Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds


Recommended Posts

Tarantino?s Inglourious Basterds Prequel?

Quentin Tarantino?s Inglourious Basterds has yet to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, but the director is already planning another film in his potential world war 2 franchise. Apparently Tarantino had shelves a huge subplot involving African-American soldiers stuck behind enemy lines, which he hopes to make that part of a prequel, that is, if the first film is popul

?I have a half-written prequel ready to go if this movie?s a smash,? Tarantino tells the New York Times .imes .

Of course, Tarantino is infamous for talking about projects and ideas that never come to be anything more than just that. You might remember the Pulp Fiction / Reservoir Dogs prequel/sequel The Vega Brothers, and the potential sequels to Kill Bill. In fact, when Quentin announced he was directing Inglourious Basterds last year at Cannes, I really didn?t believe him and predicted it would never happen. Thankfully, I was wrong. So what are the chances that we?ll see a Basterds prequel? I?m not quite sure.

Also of note, Tarantino assured the Times that Basterds ?will be in the original category at the Oscars.? Wow, it?s as if Babe Ruth pointed to center field before nailing one home. You have to admire someone with that much confidence.

tilbasterdsposter.jpg

Christoph Waltz as Col. Hans Landa

ndk0bh633xmtw1r2c5by.jpg

cgdc1qld1zxq60sjtpwm.jpg

Daniel Br?hl as Frederick Zoller

ye7xnld9lgaklajvman.jpg

M?lanie Laurent as Shosanna Dreyfus

2nk4kg4qj7bmxvypxon.jpg

p9wy23lox3ytoobygpc.jpg

Til Schweiger as Sgt. Hugo Stiglitz

1x6xrtvu7oqh08h3myp.jpg

Michael Fassbender as Lt. Archie Hicox

li0k0vamk2ejcurnd921.jpg

Scenes

s86rh1rlcacbl2qw9d8.jpg

j48xahyqc00p1lmftni.jpg

Those who say QT doesn't disappoint -- has Deathproof been forgotten? Damn that movie was mediocre. Annoying characters, a story that was simply reset to zero halfway through, and most disappointing of all -- the dialogue, which was something QT always delivered big time before, simply sucked. The car chase at the end was really good though.

But I'm looking forward to this.

Those who say QT doesn't disappoint -- has Deathproof been forgotten? Damn that movie was mediocre. Annoying characters, a story that was simply reset to zero halfway through, and most disappointing of all -- the dialogue, which was something QT always delivered big time before, simply sucked. The car chase at the end was really good though.

But I'm looking forward to this.

I have said earlier in this thread that Death proof is the worst movie of QT.

Tarantino's movies to me don't provide a clear storyline. A movie isn't supposed to leave you lost scratching your head. I was watching Kill Bill and I liked the action scenes but I scratched my head 'til it was raw and bloody in doubt as to wtf the movie is about.

Video Clips

Total Film?s Sam Ashurst:b> ?Not only did I love every minute, if the French projectionist wanted to cue it up and roll it again from the start, I would have sat through the whole film again, with the biggest grin on my face. This is Quentin?s best film since Jackie Brown. It might even be his best film since Pulp Fiction.? ?[Eli Roth is] the only weak link I could spot? ? ?Tarantino dialogue at its best? ? ?QT?s magpie eye has never been sharper, swooping down on Italian cinema and plucking the very best shots, framing and music to create a deserving homage to the spaghetti Empire?s Chris Hewitt :mpire?s Chris Hewitt : ?Rather brilliant. Every bit as idiosyncratic as the spelling of its title, it?s a wonderfully-acted movie that subverts expectation at every turn. And it may represent the most confident, audacious writing and directing of QT?s career.? ? ?The performances are superb across-the-board.? ?[Christoph Waltz] may be a shoo-in for a Best Supporting Oscar nom? ? ?Some of his Grindhouse flourishes ? large captions stamped on screen, the usual flirting with structure and chronology, offbeat musical cues (a David Bowie track shows up at one point) and the sudden introduction of a hip narrator (Samuel L. Showbiz411?s Roger Friedman:?certainly very talky,?

