Notoriously known for their connected allusions to other films. Quentin Tarantino’s movies are made to be both singly, as well as in relation to one another. A cinema mastermind: Ranking Quentin Tarantino’s nine films from worst to first.
As a Knoxville, Tennessee native who began living through grindhouse films and is currently being paid the big bucks to dramatize (and cinematize) his ideas on the big screen, Tarantino has continued to prove why he is one of the most desirable directors to work within Hollywood.
Few directors in the game have given viewers the sense that they’re turned on by their work. However, for better or for worst, it is apparent that Quentin Tarantino really likes Quentin Tarantino.
With Tarantino’s “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood” being this summer’s hottest new film, let’s take a look at Tarantino’s masterpieces and dumpster fires, ranking his nine films from worst to first:
9. Death Proof (2007)
After watching this film, it wouldn’t be hard to believe that Quentin Tarantino tried to make this the worst movie possible. A cinema mastermind: Ranking Quentin Tarantino’s nine films from worst to first.
Kurt Russell’s role as “Stuntman Mike” portrays a sadistic psychopath who stalks young women, and slowly plots how he will murder them with his “death proof” black charger in which he can kill off his pray while also serving any sort of accident.
This becomes the theme of the movie when Stuntman Mike is seen stalking his pray in the form of four young women, which includes Austin, Texas DJ Jungle Julia (Sydney Tamiia Poitier) while also seducing a blond-hippie at a local bar played by Rose McGowan.
Mike proceeds to seduce one of Jungle Julia’s friends into giving him a lap dance, while also managing to give the blonde-hippy a ride home later in the night. However, Stuntman Mike had other plans in store.
As the four young ladies drove off into the night, Mike followed them with Rose McGowan in the passenger’s seat, as the killer unveiled his true ambitions. With the blonde-hippy fearing for her life, Mike proceeds to use his vehicle as a weapon, killing the hippy.
Mike proceeds to hunt down Jungle Julia and company in the middle of the night, using his “death proof” weapon in a head-on collision with the girls, totaling their car, as well as their lives with one vicious hit, with Mike, of course, surviving the accident.
If you thought the setting of this film was drawn out and not worth the climax, the second half of the movie is not worth your time.
The second group of ladies, led by a pair of car-loving stuntwomen (Zoe Bell and Tracie Thoms) don’t take Mike’s attack to kindly as Mike stalks the pair, alongside their third companion, at a convenient store.
While following the trio out onto the streets, stuntwomen (Zoe Bell) is making a death-defying stunt by tying her self to the front of the vehicle, setting the climax of this attack as viewers waited for Bell to fling off the car like a bug.
However, that would not take place, with Bell and Thoms fighting off Stuntman Mike, eventually tracking him down once again, and beating the living daylight out of him as the credits rolled.
Not one minute of this movie was appealing to the eye.
8. Kill Bill Vol. 1 (2003)
This movie shows Tarantino’s creativity. Starting the film in the middle of the movie, with Beatrix’s second killing (makes sense in the end) as the plot shows the bride waking from a four-year coma, with her intentions to indeed “kill bill.” A cinema mastermind: Ranking Quentin Tarantino’s nine films from worst to first.
This one was filled with flashbacks, back-stories, and betrayal, as Beatrix is faced with many truths along the way into eventually, not killing Bill. The deal-breaker in these films is that the ending did not deliver on the title.
The death blow (breaking Bill’s heart but letting him live for a while) is the last thing from satisfying.
7. Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Reservoir Dogs is Quentin Tarantino’s first film, and although a classic film, does not compare to his more recent movies, as the 1992 crime film is heavily dialogue-based without much variety on the setting, taking place. A cinema mastermind: Ranking Quentin Tarantino’s nine films from worst to first.
The plot of a jewel heist gone horribly wrong, with a supposed “rat” turning on the gang and selling them out to the cops makes for a great mystery throughout the film, with Mr. Brown (Quentin Tarantino) being killed in the robbery.
The setting of the film is (for the most part) shown in an empty warehouse, where Mr. White (Harvey Keitel) is shown helping a wounded Mr. Orange (Tim Roth) into safety, trying to find him the most suitable attention.
Mr. Orange is shown bleeding to death throughout the hour and a half of the film, as Mr. White is often shown arguing with an obvious psychopath, Mr. Blonde (Michael Madsen) while Mr. Pink (Steve Buscemi) tries to play mediator.
