Reservoir Dogs (5 Stars)

Michael Madsen is dead.

I heard the news late last night. It saddens me, because he was an outstanding actor. I have about a dozen films in which he appears, most of them directed by Quentin Tarantino. I wasn't sure what film of his to watch today, and then I read that he's best known for his role as the psychopathic Vic Vega in "Reservoir Dogs". After a few minutes thought I agreed with this statement, but actually he's hardly known at all. He's an actor that only dedicated film fans know. When I mention him to my friends the reaction is "Michael who?" It's only when I mention a few films that they say, "Ah, so that was him".

In case you're one of the people who doesn't know him – which I doubt if you're reading my blog – he's the man who dances to "Stuck in the middle with you" by Stealers Wheel while torturing a policeman. I'm not a fan of the song, fortunately, because the scene has ruined it for me. Every time I hear the song I can't help thinking of Michael Madsen dancing with a knife.

"Reservoir Dogs" is a milestone in the history of cinema. It was an independent film that proved that independent films could have great artistic value. It took a few years to be recognised, but now it's a cult film which has a lasting legacy. There were many famous actors in the film, but Michael Madsen, relatively unknown at the time, contributed to its success.

The film opens with a scene in a restaurant in which eight men are sitting at a table discussing popular music and tips. Mr. Pink refuses to tip and complains that waitresses have to pay taxes on their tips. That was 1992. Now Donald Trump has passed a law that tips are no longer taxed. Good for him. His opponents claim that he's only done this to gain favour with lower paid voters, but I think it's something he always had on his mind. I too have always considered it somehow immoral to tax tips. Tips are a gift that I give a waitress out of the goodness of my heart, so the IRS shouldn't take part of it. Mr. Pink thinks it's wrong, so do I, and so does Donald Trump. That's one of the few good laws that he's passed since becoming president.

Farewell, Michael Madsen. You'll be missed by your friends and fans.

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Finding Vivian Maier (5 Stars)

This is one of the best documentaries I've ever seen. It unravels like a mystery.

In 2007 a young man called John Maloof bought a box of photo negatives from an auction in Chicago. His intention was to find photos for research on recent Chicago history. He was overwhelmed by what he found. The box contained thousands of photos taken by a woman called Vivian Maier. The artistic quality was exceptional. But who was Vivian Maier? He began to search for her, using written notes in the box as clues.

There were phone numbers, but in the 1950's and 1960's, when most of the photos were taken, there were no area codes, so John began to ring the numbers with random area codes, until he found the right people. She had worked as a children's nanny in various homes over the decades. The last family was still paying the rent for a storage room with her junk that they wanted to dispose of. John was allowed to take whatever he wanted. He found many more negatives, including undeveloped film rolls. Slowly he pieced together details of her life.

Throughout his search he was amazed that a woman with such talent had never attempted to sell her pictures. She was happy taking photos in secret, just for herself. She had no intention of achieving any sort of fame. She was an obsessive photographer who carried her camera with her wherever she went. She was also an obsessive collector. She kept receipts of her purchases for decades. She also collected newspapers, especially if the headlines were melodramatic murder cases. One of her employers said that her room was so full of piles of newspapers that it was difficult to walk from the door to her bed.

Despite talking to many people who knew her, John Maloof makes no claim to have figured her out. She was an aloof person who never opened up to anyone. She spoke with a fake French accent. The mystery of her life was never fully solved. But one success is that her photos have been made public. They've been displayed at art galleries. John claims that art critics have never fully recognised her, but her images have fascinated everyone who looks at them.

The website vivianmaier.com contains many examples of her photography. I'll just post this one photo, taken in 1955, that strongly appeals to me.

John states more than once that Vivian would probably have been unhappy at her photos being published after her death. They were taken for herself, not for the world to see. That's only an assumption, but it could very well be true. She probably wanted to be forgotten after her death. Whatever she intended, she's a person who deserves to be remembered, unlike today's celebrities who cling to fame.

