‘INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS’ IS GLORIOUS

Waltz accepts the award for Best Actor at the Cannes Film Festival for his role as The Jew Hunter (MCT Campus).

by Adam Conder

Quentin Tarantino has finally matched his classic, “Pulp Fiction,” with the fabulous “Inglourious Basterds.” This will be the movie of the year. If the Oscars have any worth or sense, this movie will have quite the positive DVD cover: “Tarantino’s newest has swept the Oscars.”

The acting is phenomenal. It stars Brad Pitt (“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”) as an uneducated, Nazi-killing hick from Tennessee named Lt. Aldo Raine. Pitt provides the comedy relief and he is hilarious, but he isn’t the man of the hour. That honor goes to the relatively unknown Christoph Waltz (“Das Gehemnis in Wald”). Waltz brings depth, humor and suspense to Nazi colonel Hans Landa, who has been affectionately nicknamed the Jew Hunter.

It is generally agreed upon that Tarantino has made some great movies: “Pulp Fiction,” “Reservoir Dogs,” “Jackie Brown.” Unfortunately, he also has  made some forgettable fluff: “Kill Bill,” “Deathproof.” Where does “Inglourious Basterds” go on Tarantino’s scale? The answer is on the top. It tops all of his past work and then some. After 10 years of mediocrity, Tarantino is back.

In “Inglourious Bastereds,” Tarantino has grown as a director in a metamorphosis similar to that of the Coen Brothers with “No Country for Old Men.” The dialogue in the film is drastically different than all of his other work. Surely it would have felt forced to have two soldiers discuss foot rubs in the middle of combat. No, Pitt’s speech about scalping Nazis fits perfectly. Not to worry, Tarantino buffs. His vibes are still present, but they’re more subtle. The dialogue is still clever as ever. Even Samuel Jackson makes an appearance as the film’s narrator.

Nothing felt forced about the film, though a number of things could have if not handled correctly. Everything flowed naturally. Tarantino is back and might have the best picture of the year here. Oscars, take note.