- Quentin Tarantino worked as an Elvis impersonator on The Golden Girls. In 1988, he appeared in a single episode of the popular sitcom. He played one of many Elvis impersonators at a wedding. Consequently, the residual checks from this small role helped him fund the production of Reservoir Dogs.
- He famously never went to film school. When people ask him about his education, he simply says, “I went to films.” He learned his craft while he worked as a clerk at Video Archives in Manhattan Beach. There, he watched thousands of movies and discussed them with customers all day long.
- He plans to retire after his tenth film. Tarantino has repeatedly stated that he wants a perfect filmography. He believes directors lose their touch as they age. Therefore, he intends to drop the microphone after his next movie to preserve his legacy as an artist.
- He writes all his scripts by hand. He refuses to use a computer or a typewriter during the creative process. Instead, he sits in his home with a red felt-tip pen and a yellow legal pad. He feels this ritual connects him more deeply to his characters.
- A thief stole his car during the filming of Pulp Fiction. The cherry red 1964 Chevelle Malibu that John Travolta drives actually belonged to Tarantino. Someone stole it from the set in 1994. Remarkably, police recovered the vehicle in Oakland seventeen years later in 2013.
- He owns the movie theater he visited as a child. In 2007, he bought the New Beverly Cinema in Los Angeles. He acts as the head programmer for the venue. Furthermore, he enforces a strict rule that the theater must project only 35mm film, never digital.
- Adam Sandler almost played the Bear Jew. Tarantino wrote the role of Donny Donowitz in Inglourious Basterds specifically for the comedian. However, Sandler had already committed to film Funny People. Thus, the role went to horror director Eli Roth instead.
- He invented a fake brand of cigarettes. Characters in his movies frequently smoke “Red Apple” cigarettes. He created this fictional brand to avoid product placement. Consequently, you can spot the yellow package in Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
- He strangled an actress himself to get the shot right. In Inglourious Basterds, the character Bridget von Hammersmark dies by strangulation. Tarantino did not trust the actor to do it safely or realistically. Therefore, he stepped into the frame and applied the pressure to Diane Kruger’s neck himself.
- His editor was his secret weapon. Sally Menke edited every single one of his films until she died in 2010. He often described her as his “only, truly, genuine co-writer.” She possessed the unique ability to tame his chaotic footage into a coherent story.
- Jamie Foxx rode his own horse in Django Unchained. The actor brought his horse, Cheetah, to the set. He convinced the director to let him use the animal in the film. Thus, the horse you see on screen actually belongs to Foxx in real life.
- A customer’s mistake inspired the title Reservoir Dogs. While he worked at the video store, a customer mispronounced the French film Au Revoir les Enfants. The customer called it “the reservoir movie.” Tarantino loved the sound of it and combined it with Straw Dogs to create the title.
- The wallet in Pulp Fiction belonged to Quentin Tarantino . The famous wallet that says “Bad Mother Fucker” was not a prop. It actually belonged to Tarantino’s personal collection. He gave it to Samuel L. Jackson to use in the diner scene because the original prop looked too cheap.
- Quentin Tarantino holds a specific record for the F-word. His films consistently rank high for profanity. Specifically, Pulp Fiction uses the word 265 times. However, Reservoir Dogs beats it with 269 uses. Finally, Django Unchained takes the crown with over 110 uses of a racial slur alone.
- Finally, he directed a scene in Sin City for one dollar. His friend Robert Rodriguez scored Kill Bill: Vol. 2 for a single dollar. To return the favor, Tarantino guest-directed the car sequence in Sin City. He accepted the same symbolic payment for his work.
