Above all else, director Quentin Tarantino has a talent for creating some of the most memorable film characters of all time. Ever since his debut with “Reservoir Dogs,” he’s shown that he can take much of his favorite influences and transform them in to appealing and charismatic characters with great back stories that you can quote until the cows come home. Whether you think of him as a hack or a true artist, Quentin Tarantino is one of the rare filmmakers who can build his characters as pastiches of his favorite pop culture influences and still be able to come out fresh as a daisy. While most of his characters are all derived from some source, Tarantino’s charismatic writing, sharp one-liners, and flashy personalities for each persona grants even the weakest character in the Tarantinoverse some sense of staying power in the collective memories of fans and movie viewers alike. Whether it’s the Bear Jew, Vinnie Vega, or English Bob, you know when it’s a Tarantino character. And you love them, even when you hate them.
In celebration of Tarantino’s newest, and very explosive film entitled “Django Unchained,” we present our Top 10 Tarantino Characters of all time. So far.
“You must have big rats if you need Hattori Hanzo’s steel.”
10. Hattori Hanzo
As Seen In: Kill Bill Vol. 1
Hattori Hanzo is one in a line of deadly warriors in “Kill Bill” who is attempting to escape his life of crime, bloodshed, and murder, and present some semblance of normalcy and monotony. And like everyone in the “Kill Bill” series, he may never be able to escape his past. Hattori Hanzo is a man of simplicity who masters the art of sushi, and argues with his assistant on who runs his restaurant.
Deep down he’s a gifted and hallowed crafstman of the edged weapon, and when he meets the Bride in his restaurant, he finds that he can do nothing but own up to his past and atone for his sins. He made a sword for Bill Gunn, Bill Gunn used that sword to kill The Bride. The Bride lived. The Bride wants revenge. Now Hattori must reverse karma by giving the Bride his own personally crafted sword to strike down Bill. You just can’t escape your past, no matter how hard you try. It always comes bubbling up to the surface.
“You call that begging? You can beg better than that!”
9. GoGo Yubari
As Seen In: Kill Bill Vol. 1
Gogo is pretty much the Hitler Youth, except instead of worshipping Hitler, she worships O-Ren Ishii, a woman who likely pulled her out of the slums, gave her a job to whet her sociopathic appetite for blood and gore, and possibly took the role as her lover. Gogo is a merciless and ruthless little demon who will do anything to please O-Ren, and in spite of her small appearance and seductive demeanor, she’s a pure psychopath who gets off on making people suffer.
Though she only appears for a segment of “Volume 1” to take on The Bride, she’s a vicious and complex psychopath who has no urge but to inflict pain, and gets her due when she goes up against a superior warrior. You have to love the phallic symbols she cerries, from her short blade, to her spiked mace.
“The amount of venom that can be delivered from a single bite can be gargantuan. You know, I’ve always liked that word… “gargantuan”… so rarely have an opportunity to use it in a sentence.”
8. Elle Driver
As Seen In: Kill Bill Vol.1 & 2
She’s the black sheep, the unloved–albeit sexy–bastard child who struggled to compete with Beatrix Kiddo to be Bill’s number one blonde momma and could never quite match up with her as a warrior. Elle Driver is very much the bizarro Kiddo. Only one eye, slick, slimy, a snake, and someone who thrives on stabbing people in the back to get whatever she wants. She offs Budd for killing Beatrix first, and she even kills off Pai Mei for taking her eye and being a general nuisance to her.
Elle has none of the honor and patience of a warrior, but she will do whatever it takes to ensure that she’s respected as one. One of the few villains in the Tarantino verse unworthy of an honorable death, she’s left stranded in the desert with both eyes gone, and a black mamba on the loose. It’s an apt fate for a lowly worm like Driver.
“I’ll be your slave. I’ll do anything you want… I’ll even crack your back.”
7. Zoe Bell
As Seen In: Death Proof
My initial reaction to clips of Zoe playing ships mast on television was “Who the hell is that, and how can I possibly see more of her?” Zoe Bell has been around for a long time, and she’s so beloved, Tarantino turns her in to a character of her very own. Zoe doesn’t have to be anyone else but Zoe, because Zoe Bell is a fucking rock star, and that’s all there is to it.
She’s Zoe Bell, accept no substitutes. Zoe is Zoe the stunt woman who has seen her fair share of action and decides to play ships mast on a classic Dodge Charger. Stuntman Mike stalks Zoe and her friends Kim and Abernathy on the road intent on slaughtering them. When Zoe survives the crash, the trio of women fight back and finish Mike in as classic a way as possible. Zoe’s form and physique is supernatural, and Ms. Bell is action movie royalty. Fuck you, “Death Proof” rocks.
“I’m Winston Wolfe. I solve problems.”
6. Winston Wolfe
As Seen In: Pulp Fiction
Winston “The Wolf” Wolfe hasn’t even entered Jimmie’s house to survey the damage Vincent has inflicted with his accidental shooting, and he’s already laid out the floor plan for what he’s going to accomplish. He walks in with as many funny one-liners and deadpan delivery as possible, and never breaks a sweat in his tweed suit and bow tie.
