Debuts – one of the defining moments in any filmmaker or actors career as it lays down the trajectory for the same. A make or break opportunity for them to carve their name in the minds of the audience. The advent of new filmmakers on the block allow for the exploration of numerous genres that are yet to see the light of day.
One such filmmaker whose debut has become a cult classic in the years that followed is Quentin Tarantino’s 1992 film – Reservoir Dogs. This first independent film that introduced him to the masses was received well at the box office but soon gained widespread attention when he followed it up with another iconic movie – Pulp Fiction.
Reservoir Dogs boasted of a cast containing Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Steve Buscemi, Edward Bunker, Quentin Tarantino, Chris Penn and Lawrence Tierney. The film follows a heist being carried out by Mr. White (Keitel), Mr. Orange (Roth), Mr. Blonde (Madsen), Mr. Pink (Buscemi), Mr. Blue (Bunker) and Mr. Brown (Tarantino) respectively whose mastermind is Nice Guy Eddie (Penn) along with his father Joe (Tierney). When a major hitch in their plan causes it to fall apart, suspicions within the group soon start to rise with fingers being pointed at each other. The men whose assigned monikers serve as an only identification amongst them soon realise that there is more than what meets the eye and are left furious when they realise they have an infiltrator in their midst.
As the title aptly suggests, the story mainly played out in the rendezvous point which served as a focal junction in revealing the betrayer. The film guided us along the episodes that preceded the heist and the aftermath that ensues but not how the event went awry. With the main incident being kept in the dark, we only have the characters' words for what actually transpired at the scene. Their efforts to uncover the identity of the mole who ratted them out leaves the viewer at the edge of their seats.
Tarantino treaded the waters of Hollywood with Reservoir Dogs, a start for the myriad of films that would eventually pave the way. His style only progressed hereon with later films bearing his trademarks of excessive violence, gore and following a non-linear chronicling of occurrences.
Depiction of sadistic violence in an independent film was unheard of during that time but Tarantino managed to pull it off. The Ear Cutting scene offered us a glimpse of the extent his characters would undergo in order to push the narrative forward. Camera angles too helped to elevate scenes as they were kept at a reasonable distance from the characters which in turn aided the people to be invested in them.
Another striking feature that distinguishes Tarantino’s film from the others is the use of Trunk Shots where the individuals are at a higher position and are staring down in the camera. The POV frames throughout the movie makes one feel part of the crew with the introductory scene standing out for the same reason.
Serving as an overture for the film as well as the characters, the seemingly pointless conversation in the restaurant does not stick out like a sore thumb and instead offers an insight to the personalities of the men with a subtle clue that points towards who the infiltrator could be.
The colour spectrum plays a crucial role by concealing the real identities and providing the audience with the contrasting traits that accompany each hue. Upon receiving his allotted shade, Mr. Pink shows immediate dissatisfaction due to his colour being synonymous with femininity. Yet he appears to be the most pragmatic of the group leading him to be distant from the rest.
Vincent is awarded with the alias of Mr. Blonde and Tarantino uses it to point out his nature that sets him apart from the others. He frowns upon rules and often takes matters into his own hands. True to his given name, Mr. White chooses to see the good even when the others put forth arguments to support their suspicions in regards to the backstabber’s identity.
Quentin Tarantino in his debut feature puts forth a film which laid the foundation for his other works to follow suit. A directorial debut which also credits him as a writer and actor, Reservoir Dogs showcased the skills that he can bring to the table and deliver upon to produce a cinematic masterpiece.