The clock started ticking back in 2009 when the legendary director Quentin Tarantino hinted at retirement when he reaches the age of 60. And well, the director is 60, and the time everybody feared is here. The words are out, his last film will be The Movie Critic, and after that, he is out for good. After three decades of working with cameras, Tarantino will be retiring from film-making. He himself is a fan of grand theatrical releases and has also given the world some of the best works on the silver screen, and now that the OTT platforms have taken over the world, he feels it’s time for him to retire.
He believes the essence of cinema is gone. The frenzy, the ardor, the collective experience of viewing it on a big screen, and going through the wild ride of emotions. Thus, in an interview with Deadline, Tarantino expressed he has failed to keep up with the times and took a subtle jibe at the actor Ryan Reynolds.
Why Quentin Tarantino does not understand motion pictures anymore
After giving the world some of the best theatrical releases such as Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, Django Unchained, and many more. Quentin Tarantino feels it’s time he retires. He believes he does not understand cinema anymore. The times have changed vastly, and so did the movie industry. OTT platforms have become the norm, giving people the chance to forgo going to the theater and instead stream it to watch in the convenience of their own homes. The director is a strong believer in cinematic releases and cannot fathom how little people keep it in consideration nowadays. While speaking to Deadline, he expressed,
“It’s just time. It’s just time to go out. I like the idea of going out on top. I like the idea of giving it my all for 30 years and then saying, ‘OK, that’s enough.’ And I don’t like working to diminishing returns. And I mean, now is a good time because I mean, what even is a motion picture anyway anymore? Is it just something that they show on Apple? That would be diminishing returns.”
He then talked about the longevity of a film, and how burning through them fast is making them forgettable with time. Films nowadays are failing to leave a lasting impression, according to the director, and he believes it is solely because of not being committed enough to grand theatrical releases. He further continued by stating,
“Well, I’ve always thought that. And they eventually get to television. I saw a lot of them that way.–they judge success by the movies entering the zeitgeist, not just making a big expensive movie and then putting it on your streaming platform. No one even knows it’s there.”
Thus, he feels his time for the big budget motion pictures are over, and all the audiences want now is to enjoy moves in the comfort of their own home.
Quentin Tarantino’s subtle jibe at Ryan Reynolds
Although Tarantino did not want to pick anyone apart, he used the Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds as an example to prove his point. As accessibility has increased, the interest has significantly decreased. In turn, the influx of choices has spoiled people and now it is hard to keep up with the ever-growing vast selection they have at the tip of their fingers all the time. At the same Deadline interview, he said,
“I mean, and I’m not picking on anybody, but apparently for Netflix, Ryan Reynolds has made $50 million on this movie and $50 million on that movie and $50 million on the next movie for them. I don’t know what any of those movies are. I’ve never seen them. Have you?—I haven’t ever talked to Ryan Reynolds’ agent, but his agent is like, ‘Well, it cost $50 million.’ Well, good for him that he’s making so much money. But those movies don’t exist in the zeitgeist. It’s almost like they don’t even exist.”
The director laments people are forgetting the true purpose of cinema, and how it can create a long-lasting impact on viewers. He says although entertaining while watching, in the end, it all just becomes a blob of content people forget after a few weeks. Although he admitted it was inevitable, he blamed the pandemic for hurrying the process. And as he is committed to theatrical releases, Tarantino thinks his time is up and is planning to retire after The Movie Critic which is set to release in 2024.
Source: Deadline
