Quentin Tarantino Movies as compared to the 1991 – 2005 Braves’ teams

1. Pulp Fiction - 1991 & 1992 Braves

In 1994, this film came out of nowhere and caught the world by storm. Critically adored and a success at the box office, it somehow lost the Oscar to Forest Gump (Forest Gump? Really?). In 1991, the Braves went from worst to first, losing to the Twins in the best World Series of the last 50 years. The team’s stellar play continued into the next year, until the Braves ultimately lost to the Blue Jays in the 1992 World Series. To this day, fans of Tarantino and the Braves look back as these as the “best of times.” While exceptional runs for both were in store, nothing either has done since has approached the specialness of this movie/these teams.

Pulp Fiction is not only the best movie Tarantino has made, I believe it is the greatest movie of all time. I understand some may feel saying this is ridiculous, especially when one considers that so much of the writing and direction is lifted from earlier periods – but to me, to see it at the age I saw it, it is an aggregation of all the great filmmaking to come before it.

Just go to the Wikipedia page and read the analysis. There are 750 words breaking down Vincent’s use of the restroom as a plot device. Tarantino carefully crafted every scene of this movie. The editing is phenomenal, creating a great pace that never seems to linger, but at the same time is never rushed. Thanks to courageous casting, every acting performance is perfect. Perhaps its greatest feat is that despite its popularity, no other filmmaker has even attempted to replicate this movie. It is too unique.

2. Inglourious Basterds - 1995 Braves

The 1995 Braves was the only team of the 1991 – 2005 run to win the World Series. As you can tell from the discussion above, if I had to pick between the World Series victory and the Braves’ runs in ’91 & ’92, I would opt to burn the trophy and live my life relishing my memories of “worst to first” and the Bream slide. The same works for Pulp Fiction and Inglourious Basterds (“IG”). With IG, it seemed as though everything came together for Tarantino. The direction is crisp and the pacing is even better than in PF. Once again, each role is perfectly cast. Perhaps IG does not have as much meaning behind every nuance. However, what IG lacks in philosophical fodder, it makes up for with its narrative. It is completely engrossing from start to finish. I found that upon reaching the conclusion I immediately wanted to watch it again. In the same theater. Right then. Just hit rewind.

If it wasn’t for Pulp Fiction, IG would be Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction”. For almost any other writer/director, this would be a masterpiece. Just as for any other team, the World Series would mean more to its fans than anything else. However, both the Braves and Tarantino are “victims” of their own success (a term I use very loosely based on their continued success).

3. Jackie Brown – 1996 & 1997 Braves

Following the World Series championship in 1995, the Braves were odds-on favorites to repeat. With the combination of Cox, Schuerholz, the best starting pitching in baseball and an excellent farm system, the sky was the limit. 3, 4 even 5 straight World Series wins were not out of the question. The same was true of Tarantino. After Pulp Fiction, the world was his oyster. One cannot even fathom the offers he must have received. The meetings with producing suitors must have been fascinating. With that in mind, what does he do? He creates Jackie Brown.

In 1996, the Braves took a 2 – 1 lead over the upstart Yankees, including two victories in vaunted Yankee Stadium. Game 4 found the Braves up 6 – 0 after the fifth inning, and still up 6 – 3 going into the top of the eighth. Six outs from a 3 – 1 lead. Cox brings in the closer in the eighth, who promptly gives up two hits followed by Leyritz’s home run tying the game at 6. Yankees ultimately win 8 – 6 and take the series in 6 games. The Braves were that close to likely going on an unprecedented run. The next year, another nearly unstoppable Braves team is victim of the widest strike zone known to man, getting screwed out making the Series, where they would have undoubtedly beaten the Indians.

Comparably, Jackie Brown (“JB”) is close to being the second near perfect movie from Tarantino. But for a few flaws this could have been the second step in creating an unstoppable dynasty. I realize that my affinity for JB is greater than most. But Pam Greir’s and Robert Wagner’s performances are the most complete characters Tarantino has given us. And Ordell just spits out fantastic lines:

Ordell Robbie: I got this young nineteen year old country girl named Sheronda. I found her on a bus stop two days outta Georgia, barefoot, country as a chicken coop. I took her to my place in Compton, told her it was HollywoodLouis: She believed you?Ordell Robbie: Hell yeah! To her dumb country ass, Compton is Hollywood; closest she's ever been anyway.


Ordell Robbie: Look, I hate to be the kinda nigga does a nigga a favor, then, BAM!, hits a nigga up for a favor in return. But I'm afraid I gotta be that kinda nigga.Beaumont: What?Ordell Robbie: I need a favor.

Ordell Robbie: Damn girl, you gettin' high already? It's only 2 o'clock in the afternoon. I get my shit done for the day, then I get high. And besides, getting high and watching TV will rob you of your ambition!Melanie: Not if your ambition is to get high and watch TV...

Unfortunately, Michael Keeton’s character is a bit dull. The De Niro part is underwhelming. The cinematography is certainly the poorest of the Tarantino movies, though perhaps this is intentional due to homage to blaxploition films (though Death Proof manages to look great – but this could be advancements in technology as I believe it was shot digitally).

There are faults, but certainly this is a highly underappreciated movie.

4. Reservoir Dogs – 1999 Braves

Once again, the 1999 Braves team completed a regular season with over 100 wins. The team breezed through the playoffs, setting up a match-up with the Yankees in the World Series to determine which team would be monikered the “Team of the Decade”. Unfortunately, the Braves offense failed to show up, managing only 9 runs in the four game sweep. Clearly, this team was great, but lacking a certain spark needed for greatness – an apt description for Reservoir Dogs.

