Michael Madsen in ‘The Killing Jar’. Photo: New Films International.
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Michael Madsen has died at the age of 67.
He was known for appearing in cult movies, often as a tough guy.
Madsen became one of filmmaker Quentin Tarantino’s go-to actors.
Michael Madsen, who became a cult icon for his roles in Quentin Tarantino’s early movies, died on July 2nd, according to a statement from his family.
Known for his intense screen presence, rugged charm, and signature slow-burn delivery, Madsen built a career out of playing men who were dangerous, broken, and sometimes heartbreakingly human.
In Tarantino’s 1992 debut ‘Reservoir Dogs’, Madsen gave one of his most infamous performances as Mr. Blonde, the sadistic ex-con whose brutal dance scene — set to “Stuck in the Middle with You” — became one of the most talked-about moments in indie film history.
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But behind the onscreen menace, those close to him saw a sensitive soul. As his family wrote in his obituary:
“He walked the line between myth and man, never pretending to be anything other than who he was. He will be remembered for his passion, his poetry, and his deep love for his family. The world is a little less dangerous — and a little less beautiful — without him.”
(L to R) Michael Madsen and Alec Baldwin in ‘The Getaway’. Photo: Universal Pictures.
Born on September 25, 1957, in Chicago, Illinois, Michael Søren Madsen grew up in a creative household. His mother, Elaine, was a poet and filmmaker, and his sister, Virginia Madsen, would go on to become an Oscar-nominated actor herself.
After high school, Madsen initially worked as a mechanic and served time in a juvenile detention facility; real-life experiences that would inform the grit and authenticity he brought to so many of his roles.
He eventually turned to acting, studying at the Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago under John Malkovich. That foundation helped shape an actor capable of conveying equal parts threat and tenderness.
Michael Madsen: Movie roles
Cast of ‘Reservoir Dogs’. Photo: Miramax Films.
Madsen’s early film career began in the 1980s with roles in movies such as ‘WarGames’ and ‘The Natural,’ but his breakthrough came in the early 1990s.
The ‘Reservoir Dogs’ role of Mr. Blonde (which he famously won over fellow actor James Woods) launched him into a new echelon of character actors and cemented his association with Tarantino, who would later cast him as the grizzled assassin Budd in ‘Kill Bill’.
Over the years, Madsen amassed a diverse filmography of more than 200 credits. His work spanned genres and budgets — from big studio projects such as ‘Donnie Brasco,’ ‘Thelma & Louise,’ and ‘Sin City,’ to gritty B-movie thrillers and straight-to-video crime dramas.
He played gangsters, hitmen, cowboys, cops, and outlaws with equal conviction.
Michael Madsen in ‘The Killing Jar’. Photo: New Films International.
Beyond acting, Madsen was also a published poet, authoring several collections of verse. His writing often reflected on love, fatherhood, addiction, and redemption.
Though his personal life included struggles – most notably with substance abuse and the loss of his son Hudson – Madsen remained a prolific artist and fiercely loyal friend.
In his later years, he appeared in indie films and lent his voice to video games like ‘Grand Theft Auto III.’ He was also a frequent presence at film festivals, where he was celebrated for his contributions to American cinema.
He is survived by his wife DeAnna and four children.
Michael Madsen and Bruce Dern star in ‘The Hateful Eight’.
Brad Pitt stars in ‘Bullet Train.’ Photo: Scott Garfield. Copyright: 2022 CTMG. All Rights Reserved.
Unlucky assassin Ladybug (Pitt) is determined to do his job peacefully after one too many gigs gone off the rails. Fate, however, may have other plans, as Ladybug’s latest mission puts him on a collision course with lethal adversaries from around the globe—all with connected, yet conflicting, objectives—on the world’s fastest train.
In year 1250 B.C. during the late Bronze age, two emerging nations begin to clash. Paris (Orlando Bloom), the Trojan prince, convinces Helen (Diane Kruger), Queen of Sparta, to leave her husband Menelaus (Brendan Gleeson), and sail with him back to Troy. After Menelaus finds out that his wife was taken by the Trojans, he asks his brother Agamemnon (Brian Cox) to help him get her back. Agamemnon sees this as an opportunity for power. They set off with 1,000 ships holding 50,000 Greeks to Troy.
Outlaw Jesse James (Pitt) is rumored to be the ‘fastest gun in the West’. An eager recruit into James’ notorious gang, Robert Ford (Casey Affleck) eventually grows jealous of the famed outlaw and, when Robert and his brother (Sam Rockwell) sense an opportunity to kill James, their murderous action elevates their target to near mythical status.
Danny Ocean’s (George Clooney) team of criminals are back and composing a plan more personal than ever. When ruthless casino owner Willy Bank (Al Pacino) doublecrosses Reuben Tishkoff (Elliot Gould), causing a heart attack, Danny Ocean vows that he and his team will do anything to bring down Willy Bank along with everything he’s got. Even if it means asking for help from an enemy.
In the last months of World War II, as the Allies make their final push in the European theatre, a battle-hardened U.S. Army sergeant named ‘Wardaddy’ (Pitt) commands a Sherman tank called ‘Fury’ and its five-man crew on a deadly mission behind enemy lines. Outnumbered and outgunned, Wardaddy and his men face overwhelming odds in their heroic attempts to strike at the heart of Nazi Germany.