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TV Series: She-Hulk

I spent this evening watching the whole series of "She-Hulk", or to give it its full name, "She-Hulk, Attorney at Law". It's a cosy evening's viewing, because the episodes are so short. If you strip away the final credits, each episode only lasts 25 minutes. That's less than four hours in total. In the first few episodes I felt frustrated that they didn't last longer, but as the series progressed I accepted it. They said all that they had to say, and no additional padding was needed.

"She-Hulk" is a comedy series. I don't mean in the way that Marvel films have comedy mixed in with the action. (Often too much comedy, but that's a different matter). The whole She-Hulk series is intended to be funny, and there are only occasional action scenes thrown in. I'd call this a Marvel series for people who don't like Marvel, although I'm sure Marvel fans would appreciate it more.

The series deviates from the Marvel canon of what's written in the comics, but only in minor ways that don't spoil the story. In the comics Jennifer Walters' personality changes when she transforms into She-Hulk. As a normal woman she's quiet and reserved, but as She-Hulk she's outgoing and flirtatious. We don't see that in the series. She's always the same woman, and if she flirts as She-Hulk it's because it's what she's always wanted to do as Jennifer. It's a subtle distinction, and it's practically hidden behind the humour.

"She-Hulk" repeatedly breaks the fourth wall. In every episode there are scenes where Jennifer/She-Hulk turns to the camera and addresses the audience. This is an alienation technique that can be annoying if it's done badly, but in "She-Hulk" it enhances the series. There are cameos by characters from the Marvel films in almost every episode, so viewers who've seen the first 22 Marvel Cinematic Universe films will be at an advantage, but non-MCU-fans should pick things up quickly. There's no reason not to watch "She-Hulk", even if you've never watched a Marvel film or series before.

One of the first things I did after finishing my binge was to check whether there will be a second season. Evidently not, which is a shame. The series was intended to introduce the She-Hulk character, and she'll be in the films from now on. I can only hope that the fans will shout loud enough to make the Marvel creators change their minds and give us more seasons.

The series is available on Disney Plus. I doubt it will be made available on disc. Wait and see.

Reservoir Dogs (5 Stars)

Today I finally saw "Reservoir Dogs" in the cinema, 30 years too late. I just have one question:

Who shot Nice Guy Eddie?

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Pulp Fiction (5 Stars)

Dancer's Top Films #50

This is Quentin Tarantino's second film, made in 1994, two years after "Reservoir Dogs". Many of the scenes look like a reunion of the Reservoir Dogs actors. Of the six dogs, four of the actors appear in "Pulp Fiction": Quentin Tarantino, Harvey Keitel, Steve Buscemi and Tim Roth. Their characters were all killed in "Reservoir Dogs", so some people have come to the conclusion that "Pulp Fiction" is a prequel that takes place in the same universe as "Reservoir Dogs". This is reinforced by the fact that a fifth Reservoir Dog (Vic Vega) has the same family name as one of the gangsters in "Pulp Fiction" (Vincent Vega). This is impossible, because the Reservoir Dogs were men who didn't know one another's names. It's not a shared universe, it's just Quentin Tarantino using good actors that he's worked with before.

I'm aware that it's not just these two films. There have been attempts to tie all of Quentin Tarantino's films together, including "From Dusk Till Dawn". That's just ridiculous. Is Mia Wallace the same person as Beatrix Kiddo in "Kill Bill"? Impossible! I've read the arguments in favour of a single universe, the Tarantinoverse, but I shan't quote them here because I don't believe they hold up. The only thing I like about the theories is that the word Tarantinoverse sounds so cool.

Most films tell a story with a single consistent narrative, unless they're true stories. A typical film goes from A to B with only minor deviations. "Pulp Fiction" is full of random incidents which have an influence on the main narrative. This gives "Pulp Fiction" the feeling of a true story, without it actually being true. Important characters are introduced late in the film. If someone who had never seen the film read a summary of the plot he'd say it's bad screenwriting. It breaks all the rules. And yet the end result is a work of pure brilliance.

The gangsters Jules (Samuel L. Jackson) and Vincent (John Travolta) are professional killers. They're friends who work together for their boss, Marcellus Wallace, but there's one big difference between them: Jules believes in miracles, Vincent doesn't. Only Jules survives to the end of the film. Is it his faith that saves him? I'll let you decide for yourself.

