Quentin Tarantino: The Man and His Movies A biography by Jami Bernard

From The Pit...

Quentin Tarantino has been Hollywood’s golden boy for the last couple of years now. He’s not only a huge figure among the Hollywood elite, but a cult figure with a huge following. There is a hunger for information on the man and insight into his work. It would be no surprise if there was a proliferation of cheesy hastily assembled biographies out on the shelves. The first prominent bio to be published is neither hasty nor in poor taste. It is called "Quentin Tarantino: The Man and His Movies" and was written by Jami Bernard.

Bernard’s book is a no holds barred examination of Tarantino and his films, covering not just the basics and trivial facts, but much more. Bernard addresses all the controversies that surround Tarantino, as well as the aspects of his work that make it so riveting. Bernard has unique insight and access to not only Tarantino, but his friends, relatives, as well as actors and directors he has worked with.
Bernard’s reputation precedes her. She is a film critic for the New York "Daily News", and is the author of "First Films: Illustrious, Obscure, and Embarrassing Movie Debuts", and "Total Exposure: The Movie Buff’s Guide to Hollywood Nude Scenes". Bernard has also worked for the "New York Post" and was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in 1991.

The bio begins with Tarantino’s childhood years, then moves into his "film school years", working at a video store called Video Archives for 5 years. It then moves into Tarantino’s film career, from "My Best Friends Birthday" to "From Dusk Till Dawn".

Bernard reveals in the introduction that Tarantino irritated her upon their first meeting. She quickly points out that she grew to like his enthusiasm and quirky personality. Bernard paints a picture of a man who is a little kid at heart, having fun getting to do what he loves most.

Tarantino, despite being a walking encyclopedia of film knowledge and a highly talented filmmaker, seems to lack some basic social graces. He seems to let friendships and obligations slide at times. He would rather play a board game from his collection than romance a woman we find out.

In reality, Tarantino’s films are not cinematic masterpieces. Tarantino’s talent is not acting either. The man writes incredible screenplays though. His dialogue is gripping and realistic. His characters are powerful and memorable. Tarantino can do more with two people sitting at a table talking in 5 minutes than most filmmakers can do in 2 hours. The realism that Tarantino instills in his characters and dialogue is something that most films of today lack.

"The Man and His Movies" is a good assessment of Tarantino and his work. It addresses both sides of the many Tarantino controversies like language, violence, misogyny, copying ideas, and so on.

If you’re a Tarantino fan, you should read this book. If you’re not, maybe this could be the factor that brings you over to Tarantinomania.