When Django Unchained was released back in January, awards season was upon us and with that came a host of quality productions - stories we could finally get our teeth in to!
By his own admission, Quentin Tarantino has sought to produce pictures that stand the test of time. His films will certainly be remembered, of that much I'm sure! Some question his excess, however Tarantino is a director of considerable talent and integrity (despite his fudging of historical fact)! Tarantino is a cinephile of the highest order and makes movies for those who live and breath the cinema.
Django Unchained tells the story of Django (Jamie Foxx), a man freed from slavery by Dr King Schultz (Christoph Waltz). Schultz is a bounty hunter who needs Django to identify the Brittle brothers - Schultz's next target. Django and his wife were attacked, kidnapped and sold by these fiends - not people Django will forget in a hurry!
In exchange for his help, Schultz offers his assistance in locating Django's wife.
The two set out on their righteous quest, bonding over a somewhat preordained connection to Schultz's fatherland. It would seem Django's wife, Broomhilda is of German heritage, with her name holding particular relevance to our hero's journey.
With Django showing great promise as a gun-slinger, it's not long before Schultz offers him a partnership in his business. This being the deep south of 1858, this kind of partnership is unusual, to say the least!
Following on from Inglourious Basterds, Django marks Tarantino's second foray in to historically-set drama. And just like Inglourious Basterds, the accuracy of the chosen period is somewhat skewed to accommodate Tarantino's love for exploitation cinema.
For my mind Inglourious Basterds is a classic and one of Tarantino's best. Despite it's similarities, Django is a more serious film - with a love story at it's core.
Tarantino essentially married comedy with violence by way of grindhouse aesthetics. With Django (and Basterds before it) he's playing with more serious themes. In an effort to distance his films from historical fact, it seems he's moving further towards his beloved grindhouse, exaggerating elements (such as violence) to comic-book-like proportions.
He trod a fine line with Inglorious Basterds, but Django appears to be another animal altogether.
The visceral violence of old is back, with an intent to document the horrors of the period. As with any Tarantino film there is much comedy to be found. With such seriousness abound, the comedy in Django jars somewhat. Non more so than a scene towards the end of the movie, featuring Tarantino himself (with a dodgy Australian accent). This scene takes you out of the movie completely, making it hard to immerse yourself in the film so close to the end.
Django has more going for it than the directors cameo of course. It's a worthy story with a great fairy-tale premise. The dialogue is fantastic and the actors are all superb (although it would've been interesting to see Will Smiths take on Django). Christoph Waltz is particularly good as Schultz - followed closely by Leonardo DiCaprio as Calvin Candie.
Candie is the villain of the piece - the dragon Django must slay, if you will. Owner of slave plantation Candie Land, the buying and selling of Mandingos (fighting slaves) is where Calvin's chief interests lay.
Django Unchained has much going for it - one could argue a little too much.
Having witnessed Tarantino evolve from Reservoir Dogs to Kill Bill and beyond, it would be premature to suggest the director is starting to repeat himself. There is undoubtedly more surprises to come - I for one can't wait!
4/5
By his own admission, Quentin Tarantino has sought to produce pictures that stand the test of time. His films will certainly be remembered, of that much I'm sure! Some question his excess, however Tarantino is a director of considerable talent and integrity (despite his fudging of historical fact)! Tarantino is a cinephile of the highest order and makes movies for those who live and breath the cinema.
Django Unchained tells the story of Django (Jamie Foxx), a man freed from slavery by Dr King Schultz (Christoph Waltz). Schultz is a bounty hunter who needs Django to identify the Brittle brothers - Schultz's next target. Django and his wife were attacked, kidnapped and sold by these fiends - not people Django will forget in a hurry!
In exchange for his help, Schultz offers his assistance in locating Django's wife.
The two set out on their righteous quest, bonding over a somewhat preordained connection to Schultz's fatherland. It would seem Django's wife, Broomhilda is of German heritage, with her name holding particular relevance to our hero's journey.
With Django showing great promise as a gun-slinger, it's not long before Schultz offers him a partnership in his business. This being the deep south of 1858, this kind of partnership is unusual, to say the least!
Following on from Inglourious Basterds, Django marks Tarantino's second foray in to historically-set drama. And just like Inglourious Basterds, the accuracy of the chosen period is somewhat skewed to accommodate Tarantino's love for exploitation cinema.
For my mind Inglourious Basterds is a classic and one of Tarantino's best. Despite it's similarities, Django is a more serious film - with a love story at it's core.
Tarantino essentially married comedy with violence by way of grindhouse aesthetics. With Django (and Basterds before it) he's playing with more serious themes. In an effort to distance his films from historical fact, it seems he's moving further towards his beloved grindhouse, exaggerating elements (such as violence) to comic-book-like proportions.
He trod a fine line with Inglorious Basterds, but Django appears to be another animal altogether.
The visceral violence of old is back, with an intent to document the horrors of the period. As with any Tarantino film there is much comedy to be found. With such seriousness abound, the comedy in Django jars somewhat. Non more so than a scene towards the end of the movie, featuring Tarantino himself (with a dodgy Australian accent). This scene takes you out of the movie completely, making it hard to immerse yourself in the film so close to the end.
Django has more going for it than the directors cameo of course. It's a worthy story with a great fairy-tale premise. The dialogue is fantastic and the actors are all superb (although it would've been interesting to see Will Smiths take on Django). Christoph Waltz is particularly good as Schultz - followed closely by Leonardo DiCaprio as Calvin Candie.
Candie is the villain of the piece - the dragon Django must slay, if you will. Owner of slave plantation Candie Land, the buying and selling of Mandingos (fighting slaves) is where Calvin's chief interests lay.
Django Unchained has much going for it - one could argue a little too much.
Having witnessed Tarantino evolve from Reservoir Dogs to Kill Bill and beyond, it would be premature to suggest the director is starting to repeat himself. There is undoubtedly more surprises to come - I for one can't wait!
4/5
Poster image courtesy: http://www.dreammoviecast.com
The name of the artist who produced this poster is Mike Butkus. Check out more of his incredible work at: http://www.mikebutkus.net/index.html
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