This is a trademark Quentin Tarantino scene of people looking into a car trunk, although Vincent is distracted. Maybe a girl dressed in a mini-skirt is walking by.

Here's another Quentin Tarantino trademark, a foot close up. Do you recognise the actress? I'll give the answer at the bottom of this post, so don't read on until you know.

I shan't keep you in suspense with the second actress with naked feet. It's Angela Jones, playing a barefoot taxi driver called Esmarelda. I don't get it. Isn't it too difficult to drive a car without shoes?

Never mind the feet, I'm more interested in Angela's beautiful face. There's an aura of evil about her. Is it just the way she looks in the film? I'll never know.

The film is well known for its non-linear narrative. Today I watched it while asking myself if it would be better if the scenes had been re-ordered to make the film chronological (with slight rewriting, of course). For the first half of the film I wasn't sure, but by the end of the film I was convinced that the non-linear narrative is advantageous to the plot. The first half tells Vincent's story, and the second half tells Jules' story, even though they appear together in some of the scenes.

Did you recognise the feet in my little test? They belong to Uma Thurman. We'll see a lot more of them in "Kill Bill".

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Despite the recently added daisy-chaining of my top 100 posts, here's a summary of my films so far as an assistance to my new readers.

51. Evita (1996)
52. Assaunt on Precinct 13 (1976)
53. Death Proof (2007)
54. Falling Down (1993)
55. Adaptation (2002)
56. The Raid 2 (2014)
57. Summer in Orange (2011)
58. Flowers of War (2011)
59. Scream (1996)
60. Scream 2 (1997)
61. Reservoir Dogs (1992)
62. Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
63. The Gift (2000)
64. From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)
65. Ip Man (2008)
66. Ip Man 2 (2010)
67. Snatch (2000)
68. Lock, stock and two smoking barrels (1998)
69. Tragedy Girls (2017)
70. Gladiator (2000)
71. Enter the Dragon (1973)
72. Pink Floyd: The Wall (1982)
73. The Legend of 1900 (1998)
74. Young Frankenstein (1974)
75. The Virgin Psychics (2015)
76. The Man who would be King (1975)
77. John Rabe (2009)
78. The Paperboy (1994)
79. The Walk (2015)
80. Perfume (2006)
81. The Green Mile (1999)
82. Little Nicky (2000)
83. Monster (2003)
84. Gloomy Sunday (1999)
85. We are the night (2010)
86. Dark Water (2002)
87. What to do in case of fire (2001)
88. The Shining (1980)
89. Azumi (2003/2005)
90. The Mummy (1999)
91. Wie Feuer und Flamme (2001)
92. Attack of the 50 Foot Centerfold (1995)
94. Titanic (1997)
95. Mad City (1997)
96. Leon (1994)
97. Iron Rose (1973)
98. Kick-Ass (2010)
99. Rush Hour (1998)
100. Bella Martha (2001)

Reservoir Dogs (5 Stars)

Dancer's Top Films #61

It's difficult to define what a cult film is, but if any film is a cult film it has to be "Reservoir Dogs". It's an independent film that was made with a (relatively) low budget. It went almost unnoticed when it was released in 1992, and it wasn't fully appreciated until it was released on videotape in 1995. Critics went overboard with praise, some calling it the greatest independent film of all time. Video rental stores could hardly keep up with the demand.

The film is deliciously minimalistic. With the exception of flashbacks, the whole film takes place in an empty warehouse. The film is about a jewel robbery, but we don't see the robbery itself. The robbery is described in detail in the conversations in the warehouse. We don't need to see it. It's possible that the reason for omitting the robbery was to save money, but it gives the film greater artistic value.

The flashbacks show the planning for the robbery, although the robbers spend more time talking about other things than the robbery itself. The conversations are what make the film. This is the trademark of all films written by Quentin Tarantino, whether he directs them or not.

Nina Siemaszko didn't quite make it into the film. Her only scene was deleted.

