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    		•

    FILMS

    Reservoir Dogs (1998)
  • Starring Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Chris Penn, Steve Buscemi, Lawrence Tierney, Quentin Tarantino

  • Directed by Quentin Tarantino

    • Before the Gecko brothers drenched us in vampire blood in From Dusk til Dawn, before Jules and Vincent shocked audiences with the strange synchronicities of life in Pulp Fiction, and before Clarence and Alabama (and Elvis) danced with drug dealers in True Romance, Quentin Tarantino delivered excitement and action galore with 1992's Reservoir Dogs.

    Though not the first script Tarantino penned, it was the first to hit the silver screen as a limited release indie film. Quickly gaining fans through word-of-mouth, it found a second, more lasting life on video, reaching classic cult status, especially on college campuses.

    Mr. Orange, Mr. White, Mr. Blonde, Mr. Pink, Mr. Brown, and Mr. Blue (Tim Roth, Harvey Keitel, Michael Madsen, Steve Buscemi, Tarantino and Edward Bunker, respectively) are hired by crime-boss Joe Cabot (Lawrence Tierney) to heist a load of diamonds. Though their plan is perfect and the preparation precise, their execution is less than pretty. Through myriad flashbacks interspersed with fragments of the foiled caper, the audience becomes witness to paranoia as the thieves regroup, hoping to uncover a rat—if one exists.

    The film is rich with pop-culture references and clever monologues such as the Madonna "Like a Virgin" and the "I don't tip" speeches. A must-see, if for no other reason than to writhe in your seat during the grisly "Stuck in the Middle With You" scene, which shows little but leaves much to the imagination.

    (Originally published in Satellite Orbit magazine, October 2000.)

    Addendum: There was a point in my life where I watched this movie every weekend. But that was a while ago. I think I haven't seen Reservoir Dogs in over 5 years. I still consider Mr. Blonde's psycho scene where he cuts off the police-man's ear to be one of the top-ten cinematic moments of all time.