Quentin Tarantino

Quentin Tarantino
Director/writer/producer
Date of birth: 27 March 1963
Place of birth: Tennessee, USA

With his vibrant imagination and his trademark dedication to richly detailed storytelling, Quentin Tarantino has established himself as one of the most unique, visionary filmmakers of his generation.  Tarantino continues to infuse his distinct, innovative films with appreciative nods to classic moviemaking styles, genres and motifs. Most recently Tarantino took us on a ride when he collaborated with one of his best friends and one of the most renowed filmakers Robert Rodriquez to go back to back with GRINDHOUSE.  A double dose packed to the gills with guns and guts.  The unprecendeted project from the longtime collaborators (FROM DUSK TO DAWN, FOUR ROOMS and SIN CITY) presents two orignal, complete films as a double feature.  Tarantino's DEATH PROOF, one half of the double feature,  is a white knuckle ride behind the wheel of a psycho serial killers roving , revving, racing death machine.  Tarantino is well known to have guided audiences on a whirlwind tour of the globe in KILL BILL Vol. 1 and Kill Bill Vol. 2, in which Uma Thurman, as "the bride," enacted a "roaring rampage of revenge" on her former lover and boss.   KILL BILL Vol. 1 and KILL BILL Vol. 2 also star David Carradine as the doomed title character, and Lucy Liu, Daryl Hannah, Vivica A. Fox and Michael Madsen as his equally moribund team of assassins. Following the worldwide success of KILL BILL Vol. 1 and KILL BILL Vol. 2, Tarantino seized  another opportunity to collaborate with longtime friend and colleague Robert Rodriguez as a special guest director on the thriller SIN CITY.  Based on three of co-director Frank Miller's graphic novels, SIN CITY was released by Miramax in April, 2005.  The ensemble cast includes Jessica Alba, Powers Boothe, Rosario Dawson, Benicio Del Toro, Michael Clarke Duncan, Michael Madsen, Brittany Murphy, Mickey Rourke, Bruce Willis and Elijah Wood. Tarantino then turned his attention to the small screen, directing the season five finale of "CSI."  In the episode, entitled "Grave Danger," Tarantino took the show's fans on a chilling, claustrophobic journey six feet underground into a torturous coffin that contained CSI team member Nick Stokes (George Eads).  The episode garnered Tarantino an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series.  Tarantino made his television directorial debut in 1995 with an episode of the long-running drama "ER" entitled "Motherhood."   Tarantino wrote and directed JACKIE BROWN, a comic crime caper loosely based on Elmore Leonard's novel Rum Punch, starring Pam Grier, Robert Forster, Samuel L. Jackson, Robert De Niro, Bridget Fonda and Michael Keaton.  JACKIE BROWN was released in 1997.  Grier garnered both Golden Globe and SAG Award nominations for her performance in the title role.  Forster was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.  Jackson won the Silver Bear for Best Actor at the Berlin International Film Festival in 1998 for his performance as Ordell Robbie. Tarantino co-wrote, directed and starred in PULP FICTION, which won the Palme D'Or at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival, numerous critics awards, and a Golden Globe for Best Screenplay.  (He made a return visit to Cannes in 2004 to take on the prestigious role of jury president.)  PULP FICTION was nominated for seven Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director, and Tarantino received an Academy Award for Best Screenplay.  The time-bending, crime fiction collage stars John Travolta, Bruce Willis, Uma Thurman, Samuel L. Jackson, Eric Stoltz, Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Maria de Medeiros, Amanda Plummer and Christopher Walken. He made a bold debut with RESEVOIR DOGS, a cops and robbers tale that Tarantino wrote, directed and produced on a shoe-string budget.  The film boasts an impressive cast that includes Harvey Keitel, Steve Buscemi, Tim Roth and Michael Madsen. Following the success of RESEVOIR DOGS, the screenplays that Tarantino wrote during his tenure as a video store clerk became hot properties: Tony Scott directed Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette in TRUE ROMANCE and Robert Rodriguez directed George Clooney and Salma Hayek in FROM DUSK TILL DAWN. Tarantino joined Allison Anders, Robert Rodriguez and Alexandre Rockwell by directing, writing and executive producing a segment of the omnibus feature FOUR ROOMS.  FOUR ROOMS was released by Miramax in December, 1995. Tarantino's diverse work as a producer exemplifies both his dedication to first-time filmmakers and his enthusiastic support for his experienced peers and colleagues.  Tarantino served as an executive producer on Eli Roth's HOSTEL, a chilling horror film about vacationers who fall victim to a service that allows its patrons to live out sadistic fantasies of murder.  Tarantino is also an executive producer on John Madden's thriller KILLSHOT, starring Mickey Rourke and Diane Lane.  KILLSHOT will be released by The Weinstein Company in 2006.  In 2005, Tarantino also produced first-time director Katrina Bronson's DALTRY CALHOUN, starring Johnny Knoxville and Juliette Lewis.  Tarantino's additional executive producer credits include Robert Rodriguez's FROM DUSK TILL DAWN and Roger Avary's KILLING ZOE.  The longtime fan of Asian cinema presented Yuen Wo Ping's IRON MONKEY to American audiences in 2001 and Zhang Yimou's HERO in 2004 .

Filmography

2007 Death Proof

2007 Grindhouse

2004 Kill Bill 2 of Quentin Tarantino  

2002 Kill Bill of Quentin Tarantino  

2000 Little Nicky

1997 Jackie Brown of Quentin Tarantino  

1997 Full Tilt Boogie of Sarah Kelly  

1996 Girl 6 of Spike Lee 

1996 From Dusk Till Dawn of de Robert Rodriguez

1995 Four Rooms of Allison Anders, Alexandre Rockwell  

1995 Desperado of Robert Rodriguez  

1995 Destiny Turns on the Radio

1994 Pulp Fiction of Quentin Tarantino  

1994 Somebody to Love

1994 Sleep with Me

1993 Eddie Presley

1992 Reservoir dogs of Quentin Tarantino  

1987 My Best Friend's Birthday