With Mr. White and Mr. Pink trying to uncover the mystery of their supposed traitor, Mr. Blonde shows up with a cop from the scene in the back of his car, with the three bringing the cop into the warehouse, tied up, as Mr. Orange continues to bleed.
This film is mostly known for the gruesome ending, where Mr. Blonde is shown sadistically taunting, beating and maiming a young police officer tied up in a chair before Mr. Orange unveils himself as the “rat” by shooting down Mr. Blonde.
Again, this film is a must-see. However, not Tarantino’s masterpiece, with the ending providing the viewers with the most action in a long drawn out setting in an empty warehouse.
6. The Hateful Eight
Throughout Tarantino’s legacy, many have paid witness to his desire in extreme violence, none other than in “The Hateful Eight”, where bounty hunters, Marquis Warren (Samuel L. Jackson) and John Ruth (Kurt Russell) foreshadow extreme violence with Tim Roth and Michael Madsen for about two hours.
Throughout the film. Tarantino teases us in thinking that violence can arise at any given moment, while in fact, no violence takes place until the final hour, where all the violence in the world takes place.
Like many of his films. Tarantino’s foreplay is brilliant, as violence seems to be on the rise for hours before heading into a brief intermission (yes, this film had an intermission).
When things start to get dicey. This film lives up to the title, as Tarantino unveils his ultimate bloodbath of violence. Making other his other violent films seem pleasant.
5. Jackie Brown (1997)
One of the more underrated Tarantino films, Jackie Brown (Pam Grier) portrays a middle-aged woman smuggling $50,000 to and from Mexico. Taking orders from Ordell Robbie (Samuel L. Jackson), a dangerous thug with an unprecedented Hitlist.
Brown gets caught smuggling the cash. Which results in her spending the next few weeks in prison. Before Ordell bails her out in the form of a bail bondsman. Max Cherry (Robert Forster), who Brown becomes enamored with throughout the film.
With Brown out of prison. She proceeds to work with the cops (Michael Keaton) in an attempt to take Ordell down, who is flagged by his stoner girlfriend Melanie (Bridget Fonda) and stoner associate Louis (Robert De Niro).
With Jackie seemingly working with the cops, while also maintaining her business relationship with Ordell. Max the bail bondsman seems to take an interest in Jackie. Helping her set up a plan to split the $50,000. Screwing Ordell and company in the process, while also outsmarting the cops.
This film shows violence, drama, humor, and romance. Everything that makes Quentin Tarantino the acclaimed director that he is.
A cinema mastermind: Ranking Quentin Tarantino’s nine films from worst to first.
4. Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood (2019)
The big-hit in 2019, Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood tells two stories that culminate into one, with one story seeing fading big-time actor, Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) and bad-ass stunt-double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) look to take over Hollywood once again.
While Rick attempts to revive his acting career. His next-door neighbors, Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie) and Roman Polanski bask in the glory of their successes, with the Manson family lurking in the shadows.
While Rick Dalton looks to revive his acting career in spaghetti westerns. After taking advice from long-time film director, Marvin Schwartz (Al Pacino). Sharon Tate is basking in the glory of her new film, “The Wrecking Crew“.
Cliff Booth is shown quite frequently in this film. As he plays a major role in both storylines, being Rick’s stunt-double, while also discovering the unsettling group of hippies known as the Manson Family at Spahn Ranch.
Tarantino brings fiction into non-fiction story in this film. Telling the story of Charles Manson while also adding a fictional twist that left viewers satisfied in the end. With Tarantino’s Hollywood A-listers saving the day.
As the ending approaches. Rick Dalton is shown returning home from very successful filming of his latest spaghetti western in Italy with Cliff. As well as his new fiancee, by his side.
The Manson Family, including Tex (Manson’s go-to man), is shown pulling up to Sharon Tate’s driveway before an angry (and drunk) Rick Dalton greets them with a drunk rant, screaming out them to leave.
This alters the family’s original plans to kill Sharon Tate and her friends, who were having a party next to Rick’s house.
The family then corners Rick Dalton’s home, which is currently occupied by a high as can be Cliff Booth with his dog. Brandy, an oblivious Rick Dalton, who is alone in his pool and a sleeping fiancee.
