Quentin Tarantino Wanted You To Forget About Mr. Orange In Reservoir Dogs

"Reservoir Dogs" features a number of scenes that have seared into the brains of film lovers since it was released back in 1992. I know that for me it was the opening scene at the diner that made an impression, featuring discussions of Madonna's "Like a Virgin" and the merits of tipping. I rented this movie from Blockbuster when I was around 12 years old expecting some big, cool action movie, but it was that opening scene that showed me that movies could be different from what I thought they were. It was after watching "Reservoir Dogs" that I wanted to learn more about it and, subsequently, who made it. In a lot of ways, the movie is my cinematic origin story, and I don't know if I'd be writing for this website without it.

If I were to ask what scene most sticks with people from Quentin Tarantino's debut feature, it would arguably be the scene in which Michael Madsen's Mr. Blonde tortures a police officer while dancing to Stealers Wheels' supremely catchy "Stuck in the Middle with You." Most of the discussion around that scene revolves around the brutality and tension, most notably the cutting off of the cop's ear. Even though the camera deliberately pans away from the action of the cutting, we still feel the agony of that act of violence. A lesser remarked upon element of the scene is its sudden end, where Tim Roth's Mr. Orange, who has been lying on the ground and passed out from excessive bleeding, unloads an entire clip of bullets into Mr. Blonde before he can kill the cop. I've seen it countless times, and every single time, that moment startles me. I always forget he's there, but that was entirely by Tarantino's design.

Hiding in plain sight




With a story that mostly takes place within one big room, hiding things from your audience can be difficult. They come to know the space so well that having something suddenly appear is basically impossible. However, Mr. Orange can go so undetected by the audience for long stretches of "Reservoir Dogs" due to his lack of involvement in the action. He's this immovable puddle of blood, becoming part of the set design rather than a character. Quentin Tarantino wanted to harness that element of Mr. Orange in the story and upend it at the right time. Speaking with Film Comment back in 1994, he talked about how he didn't need to hide Mr. Orange from the movie in order to make that moment work:

"One of the things about 'Reservoir Dogs' that really came off was how after a certain point you just forgot Orange was in the room. You can see him, he's there, but his presence becomes this lump. It wasn't like we even cheated by framing him out constantly so you get the illusion of being alone — Blonde actually goes over to him and still, he doesn't make the impression. So when Orange shoots him it's a real jolt."

Not only does Mr. Orange need to leave your mind for that scene, but he also needs to leave your mind because he's the undercover cop that has caused everything to go sideways. He isn't taking part in the arguments about who the rat is and considering his wound, you immediately dismiss the idea that it's him. Ultimately, Mr. Orange is the backbone of "Reservoir Dogs," and it's rather impressive he can be that when he's out of commission for about half the movie. It seems simple, but that's just because Tarantino executes it so well."

Read More: ↪ https://www.slashfilm.com .. eservoir-dogs/

+25   

Tarantino also told you who the rat was from the beginning

Joe "who didn't put in?"

Rat "Mr pink"

Joe "what, why not?"

Rat "he don't believe in it

Joe "what u mean he don't believe in it?"

Rat "he.." Joe "shut up!"

+52   

That was just genius writing.

+35   

Instead of sounding flabby n sick by sayin they dont make em like this any more, what r some of todays films that are of the same caliber? Genuinely aksin

+11   

+26   

and dont forgot the unnecessary racism thats seems to make its way into almost all of his films...

+43   

All the movies he ripped off, probably lol

-2   

reddit, rotten tomatoes twitter would tell u these are
“MEGAN” 96% cert fresh
“Puss in Boots: the last wish” 98% cert fresh
“Pamela: a love story” 100%!! ( a documentary with pam anderson sitting in a chair talking about who she fu#ked and why she got married 8 times for 2 hours)

we will never get movies of this caliber again and the “people” don’t give a sh1t because trash keeps getting good reviews or praise.

+21   

Watched "The Last Duel"... Quick to cut shows/movies off if the acting isn't right or the camera work is sh1tty... Was a fan of the slightly different POV angles


Put one in the air for Jodie

Rello Up

-1   

TLDR... cliffs?

Or is this just to spur random convos on reservoir dogs?

Baby boy
Parasite
Tenet
Ambulance

-3   

A sci fi movie with a shoestring budget called Coherence, came out a damn decade ago but I just found out about it like last year. If you're already up on it...then I dunno.

+6   

Drive is a masterpiece of cinematography, every scene was perfectly lit

+3   

Better Call Saul.. Its a series.. But it's literally arguably the best show ever made. They took Breaking Bad and went into a whole different level..


As Jimmy McGill turns from a light hearted petty swindler to a cartel lawyer.. The show gradual changes genres from a legal drama to a criminal underworld thriller.

Will prolly never be done again

+13   

I need to finish this series.

+2   

I didn't forget he was there, but i look for sh1t like that. Only thing i remember about tarantino films is that i would really like them more if it wasn't so much racism in it. I think i like hateful 8 and jackie brown the most of his movies.

By the end it's literally more Breaking Bad than Better Call Saul..

A complete masterpiece

+5   

Most of his films that contain racism I truly feel it flows perfectly in the script.... Like a lot of people had a problem with "Dead ****** storage" from Pulp fiction. But I understood the sentiment and the comedic value being conveyed. resovior dogs was just nonsensical and hatful imo. I have no idea why people even like that mover so much. I mean it had a few scenes but overall the movie was unwatchable to me. Maybe it's something only hateful/ racist people find value in. Idk.

how so....im lost

+2   

Because he was so quick to rat Mr. Pink out on the tip, nobody else said sh1t first.

+15   

Tenet sound pissed me off, and the whole robbery part in ambulance pissed me off lol.

allot of people hate on hateful 8 but I enjoyed it I thought kurt Russell was awesome in that movie

+6   

The whole s my d cause you racist part of hateful 8 turned me off. I agree with you. I like Stephen Kings books but they always had this shoe horned racism in them. Was like a writer's turrets.

+2   

And close ups of womens feet

Man, some of those shots in the final season were crazy.

+3