Quentin Tarantino: Lone Ranger ‘left a bitter taste in my mouth, I simply found it ugly’

Quentin Tarantino

These are photos of Quentin Tarantino on Monday evening’s Huading awards in China. QT was named Best Global Director, and he was absolutely thrilled with his award: “I’ve been a fan of Asian cinema my whole life growing up. I did my movie Kill Bill as a complete tribute to my love for it and so to come here amongst the Chinese film industry, get this from the Chinese fans is a dream come true.” Quentin love to talk, right? The man has an amazing energy, and I’ve love to have dinner with him sometime to pick his brain. Call me, QT.

One thing I’ve always said about Quentin is that he makes great movies, but he has horrifically awful taste in everyone else’s movies. His yearly top 10 list always gets a lot of attention, and this year’s list is no exception. One surprise appearance is The Lone Ranger. Of course he has some bad stuff to say about the movie too:

Quentin Tarantino

“The first forty-five minutes are excellent,” Tarantino stated about The Lone Ranger before conceding, “…the next forty-five minutes are a little soporific. It was a bad idea to split the bad guys in two groups; it takes hours to explain and nobody cares. Then comes the train scene–incredible! When I saw it, I kept thinking, ‘What, that’s the film that everybody says is crap? Seriously?’ ” So far, so good, but then the helmer gets into what didn’t work for him.

“That being said, I still have a little problem with the film. I like Tonto’s backstory–the idea that his tribe got slaughtered because of him; that’s a real comic-book thing. But the slaughter of the tribe, by gunfire, from the cavalry, it left a bitter taste in my mouth,” he said, continuing: “The Indians have really been victims of a genocide. So slaughtering them again in an entertaining movie, Buster Keaton style… That ruined the fun a bit for me. I simply found it…ugly.”

“Making fun of this, when America really did it, it bothered me…That doesn’t stop it from being a good film but they could have done without that,” he added.

When the interviewer points out that Django Unchained had its fair share of gruesome depictions of slavery, Tarantino offers up a slight defense. “I didn’t make Lone Ranger…that’s two different things. I did an examination of America. I tried to juggle with different things and, frankly, I think I did it better than them,” he said. “I don’t know, let’s just say that it was ugly. And violent. And boring. And it happens right in the middle of the film’s bad part, anyway. [laughs]”

As for the other films on his list? He says Frances Ha reminded him of a Paul Mazursky film, notes that This Is The End is nothing less than “the funniest film of the year, by far” and that The Conjuring is the first movie he’s liked by James Wan. And for Kick-Ass 2, he says Jeff Wadlow “wrote and directed it with a real auteur approach.” And it should be noted that in Les Inrockuptibles, Gravity isn’t listed in his top ten, but Fruitvale Station is slotted instead.

And that’s not all.

Tarantino was also asked for his thoughts on Ben Affleck playing Batman in the Man of Steel sequel. “I have to admit that I don’t really have an opinion,” he said. “Why? Because Batman is not a very interesting character. For any actor. There is simply not much to play. I think Michael Keaton did it the best, and I wish good luck to Ben Affleck. But, you know who would have made a great Batman? Alec Baldwin in the ’80s.”

[From Indie Wire]

I tend to agree with him on the Batman issue. Nothing against Ben Affleck, but damn, I just don’t give a rat’s ass about the Batman/Bruce Wayne dichotomy at all. I have never understood the massive fandom surrounding the comics and movies. When Affleck was announced as Batman and everyone had an opinion, I was all like, “So what? Take it down a notch, internet.”

Here are some pictures of QT last month at the LA premiere of The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones. He probably liked that movie too. Notice the lady on his arm is not Lianne Spiderbaby, the hot blonde who was his date for the Oscars. I guess he was turned off by all her plagiarism. Interesting.

Quentin Tarantino

Quentin Tarantino

Photos courtesty of Fame/Flynet & WENN

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30 Responses to “Quentin Tarantino: Lone Ranger ‘left a bitter taste in my mouth, I simply found it ugly’”

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  1. someone says:

    Guys this has nothing to do with his article but I recently watched him on the Graham Norton Show with James mcavoy(droooolll) and I couldnt help but wonder if he was gay? QT I mean..I only ask cause I noticed he’s dated only women but idk I got a different vibe.

    • pretty says:

      i know. he talks like how typical faminine gay guys would talk…? but maybe he doesn’t give a sit about it and just talks the way he wants to talk.. i find him so funny, entertaining for some reason.

    • mia girl says:

      @someone – you are my favorite person today!

      I had not seen that episode with The Mac (I’m not sure how I missed it), so I just watched it. James McAvoy is the dong-love of my life, and man does he look fine. So charming, so hot…I will not be able to concentrate on anything for the rest of the day…sigh.

      I don’t really have an opinion about Taratinos’ sexuality but all the couch banter about “pineapple effect” was very funny.

    • V4Real says:

      @someone Everybody is gay when they visit Graham Norton’s Show. Graham just has a way of bringing the gay out of every guest. 🙂

      I don’t think QT is gay that’s just the way he talks. Let’s not forget there are gay men that act and look masculine. Wentworth Miller and Sir Ian Mckellan are gay but they act and speak masculine.