It's a shame. She seems like a fun character. Quentin Tarantino probably decided that she didn't fit the film's style. He wanted to make an all-male film.

"Reservoir Dogs" is a perfect film. I can't fault it in any way. I can only fault myself for putting it so low in my top films list.

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The Legend of 1900 (5 Stars)

Dancer's Top Films #73

I don't understand why so few people know about this film. Even fans of Tim Roth don't know it, although it's his best film. Maybe the problem is that it doesn't fit neatly into any genre. It has elements of fantasy without being a fantasy film. Some critics call it a drama film, but that's just the default classification when nothing else fits. It stands alone.

The film is about a man who was born on a cruise ship in January 1900 and abandoned by his mother in the first class lounge. The coalman who adopted him called him Danny Boodman T. D. Lemon 1900. That's quite a mouthful, so his name was shortened to 1900. He spends all his life on board the ship, travelling from Europe to America and back, never once setting foot on dry land. How could he? He has no nationality and no birth certificate. He's a man who doesn't exist. He jokes that when he dies he'll present himself at the Pearly Gates, but Saint Peter will turn him away because there's no record of him ever having lived.

The story is interesting, because 1900 is a piano prodigy. At the age of eight he begins to play without any teaching. He masters all styles effortlessly, although he specialises in ragtime jazz. That's what he plays to make the passengers dance, but he also plays soft melodies to make them cry.

The story is narrated by Max Tooney, a trumpet player on the ship from 1927 to 1933 who became 1900's best friend. He returns to the ship when he hears that it's due to be destroyed shortly after World War Two. He fears that 1900 might be hiding somewhere in the empty ship.

There's something curious about this film. I said that few people know it, but that isn't quite true. When it was released in 1998 it was a box office flop, earning only a fraction of its budget. For some reason it was decided to release the film in China in 2019, and it was a box office smash. The Chinese have good taste in films.

"The Legend of 1900" is a splendid film, an epic taking place in a confined space. It's a film that everyone should see. You'll be moved from the first minutes and won't be able to walk away until the end. 

The only uncut release of this film is the Italian Blu-ray. The versions on sale in America and England have been cut, not for censorship reasons, but because some idiot thought that 170 minutes is too long for a film. I've watched the 130 minute version, and I can't recommend it. It's horrible.

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The Incredible Hulk (3 Stars)

This is the second film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, released in June 2008. It features an amusing 15-second cameo by Stan Lee. It's unique among all his cameos, because what he does is relevant to the plot. We see him opening his fridge from a fridge's eye view. He drinks a bottle of Guarana soda that was contaminated by Bruce Banner's blood in the opening scenes. We don't see what happened to Stan, but it must have been something big, because the US army finds out about it. They trace Bruce Banner's location by going to the manufacturer of the bottle drunk by a "man from Milwaukee".

Lou Ferrigno shared a cameo with Stan Lee in "The Hulk". In "The Incredible Hulk" he has his own cameo, a 30-second speaking role as a security guard who likes pizza.

Unlike the non-MCU Hulk film, there's no origin story in this film. We just hear that Bruce Banner became the Hulk five years ago, and he's now in hiding. That's a missed chance. In the other film the Hulk's origin story was completely messed up. It was a completely different story to the one we know in the comics, where Bruce Banner rushed out into the test site of a gamma bomb test to save the life of the teenager Rick Jones. This film could have told the correct story, but it didn't. But then again, it could have been worse. Based on casual conversation in the film, we hear that Bruce Banner became the Hulk after testing a super-soldier serum on himself. That would have been yet another false origin story.

"The Incredible Hulk" isn't a bad film, but it isn't a particularly good film either. It benefits from having better actors than "The Hulk". Edward Norton is a better actor than Eric Bana, William Hurt is a better actor than Sam Elliott, and Liv Tyler is a much better actress than Jennifer Connelly. The film also features Tim Roth, one of my favourite actors, as the Abomination. He would have been a good choice to play Bruce Banner. He might have stayed on for a few films, rather than abandoning the ship like Edward Norton.

