Quentin Tarantino has grown up and studied films his whole life. He has been an ardent admirer of filmmakers who came before him and the brilliant craftsmanship they showcase while making their films. Over the years he has cited several directors and films that have influenced him as a filmmaker and whom he admired tremendously.
One of them is the visionary director Steven Spielberg who has made films in every possible genre over the years and has the mastery to pull them off exquisitely. He has a long history and knowledge of the business and thus impressed Tarantino when he predicted the outcome of the 1995 Oscars during a trip together.
Steven Spielberg’s Accurate Oscar Predictions Impressed Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Tarantino made his debut as a filmmaker in 1992’s Reservoir Dogs. He rose to worldwide fame with his second film Pulp Fiction. It went on to become one of the greatest films of the 90s. The film and Tarantino were expected to win some major awards leading up to the Oscars. However, Steven Spielberg brought in his views on how the Oscars would go down as they went on a hunting trip.
As Tarantino tells Howard Stern (via YouTube), The two directors were out duck hunting before the nominations were announced. During the trip, Spielberg made predictions about who will win Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay. Spielberg told Tarantino that Robert Zemeckis would win the former two awards for Forrest Gump and he would win Best Original Screenplay. He said,
“I went duck hunting with him once. Spielberg prides himself on understanding the business, so he’s talking to me very pragmatically. So, we’re walking through a forest or something and I am following behind him. He’s like, ‘So, here’s what going to happen at the Oscars’ — and we haven’t even been nominated yet.
‘I think it’s going to be Bob who wins Best Picture. And I think it’s going to be Bob who wins Best Director — in fact, I’m pretty sure of it. But, I do think you’ll win Best Original Screenplay.’ And then he stopped and turned around and looked at me: ‘Second movie, little gold man — not too bad.’ And started walking again.”
Spielberg’s predictions shockingly came true and Tarantino was hugely impressed by the maverick director’s instinct and grasp over the aura around Hollywood. Tarantino has always shown huge respect and admiration for Spielberg throughout his career and this one anecdote proves the level of experience he has accumulated over the years.
Quentin Tarantino Calls Steven Spielberg’s Jaws the Greatest Movie Ever Made
Quentin Tarantino is not shy of praising directors and films that have impacted him throughout his filmmaking career. One of them is Steven Spielberg and he claims that his 1975 film Jaws is the greatest movie ever made.
In an appearance on the Reelblend Podcast, he stated that no better film of the time has aged so well than Jaws. He said,
“It’s the greatest movie ever made. And then there are other movies that can get in its rarefied air. But as far as a movie, there’s no making it better than Jaws. There’s no better than Jaws. It is the best movie ever made. And it shows how badly timed most movies made before ‘Jaws’ were.”
Tarantino is set to make his final feature film, The Movie Critic, which is expected to be released next year. Spielberg will direct the reboot of 1968’s Bullitt with Bradley Cooper. One can expect the two directors and their films to be in awards consideration next year.
