Quentin Tarantino is one of the most influential filmmakers in the industry, and he has made way for the “Tarantino Effect”, which has two definitions depending on the context. Tarantino has earned the praise and respect of the audience and critics thanks to his trademark visual and narrative style, though he and his works have also been surrounded by controversy, mostly due to the big doses of violence in each of his movies.

Quentin Tarantino’s career as a filmmaker began in 1992 with the crime movie Reservoir Dogs, which was a critical success and became a classic of independent film, but his big break arrived two years later with Pulp Fiction, another crime movie with the particularity of being told in a non-linear style. Since then, Tarantino has explored different genres in his movies – from martial arts with Kill Bill to slasher with Death Proof and even alternate versions of historical events with Inglourious Basterds and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood – which along with his mastery in writing dialogues, unmistakable visual style, and consistent quality have made him a favorite of the audience.

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As a result, Tarantino has also become one of the most influential filmmakers in modern cinema, inspiring others and also changing how stories are told and Hollywood movies in general. This has made way for the concept of the “Tarantino Effect”, which has two different meanings depending on the context – and here’s what the “Tarantino Effect” is and how it changed Hollywood.

The Tarantino Effect In His Own Movies

Why Tarantino Cut Reservoir Dogs' Original Mr. Blonde Ear-Slicing Scene

As mentioned above, Quentin Tarantino’s works have stood out due to their very peculiar narrative and visual style, and while these have been key in his popularity and success, they have also drawn a lot of criticism and controversy. Tarantino’s movies feature graphic violence, and most of his movies have been banned in different countries for this reason, but he has defended his use of blood and violent scenes on different occasions. One of the most defining elements of most of Tarantino’s movies is the use of a nonlinear structure, most notably in Pulp Fiction, where the segments are presented out of order, though he has also used it in more subtle ways in movies like Reservoir Dogs and The Hateful Eight by interspersing scenes from the past with present actions. This shifting timeline has been labeled by critics as the “Tarantino Effect”.

Other elements that add to the “Tarantino Effect” are the addition of many pop culture references, the creation of his own products and brands that appear in almost every movie he makes, the Mexican standoff, an unbelievable amount of close-ups of feet, trunk shots, cameos by Tarantino himself, and a dark sense of humor. The “Tarantino Effect” has influenced many other filmmakers over the years, but there’s also another definition of the term that has nothing to do with the narrative and visual style of a movie and more with the evolution of Tarantino’s works.

The Tarantino Effect In Hollywood

Tarantino Cameos Own Movies Explained

As mentioned above, Tarantino’s career began with Reservoir Dogs, a much smaller movie than subsequent projects like Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and while Tarantino’s works have had a consistent quality and they all have his trademark style, the “Tarantino Effect” also refers to the transition of low budget movies to Hollywood hits. Reservoir Dogs was made on a low budget, and Harvey Keitel was key in making the movie happen as he signed on as co-producer so Tarantino and producer Lawrence Bender could find the funding they needed a lot easier. Reservoir Dogs was made on a $1.2 million budget, becoming one of the greatest independent movies of all time.

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The success of Reservoir Dogs opened many doors for Tarantino and financing his next movie, Pulp Fiction, was easier, getting an $8 million budget. Pulp Fiction was Tarantino’s first big commercial hit, earning around $213 million worldwide and marking the start of Tarantino’s transition to Hollywood movies, though it was still a gradual change. Tarantino’s biggest budget production to date is Django Unchained with $100 million and it’s also his highest-grossing movie, yet his biggest critical success since Pulp Fiction is Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Tarantino’s transition from low budget to Hollywood movies has also been reflected in the cast of his movies, as he has gotten the opportunity to work with some of the most popular actors in the industry, such as Robert De Niro, Brad Pitt, and Leonardo DiCaprio, and even though he has made this big change, the quality and style of his movies have been consistent – basically, the “Tarantino Effect” hasn’t been too affected by the “Tarantino Effect”.

How The Tarantino Effect Influenced Hollywood Movies

quentin tarantino

The “Tarantino Effect” has influenced Hollywood movies both in terms of narrative and the impact of independent cinema in Hollywood. Various directors have been influenced by the works of Tarantino and his style, mostly by the shifting timelines, stylized violence, homaging movies within their movies, and adding a bunch of pop culture references that become part of the story rather than just being Easter eggs for the audience. Some examples of Tarantino’s influence in Hollywood movies in terms of narrative and visual style (and whether intentional or not) are Christopher Nolan’s Memento and Michel Gondry’s Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, which used a non-linear structure, and Joe Carnahan’s Smokin’ Aces violence was heavily influenced by Tarantino’s movies, while others have been more subtle in how the “Tarantino Effect” has influenced their works. Of course, there have also been many filmmakers who have gone through the “Tarantino Effect” and jumped from low-budget movies to Hollywood ones, though these transitions aren’t always as smooth as Tarantino’s.

Does The Tarantino Effect Still Apply To Modern Movies?

quentin tarantino in pulp fiction and benedict cumberbactch in doctor strange

The influence of the “Tarantino Effect” in terms of visual and narrative style will surely continue for many more years given its impact on film history, but when it comes to the transition from low budget to Hollywood hits, filmmakers might not go through the “Tarantino Effect” as easily as others did in the past. The film industry is currently dominated by franchises from some of the biggest studios, such as Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe and Warner Bros.’ DC Extended Universe, which also have strong marketing campaigns that ultimately catch the attention of the audience, making it harder for smaller productions to find an audience. Of course, that doesn’t mean that filmmakers working on low-budget projects can’t have their big Hollywood break like Quentin Tarantino did, but the competition is a lot harder now, and the “Tarantino Effect” doesn’t happen as easy and often as before.

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