Top 10 Quentin Tarantino Scenes
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#10 – Rush’s Rant: “Four Rooms” (1995)
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We start our list with a wildcard entry: “Four Rooms” is an anthology, with only one section written and directed by Tarantino. That means it’s pretty uneven and almost universally hated; but that does not mean Tarantino’s offerings as an actor should go unmentioned. Channeling Woody Allen, he plays a hotshot Hollywood director who’s used to getting what he wants. And what he wants is bubbly champagne.
#9 – Salma and the Snake: “From Dusk till Dawn” (1996)
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Most Tarantino flicks are moment-after-moment of memorable action, but this film’s most unforgettable scene is obvious: the honor goes to Salma Hayek, her snake and their sensual table dance. On the surface, this incident objectifies women; but look deeper and you see who’s in control. Tarantino himself barely keeps it together, and it’s no surprise – we’ve all heard his deal about feet, right?
#8 – Popped in the Parking Lot: “Jackie Brown” (1997)
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Inspired by Blaxploitation movies, this Tarantino film is more about words and twists than gore and violence. But, it has its standout scenes, and our favorite involves Robert De Niro and Bridget Fonda. De Niro’s a kinda slow criminal who’s in over his head, and Fonda is the accomplice who won’t quit nagging. Pro tip: If an ex-con tells you to shut up, you should just listen.
#7 – Surfin’ Safari: “Death Proof” (2007)
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Some dumb women are served up brutal deaths in Tarantino’s “Grindhouse” contribution. But our favorite moment isn’t one of them: we love when the girls fight back against Stuntman Mike. Sure, the five-minute-long chase that proves car surfing is a terrible idea is thrilling; but the Stuntman crying like a little girl, and getting his ass handed to him by three chicks is epically satisfying.
#6 – The Candyland Massacre: “Django Unchained” (2012)
Tarantino’s signature move may be the shootout, and this is the ultimate. With Django waiting in the wings, Calvin Candie and Dr. King Schultz build the tension to a fever pitch with verbal sparring. Then, a single gunshot causes all hell to break loose: going from gun-to-gun and using people as cover, Django tears his enemies down, left, right and center in one of cinema’s bloodiest gunfights.
#5 – The Sicilian Scene: “True Romance” (1993)
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Tarantino isn’t only about gory, explicit violence: he also throws in biting, articulate dialogue – with lotsa cursing for good measure. Tarantino didn’t direct this flick, but these are his words – and when delivered by Hollywood heavyweights like Christopher Walken and Dennis Hopper, well, you can’t beat it. Mounting tension. Useless facts. Racial epithets. The knowledge that one of these guys won’t leave this room alive. Epic.
#4 – Standoff at La Louisiane: “Inglourious Basterds” (2009)
This piece of historical fiction is packed with excellent performances, memorable moments and gutsy moves – not the least of which is Tarantino’s choice to change history. But what makes this classic Tarantino is the action that happens below the surface – literally. But that still doesn’t beat the showdown at the basement bar: drinking games, uncomfortable silences, guns pointed at sensitive spots – it all makes this scene a nail-biter.
#3 – The Bride Fights Back: “Kill Bill Vol 1” (2003)
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Well that escalated quickly. Both volumes 1 and 2 of “Kill Bill” are packed with iconic Tarantino trademarks. But how can you outdo a one-on-88 samurai sword battle? Black Mamba has already dispatched a few subordinates by the time the Crazy 88s show up – which means she’s all warmed up and ready for a kung-fu fighting, yellow suit wearing, blood spurting, axe throwing, eyeball plucking good time.
#2 – Bible Thumping: “Pulp Fiction” (1994)
The overdose. Royale with Cheese. The twist. Marvin’s shot-off face. The gold watch. They’re all great, but only one is the best: perennial Tarantino player Sam Jackson takes intimidation to new levels with some inane small talk before getting down to business. But the climax, of course, is his Bible quote. Tarantino actually borrowed this speech from a ‘70s-era martial-arts flick, but that doesn’t make it any less perfect. Aaaaaand scene.
#1 – Hear No Evil: “Reservoir Dogs” (1992)
Mexican standoffs are great, but abject torture set to classic rock tunes is unbeatable. Before “Pulp Fiction” turned his into a household name, this Tarantino scene turned stomachs in theaters and built the filmmaker’s rep as one of the greats. You don’t even need to see what’s happening to get the full effect: all it takes is a straight razor, some Steeler’s Wheel and blood-curdling screams. Do you agree with our list, or would you ask us to add something else? For more top 10s about your favorite filmmakers, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.
