Mr. Crimson

Tarantino screens documentary about life’s work in Jerusalem

Legendary director and Israeli wife visit Jerusalem Cinematheque for first theater viewing of film exploring his first eight movies

Jessica Steinberg, The Times of Israel's culture and lifestyles editor, covers the Sabra scene from south to north and back to the center

Acclaimed director Quentin Tarantino at the Jerusalem Cinematheque on December 14, 2019, to screen the documentary 'QT8: The First Eight' by Tara Woods (Courtesy Shaul Weinstein)
Acclaimed director Quentin Tarantino at the Jerusalem Cinematheque on December 14, 2019, to screen the documentary 'QT8: The First Eight' by Tara Woods (Courtesy Shaul Weinstein)

Quentin Tarantino greeted a full house at the Jerusalem Cinematheque with an enthusiastic “Shalom” and “Ma Nishma” (how are you?) at the Saturday night screening of “QT8: The First Eight,” a documentary about the first 21 years of the legendary film director’s career.

Tarantino, along with his Israeli wife, Daniella Pik, were present for the screening, which he said was his first time seeing it in “a theater situation” with an audience.

Cinematheque director Noa Regev presented Tarantino with a Hebrew poster for “Reservoir Dogs,” his 1992 film, which he said he would hang in their Tel Aviv home.

The 2019 documentary by Tara Woods examines the first eight of Tarantino’s vastly differing films; Tarantino, now 56, has said that he will make ten films in total over the course of his career.

Tarantino noted that Woods never interviewed him, instead showing clips of his films — in chronological order — and interviewing his “collaborators,” as he referred to them, the producers and actors who worked with him on the films.

“My face was crimson!” said Tarantino, referring to the accolades and compliments.

Those interview subjects include Bruce Dern, Robert Forster, Jamie Foxx, Samuel L. Jackson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Diane Kruger, Lucy Liu, Michael Madsen, Eli Roth, Tim Roth, Kurt Russell and Christoph Waltz, many of whom worked with Tarantino on multiple films.

The interviews and anecdotes give an insider’s view of Tarantino’s career, from “Reservoir Dogs,” his first feature-length film, to 2015’s “The Hateful Eight,” interspersed with clips and animated sequences.

Daniella Pik and her husband, Quentin Tarantino, at the Jerusalem Cinematheque on December 14, 2019 (Courtesy Shaul Weinstein)

There is a focus throughout on his strong female characters, on the copious amounts of blood found in most Tarantino films, and those unusual, and memorable, dance scenes.

The director’s long and productive relationship with disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein is also handled toward the end of the documentary. Tarantino is quoted in the documentary as saying that he was aware of Weinstein’s sexual abuses, and should have done more.

He has since separated from Weinstein and Miramax. His latest film, “Once Upon A Time in Hollywood” was produced by Sony Entertainment.

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