Quentin Tarantino names the director who deserves a second look

(Credit: YouTube image / Columbia Pictures)

Tue November 26, 2024 5:45 p.m., United Kingdom

Quentin Tarantino is not only a famous director; he is also a self-proclaimed film enthusiast. Growing up, he spent countless hours in movie theaters, earning a local reputation as a “movie guy.” Tarantino proudly wears his love for obscure influences on his sleeve, filling his films with nods to exploitation films that only a handful of people have seen, as well as other hidden gems from his cinema-obsessed mind .

You have to really love cinema to become a director, otherwise the stress of the job would be unbearable. Tarantino, however, takes this passion to another level, with a deep obsession that gives him a unique perspective on the industry he is so deeply influenced by. Beyond cinema, Tarantino has written extensively on cinema, penning essays and critical articles, notably for the BFI. In one such piece, he delved into his love of westerns, highlighting the work of little-known American director Monte Hellman, a filmmaker whose contributions to the genre resonate deeply with Tarantino’s sensibilities.

“I don’t care if he only made three,” Tarantino said, explaining why he named Hellman a great Western director despite his relatively small filmography. “Two of them – Ride in the whirlwind And The filming – demand this honor. He then praised the filmmaker, saying, “If ever a director were to be rediscovered by critics, it would be Monte Hellman. With its naturalistic style and pacing, its invisibly punchy editing rhythms, and the journeys its characters inevitably take, its influence can be seen in the work of directors such as (Hal) Hartley, Wim Wenders, Jim Jarmusch, and Terrence Malick. »

Hellman made his directorial debut in the late 1950s, under the tutelage of great producer Roger Corman. He also worked with a young Jack Nicholson on some of his early films, notably the 1964 film. Flight to Furywhich the actor also wrote. Nicholson appeared in Hellman’s two westerns, filmed back-to-back in the mid-1960s. During the remainder of his career, the director dabbled in various genres, including road movies, crime dramas, and slasher horrors. He returned to westerns in 1978 with China 9, Freedom 37a joint Spanish-Italian production with Warren Oates, Jenny Agutter and renowned filmmaker Sam Peckinpah in a cameo appearance.

Of Hellman’s two most revered westerns, The filming, often receives more praise, but Tarantino has explained why he has a penchant for the other. “It’s simplicity,” he writes about Ride in the whirlwind. “The naturalistic tone, the goofy-sounding cowboy vernacular (because it’s so authentic), the sense of sadness lurking between every line, the burst of ridiculous comedic moments, the beautiful understatement of Nicholson and Cameron Mitchell, all wrapped up in a wing-ding plot, which makes Ride in the whirlwind one of the most authentic and brilliant westerns ever made.

In addition to influencing him stylistically, Hellman played a more direct role in launching Tarantino’s film career. He was executive producer on Reservoir dogsthe author’s first film on the big screen. “My main role was to raise money, which I did,” Hellman said. Flashback files. “My secondary role was to ensure that Quentin Tarantino would star, which was no problem because he knew exactly what he wanted to do. If I found out he was making small mistakes, I would let him know. And he always said, well, that was my intention.

In 2021, Monte Hellman died at the age of 91 from complications related to a fall. He may not be the most famous director of all time, but his influence on Tarantino is enough to secure him a place in cinema history, not to mention all of his other achievements.

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