Importance Score: 60 / 100 🔵
Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds has garnered significant acclaim as a World War Two film celebrated for its intensely dramatic and suspenseful storyline that consistently captivates viewers with unexpected plot developments and memorable scenes. These very aspects have solidified its reputation as a cinematic triumph, earning it a position among the top 100 greatest films ever made.
Top Ranking Among War Films
In fact, within the realm of war films, only four titles are positioned higher on the esteemed list compiled by the renowned film publication Empire. These critically acclaimed movies include Lawrence of Arabia, Saving Private Ryan, Schindler’s List, and Apocalypse Now.
Starring Brad Pitt and Christoph Waltz
The Quentin Tarantino film, Inglourious Basterds, boasts impressive ratings, holding an 89% approval score on Rotten Tomatoes and an 8.4 out of 10 rating on IMDb. Featuring a stellar ensemble cast including Brad Pitt, Michael Fassbender, Eli Roth, Mélanie Laurent, and Diane Kruger, it was Christoph Waltz who particularly distinguished himself. His performance received widespread praise, securing numerous prestigious accolades following the film’s release.
Waltz’s Award-Winning Portrayal of Hans Landa
Christoph Waltz received extensive critical recognition and numerous awards, notably the Academy Award, Golden Globe, and BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor, for his compelling depiction of the chilling Nazi SS officer Hans Landa. Quentin Tarantino himself emphasized the crucial nature of this casting, suggesting that the film might not have been realized had he not discovered an actor as exceptional as Waltz. Critic Ed Koch, in his review for The Atlantic, highlighted Waltz’s performance as a prominent “highlight” of the movie.
Intriguing Plot of Inglorious Basterds
Released in 2009, Inglourious Basterds presents a narrative interwoven with two intersecting plots aimed at assassinating Adolf Hitler in a Paris cinema. One operation is orchestrated by a British-led initiative, executed by a squad of American soldiers under the command of Lieutenant Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt). Concurrently, Shosanna Dreyfuss (Laurent), the proprietor of the French cinema, independently devises her own plan for retribution against Hitler and his regime, motivated by the brutal murder of her family by Landa and his troops.
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Tarantino’s Box Office Success
This war film marked Quentin Tarantino‘s seventh directorial project and achieved considerable commercial success, becoming his highest-grossing film to date, until the subsequent release of Django Unchained in 2012, which also featured Christoph Waltz.
Widespread Critical Appreciation
Inglourious Basterds has consistently received widespread acclaim from both professional critics and general audiences. Years after its initial release, in 2019, Caryn James of the BBC asserted that Inglorious Basterds represents Tarantino’s “masterpiece” and “most perfectly realised work.” James elaborated, noting, “It is not as overtly startling as Reservoir Dogs, his debut film, nor as culturally impactful as the violent and humorous Pulp Fiction which played with time structure. However, with its grand historical scope and flawless synthesis of war film elements, homage, comedy, and drama, Basterds stands as his most ambitious and comprehensively realised creation.”
Critical Acclaim from Other Reviewers
Adding to the chorus of praise, Geoffrey Macnab, writing for The Independent, declared the film Tarantino’s “most entertaining and exhilarating endeavour since Pulp Fiction.” Similarly, Jonathan Crocker, in his analysis for Little White Lies, lauded it as “his most purely enjoyable film since Kill Bill Volume 1,” reinforcing its position as a highly esteemed entry in Tarantino’s filmography.
The Deliberate Misspelling of “Basterds”
The intentional misspelling in the film’s title is a notable stylistic choice. The title is inspired by a 1978 Italian war film titled The Inglorious Bastards, which centers on a group of military prisoners enlisted for a perilous wartime mission in 1944. However, Quentin Tarantino has offered varied, sometimes ambiguous, justifications for this alteration. His explanations include the colloquial “that’s just the way you say it,” “Quentin Tarantino spelling,” and a comparison to a “Basquiat-esque touch,” referencing the artistic technique of Jean-Michel Basquiat, who intentionally incorporated misspellings into his artwork.
Where to Watch Inglorious Basterds
Inglourious Basterds is currently available for streaming with a subscription on platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, and can be rented or purchased from Google Play and Apple TV starting at £2.49.