: Maverick and Spielberg's West Side Story. While die-hard fans of the director are happy to know his recommendations, they want to see his next film hit theatres.
Famous for his violent stories filled with black humor and dangerous characters, every Tarantino movie ends up being a spectacular event. However, one signature character that appears in every Tarantino film craves and delves into danger without a backward glance. It makes them either incredibly unhinged or extremely cool to watch.
Reservoir Dogs - Mr. Blonde
All the main characters in Reservoir Dogs are far from being good guys, but none of them can top the level of instability and psychopathy of Mr. Blonde. After murdering several civilians in a heist gone wrong, he also finds out there's an informant among the group of criminals he's part of, resorting to brutal measures to find out who it is. He mercilessly tortures a young policeman in search of information and was about to burn the man alive before getting fatally shot.
Mr. Blonde didn't show any signs of pity as the cop told him he had a family and continued to torture the man even after it was obvious he didn't know a thing. His psychopathic impulses turn him into a deadly threat capable of taking down anyone who crosses him; clearly, someone best to have as an ally than an enemy.
Pulp Fiction - Marsellus Wallace
Pulp Fiction is an over-the-top satire of the brutality that haunts our everyday lives, a movie that aged incredibly well even decades after its release. Told in a non-linear narrative, the story offers a range of characters bonded by streams of violence that push them to their limits.
Marsellus Wallace doesn't have much screen time, but he's the person who connects most of the characters in the chaotic chain of events that unfolds. The boss of a deadly gang, there are lots of rumors going on about his violent tendencies, especially when someone messes with his wife. When Marsellus finally springs into action, things don't go as one would expect, but simply seeing him driven up the wall is enough to be scared and understand why the main characters fear him so much.
Jackie Brown - Ordell Robbie
Robbie is a constant, threatening presence in Jackie Brown and every time he's around viewers fear for the lives of those in the same room as him. What makes him so dangerous is his manipulative manners, a mix of intimidation and rudeness that scares anyone to the bones, even the self-composed Jackie Brown.
When the smuggling deal between Robbie and Brown goes wrong, he's quick to make perfectly clear the consequences that will arise if she doesn't fix the problem, igniting a series of dangerous events. Ruthless and unpredictable, Robbie doesn't hesitate to kill, and Samuel L. Jackson's performance shows that Tarantino should definitely be cast as a villain in his next movie.
Kill Bill - The Bride
It shouldn't come as a surprise that The Bride stands out as not only the most dangerous character in the Kill Bill duology but also the most important. When taking into account the countless deadly assassins she managed to outsmart, Beatrix Kiddo deserves credit and respect.
The best thing about the Bride is that she isn't only an excellent sword fighter; the abilities she's developed throughout the years go further than that, contributing to her sweaty victories over ruthless enemies. A great example is a scene in which she escapes from a buried coffin by controlling her emotions and using ancient techniques. Driven by a thirst for revenge and arguably the most iconic Tarantino character, The Bride is a merciless army of one.
Death Proof - Stuntman Mike
Stuntman Mike is absolutely insane and the soul of Death Proof's most intense scenes. A sociopath to the core, his past is unknown but all he does in the present is stalk younger women and brutally kill them. Carrying out a serial killer's way of living driving around in his car and preying on innocent people, Stuntman Mike is another incredible character played by the legendary movie star Kurt Russel.
Even though the good ones get the upper hand over him in the end, it doesn't erase the pile of corpses he left behind throughout the movie. A charming and straight-to-the-point kind of character, it's easy to fall for Mike's pleasantries and clever remarks, but what makes him such a particularly scary villain is the terrifying personality shift that occurs when he finally decides to take off his friendly mask.
Inglorious Basterds - Hans Landa
Hans Landa might arguably be Tarantino's scariest character; self-composed, sophisticated, and smart, Hans Landa knows when to act like a well-intentioned servant of the country and when to show his sharp claws. In the end, it's clear how everything he does, all the vile acts he's committed, he's done for himself, as he always puts his own interests first.
Even when he was captured by the Inglorious Basterds he seemed like he had a card up his sleeve, acting too solemn and too cooperative. Of course, when it comes to dangerous characters in Inglorious Basterds, it's difficult not to mention the ruthless "Bear", but his brutality doesn't quite match Landa's intimidation techniques and his power to talk his way out of (almost) every situation.
Django Unchained - Calvin J. Candie
Django is the most skilled character in Django Unchained, of course; ruthless, precise, and a beast with a gun, he can turn into an unstoppable killing machine if he wants to. However, he's forced to play with the rules of the house when he tries to free the woman he loves, which makes Calvin J. Candie, the cruel slave owner who has her, the person who meticulously calls the shots of the delicate deal.
Calvin is an unpredictable man of questionable humor, making his guests uncomfortable as they try to tell whether he's being serious or not. Bitterly sealing a deal with Django and Dr. Schultz, he unexpectedly throws it all away after feeling offended, commencing a brutal massacre at his place and putting everyone's lives at stake.
The Hateful Eight - Daisy Domergue
The Hateful Eight takes place mostly inside a remote inn that quickly becomes the lair of poisonous, untrustworthy people with wicked intentions. Seeking shelter from a blizzard, a bunch of strangers cross paths and some of them may or may not be plotting something evil. Amid bounty hunters, sheriffs, and hangmen, there's Daisy, a prisoner being taken to the noose, and the only person who doesn't try to hide her noxious nature.
When masks begin to fall off and deadly plans are put into action, Daisy calmly waits for the best moment to attack. She's so self-assured that her enemies sometimes even forget she's there, hence giving her the enormous advantage to knock them all out.
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood - Cliff Booth
Cliff Booth is the one guy in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood who someone wouldn't want to piss off. He's a handsome and charismatic man, but his bad temper often gets in the way. Poorly seen in the Hollywood scene due to rumors of Cliff having killed his wife and acting violently on set, he doesn't have a lot of friends, but at least he knows he can count on Rick Dalton at all times.
Cliff ends up being a major obstacle to the Charles Manson cult in the film, changing the course of real-life events in an unforgettable action sequence; as Manson followers invade a private LA neighborhood to carry out one of the most infamous crimes in USA history, Booth intervenes and kicks everyone's ass.