INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
US, 2009, 155 minutes, Colour.
Brad Pitt, Melanie Laurent, Christoph Waltz, Daniel Bruehl, Til Schweiger, Eli Roth, Michael Fassbender, Diane Kruger, Julia Dreyfus, Mike Myers, Rod Taylor.
Directed by Quentin Tarantino.
After the Grindhouse-indulgent Death Proof, where could Quentin Tarantino go to reclaim his status of the 1990s, of Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction and Jackie Brown? It seems he went back to a screenplay he had been working on for years, adding, developing, laying aside but, now, picking it up again and really going with it. It is a striking film in many ways and is reassuring to hear well-written and articulate and serious Tarantino lines, something that he used to do so cleverly (not that he doesn't indulge himself at times with rip-offs of his former writing, especially in the mouth of Brad Pitt).
Is it like a Tarantino film? Yes and no. At times, there is a wildness about it, especially in the scenes with Brad Pitt as Aldo Rainie with his inglourious basterds (taken from the title of Enzo G. Castellari's 1978 war movie). There are several moments of quiet violence and scalpings that are quite disturbing. But, nothing really to compare with Kill Bill. That will make some audiences relax and coax others to venture to see it.
The structure is five chapters – which eventually come together very well. The first opens with 'Once Upon a Time... in Nazi Occupied France'. So, it is a fable of World War II, invented, with a climax that is post-hoc wishful thinking but no less exhilarating for that. This is how Tarantino might have won the war had he been around at the time!
The first chapter is extremely well done as an introduction: huge widescreen vistas of France, the Nazis arriving at a dairy farm in search of a Jewish family, polite talk between Colonel Lando, nicknamed the Jew Hunter, and the farmer, clever use of French and English and then disaster for the family. It is a fine World War II short story in itself.
By way of contrast, chapter 2 introduces the Basterds, some back stories, explanation of what this group of Jewish bandits for what became the OSS were doing in terms of destroying Nazis – which, ruggedly and brutally, they do.
When we are thinking how brutal this is, we are introduced to Hitler himself doing a rant that far outdoes the Basterds. So, the scene is set (with Tarantino not afraid to have an actor play Hitler (quite effectively) and Goebbels as well).
We are then in for a surprise: cinema in occupied Paris, giving the director more than a chance to show posters, have discussions about cinema (which is then added to by the recruiting of a British film critic (Michael Fassbender) by a general (Mike Myers) in the presence of Churchill (Rod Taylor) to go undercover in Paris). In Paris itself we see a young German soldier, played very persuasively by Daniel Bruhl, who befriends the young owner of the cinema (Melanie Laurent, also persuasive). Bruhl's soldier, says Tarantino, is somewhat modeled on Audie Murphy, this time a young heroic German soldier who stars in the film about his exploits, the multiple American deaths entertaining Hitler no end.
The build-up is for Operation Kino, the blowing up of the cinema with the German High Command inside. Did it happen? Does it happen? Could it have happened? That's not for a reviewer to say!
The film is spoken in English, French and German (and some bad Italian accent on purpose from Brad Pitt) with more than half the film sub-titled (which will be an interesting challenge for US marketing). A number of German actors are cast, including an impessively alarming performance from Christoph Walz as Colonel Lando. The film also stars Diane Kruger, Til Schweiger and August Diehl.
I think it is going to be discussed by critics and public for some time.
1.The films of Quentin Tarantino, his reputation, his style? Audience expectations? His work as a director, writer?
2.The title, the spelling? Taken from the Italian film of 1978? The echoes of The Dirty Dozen?
3.Filming in Europe, locations in France, Germany? Authentic? The use of the variety of languages throughout?
4.The musical score, the range of songs, the theme from The Alamo, David Bowie, classics? Ennio Morricone? Fur Elise? Contemporary? Moods and cinema acknowledgment?
5.The structure: the five chapters, each in itself, bringing them together at the end?
6.Quentin Tarantino as film buff, the echoes of many films? Chapter one and the films of the French Resistance? Two, The Dirty Dozen, the films about Hitler, his ranting? Three, Paris, 1940s, cinema? The United Kingdom, the comments on film critics? The Resistance, Paris? Plans, going awry? The scene in the tavern? The finale, the cinema, the destruction of the cinema? Shosanna and her face on the screen, in the flames? Landa, his surrender to Aldo? Audiences familiar with the war films? The differences? 21st century perspective?
