Cinema Speculation Paperback – Big Book, 11 April 2024

I really like Quentin Tarantino, the author. Most of his movies are cool, for sure, but you don’t need to like them to love this book. Here, he flexes an entirely different muscle with ease. I’ve admittedly been a fan of his since I saw “Pulp Fiction” - in the original German - while studying abroad as a high schooler. I could instantly recognize the unmistakeable product of a true film nerd. Like knows like, so maybe I’m biased.In this tome, his words ring out from the musty confines of non-fiction with the same realistic cadence, slang and expressiveness found in his scripts. As a narrator of an obvious wealth of film knowledge, compounded by spilled secrets of an insider’s perspective, he brings a unique insight brimming with an approachability not usually found in scholarly treatises about 1960’s and 70’s film culture. His opinion on film is formed by an admittedly really, lucky but f’n cool life - the best a film nerd could ask for - having essentially been raised by Hollywood, and well-steeped in its legends and history. His words speak with authority, the product not only of a lifelong career, but of a genuine love of feet. I mean film. He walks a road of deep thoughts on impactful movies from his upbringing of varying quality which, to quote the author, “Produces a cocktail mixed with piss that’s disturbingly tasty.”Obviously, it’s a delightful read. However, novice film buffs should have your IMDb.com ready to look up some deep cuts for your next watchlist of excellent cinema. It’s not just well-known mainstays like ‘Bullit’ and ‘Dirty Harry’ though. The author waxes philosophical on Marvel multiverse-style questions like, “What if Brian de Palma directed Taxi Driver?” The myriad threads of this thought exercise are detailed and compelling. There’s also fascinating discussion on the scope and breadth of a genre of self-described ‘Revenge-a-matic’ films. I’ve enjoyed several of these myself, featuring immortal action stars like Clint Eastwood and Charles Bronson. This authors’ interest spans multiple shelves of video rental store shelves, from sci-fi and comedy to Toby Hooper’s other, also-great horror flicks that aren’t called ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre.’It’s a deeply personal book too, framing these consequential films as ‘fixed-points’ in the development of a filmmaker that influenced his own contributions to the medium. For instance, in the concluding chapter - no spoilers - we learn about in an influential figure named Floyd. He’s a movie nerd Obi-Wan who happens to be a man with a deep knowledge of film and a dream to be a screenwriter, which obviously affected a young Quentin. It just makes sense in a way, how all these personalities, on screen or sitting in front of the screen, impacted this author in fundamental ways.

Este fantástico livro reúne uma coleção de ensaios escritos por Quentin Tarantino, em geral sobre filmes que ele viu no cinema em sua infância/adolescência, entre o início dos anos 70 e o início dos 80. O renomado diretor, logicamente, não se atém a apenas analisar os filmes que dão nome a cada capítulo. No legítimo espírito "uma coisa puxa a outra", eles são apenas uma desculpa para Tarantino dar seus pitacos sobre toda a carreira de alguns de seus diretores (Don Siegel, Sam Peckinpah), roteiristas (Paul Schrader) e atores favoritos (Clint Eastwood, Steve McQueen), especular e resgatar inúmeras fofocas de bastidores da fervilhante "Nova Hollywood" dos anos 70.Logicamente, dada a quantidade de citações a filmes e artistas da época, é um livro que será bem melhor saboreado por quem assistiu aos diversos filmes mencionados, ou pelo menos leu sobre eles. Eu inclusive me arrisco a dizer que ter lido "Easy Riders, Raging Bulls" é quase que um pré-requisito para ler este livro.Um dos capítulos mais legais do livro é aquele em que Tarantino se dedica a imaginar como seria "Taxi Driver" se tivesse sido dirigido por Brian de Palma (um dos cineastas a quem o filme foi oferecido antes de chegar às mãos de Scorsese).Outra coisa legal são as pequenas descobertas sobre os gostos peculiares do autor, como descobrir que Tarantino foi um enorme fã de Stallone e de "Rocky" (e que gosta ainda mais de "Rocky II"), ou que ele considera "O Massacre da Serra Elétrica" um dos pouquíssimos filmes PERFEITOS da história do cinema.Eis aqui a lista dos filmes que dão a partida em cada capítulo do livro (alguns eu já havia visto, outros já estou louco para ver devido ao entusiasmo com que Tarantino escreveu sobre eles):- "Bullit", de 1968 - já vi;- "Perseguidor Implacável" (Dirty Harry), de 1971 - já vi;- "Amargo Pesadelo" (Deliverance), de 1972 - já vi;- "Os Implacáveis" (The Getaway), de 1972 - quero ver;- "A Quadrilha" (The Outfit), de 1973 - quero ver;- "Irmãs Diabólicas" (Sisters), de 1973 - quero ver;- "Daisy Miller", de 1974 - quero ver;- "Taxi Driver", de 1976 - já vi;- "A Outra Face da Violência" (Rolling Thunder), de 1977 - quero MUITO ver;- "A Taberna do Inferno" (Paradise Alley), de 1978 - quero ver;- "Fuga de Alcatraz", de 1979 - já vi;- "Hardcore", de 1979 - já vi;- "Pague para Entrar, Reze para Sair" (The Funhouse), de 1981 - já vi.

Un muy buen libro

I devoured this book and felt a pang of sadness as I reached the last page. Even if you’ve never seen any of the films discussed in the book, you’ll enjoy the history and critical lens applied to them all.

Great book