The family is met in the living room by Booth. Who quickly discover that he already met the family at Spahn ranch earlier in the film, despite his blurred state.
With Tex set to shoot Cliff. The stunt-double signals to Brandy the pit bull, who then proceeds to viciously attack Tex, while Cliff takes care of the other two girls.
While one of the girls wonders onto the back patio. Dalton is startled and proceeds to help Booth take out the family with a flame thrower (Gotta see the film) to give the horrific real story and fake happy ending.
Regardless of what critics thought of the film, Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood showcases many real aspects of 1960’s Hollywood, California, showing how detailed and creative Quentin Tarantino can be.
3. Django: Unchained (2012)
Arguably the most controversial film that Quentin Tarantino has directed. Django (Jamie Foxx) is freed out of slavery by bounty hunter Dr. King Shultz (Christof Waltz) to help him hunt down the South’s most-wanted criminals.
After helping Shultz take care of his duties for a few months. The bounty hunter lives up to a promise that he made to Django about saving his enslaved wife Hildy (Kerry Washington), who is being held captive in “Candyland”. Home of one Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio).
Tarantino received much heat after this movie was released, due to the heavy amount of foul language towards the African-American race. Given the setting of this film taking place during slavery.
After Shultz completed cutting a deal with Candie to buy Hildy as slave property, Candie’s house slave, Stephen (Samuel L. Jackson) quickly connects the dots and warns Candie that Hildy and Django are together.
Candie proceeds to threaten Django, Shultz. Hildy, forcing Shultz to pay $12,000 for the slave, in order to complete the deal.
With the trio seemingly ready to leave “Candyland”. Candie offers Shultz a handshake on his way out, saying that the deal is not complete unless Shultz complies.
This results in Shultz seemingly willing to shake his hand, when he pulls out his firearm, shooting Candie right in the chest. This results in an all-out war, killing Dr. Shultz and many Candyland residents in the process.
Both Django and Hildy are put back into slavery in Candyland. With Django having to outsmart his enemies on his own, after learning from Dr. Shutlz throughout the film.
Django proceeds to blowup all slave owners in his area. Stealing one of their horses in order to break into Candie’s residence once more. Killing off the rest of the residents, including Stephen.
The final scenes show Django and Hildy riding off into the sunset. As Tarantino arguably rides off into the sunset with one of his greatest creations.
A cinema mastermind: Ranking Quentin Tarantino’s nine films from worst to first.
2. Inglorious Basterds (2009)
You can argue whether or not his film is Tarantino’s masterpiece. As in the closing line, Brad Pitt states “This is my masterpiece” with the director telling viewers that he believed the movie itself was his masterpiece. A cinema mastermind: Ranking Quentin Tarantino’s nine films from worst to first.
Another controversial film. Tarantino takes us back to when the Jewish were being taken out by Adolph Hitler and his Nazi Generals, including Colonel, Hons Landa (Christof Waltz) who served as the film’s “Jew Hunter”.
In direct defiance to the Nazis ways, allied officer Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt), “Bear Jew” Donny Donowitz (Eli Roth), Hugo Stiglitz (Til Schweiger) and company, known as the “basterds” served as the antagonists, looking to take down all jew hunters.
Throughout the movie. The basterds are successful in taking down their desired prey, teaming with acclaimed actress, Bridget Von Hammersmark (Diane Kruger) in an attempt to take down the Third Reich, including Adolph Hitler.
While they look to take down Germany’s most powerful individual. Shosanna (Melanie Laurent) has a plan of her own in place as she is set to host all nazis for fellow nazi, Frederick Zoller (Daniel Bruhl) who is being honored in a movie for his Jewish assassinations.
Shosanna, alongside her co-worker, Marcel (Jacky Ido) plan to lock all nazis inside blowing up the theatre, and themselves in the process.
Shosanna is shown as a child at the beginning of the film, running away from the “jew hunter” Colonel Hans Landa. After Landa took out the rest of her family, hiding in the wooden floors of a German family.
While the basterds disguise themselves as Italians for the movie premiere. Landa quickly discovers that the men are jews, and also discovers that Hammersmark is working with them.
Landa proceeds to choke Hammersmark to death in his office, while his officers take Aldo Raine and Smithson Utivich (B.J. Novak) across town.
