Not everything in RESERVOIR DOGS is quite so black and white
RESERVOIR DOGS (Quentin Tarantino, 1992)
Film Forum
209 West Houston St.
Friday, October 8, 1:30, 5:20, 9:20
Series runs through October 21
212-727-8110
www.filmforum.org
Why does Steve Buscemi have to be Mr. Pink? Because Quentin Tarantino said so. Tarantino burst onto the indie film scene with the ultraviolent genre picture RESERVOIR DOGS, about a robbery gone horribly wrong. You know there’s a problem if Mr. White (Harvey Keitel) has to be called in to clean up the mess made by Mr. Blonde (Michael Madsen), Mr. Blue (Eddie Bunker), Mr. Brown (Tarantino), Mr. Orange (Tim Roth), and, of course, Mr. Pink. Double crosses, Madonna discussions, and an ear slicing set to the Stealers Wheel song “Stuck in the Middle With You” make things go from funny to frightening in hysterical blasts of bloody irony. RESERVOIR DOGS sent Tarantino on his way, to be followed by his great script for TRUE ROMANCE (1993) and his blockbuster PULP FICTION (1994). RESERVOIR DOGS is being screened October 8 in a double feature with KANSAS CITY CONFIDENTIAL (Phil Karlson, 1952) as part of the outstanding series “The Heist,” playing at Film Forum through October 21.