Showbiz411?s Roger Friedman: ?a big sprawling entertainment

that?s less violent than you?d expect and a tad more intellectual, too. ? ?Tarantino fans won?t be disappointed but they may be challenged? ? ?Brad Pitt is excellent? ? ? feels sometimes di>Total Film?s Jonathan Dean ion than expected? ? ? IB is a fairy tale at heart.?

Total Film?s Jonathan Dean : ?Much of Basterds felt flat, with a schizophrenic spaghetti western style that blasts Ennio Morricone at the start and then David Bowie later on.? ? ?Enjoyable? Sure. But for 2 hours and 40 minutes it?s a big ask to keep brattishness exhilarating.? ? ?well worth watching and admirably ambitious and single-minded,? ? ?Inglourious Basterds will split viewers.?

More Reviews

'Inglourious Basterds' divides Cannes crowd

It's fascinating to look at the blog postings Wednesday from the Cannes Film Festival of the premiere of "Inglourious Basterds," Quentin Tarantino's WWII Nazi-scalping action fantasy (he has the Reich apparently coming to an end not in Hitler's bunker but in a Paris movie theater). To me, the postings reflect each blog's rooting interest in the film and the director, whose PR campaign is orchestrated by the Weinstein Co., which will release the film later this summer.

In other words, the bloggers who tend to like Harvey Weinstein are posting good reviews; the bloggers who loathe him are gleefully accentuating the negative.

For example, we have New York magazine's Vulture blog playing up the snark, writing off the film as "boring," bolstering its verdict with a host of negative reviews, including one from Movieline's David Bourgeois, who writes: "By the end of the film -- almost two-and-a-half hours later -- its hard to care much about what happens to anybody on screen."

On the other hand, Deadline Hollywood's Nikki Finke was helpfully touting the movie, running a trio of favorable reviews from the British press, which she introduced with the claim that "Inglourious Basterds' " Cannes debut had been greeted with a "great reaction from the general audience with a huge ovation even with no talent in attendance." She only posts positive reviews, including a critique from Empire magazine that calls the film "rather brilliant," saying it was a "wonderfully acted movie that subverts expectation at every turn."

But even Finke's readers were skeptical about her review choices. The first post on her comments page was from a reader who asked, "Why not include the Guardian's review too?" The reader helpfully supplied a highlight from the Peter Bradshaw review: "Quentin Tarantino's WW2 schlocker about a Jewish-American revenge squad intent on killing Nazis in German-occupied France is awful. It is achtung-achtung-ach-mein-Gott atrocious."

The reviews keep coming in from all media outposts, with Variety mixed, the Hollywood Reporter largely negative and Time magazine's Richard and Mary Corliss declaring the movie "a misfire." My colleague Kenneth Turan, who was also at the screening, calls the film a "self-indulgent piece of violent alternate history."

However, my favorite assessment of the film comes from director Eli Roth, who plays Sgt. Donnie Donowitz in "Basterds." He defends the film's narrative conceit about tough Jews getting revenge against Hitler, describing it as "kosher porn. It's something I dreamed since I was a kid."

It would seem that most, if not all, of the reviews are biased and just Entertainment politics because some people may or may not like the Producers behind the film. Shame :( Hope it doesn't hurt the film.

Edited by Hurmoth

REVIEW Inglourious Basterds

"I THINK this might be my masterpiece," Lt Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) declares after carving a swastika on a Nazi's forehead towards the end of Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds.

The film might not be Tarantino's masterpiece but it is his most entertaining and exhilarating effort since Pulp Fiction.

As ever, this is a film about other films as much as it is about its ostensible subject -- vigilante Jewish Nazi hunters during the latter part of the Second World War.

It should be noted that Tarantino's treatment of the Second World War is resoundingly superficial. Don't look for nuance or depth here or for sophisticated analysis.

Nor is this really an action movie. There are great action sequences along the way. What really propels the movie, though, isn't the gun-toting but Tarantino's wise-cracking, brilliantly inventive dialogue.