With the nazis enjoying Zoller’s film. Shosanna prepares for the ultimate assassination of all nazis, with Zoller making attempt at finding love with the theatre owner in the process.
With Zoller interfering in Shosanna’s plans. Shosanna takes matters into her own hands, by shooting down Zoller in an upstairs attic, where the film is being rolled.
Much to Shosanna’s surprise. Zoller survived the shooting, retaliating with a shot of his own, killing the jew in the process.
With Landa taking Raine and Utivich across town. He proposes an offer to the basterds in which he unveils himself as an undercover agent, helping the basterds defeat the nazis.
Despite Shosanna’s death, Marcel completes the task at hand, burning down the there with all nazis inside.
With the nazis trying to find anywhere to escape. Donny Donowitz proceeds to take out Adolph Hitler with clubbing shots to the head, while the there explodes with everyone burning inside.
At the film’s end, Raine and Utivich are shown being released by Landa. Resulting in Raine taking down Landu’s security officer, and carving a nazi symbol into the forehead of Landa in the closing scenes.
Controversial, humorous, great storytelling and satisfaction. Culminating in arguably Tarantino’s true “masterpiece.
A cinema mastermind: Ranking Quentin Tarantino’s nine films from worst to first.
1. Pulp Fiction (1994)
“You know what they call a quarter pounder with cheese in Paris?”
“They don’t call it a quarter pounder with cheese?”
“Nah, they got the metric system, so they don’t even know what the fuck a quarter pounder is.”
“What is it called then?”
“A royale with cheese.”
A cinema mastermind: Ranking Quentin Tarantino’s nine films from worst to first.
Pulp Fiction changed a lot of people’s outlook on American Independent Cinema, as it proved to be very un-Hollywood like. But very charismatic and different.
Tarantino opened the eyes of many, making the viewers ask questions like, “why does it sound like that?” or “why was it shaped like that?”
Tarantino tells multiple different stories throughout this film. With them, all connected in a way by the end of the film, with beginning correlating with the perfect ending.
The film begins with two robbers named Pumpkin (Tim Roth) and Hunny Bunny (Amanda Plummer) getting set to rob a local diner.
This scene would not be explained until the final scene of the movie when Jules threatens Pumpkin and chases the robbers out of the diner.
Hitmen Vincent Vega (John Travolta) and Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson) drive out in their fashionable French New Wave talking about quarter pounder cheeseburgers from McDonald’s on route to taking care of business for their boss, Marcellus Wallace (Ving Rhames).
After their incident at the diner. Jules tells Vincent that he plans to retire, where Vincent continues working for Marcellus solo. Taking Wallace’s wife, Mia (Uma Thurman), out to dinner from time to time.
Butch Coolidge (Bruce Willis), a boxer, currently is in Wallace’s crosshairs and order Vega to go hunt him down. However, the plan backfires when Coolidge turns the tables on Vega, shooting him to death in his own home.
Butch and Marcellus later find themselves in a peculiar situation. With Wallace getting the worse end of situation, when Butch saves his nemesis, in the midst of brutal abuse from a cop.
Marcellus and Butch decide to go their separate ways as long was Butch skips town, to which the former boxer agrees.
This story had so many interesting aspects to it. That did not start at the beginning and did not end at the finish. Confused? You should check it out.
Conclusion
Many will argue about their 1-9 rankings of Quentin Tarantino’s films. However, more often then not, Pulp Fiction seems to find itself at the top of the pecking order. Given it was such an unorthodox film at the time.
Inglorious Basterds was a controversial film that had non-fictional aspects from the holocaust to fictional aspects in which it ended, resulting in what many think was Tarantino’s masterpiece.
Django: Unchained proved to be the most controversial on Tarantino’s resume, receiving major backlash in the process. Despite the negativity, this movie displayed a star-studded lineup with awesome storytelling.
With Tarantino stating that he will only write and direct 10 films. The world will have to wait and see what the cinematic genius has in store for his final film, with rumors swirling that he may head back to the horror genre.
Would you like to see a Tarantino horror movie? Who would you like to see in Tarantino’s final movie? Will his final movie connect to his first 9?
Regardless of how it turns out, we can’t wait.
A cinema mastermind: Ranking Quentin Tarantino’s nine films from worst to first.
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