Quentin Tarantino: Mastermind of Music

Ben Broyd
5 min readJun 8, 2021

Quentin Tarantino is a hugely distinctive filmmaker. Tarantino films are regularly characterized by nonlinear storylines, dark humour, stylized violence, references to popular culture, and alternate history. However, he is perhaps most famously known for his ability to fuse nostalgic ’60s and ’70s funk, along with western music, and ensuring it complements the narrative of his films. Tarantino’s most famous films arguably are ‘Inglorious Bastards’, ‘Reservoir Dogs’, and ‘Pulp Fiction’, but, the Knoxville, Tennessee-born director’s long-spanning successful career has seen him attain seven Academy Awards, 8 Golden Globes, and 1 Palme d’Or through his various filmography. He is a true master of his craft.

But anyway, back to the music. Tarantino is a filmmaker with many moments of his filmography brought to life by his choice of music. When creating a film, the music is the first thing that Tarantino starts off with. The film mastermind believes that the introductory score that the audience hears is not only essential in creating a strong first impression but also sets the tone for the rest of the film. Tarantino explains:

“More or less the way my method works is you have got to find the opening sequence first. That starts it off for me. I find the personality of the…

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Ben Broyd

I write about music, amongst other things. Hope you enjoy.