The violence is often extreme -- the Nazi hunters have a habit of scalping their victims and one hunter likes to batter in his antagonist's head with a baseball bat -- but it comes in bursts and has a comic book element.

Not your typical Tarantino

Film writer Alex Billington of FirstShowing.net called Basterds "the pinnacle film of the festival." The movie was "the one everyone was looking forward to and the one everyone had really high expectations for. That's why there was so much positive energy coming out of it."

No movie has caused such a stir during the festival, except perhaps Lars Von Trier's art-house horror film, Antichrist, though it inspired more contempt than admiration for its blend of explicit sex and violence.

The overall Basterds reaction was more closely aligned with Variety critic Todd McCarthy, who wrote: "By turns surprising, nutty, windy, audacious and a bit caught up in its own cleverness, the picture is a completely distinctive piece of American pop art with a strong Euro flavor."

Billington's review reads: "It's as awesome as Tarantino's first two films and as entertaining as his most recent few. It's the WWII movie we've been waiting to see."

McCarthy and Billington also see flaws, however. McCarthy points out that the film takes a while to find its footing; Billington found it too talky.

"Maybe I just felt like I wanted a little more action," Billington said in an interview. "I loved the Basterds so much, I just wanted to see more of them."

Baz Bamigboye of London's Daily Mail seemed to agree: "Not enough scalps. ? While it's good and there are fun elements, it's rather dialogue-led than jam-packed with action."

Some, however, found it refreshing that Tarantino has taken a step back from the gore of his Grindhouse contribution, Death Proof, and the Kill Bill movies.

Among them was critic Sarah Steinberg-Heller, who said she went in with low expectations. "I got really tired of the 'poetry of violence' thing. But this was clever and surprisingly funny. As a Jew, it was especially fun to see, though I'm sure my older relatives would say it's offensive. But anyone who says that is trying too hard to be uptight. It's just fun."

For longtime critic Emanuel Levy, it's pure fable. "It's 'what if ? .' What worries me is some of my colleagues were walking out saying, 'It's not real, it's not a realistic combat film.' But it doesn't need to be real. It's more about the role of cinema in shaping our perspective. And it's about real war filtered through Tarantino's vision."

After reading more reviews, I've decided that most of them are just bull****. They hate the film, not because it was bad, but because of who produced the film. I'm not worried anymore.

Plus, over at Yahoo! Movies, there's an absolutely awesome clip from the film that had me roll:laugh:ugh:

Those who say QT doesn't disappoint -- has Deathproof been forgotten? Damn that movie was mediocre. Annoying characters, a story that was simply reset to zero halfway through, and most disappointing of all -- the dialogue, which was something QT always delivered big time before, simply sucked. The car chase at the end was really good though.

But I'm looking forward to this.

He only did that movie to lower everyone's expectations of him. It was all part of the plan to make his future projects so much more impressive :p