7.Chapter 1, the fairy tale, once upon a time in Nazi-occupied France…? The fable? The beauty of the landscapes, the farmer, the Nazis’ arrival, the farmer and his daughters, going into the house, the suave manner of the Nazi Hunter? The verbal jousting, the jobs for the daughters, the initial courtesy, language, Landa and his style? The family under the floorboards, his shooting them, Shosanna and her running? The chapter in itself as a war story? The later connection with themes of Shosanna and Landa?
8.Chapter 2, the Basterds, Aldo and Brad Pitt’s style, accent, his speech, rough, killing Nazis? The Jewish group? The hundred scalps? The visualising of the scalping? The bashing of the baseball bat? The flashbacks for the German hero, his turning against the Nazis, his torture and imprisonment? His being part of the group?
9.The contrast between Aldo and Hitler and his rant? The Reichstag, Hitler and his portrait, the cloak? The interview with the soldier, the flashbacks to his survival, the officer not giving information, his being bashed to death? The soldier being let go, his report to Hitler, Hitler’s reaction, the swastika branded on his forehead by Aldo?
10.Chapter 3, Shosanna, owning the cinema, 1944? The Pabst film? The allusion to German mountain films, Leni Reifenstahl? The transition to a French film? Frederick, his beginning conversation with Shosanna? His charm, knowledge of the movies, wider taste? Shosanna and her negative reaction? His later meeting her, talking, conscious that he was annoying her? Having the coffee, the autographs, his pride, the story of the sniper (and later being visualised in the film)? His starring in his own life story, his comments on cinema? Shosanna, the abduction? Meeting Goebbels and his translator? The discussions, the premiere, the cinema, the plan? The interaction between Frederick and Goebbels? Goebbels and his style, charm? Landa’s arrival, his being in charge of security, the discussion with Shosanna, her holding her tongue, eating the strudel? Shosanna and her determination, her working with Marcel, Landa and his denigrating comments about negroes? The plan, the film stock, filming for the addition to the film itself?
11.The United Kingdom, Churchill, the general, the critic and commando, the discussion about film, criticism, the war, the plan? Operation Kino?
12.Chapter 4, the café, the Englishman having landed, with the members of the Basterds, the German hero and his not saying anything but snarling? Bridget as the charming actress? Drinking, the German group, Willy and the birth of his baby? The card game and the questions? The German officer, hearing all his questions about the Englishman’s accent, joining the group, wanting to play the game, the ironies of identifying him as King Kong (instead of a negro slave to the US)? The Englishman and the three fingers, the German understanding that he was a fake, the guns pointed at each other? The mayhem, the bartender, the deaths, Bridget shooting Willy? Her shoe remaining, Landa finding it? Aldo and the group, coming to the rescue, the discussions with Bridget, fingering her wound in order for her to tell the truth? The new plan?
13.Goebbels and Hitler, Hitler deciding to come to the premiere? The group arriving, the hierarchy of the Nazis?
14.Chapter 5, the night of the screening, Bridget in her cast, Aldo and his bad Italian, Landa and his good Italian, his questioning of Bridget?
15.Landa, Bridget, the confrontation, his strangling her?
16.The two Basterds inside, with the explosives, taking their place, getting their guns, killing the guards, the explosions?
17.Aldo being arrested by Landa, being questioned, setting up the deal, the bargain, the contact with the OSS? Landa and his shrewd moves, his plans for his future, citizenship, land in Nantucket?
18.Hitler and Goebbels enjoying the film, the American deaths? The black and white film, the heroics, the sniper?
19.Frederick, self-conscious about the deaths, going to the projection room, meeting Shosanna, imposing himself, her shooting him? Going over to him, his shooting her?
20.The film, Shosanna’s speech, Marcel lighting the fire, locking the doors, the people in the theatre, Goebbels and Hitler, the flames, their deaths?
21.The forest, Landa and his freeing Aldo and his companion, the discussions about the surrender, Aldo handcuffing Landa? Branding the swastika on his forehead? Landa's comments on rats and squirrels? Aldo's 'masterpiece'?
22.The overall effect of the film? As a war film with its variety of styles? An as if – cinema conquering the Third Reich?
