Among the many things Quentin Tarantino's movies are known for, his unique and engrossing dialogue certainly stands out. Tarantino has a great talent for writing funny and precise dialogue in which every word feels carefully considered. It makes listening to his characters talk just as exciting as his set-pieces.
Given how Tarantino treats his dialogue, it's exciting to examine his movies and see which lines begin and end each of his stories. Sometimes these lines capture the tone of the movie, sometimes they bring the story full circle, and sometimes they are just effective opening and closing lines.
Reservoir Dogs (1992)
"Let me tell you what 'Like A Virgin' is about." - "We're gonna f***ing blow you away."
The opening scene of Reservoir Dogs finds the group of criminals sitting in a cafe as Mr. Brown discusses his theory of Madonna's song "Like a Virgin." The final line is shouted by an unseen cop as Mr. White before he is shot to death.
Few people would have expected a crime movie to open with the criminals talking about Madonna, which immediately establishes Tarantino's unique style. The final line is another example of how wild and violent his finales can get.
Pulp Fiction (1994)
"Forget it, it's too risky." - "Yeah, that's probably a good idea."
Pulp Fiction opens with a pair of criminal partners, Pumpkin and Honey Bunny, sitting in a cafe discussing the risks of the hold-up jobs they've been doing. The final scene goes back to the beginning as Jules and Vincent are in that same cafe and decide it would be a good time to leave following their showdown with Pumpkin and Honey Bunny.
The opening line mirrors Reservoir Dogs in a compelling way as Pumpkin talks about criminal activities openly and casually in a cafe. The final line breaks the tense sequence with a good laugh to end the movie.
Jackie Brown (1997)
"How you doing?" - "Yes, thank you."
The opening credit scene of Jackie Brown follows the titular character as she makes her way through the airport, greeting some of her colleagues along the way. The final line finds Max Cherry watching Jackie drive away as he talks on the phone to a client.
While neither of these lines stand out, it is interesting that they both find Jackie and Max at work. It speaks to the blue-collar crime story and that these two characters are ordinary people in the end.
Kill Bill: Vol 1 (2003)
"Do you find me sadistic?" - "Is she aware her daughter is still alive?"
The first Kill Bill movie opens with the horrific aftermath of the church shootout. The Bride lays bloody on the floor as the unseen Bill taunts her before shooting her. The first chapter ends with Bill, still unseen, confirming that The Bride's daughter is alive.
The first line is an eerie and cold-blooded line in the midst of this grisly scene which immediately establishes Bill as a memorable villain. His final line is a great cliffhanger to end the movie and get audiences excited for more.
Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)
"Looked dead, didn't I?" - "You look ready."
The second part of the Kill Bill story begins with the same opening as the first movie, but this time The Bride chimes in with her own narration. After delivering the final fatal blow on Bill, he asks The Bride how he looks and she says he looks ready.
The opening line is a fun bit of dark humor to throw audiences back into the story. The final line shows the complex relationship between The Bride and Bill as, even after everything, they regard each other with respect and even love.
Death Proof (2007)
"Hold on. I gotta come up. I gotta take the world's biggest f****** piss." - "A**hole!"
Death Proof kicks off by introducing the group of girls as they pick up their friend on their way out for a night of partying. At the end of the movie, a new group of badass girls confront the sadistic yet cowardly Stuntman Mike and beat him senseless.
The fun, carefree energy of the movie's early scenes is established with that opening line as these doomed girls have no idea what is coming. The final line doesn't stand out yet it is all part of the wonderfully satisfying revenge scene that ends the movie.
Inglourious Basterds (2009)
"Papa!" -" You know something, Utivich? I think this just might be my masterpiece."
Inglourious Basterds opens on a French farm during the war as a daughter calls to her father when she sees a Nazi motorcade approaching. The movie ends with Aldo Raine inspecting the swastika he carves into Hans Landa's head and dubs it his masterpiece.
The first line is not very significant other than cementing the slow build of tension in this first sequence. The final line is another darkly comedic moment from Tarantino that might also serve as the director addressing the audience about his latest movie.
Django Unchained (2012)
"Whoa. Whoa." -"Let's get out of here."
The opening scene of Django Unchained follows a pair of slave owners leading a group of shackled slaves until they stop their horses at the sight of someone approaching. Following his brutal and bloody revenge, including blowing up the plantation, Django and his wife ride off together.
After watching the slaves being marched barefoot through treacherous conditions, the opening line is a relief that they are able to finally stop. The final line is a happy resolution, seeing Django free, reunited with his wife, and off on his own path.
The Hateful Eight (2015)
"Got room for one more?" - "Thanks."
As a stagecoach rolls through the winter landscape in the opening scene of The Hateful Eight, it comes across Major Marquis Warren sitting atop three dead bodies and asking for a ride. At the end of the movie, Chris Mannix praises Warren for his fake Lincoln letter as the two men bleed to death.
The image of Warren and the dead bodies as he asks for a ride starts the movie's theme of not knowing who to trust. The final conversation between Warren and Mannix, who previously hated each other, is a nice civil end to the bloody and treacherous affair.
Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood (2019)
"This man's worth $500. And this man's going to collect." - "Sounds like you had a hell of a night."
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood begins with the opening teaser for Rick Dalton's Western television series, Bounty Law. At the end of the movie, Rick is invited up to Sharon Tate's house as Jay Sebring makes an understatement about the run-in with the Manson Family.
The opening line throws the audience right into the world of 1960s Hollywood with a television opening that feels very authentic. The last line is funny considering the brutal scene that unfolded with the Mason Family, but it also highlights the happy ending for Rick and for Sharon Tate.