Film is a demanding medium where artistic visions will always collide. However, hostility toward a particularly contentious film can often take on a life of its own. A great example of this is the serious distaste that renowned filmmaker Quentin Tarantino feels for the 1994 crime film Natural Born Killers, for which he wrote the script.
Tarantino is regarded as one of the most prestigious directors in the business, largely because of his distinct storytelling approach and the kind of stories he tells. However, despite having written numerous screenplays, he has one film that he finds completely objectionable: Natural Born Killers.
With good reason, this Oliver Stone-directed film is among the most contentiously discussed movies ever made. Though Tarantino wrote the story, he has long expressed his negative opinions about the Robert Downey Jr.-starred film, which was heavily revised by the Midnight Express writer.
Oliver Stone: Natural Born Killers Was Ruined By Quentin Tarantino
Natural Born Killers, according to Oliver Stone, was an attempt to undertake a radical reconceptualization of the road movie genre by trying to examine the story through the prism of contemporary media organizations. When the satirical gem was first released, critics wrote it off as a failed project, but in the years since, fans have praised it.
The 1994 film was a critical failure, and Stone blamed Quentin Tarantino for much of it, according to an interview with MovieMaker magazine. Though he is credited with coming up with the story’s idea, Tarantino attempted to publish his original screenplay even after giving up all publishing rights.
Speaking about the film’s reception, Stone attributed Tarantino’s role:
“All over the world — everywhere we went — we were hurt by the critics with him saying we had rewritten the script. He hadn’t even seen the movie, but he was commenting on me, saying stuff about my films. It was just outrageous.”
However, Stone’s editing of Tarantino’s screenplay turned it into a highly stylized satire that greatly exceeded the director’s initial intentions for the movie. Therefore, the film was ranked as the eighth most controversial film ever made in 2006 by Entertainment Weekly, despite its graphic content and propensity to inspire ‘copycat’ crimes.
Quentin Tarantino Hates This Robert Downey Jr. Film (Despite Writing The Story)
The Independent reported that the producers of Robert Downey Jr.’s 1994 film filed a lawsuit against Quentin Tarantino after the latter tried to publish his original screenplay for Natural Born Killers as a paperback book. They claimed that the Pulp Fiction director had forfeited the publishing rights when he sold them the script.
Tarantino subsequently denied having anything to do with the movie, telling The Telegraph about his hatred for it:
“I hated that f**king movie. If you like my stuff, don’t watch that movie.”
According to Screen Rant, after being permitted to publish his script, Tarantino eventually developed a strong distaste for the film. His primary worry was that the public would associate him with work he did not contribute to.
Although it may stem from a feeling of creative betrayal, Tarantino’s contempt for Natural Born Killers has grown to be an essential aspect of his career as a director. Viewers are still divided by the controversial reputation of the film. Regardless of your feelings toward Natural Born Killers, Tarantino’s dedication to realizing his artistic vision has been a pillar of his storied career.
Despite having a $34 million production budget, it made $110 million at the box office and garnered mixed reviews. The film was deemed excessively violent and graphic by some critics, while others appreciated the plot, acting, comedy, and blend of action and romance.
Natural Born Killers is available to rent on Apple TV.