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Posts

    • Anthropic introduces Claude Tag, a new AI teammate for Slack by Fiza Ali Anthropic has announced Claude Tag, a new feature that lets teams work with Claude directly inside Slack. The idea is simple: once Claude is added to a Slack workspace and given access to selected channels, users can tag @Claude in conversations and assign tasks. Claude can then work through those requests using connected tools and data sources before posting its results back into a Slack thread. What makes Claude Tag different from a typical chatbot is that it's designed to operate as a shared assistant for an entire team rather than a single user. Everyone in a channel interacts with the same Claude instance. This allows the team members to see ongoing work and continue tasks started by others. Furthermore, Anthropic says the AI can build context over time by following conversations in channels where it has permission to operate. This means users don't have to repeatedly provide the same background information for every request. The system is also designed for asynchronous work. Instead of waiting for responses in a chat window, users can assign a task to Claude and return later once the work is complete. Anthropic says Claude can break larger requests into multiple steps and use connected tools to complete them. Moreover, the system can also schedule follow-up tasks and continue working on projects over extended periods. Another feature allows Claude to keep the users updated and follow up on unresolved tasks when its optional "ambient" mode is enabled. The company says the tool is already being used internally for software development, data analysis, support workflows, and debugging. According to Anthropic, around 65% of its product team's code is now generated through its internal version of Claude Tag. For organisations concerned about security, administrators can control which channels, tools, and data sources Claude can access. Separate Claude instances can also be configured for different departments, helping keep information isolated between teams. Administrators can also monitor activity logs, review completed tasks, and set spending limits at both the organisation and channel level. Claude Tag is now available in beta for Claude Enterprise and Claude Team customers and runs on Claude Opus 4.8 that was announced this May. The feature will also replace Anthropic's existing Claude in Slack application, with current users able to migrate within a 30-day migration window. Lastly, eligible customers will receive introductory credits to help teams evaluate the new experience.
    • Beats Studio Pro wireless over-ear ANC headphones drop to their lowest price yet by Fiza Ali Amazon is currently offering the Beats Studio Pro headphones at their all-time low price. The Studio Pro use 40mm active drivers which are designed to improve clarity and reduce distortion compared to previous models, with up to an 80% improvement over the Beats Studio3 Wireless. A built-in digital processor adjusts frequency response to keep the sound balanced rather than overly boosted in any one area. They also include Active Noise Cancelling that adapts to your surroundings to reduce background noise along with a Transparency mode that lets outside sound in when you need awareness of what’s going on around you. Furthermore, the headphones support personalised Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking as well as Dolby Atmos playback on supported content. Moreover, built-in voice-targeting microphones improve call quality. You can also switch between three sound profiles including Beats Signature for balanced music playback, Entertainment for films and gaming, and Conversation for clearer voice in calls and podcasts. Physically, they are designed to be worn for long periods without feeling heavy or awkward. The ear cushions use UltraPlush engineered leather while metal sliders allow you to adjust the fit. On the connectivity side, the Studio Pro use Class 1 Bluetooth for a stable, long-range wireless connection. There is also a 3.5mm input if you want to plug in directly, including use with in-flight entertainment systems. Controls are located on the headphones and include a "b" button for music and call control, a volume rocker, and a multifunction button used for switching listening modes, EQ settings, power, and pairing. In addition, the headphones offer integration with both Apple and Android devices. On Apple devices, they support one-touch pairing with iCloud-linked devices, hands-free Siri access, Find My tracking based on last connected location, and automatic software updates. On Android devices, they support Google Fast Pair, Audio Switch between compatible devices, and Google Find My Device tracking, with additional features available through the Beats app. When it comes to the battery performance, it is rated at up to 40 hours of listening time with ANC turned off, and up to 24 hours with ANC or Transparency mode enabled. A 10-minute Fast Fuel charge should provide up to 4 hours of playback. Finally, the headphones use a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and charge via USB-C. Beats Studio Pro Wireless Over-Ear ANC Headphones: $149.95 (Amazon US) Good to know This Amazon deal is U.S. specific, and not available in other regions unless specified. We only use first-party seller links (at the time of article publishing); ensure that you purchase from a first-party seller link only. Check out Today's Deals on Amazon | or our recent tech deals. Become a Prime member (for Students or SNAP) via Neowin Get Prime Access - Prime for half price (for qualifying Medicaid, EBT, SNAP) Subscribe to Prime Video, Audible Plus, Music Unlimited or Kindle Unlimited via Neowin As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