Drinking coffee, he comes up with the plan of covering the damage, pays off the necessary people, calls in the connections, and gets the job done as quickly as possible. In spite of Vincent Vega’s insistence on being defiant at his kurt nature. Even when the job has been finished, Winston never brags or celebrates. Not until he’s completely stepped out of the job and is on his way home. “The Wolf” gets the job done. No questions asked. That’s why he’s “The Wolf.”
“Do you find me sadistic? You know, Kiddo, I’d like to believe that you’re aware enough even now to know that there’s nothing sadistic in my actions. At this moment, this is me at my most masochistic.”
5. Bill Gunn
As Seen In: Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2
Bill Gunn appreciates the art of the assassination, the thrill of the kill, the poetic faculties behind revealing to the love of his life that the child she thought died was actually alive the whole time, and growing in to a sadistic monster just like him. He appreciates the patience and art of killing and murdering. He’s a poet. He’s a warrior. He has honor and he’s a truly monstrous gangster who loves to draw out the misery before finally ending the life of his victim.
Which is why when he shows up to Kiddo’s wedding in the desert, he lulls her in to a false sense of security and gets to know every one of his victims, before calling in his squad to massacre every single person. It’s why he has the squad beat a pregnant woman like a game before planting a bullet in to her skull. It’s why he didn’t allow Elle Driver to eliminate the bride in her comatose state. Sometimes death is a sweet release, and Bill doesn’t want to offer that luxury to some people. Bill is a force to be reckoned with. He’s a charmer to fear. He’s the man.
“Listen kid, I’m not gonna bullshit you, all right? I don’t give a good fuck what you know, or don’t know, but I’m gonna torture you anyway, regardless.”
4. Mr. Blonde aka Vic Vega
As Seen In: Reservoir Dogs
Whether or not Mr. Blonde was actually faithful to Nice Guy Eddie was debatable. He refused to go against protocol and take Mr. Brown to the hospital, and he refused to share names. He paid his dues and was destined to be repaid big by Nice Guy Eddie for his job of robbing the jewelry store. In the end, we never know what could have escalated with Vic Vega and his associates.
Mr. Blonde is a charismatic and no nonsense criminal who takes whatever measures he has to, and executes victims easily, for the sake of keeping his own skin in tact, and getting the job finished. Whether or not that makes him a psychopath or sociopath remains to be seen, but you have to appreciate the man’s swagger and sheer balls when under the gun. As for torturing the cop? That’s just Mr. Blonde having a good time.
“I’m gonna give you a little somethin’ you can’t take off. “
3. Lt. Aldo Raine
As Seen In: Inglourious Basterds
He’s unusual, he’s eccentric, he has a great sense of humor, and he’s a bit of a goof. He’s not entirely a covert master, and he’s not very subtle when wielding his Bowie knife in hand. But one thing is certain is that while he can be humorous, he’s dead serious about hunting Nazi bastards and making them pay for their atrocities. Bringing together eight Jewish American soldiers known as the Basterds, Aldo Raine–The direct descendent of Jim Bridger–spans the world hunting Nazi war criminals, and collecting their scalps in the tradition of the great Native American warriors.
Those Nazi scum lucky enough to leave with their scalps in tact, are able to survive. But so they won’t shed their Nazi fatigues and blend in as a snake sheds its skin, Aldo Raine embeds in their foreheads a symbol that will forever signify what they are, and who they were. Raine is a warrior, and not one to be fucked with.
“I’m the horniest motherfucker on the road!”
2. Kim
As Seen In: Death Proof
Kim is the kind of woman I’d chase after for months for just one date. I’d definitely see her as the den mother of a big family, and as the part of the four Hollywood babes in the second segment of “Death Proof,” she’s the definite alpha dog who monopolizes conversations, runs the show, and even tames the devilishly sexy Zoe for the duration of the picture. Not to mention, the woman can drive like nobody’s business.
Stuntman Mike is royally fucked the minute he decided to mess with Kim and her girlfriends, and she shows him how much of a force she is to be reckoned with. The moment Mike is dominated by the feminine force of strength, courage, and more balls than he’s ever had in his life, he pleads for mercy. And Kim shows no quarter. She’s Foxxy Brown, Cleopatra Jones, and Coffy rolled in to one. Someone make a movie about her already! Or at least give her my number!
“I thought you said you were gonna be cool. Now when you yell at me, it makes me nervous. And when I get nervous, I get scared. And when motherfuckers get scared, that’s when motherfuckers accidentally get shot.”
1. Jules Winfield
As Seen In: Pulp Fiction
“Pulp Fiction” is Jules’ movie. Jules Winfield is a monster of a bad ass who saunters in to a room and dominates it before even speaking a word of English to anyone. Jules and Vincent have roles to play. Vincent is the silent thug who waits in the wings and executes associates, while Jules plays up the reputation of Marcellus Wallace like a ring master at a circus. It’s a performance.
He’s loud, he’s intimidating, he has a shtick, and he’ll blast you to kingdom come if you don’t play along with what he serves you in the form of questions and answers. Jules takes the miraculous survival of the gun attack at Brad’s apartment as a sign to quit, and wisely bows out of the crime game, walking the Earth looking for a purpose. If you see the way Vincent is offed, it’s a good thing he did. If you subscribe to the theory that Jules is the piano player in “Kill Bill Vol. 2,” then it’s a lesson that if you live by the sword, you’ll eventually die by the sword.