By now it’s become common knowledge by all forms of movie buffs that Quentin Tarantino has a big fetish for feet. The man loves feet, especially women’s feet. Not only does he seem apparently aroused by them, but he also seems to use the feet as a means of conveying emotion and some kind of free style toward the audience. In a way we do learn a lot about his characters through the feet, and he’s not shy about putting them front and center.
In honor of the upcoming “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” these are five Feetastic Moments in Tarantino Cinema. What are your personal favorites?
5. The Bride Says “Fuck U” to the Audience
“Kill Bill Vol. 1” is my favorite Tarantino movie, it’s a wild, raucous, silly, fun, exciting bit of Chopsocky Cinema and Tarantino has a good time with all of his tropes. Along with cool cars (The Pussywagon), a long scene involving feet, and fetishizing Uma Thurman, Tarantino also includes another fun gag with feet. As the Bride approaches the Crazy 88 in the final battle, on the bottom of her sneakers you can see the words “Fuck U” plain as day. It’s a wonderful gag featuring Tarantino’s apparent favorite swear.
4. Vinnie and Mia Enter a Dance Contest
Its obvious Tarantino has a huge love for female feet, while not displaying much concern for men’s feet. There are many feet-centric moments in “Pulp Fiction,” including a discussion about foot massages, but none is more obvious than the big twist contest. When Mia forces Vinnie to engage in a twist contest, Mia seductively takes off her shoes revealing her bare feet, while Vinnie takes his shoes off showing feet covered in socks. This is one of many subtle moments where Mia is seducing Vinnie with her wiles, including her very well groomed feet.
3. The Bride Wiggles Her Big Toe
Furthering the idea that Tarantino loves feet, especially Uma Thurman’s, “Kill Bill Vol. 1” revolves around a very crucial moment. After The Bride awakens from her coma, she wheels herself in to hospital parking lot and using mind over matter, teaches herself how to walk again. First she has to conquer her biggest foe: Her Big Toe. After spending hours commanding her big toe to move, she accomplishes the task, and spends a long duration of time focusing on moving her other feet. By the end of the montage she wobbles in to the front seat of the “Pussy Wagon” and drives off.
2. Jungle Julia’s Introduction
Even in the script for “Death Proof,” Tarantino places immense focus on the feet and the feet of the gloriously sexy Jungle Julia. Sydney Tamiia Portier is one of the sexiest women to ever grace the screen in a Tarantino film, and the good director knows it. He spends a great amount of time flaunting her slender curves and subtle but dangerous beauty, as well as her nearly flawless long legs and feet. When she rides in the car with her gang she spends the whole time lying on the back with her feet hanging out the window, and Tarantino takes great fondness for her piggies until she suffers a horrible fate by Stuntman Mike.
1. Stuntman Mike Fondles Abernathy
If there’s any scene that encapsulates Tarantino’s obsession with feet, it’s his view of villain Stuntman Mike fondling feet in the Extended Version of “Death Proof.” When his second group of victims stops off at a gas station, young Abernathy is asleep in the car with her feet sticking out the window. Oblivious to Stuntman Mike, he sneaks around and begins tickling her feet, and gives it a hungry lick before disappearing. Abernathy awakens completely unaware she’d just been molested by one sick maniac due for a major ass kicking. The scene is pretty long and drawn out, and it becomes pretty obvious Mike is something of an extension of Tarantino in his love for the female foot.