Despite the violence, Reservoir Dogs (“RD”) is more memorable for its comedy. The movie also set a template for the Tarantino movies that followed, i.e. disjointed plot lines, meticulously selected music, hyper-violence, long narrative scenes, etc. RD is fun and holds up on repeated viewings. However, it lacks a certain soul the three movies above possess.

5. Death Proof 2003 Braves

The 2003 Atlanta Braves team was an anomaly. After years of relying on starting pitching and timely hitting, this Braves team was filled with sluggers. This team scored over 900 runs during the season, second in all of baseball. They won 101 games and outscored their opponents by 167 runs aggregately, which led the MLB. Six of the eight position players hit over 20 home runs, with Furcal, the shortstop only hitting 15 and Fick, who played only 126 games, only hitting 11. For the first time during their division championship run, the team led the NL in almost every offensive statistical category. The 2003 Braves were first in runs, home runs, batting average, slugging percentage, OPS and total bases, and were second in on-base percentage. In light of the previous twelve years, this team was shocking to watch. But more importantly, it was fun. Sure, they ultimately choked once again in the playoffs, losing a deciding game 5 at home to the Cubs in the Division Series. But true Braves fans will always remember this team.

Death Proof (“DP”) finds Tarantino having the most fun he has had as a director. The plot is simple and straightforward. There are no religious allegories or unnecessary edits to the time structure. Put simply, this was a very different movie for Tarantino, much the like the 2003 Braves. It is fun. And very rewatchable. The first half of the movie, spent primarily in various Austin bars, builds palpable tension, just by the presence of Stuntman Mike. The slow build pays off once we see him and his young female companion get in his “death-proof” car. The second half of the movie is owned by Zoe Bell. The chase scenes are incredible. Plus, the second half once again gives us classic Tarantino, as the girls continually engage in long, narrative conversations. But this time it is different. It is shocking that Tarantino is able to find a female voice to allow him to write dialogue of the caliber displayed in DP. Again, this is very unorthodox for Tarantino. But it works and is enjoyable to watch. The concluding car chase works much better as an “action scene” than anything done by Tarantino in KB I or II. DP and the 2003 Braves both broke the mold, had some success, but ultimately are appreciated more by their true fans than outsiders.

6. Kill Bill II - 1998 Braves

By this year, the Braves were on auto-pilot. Yet again, the team racked up 106 wins by relying on what they do best, starting pitching. This team seemed to be the first Braves team victimized by media backlash. While the Marlins had made the World Series the year before, most baseball fans were tiring of seeing the Braves continuing to win with their proven formula. Moreover, there was clearly some elements missing that would have made the 1998 Braves unstoppable (see Braves 1999). After losing the first three games to San Diego in the NLCS, the Braves made a valiant comeback, winning the next two. However, the team was unable to overcome the buzz saw that was Kevin Brown and the Braves fell in 6 games.

Similarly, Kill Bill II (“KB II”) primary flaw is simple: We have seen this before. In my opinion, KB II is well made movie, but frankly, I was a bit bored by it. I have rewatched it a couple of times, but it has not grabbed me the way Tarantino’s other movies have. Perhaps it is a personal distaste for the genre of movies this film arises from, i.e. kung-fu and other martial arts movies. Again, I do recognize the fact the movie is well-made and the direction by Tarantino is probably his best (the Bride buried alive scene is more tense and frightening than any horror movie). On the other hand, I do not enjoy the shared scenes between the Bride and Bill, especially the ending. This drops the movie down the rankings for me.

7. Kill Bill I - 2000 – 2002; 2004 – 2005 Braves

Finally, we have the five Braves teams of the ‘00s that made the play-offs, but failed to mount a serious bid to even get past the first round. Sure, there were many memorable moments, i.e., the 2005 season when the team defied expectations and reloaded with young talent, coupled with an near MVP run by Andruw Jones, only to end the year with an eighteen-inning series clinching loss to the Astros, an NLCS appearance in 2001 when the team was quickly dismantled by Randy Johnson and Curt Shilling (this series, combined with the later ’03 loss to the Cubs in the NLDS proved the Braves strategy concerning starting pitchers fails come playoff-time), John Smoltz’s absolute dominance as a closer, followed by a return to the role as the ace of the staff in ’05. These teams were all good, and provided great memories. But these are the teams that get left out of the discussion of the beat Braves teams of the 1991 – 2005 division championship run.

Kill Bill I (“KB I”) suffers from the same fate. It is a memorable movie filled with great moments. The early moments when we learn of the strength and conviction of the Bride, as she comes out of her coma, beats off multiple would be coma-rapists (I am sure there is a term for people who rape coma victims – if you are familiar with it, please leave us a note in the comments section), and then makes her way the to the Pussy Wagon without the use of her legs is phenomenal. Also, the scenes in the far east, as the Bride waits for her sword, demonstrate good patience by Tarantino, as he allows the story to slowly build. However, outside of the Bride, the characters in this movie are too cartoonish. Tarantino seems lazy for shrouded the antagonists in mystery, rather than developing what happened to allow them to be in the position they are in when they confront the Bride. Perhaps Tarantino was trying to squeeze too much in. Nonetheless, much the five Braves teams discussed above, I do love this movie, it is just not on par with the movies analyzed above.

Honorable Mention: Four Rooms and 1994
Neither really count.