It was unnecessary to upgrade Betty Ross by turning her into Dr. Elisabeth Ross. That's a modern trend. Women today are supposed to be strong and intelligent. I have no problems with films being made about intelligent women. The more the better. However, "The Incredible Hulk" isn't a film being written on a blank slate. It's an adaptation of stories written 50 years ago. Why change her now?

I suspect that more Hulk standalone films were intended within the MCU, but none were made. Even the much anticipated "Planet Hulk" storyline ended up being incorporated into "Thor Ragnarok". What not many people noticed, except for Marvel fanatics like me, is that the Leader was introduced in preparation for an upcoming Hulk film. In the film he's called Mr. Blue, though his real name is Dr. Samuel Sterns. He receives an injury to his head, and when he's lying on the floor a sample of Bruce Banner's blood drips onto his wound. That doesn't match his origin in the comics either. A sequel featuring the Leader was never made because "The Incredible Hulk" wasn't a box office success.

The Hulk's CGI appearance is improved over Ang Lee's film – it could hardly be worse – but it still isn't perfect. I have the impression that the film was visually based on the Hulk TV series, not on the comics.

The story is adequate, but the battle with the Abomination is too brief. His appearance was unnecessarily changed in the film. This is what he should have looked like.

"Iron Man", which I reviewed two days ago, shows a lot of respect for Stan Lee's original material. I can't say the same of "The Incredible Hulk". Whenever changes are made, the result is inferior. Always. It's about time the film producers at Marvel Studios learnt that. If they'd made a film closer to the original stories it would have made more money. I can say that with absolute certainty.

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Reservoir Dogs (5 Stars)

This is a film that came out of nowhere. Even though elements were borrowed from other classic films, nothing like it had ever been made before. It was an independent film made at a time when independent films were assumed to have low production quality. "Reservoir Dogs" was a milestone in independent film making, the proof that a film could have outstanding artistic quality on a small budget, in this case only $1.2 million.

Even though "Reservoir Dogs" was a commercial success, relative to its budget, it remained relatively unknown after its release. Most film fans didn't watch it until after the success of "Pulp Fiction" two years later.

When speaking about the film many people concentrate on its violence. Yes, the film has occasional bursts of violence, and for most of the film a man is lying bleeding on a ramp, but that's not what the film is about. What makes "Reservoir Dogs" outstanding is the conversations between the characters. This begins in the opening scene when there's a discussion on the meaning of Madonna's "Like a Virgin" which progresses into a debate on whether or not to tip waitresses. This became the trademark for Quentin Tarantino's films. We get to know the characters through what they talk about, even if the conversations are irrelevant to the plot of the film itself.

I didn't include "Reservoir Dogs" in my list of 30 films to watch before you die. I picked "Pulp Fiction" instead as an example of Tarantino's films. In retrospect I think I made the wrong choice. "Pulp Fiction" is maybe a better film, but "Reservoir Dogs" has greater significance in the history of cinema.

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The Incredible Hulk (3 Stars)

I didn't intend to watch this film again so soon. The reason I watched it today is that I've recently watched two videos about the upcoming "Avengers Infinity War" film, and both said that fans should prepare themselves for it by re-watching all the previous Marvel Cinematic Universe films, even "The Incredible Hulk". They both named it explicitly. It's the least popular of the MCU films, not without reason. It's considered part of the MCU, but only because of the appearance of Tony Stark in the final scene. Apart from that it's like a standalone film. Let me give you my reasons.

"The Incredible Hulk" has a different actor playing Bruce Banner, Edward Norton instead of Mark Ruffalo. In all the other films the actors are consistent.

The Hulk's CGI character looks different to his appearance in "The Avengers" and later films.

There's no origin of the character, which makes it seem more like a sequel to "The Hulk" (2003) than a reboot as part of the MCU.

Instead of the Hulk's love interest Betty Ross returning he's been flirting with other characters, in particular the Black Widow,

There's a fifth reason that I should add as well: it's just not that good. It's the lowest rated MCU film in my blog. I can't understand why I gave it four stars when I watched it three years ago. I was being far too generous. It was probably a sympathy vote because I like the character so much. There were too many Hulk-vs-soldiers fights. One would have been enough. The Abomination was introduced into the film far too late, practically as an afterthought. A better film would have been 25% origin story, 25% Hulk-vs-soldiers, 10% origin of Abomination, 40% Hulk-vs-Abomination.