    • Jane says:

      Oh brother. He’s not, he just is very exuberant, slightly conceited, and talks kind of funny. That’s it. Don’t worry about it. He’s a brilliant weirdo, but he’s not gay because trust me, you would know. He doesn’t hide things.

    • MrsBPitt says:

      I’m pretty sure QT isn’t gay, cause, isn’t he pretty much, you know, a known pig! I do love his movies, though!

  2. pretty says:

    I like him. He is straight forward and energetic! His Oscar speech for Django Unchained is so fun to watch. He doesn’t try to appear humble or moved. He just says it like it is. haha

  3. Adrien says:

    Long Ranger wasn’t that bad, it was just 30 minutes too long.

  4. gloaming says:

    I’m glad he dumped Spiderbaby. I mean he had to after what she did. He must have lost any respect he had for her after her plagiarism was revealed.

  5. bns says:

    I love his movies. He’s an asshole, but a brilliant director.

    • Nono says:

      Why do you think he’s an asshole?

    • Kim says:

      Im glad the interviewer called him out because Django had Buster Keaton killing and that isnt how it really went down. But his response is pretty funny that he says well I didnt make The Lone Ranger.

  6. Sixer says:

    I don’t always share his taste but I love his films (except Kill Bill because I don’t share his taste!) and I love to hear him talk. All that fizz and energy and strong opinion. That’s the way to ramble on!

  7. TQB says:

    Yes, I agree that Batman is kind of over. It’s just been done to death at this point.

    However, 80s Baldwin would have been spectacular. I don’t know if that’s been mentioned before but know that it’s in my head it won’t get out.

  8. MonicaQ says:

    Batman is the only thing keeping DC alive at this point. I think Batman is an interesting character if you step away from the “bat-a-rang-repelling-down-building-bad-ass-car” thing. He loses everything, has to become a new person and then Batman. And who is Bruce Wayne? Is he the persona he’s constructed, presented to Gotham as the rich, well to do orphan? The no-nonsense “WHERE IS SHEEE?!?!??!” caped crusader? Or the scared little kid still sitting in the alley surrounded by the bodies of his parents? There’s a tortured man there and can be played really well and really interestingly if people tried.

    Annnnd that had nothing to do with this post. Whoops 😡

    • I Choose Me says:

      A+ to everything you said. Batman is and will always be my favourite comic book hero. There’s one aspect of Batman that I’ve yet to see on the big screen; his keen deductive mind. There needs to less focus on the angst and more focus on the badassery – and I don’t mean the bat mobile or the toys or the action/fight scenes. Batman is a brilliant detective who’s usually always one step ahead of the bad guys. Check out the animated Batman in Justice League vs the various Batman incarnations on the big screen. They need to hire those writers, I think.

  9. Happyhat says:

    I like those pictures of him and his girlfriend, because I imagine if I were to become famous that’s how all my paparazzi photos would look like. Me eternally walking around with my mouth open.

    • Lindy79 says:

      haha or mid sneeze/blink, chewing food, pulling your pants out of your bum after a long plane trip..and dont even get me started on being papped while making drunkface.

  10. *Laowai* says:

    Eh, Batman is an interesting character, but one that has been made in film to the point where I want to gag when another Batman flick comes out. Seriously…how many Batman movies are there by this point?

  11. Yep says:

    I actually like Batman and even I was thinking, “Take it down a notch, internet.”

    I feel like Nolan had an interesting take on the character until the second movie. Don’t get me wrong, Heath Ledger was great but I didn’t like the movie as a whole.

  12. cs says:

    Finally! Someone else that thinks Michael Keaton was the best Batman.

  13. Maureen says:

    Yuck.

  14. Dommy Dearest says:

    To each their own with the comics and the characters. I personally love the comics, got started on it with my dad when I was five and it’s a way to remember him due to him passing years ago. I personally have no effs to give about Hunnam for Shades or who plays the Dr Who or Bond movies because I never got into them nor care too much. I’m not for Batffleck, would have preferred a more unknown like Jensen Ackles to play him.

    LOVED Tarantino’s Asian style wild west movie though! “Sukiyaki Western Django” is the name and I highly suggest giving it a look! This Is The End was only as funny as it could be with Danny McBride. Everyone else was funny but Danny is and always be my favorite out of that group.

    And Batman is an interesting character so long as they don’t constantly do an origin movie every time he makes an appearance. His fights with his Rogue Gallery alone is awesome.

  15. Emily C. says:

    Well, I hate Tarantino’s movies, but at least he’s doing it on purpose and he doesn’t get PG-13 ratings. That’s what still boggles me the most about The Lone Ranger: PG-13 for a movie in which a man cuts out the heart of a man while he’s still alive and eats it, onscreen. Who did Disney bribe for that? Can they do it with a movie that deserves it next time? Like, an honest and funny exploration of sexuality or something?

  16. Amy says:

    Is it just me or is Quentin Tarantino one of the most awkward looking human beings ever?

  17. GByeGirl says:

    As QT ages, he looks more and more like Bob Hope!

  18. mslewis says:

    That man must watch A LOT of movies!!! He has an opinion on all of them. And he seems to pay attention when watching them. I like some of QT’s movies, not all of them. He seems to love violence. I liked “Django” but I had to cover my eyes a few times.