#152: Inglourious Basterds

Release Date: August 21st, 2009

Format: Streaming (Paramount+)

Written by: Quentin Tarantino

Directed by: Quentin Tarantino

4 Stars

I think Quentin Tarantino’s legacy will ultimately be his vast enthusiasm as a filmmaker. He’s always been somewhat divisive amongst cinephiles - something I’m sure he enjoys - but you can’t deny that he clearly has a blast writing, producing, and directing his films.

And one of his best films, Inglourious Basterds, allows Tarantino to indulge his deep, deep love and knowledge of cinema and incorporate his encyclopedic knowledge into the film’s plot.  

With Basterds, there are multiple scenes with characters discussing German cinema, from the expressionist silent films of the 1920s to mountaineering adventure flicks to state-funded propaganda. There are also key (fictitious) characters in his story involved in the German film industry: British Lt. Archie Hicox (Michael Fassbender) is a film scholar and critic who specializes in German film, and Bridget Von Hammersmark (Diane Kruger) is a star of the German silver screen. And, of course, the film’s fiery climax happens where else but a French movie theater.

It’s a surprising (and surprisingly effective) climax that abandons historical accuracy for good ol’ exploitational fun, something that he explores again in 2019’s Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood (coincidentally another film that allows him to employ the depths of his film knowledge).

But for my money the best scene in Basterds is either the opening scene on the French dairy farm or the scene in the basement bar. Tarantino has so much damn fun stretching the tension to impossible lengths in these scenes, they’re a joy. They’re marvelous.

Say what you will about the man - and plenty has been said, regarding his treatment of race, language, and violence, and his films’ originality - you can’t deny that he makes his movies with his entire soul, his entire adoration of cinema.