The greatest strength of "The Incredible Hulk" is Edward Norton as Bruce Banner. He's the best person ever to play the role. He fits the role best because he's the puniest. Even Mark Ruffalo looks too tough. Supposedly Edward Norton quit because of differences with Marvel. He wanted more creative control over the character. He rewrote the script for "The Incredible Hulk", but his rewrite was turned down. I'm sure that whatever he wrote would have been better.

I'd rather forget about "The Incredible Hulk" and not consider it part of the MCU, but I'll wait for "Infinity War and see if there are any tie-ins.

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Hardcore Henry (4 Stars)

This is a very unique film made in Russia. It was directed by Ilya Naishuller, the singer of the Russian indie rock group Biting Elbows. His only previous directing experience was a music video for his band, the song "Bad Motherfucker". This video was greatly praised for being shot in POV (point of view) mode, like a video game. Click here to watch the music video on YouTube, where it has more than 33 million views. Inspired by its success he decided to make a full length feature film in POV.

I know that the plot is less important than the POV gimmick itself, but this is roughly what the film is about. A man wakes up on an operating table, where he finds his limbs being replaced. He can't remember how he got there. A woman in the room tells him his name is Henry and she is his wife Estelle. In an attempt to jog his memory she puts his wedding ring back on his new hand. Before they can get better acquainted the laboratory is invaded by soldiers who kill the scientists. Only Henry and Estelle escape, but soon after Estelle is kidnapped. Henry spends the rest of the film trying to find his wife.

I was well aware that the film had received poor reviews. One comment was that "it's as much fun as watching someone else play a video game". For me that's not much of a problem. I enjoy watching other people play video games.

One other warning that I was given by Rebecca, a member of staff at the Cineworld cinema where I watch most of my films, is that customers had complained of motion sickness after watching the film. I scoffed at this, but when I watched it I understood what she meant. My eyes had difficulty in adjusting to the film for the first half hour. I think the problem is that I was looking through my own eyes, but in the large cinema my eyes were a long way in front of me. This disoriented me. After this I grew used to it. Then I left the cinema, and as I walked out I felt slightly unreal. It's difficult to explain what I mean. My feet felt as if they were far away. My whole world seemed out of sync. It took about 15 minutes before I felt normal again. I expect that this sensation will only be experienced by people who see the film in a cinema. Watching it at home on Blu-ray shouldn't produce the same effect.

I have to say, the film was enjoyable. Strange, quirky, but good fun. I can recommend it to my readers.

The most famous POV video game is "Doom". For me, I associate POV with Sierra's "Hero Quest", later renamed "Quest for Glory" after a copyright battle with Milton Bradley who had a game with the same name. Milton Bradley's game was released two years later than Sierra's game, but Milton Bradley had the better lawyers. Sierra's "Hero Quest" was released in 1989, but I bought it in 1990, when I had my first PC at home. It was actually a mixed mode game. When the hero walked around we saw him from a third person viewpoint, but when he engaged a creature in battle it changed to POV. Four sequels were made, Quest for Glory 2 to 5, but I only bought 2 to 4. When Quest for Glory 5 was released I already had my first Internet account, so I'd moved on from offline gaming.

The Legend of 1900 (5 Stars)

30 films to watch before you die, #21

If I'd made my list of 30 films to watch before you die a couple of years ago I wouldn't have included this film. That's not because I didn't like it. It's a film that I've known and enjoyed for a long time. The reason for omitting it is that one of my rules is that the film should be accessible. Two years ago it was almost impossible to find this film in England or America, and what's the point in recommending a film as essential if nobody can find it? The film had only ever been released in Italy. That's still the case today, but something has changed. Last year Amazon opened a website in Italy for the first time, www.amazon.it. Due to the international nature of Amazon, Italian imports are now available on Amazon's web sites in other countries.

