At the peak of his fame with movies like Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, and Kill Bill under his belt, Quentin Tarantino took on a role that no one really expected from him. He appeared as a guest judge on American Idol Season 3 during the show’s Top 8 week. In this 2004 appearance, Tarantino gave even non-watchers of the show a reason to tune in.
The Django Unchained director was considered a relevant and cool judge to have on the show, delivering brutally honest criticisms to the contestants, unlike other guest judges. Tarantino’s musical expertise can never be doubted, as he is famously known for the inclusion of songs in his storytelling.
Quentin Tarantino Was A Great American Idol Judge And Here’s Why
Quentin Tarantino wanted to be a part of American Idol, mainly because he was a fan of the ‘nasty’ judge Simon Cowell. Tarantino was brought as a guest judge in 2004 during the most fitting movie-themed night. The Jackie Brown director was anything but boring, unlike most guest judges that the show had featured at the time. He had his moments channeling Cowell’s nastiness towards certain contestants.
While he offered words of appreciation to contestants like Jennifer Hudson and LaToya London, others, like the then-16-year-old Diana DeGarmo, faced his honestly hurtful comments. Despite being a filmmaker, Tarantino knew enough about pop music to be a compelling judge. Fans can name at least a dozen songs featured in his films that flow perfectly with his neo-noir filmmaking style.
In his 2003 film Kill Bill, there’s a harrowing scene where Uma Thurman’s character lies bleeding on the ground. The emotions of the scene, when Bill fires the gun, are conveyed by Nancy Sinatra’s haunting music, Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down). Fans also remember George Baker Selection’s Little Green Bag as the song to which gangsters in black suits walk in slow motion in Reservoir Dogs.
David Bowie’s music, Cat People (Putting Out Fire), for the erotic horror movie Cat People will bring memories of burning Nazis in Inglourious Basterds. Similarly, Stealers Wheel’s song parodying the music industry, Stuck in the Middle with You, turns nightmarish as the song of Michael Madsen’s psychopath in Reservoir Dogs.
Quentin Tarantino Later Returned As A Mentor On American Idol
After his judging stint in Season 3, Tarantino returned as a mentor for the Top 7 week in Season 8 in 2009. Upon his return to the show, Tarantino maintained his honestly critical demeanor as he enthusiastically gave advice to the contestants. While most of his suggestions fell on deaf ears or didn’t work in favor of the contestants, Tarantino still remained the most entertaining mentor to appear on the show.
Interestingly, Digital Spy reported a story from Tarantino’s first appearance on the show that most readers didn’t find surprising. When giving comments on LaToya London’s solid performance, Tarantino dropped the F-bomb on the show. Luckily, the normally broadcast live show was taped that day due to a presidential address. The director was asked to do a retake on his initial comment, “Power F-In House.”
In his last film, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, Quentin Tarantino used an infamous song written by Charles Manson.