    • "lets you pause updates by choosing an end date, for up to 35 days" Wasn't it "indefinitely"?
    • Those extra reboots are related to the UEFI Secure Boot certificate update thing.
    • Hands on with the ProtoArc EM25: Affordable ergonomic mouse that focuses on the right things by Taras Buria ProtoArc is known for making all sorts of office products with a big focus on ergonomics and comfort. Its latest product, the EM25, promises a comfortable-to-use, affordable, and customizable mouse. We took one for a spin; here are our impressions. The ProtoArc EM25 is a $49.99 mouse, but right now, during Prime Day 2026, you can get it for just $37.99. Right off the bat, you can see that the EM25 is inspired by Logitech's MX Master lineup and the legendary MX Master 3/3S. Its shape and proportions are very similar, so for a person with large hands (right-handed person, mind you), the EM25 is very comfortable to use. The mouse fills the palm, and the thumb rests on a small extension, giving your wrist a small tilt to reduce strain. The mouse is made of black plastic without any coating, eliminating long-term wear concerns. However, I can see the main buttons and other areas you touch the most getting polished over time. Despite its size and bulk, the mouse is not too heavy. It weighs about 100 grams, which is significantly less than the MX Master 3S and its successor. It is no lightweight gaming mouse by any means, but it is not excessively heavy like the MX Master 4. The EM25 has a built-in storage for its USB dongle. It is a cleverly made magnetic flap that you open by simply pressing on it. Next to the flap, you will find the on/off switch, the 1,000 Hz sensor, and a DPI button (up to 8,000 DPI). I find the DPI button location a bit odd, and I would prefer it somewhere below the main scroll wheel. Still, given that I never change DPI on my mice, I will let it pass. What is more important is that, unlike MX Master 3/3S/4, the device switch button is located below the left-click button, which allows you to switch devices without lifting and flipping the mouse. For a multi-device setup, this is a perfect solution: the button does not require too much effort to use, it does not get in your way, but it is also easily reachable with your thumb. The main scroll wheel has two modes: ratcheted and free-flow. You can only change between them with a bright orange button (I like this little touch of color), which is sprung and requires some effort to press. The wheel is dead-silent in free-flow mode, but ratched is quite loud and stiff, perhaps even too much to my liking. I can hardly call it deal-breaking, but it will certainly take some time to get used to. The side scroll wheel, it is notched, silent, and pleasant to use. Next to it, you can find a piece of glossed plastic with connection indicators: Dongle, Bluetooth 1, Bluetooth 2, and the low battery indicator. By the way, the built-in battery is rechargeable via a USB Type-C cable, which is included. It is sleeved and has an orange velcro strap to keep it tidy. After using the EM25 for a few weeks, I can say that its main buttons are my absolute favorite. They have very pronounced clicks, which feel great with just the right amount of force required to register a press. I would say they feel like something in between regular mouse clicks and silent ones. You can hear and feel the springy switch, but it is not sharp or loud to the point of annoying you. As for back/forward and device switch buttons, they are very clicky and quite noisy. Unfortunately, there are no extra buttons that you can map to specific things like in the MX Master lineup. Besides great primary clicks, another thing I like about the EM25 is its 1,000 Hz sensor. In the world, where Logitech still uses 125 Hz sensors in $100+ mice, seeing a much faster sensor in a mouse that costs three times less is very refreshing. Also, all the settings and customization you make are stored on-device, and you do not need to install any software. Just open the web-based app and change all that you need. Speaking of customization, you can remap what buttons do, adjust the DPI, and the sensor speed. Sadly, gestures are not supported, but you can still map pretty much anything to each button, including shortcuts, media buttons, and more. I also recommend using software like XMouseControl, as it will let you remap the side scroll wheel. At the end of the day, the ProtoArc EM25 is a great mouse. Clearly inspired by the MX Master lineup, it takes the best of it and complements it with a much more wallet-friendly price tag, significantly better sensor, on-device memory, a built-in storage for the dongle, and more (it fixes everything that I complained about the MX Master 4 recently). And for only $37.99 during Prime Day, the EM25 is an easy recommendation. Buy ProtoArc EM25 mouse - $37.99 | 24% off with Prime As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
  • Recent Achievements

    • Rookie
      DaviKar went up a rank
      Rookie
    • Dedicated
      HidekoYamamoto94 earned a badge
      Dedicated
    • One Month Later
      timbobit earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • One Month Later
      nates earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • Week One Done
      Almohandis earned a badge
      Week One Done
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      460
    2. 2
      +Edouard
      161
    3. 3
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      110
    4. 4
      Michael Scrip
      81
    5. 5
      Steven P.
      69
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!