The film was made by the Italian director Giuseppe Tornatore. It was filmed in Italy, but in the English language, starring Tim Roth and other English-speaking actors. In my opinion this is the pinnacle of Tim Roth's career, even though he doesn't appear in the film until after an hour.

The Virginian was a cruise ship that travelled from Southampton to America (both North and South America) five times a year. In January 1900 a new born baby boy was found abandoned in the first class dining room. Danny Boodman, a boiler room worker, adopts him, and gives him the name Danny Boodman T. D. Lemon 1900, shortened to 1900. At first the captain is reluctant to allow him to stay on the ship, but Danny looks after him. When 1900 is eight years old it's discovered that he's a musical prodigy, and he joins the ship's band.

1900 remains on the ship all his life, never once setting foot on dry land. Most of the film takes place between 1927 and 1933, told through the eyes of Max Tooney, a trumpet player who becomes 1900's best friend.

How has this film managed to stay hidden for so long? Very few people have even heard of it. When I show it to my friends the reaction is always the same. They're astounded by the story, the cinematography and most of all the music.

(The picture above shows the film sold by Amazon. Only buy this version, the uncut 169 minute version. Some releases have shortened the film to 120 minutes).

I don't know any other films by Giuseppe Tornatore that I can recommend, so I'll suggest a few other films starring Tim Roth for further viewing:

• Heart of Darkness (1993)
• Rob Roy (1995)
• Youth Without Youth (2007)

Pulp Fiction (5 Stars)

30 films to watch before you die, #15

When someone quotes the Bible at you it's worth checking to see if they're right. In "Pulp Fiction" Jules (Samuel L. Jackson) says:

There's a passage I got memorized. Ezekiel 25:17. "The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of the darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee".

So I checked my Bible, and what did I find?

"Because the Philistines acted in vengeance and took revenge with malice in their hearts, and sought to destroy Judah, this is what the Lord says: I am about to stretch out my hand against the Philistines, and I will wipe out the Kerethites and destroy those remaining along the coast. I will carry out great vengeance on them and punish them in my wrath. Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I take vengeance on them".

Even allowing for variations between different translations Jules' quote is way off. On the other hand, would you discuss theology with someone who's pointing a gun at your head?

Having said that, let me say something about the difficulty I had with picking "Pulp Fiction" for my 30 films list. I restricted myself to a maximum of one film per director. In the case of Quentin Tarantino, what should I pick? All his films are good, and I can't even decide what my favourite is. If someone asks me I usually name the film of his that I watched last. At first I put "Reservoir Dogs" in the list, because it was his first film as director. Then I replaced it with "Django Unchained", because I thought that my list doesn't have enough recent films. Finally I picked "Pulp Fiction" because most people say it's his best. It certainly is very good, but is it his best? I don't know.

One thing struck me today while watching the film is that all the characters, even those in smaller roles, were familiar to me. I'm not saying it because I've watched the film before. What I mean is that the dialogue introduces the characters, and within a minute of them appearing on screen I feel that I know them. Does any other director have such skill at character development?

When reviewing other films in my 30 films list I gave three suggestions for further viewing. I shan't limit myself today. These are the other films made by Quentin Tarantion, all brilliant and deserving to be watched if you haven't seen them already.

• Reservoir Dogs (1992)
• Jackie Brown (1997)
• Kill Bill (2003-2004)
• Death Proof (2007)
• Inglourious Basterds (2009)
• Django Unchained (2012)

The Legend of 1900 (5 Stars)

God's piano. It's a music I don't know how to make.

The Incredible Hulk (4 Stars)

Of the actors to play the Hulk in recent years, Edward Norton was the most suitable. Eric Bana looked too tough. Mark Ruffalo looks a bit better, but he isn't quite timid enough. Only Edward Norton has the whole "puny Banner" air about him. I can imagine the Hulk remembering him and hating him.

Some people call "The Incredible Hulk" a reboot after Ang Lee's disastrous film in 2003. That isn't correct. The film doesn't re-invent the Hulk or give him a new origin. It continues where the first film left off. It just makes the Hulk look better. And the totally screwed up origin in the first film is simply forgotten.

