Faherenheit 9/11

Similarities, Connections and References Used In Tarantino Films

Quinten Tarantino has become a very well known filmmaker in both Hollywood and around the world. His unconventional style and use of violence makes him both loved by the film community and fans. Tarantino has become well known for frequently re-using props, names and even references to his other films. I will be discussing some of these similarities in this paper.

Tarantino likes to re-use names that appear in his films. For example the character Alabama is a character in the film True Romance. The film was not directed by Tarantino instead the film was directed by Tony Scott. Tarantino wrote the story. Alabama was meant to continue as a small character in Reservoir Dogs. Originally Tarantino meant for her love interest played by Christian Slater to die in a gun fight at the end of the film. She then was supposed to turn to a life of crime and become the partner of Mr. White in Reservoir Dogs. During the film Alabama is mentioned as Mr. White's former partner. In the film Natural Born Killers a detective named Jack Scagnettie is chasing the characters Mickey and Mallory. In Reservoir Dogs Vic Vega's parole officer is named Seymour Scagnettie. In Reservoir Dogs Mr. White's real name is Lawrence Dimmmick. In Pulp fiction Jules and Vincent bring a dead body to the home of Jimmy Dimmick. The two Dimmicks may very well be cousins. The name Vega appears in both Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction. Vic Vega is in Reservoir Dogs and Vincent Vega is in Pulp Fiction. The two Vegas are brothers who both die.(Wikipedia)

Tarantino also likes to make references to his other films. In Reservoir Dogs Steve Buscemi's character Mr. Pink doesn't believe in tipping unless a waitress actually deserves it. There then is a scene in Pulp Fiction that takes place in Jackrabbit Slims where Buscemi plays a very negatively toned waiter who Vincent Vega says in not a very good waiter. There is the scene in Kill Bill Vol. 1 when Vernetta Green complains to Beatrix Kiddo that she hated the alias copperhead given to her by Bill. This is a reference to Mr. Pink in Reservoir Dogs when he complains about having to use the alias Mr. Pink. In the film Kill Bill Vol. 1 the Bride says "Getting even is like getting square". She traces a square in the air just like the character Mia Wallace did when she told Vincent not to be a square in the movie Pulp Fiction. There is another reference to Mia in Pulp Fiction when the Bride suddenly wakes up from a coma. Se almost jumps out of the bed as she lunges up and takes a giant gasp of air. Mia does exactly the same thing in Pulp Fiction when she is revived with an adrenaline shot. Both scenes were film exactly the same way with identical camera angles. In Kill Bill Vol. 2 Bill tells Beatrix that she is a natural born killer. That is an obvious reference to the film Natural Born Killers. Bill also tells Beatrix that he has heard that the knee cap is one of the most painful places to get shot. Mr. White also tells the same thing to Mr. Orange in the film Reservoir Dogs. Bucks truck is a custom truck called the "Pussy Wagon" this is a reference to Zed's custom chopper in the film Pulp Fiction. In the films both Zed and Buck are killed by the hero of the story and then they steel there vehicles.(Wikipedia)

Tarantino likes to re-use props and clothing in his films. The black suit that Mia Wallace wears in Pulp Fiction is also bought by Jackie in Jackie Brown and also is warn by Ellie Driver in Kill Bill. Fruit Brute is discontinued breakfast cereal that Tarantino likes to try to place in all of his films. Lance can be seen eating it when Vincent brings the overdosed Mia to the drug dealer's home. The same box of cereal is very visible on the counter in the apartment of Mr. Orange. The cereal in Vernetta's kitchen is not Fruit Brute. Instead it is a box of cereal called Kaboom! Vernetta has a gun hidden in the box and she tries to fire through the box to attempt to kill Beatrix. Hence the use of Kaboom! cereal. The car that Jackie drives