Today is March 27th, which means Quentin Tarantino is turning 55!
Tarantino has been described by film historian Peter Bogdanovich as the “single most influential director of his generation”; hard to debate, when surveying the director’s trophy cabinet. To date QT has won two Academy awards, two Golden Globes, two BAFTA awards, and a Palme d’Or award.
Tarantino’s style blends grindhouse, pop culture, blaxploitation, spaghetti western, and wuxia influences. While the end result has been criticized for glorifying violence, trivializing the past, and leaning on excessive profanity, none argue its originality. In other words, you know you’re watching a Tarantino film in the first 5 minutes, which cannot be said of more commercial Hollywood directors like James Cameron and Christopher Nolan.
The archetypal film buff, Quentin worked during his 20s at a video store in Manhattan Beach, CA, and would regularly wow customers with his encyclopedic knowledge of film history. Attentive viewers will be rewarded by frequent references to cult classics, and a bottomless basket of cinematic easter eggs.
Quentin Tarantino's Birthday - History
- 1963
A Star is Born
Tarantino is born in Knoxville, Tennessee to Connie McHugh and Tony Tarantino. Quentin was named after Burt Reynolds' iconic Gunsmoke character, Quint Asper, foreshadowing a lifelong interest in the western genre.
- 1992
Mr. Brown Gets His Shot
Tarantino's directorial debut, Reservoir Dogs, is screened at The Sundance Film Festival to immediate critical acclaim.
- 1994
A Star is Rewarded
Tarantino receives his first Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay after the release of black crime-caper film Pulp Fiction.
- 2009
QT Hits Number 1
Inglourious Basterds secures the number 1 spot at the box office, worldwide, securing $320 million on global revenue.
- 2015
A Star is Cemented
Tarantino receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, honoring his significant contributions to the entertainment industry.
Quentin Tarantino's Birthday Activities
Watch his films in order
Tarantino has always meant for his films to be considered as a single body of work. Diehard fans will recognize brand creations such as Red Apple Cigarettes, Tenku Brand Beer, and Big Kahuna Burger across multiple films. Although the exercise will certainly take you from dusk till dawn, there's nothing like watching the entirety of Tarantino's work in the order it was created.
Create a Tarantino playlist
Tarantino's soundtracks are nothing short of legendary, making use of original compositions — such as Ennio Morricone's 50 minute score for The Hateful Eight — alongside tracks pulled from 60s and 70s cult classics. Most works are available on Spotify, so why not mix and match your own Tarantino playlist... it might even get you a few followers.
Buy tickets for QT-Fest
The Quentin Tarantino Film Festival is held semi-annually in Austin, Texas, and always attended by the auteur himself. Tarantino personally selects a number of films from his personal collection, organized around a theme such as 80s horror or Italian crime.