Tim Roth is perfect as the Hulk's nemesis, the Abomination. My only regret is that the battle between the Hulk and the Abomination is too brief. The film is good, but it missed a lot of opportunities to make it better.

Youth Without Youth (4 Stars)

Who am I? I'm a king who's dreaming that he's a butterfly who's dreaming he's a king. Or maybe I'm a God who's dreaming that he's a man who's dreaming that he's a God who doesn't want to be a God. He dreams about being a man to escape from his burdens as a God, but in his human form he yearns for Godhood and dreams of it when he lies in bed at night.

Tim Roth plays Dominic Matei, a Romanian professor of linguistics. It's 1938, and he's 70 years old. All his life he's been working on a book about the origin of language, but it's now become apparent that he will never complete his life work. He remembers that he gave up the only woman he has ever loved in order to work on his book. Now he has nothing. He travels to Bucurest, a city where nobody knows him, with the intention of committing suicide. While walking from the train station a miracle happens: he's struck by lightning, and his body is transformed. He's a young man once more, and his intelligence has increased to a phenomenal level. He can now learn any language just by listening to it. But it goes further than that: he can now read and memorise whole books just by touching them. Language, written or spoken, is his to command.

Dominic uses his new life to continue with his book. But he doesn't make real progress until 1956, when he meets a young woman who has also been struck by lightning. She is able to speak the languages that she spoke in her former reincarnations, so Dominic works with her while also falling in love with her.

This film, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, is deeply mystical. On the surface it's about language, but it's also about reality and the essence of being. This is not a big step. Branches of philosophy such as logical positivism see a one-to-one relationship between language elements and objects in the real world. To understand language is to understand the world. The film doesn't give any answers about the meaning of life, but it raises a lot of questions.

Virgin Territory (4 Stars)

This film tells us what we would have seen if we had lived in 14th Century Italy: Tim Roth, the plague and horny nuns. It's the last film that was produced by Dino De Laurentiis. For some reason it has never received the appreciation it deserves. It was shown in cinemas in Europe in 2007, but in America it went straight to video. My guess is that the studio bosses thought there was too much nudity and sexual humour for prude American audiences. Those clever men in suits always know best, don't they?

The film is based on the Decameron, a book written by Giovanni Boccaccio in 1353. The Decameron itself is about 10 young people who flee from Florence to escape the plague, often called the Black Death. While they journey they spend 10 days telling stories, each person telling one story each day, leading to a collection of 100 stories. The film abandons the frame novel structure by showing the young people take part in the adventures themselves. I haven't read the Decameron myself, but according to an interview with Dino De Laurentiis he picked a small selection out of the 100 stories and mixed them to make the screenplay for the film.

The great man talking about his last film

The central character of the film is Pampinea Agusti (played by Mischa Barton), the daughter of a bankrupt nobleman in Florence. Her father arranges for her to marry a wealthy Russian count, but before the wedding can take place the father dies of the plague. The nobleman Gerbino Della Ratta (Tim Roth) has paid off her father's debts, so he claims the right to marry Pampinea instead, even though the count is already on his way to Florence for the wedding. A handsome young thief called Lorenzo is also in love with Pampinea, but thinks he has no chance with her. So it's not a love triangle, it's a love square. To complicate matters, Lorenzo wins money from Gerbino by cheating at cards, so Gerbino has sworn to kill Lorenzo.

Tim Roth, the bad boy in black

Lorenzo climbs up a tree to hide from Gerbino's men. The men ride by, but he falls out of the tree and knocks himself unconscious. Two nuns see him fall and think he is a gift that God has thrown down to them from Heaven. They take him to their convent, where Lorenzo has sex with the nuns every day. Pampinea also flees to the convent to escape from Gerbino. She falls in love with Lorenzo, but because she is dressed like a nun and her face is covered Lorenzo doesn't recognise her. And then there are many more complications when the count arrives, when other young people flee from Florence, when an artist takes a dead priest's robes to masquerade as a priest. It's a wonderful story, and all the loose ends are tied up. Eventually.

The nuns are thankful for God's gift

The girls are captured by bandits, but they insist on inspecting the guards