Brad Pitt in ‘World War Z’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
Life for former United Nations investigator Gerry Lane (Pitt) and his family seems content. Suddenly, the world is plagued by a mysterious infection turning whole human populations into rampaging mindless zombies. After barely escaping the chaos, Lane is persuaded to go on a mission to investigate this disease. What follows is a perilous trek around the world where Lane must brave horrific dangers and long odds to find answers before human civilization falls.
On the day of his retirement, a veteran CIA agent (Robert Redford) learns that his former protégé (Pitt) has been arrested in China, is sentenced to die the next morning in Beijing, and that the CIA is considering letting that happen to avoid an international scandal.
Unscrupulous boxing promoters, violent bookmakers, a Russian gangster, incompetent amateur robbers and supposedly Jewish jewelers fight to track down a priceless stolen diamond.
Despite pulling off one of the biggest heists in Las Vegas history and splitting the $160 million take, each of the infamous Ocean’s crew have tried to go straight, lay low and live a legit life … but that’s proven to be a challenge. Casino owner Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia) demands that Danny Ocean (George Clooney) return the money, plus millions more in interest. Unable to come up the cash, the crew is forced to come together to pull off another series of heists, this time in Rome, Paris, and Amsterdam – but a Europol agent is hot on their heels.
In early 20th-century Montana, Col. William Ludlow (Anthony Hopkins) lives on a ranch in the wilderness with his sons, Alfred (Aidan Quinn), Tristan (Pitt), and Samuel (Henry Thomas). Eventually, the unconventional but close-knit family are bound by loyalty, tested by war, and torn apart by love, as told over the course of several decades in this epic saga.
In the year 2035, convict James Cole (Bruce Willis) reluctantly volunteers to be sent back in time to discover the origin of a deadly virus that wiped out nearly all of the earth’s population and forced the survivors into underground communities. But when Cole is mistakenly sent to 1990 instead of 1996, he’s arrested and locked up in a mental hospital. There he meets psychiatrist Dr. Kathryn Railly (Madeleine Stowe) and the son of a famous virus expert (Pitt) who may hold the key to the Army of the 12 Monkeys; thought to be responsible for unleashing the killer disease.
Taking a break from their dreary lives, close friends Thelma (Geena Davis) and Louise (Susan Sarandon) embark on a short weekend trip that ends in unforeseen incriminating circumstances. As fugitives, both women rediscover the strength of their bond and their newfound resilience.
A husband (Pitt) and wife (Angelina Jolie) struggle to keep their marriage alive until they realize they are both secretly working as assassins. Now, their respective assignments require them to kill each other.
Clarence (Christian Slater) marries hooker Alabama (Patricia Arquette), steals cocaine from her pimp (Gary Oldman), and tries to sell it in Hollywood, while the owners of the coke try to reclaim it.
Racing legend Sonny Hayes (Pitt) is coaxed out of retirement to lead a struggling Formula 1 team—and mentor a young hotshot driver (Damson Idris), while chasing one more chance at glory.
Less than 24 hours into his parole, charismatic thief Danny Ocean (George Clooney) is already rolling out his next plan: In one night, Danny’s hand-picked crew of specialists will attempt to steal more than $150 million from three Las Vegas casinos. But to score the cash, Danny risks his chances of reconciling with ex-wife, Tess (Julia Roberts).
Born under unusual circumstances, Benjamin Button (Pitt) springs into being as an elderly man in a New Orleans nursing home and ages in reverse. Twelve years after his birth, he meets Daisy (Cate Blanchett), a child who flits in and out of his life as she grows up to be a dancer. Though he has all sorts of unusual adventures over the course of his life, it is his relationship with Daisy, and the hope that they will come together at the right time, that drives Benjamin forward.
When a disc containing memoirs of a former CIA analyst (John Malkovich) falls into the hands of gym employees, Linda (Frances McDormand) and Chad (Pitt), they see a chance to make enough money for Linda to have life-changing cosmetic surgery. Predictably, events whirl out of control for the duo, and those in their orbit.
Brad Pitt in ‘Moneyball’. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
The story of Oakland Athletics general manager Billy Beane’s (Pitt) successful attempt to put together a baseball team on a budget, by employing computer-generated analysis to draft his players.
In Nazi-occupied France during World War II, a group of Jewish-American soldiers known as “The Basterds” are chosen specifically to spread fear throughout the Third Reich by scalping and brutally killing Nazis. The Basterds, lead by Lt. Aldo Raine (Pitt) soon cross paths with a French-Jewish teenage girl (Mélanie Laurent) who runs a movie theater in Paris which is targeted by the soldiers.
Two homicide detectives are on a desperate hunt for a serial killer (Kevin Spacey) whose crimes are based on the “seven deadly sins” in this dark and haunting film that takes viewers from the tortured remains of one victim to the next. The seasoned Det. Somerset (Morgan Freeman) researches each sin in an effort to get inside the killer’s mind, while his novice partner, Mills (Pitt), scoffs at his efforts to unravel the case.
A ticking-time-bomb insomniac (Edward Norton) and a slippery soap salesman (Pitt) channel primal male aggression into a shocking new form of therapy. Their concept catches on, with underground “fight clubs” forming in every town, until an eccentric gets in the way and ignites an out-of-control spiral toward oblivion.
Brad Pitt in ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.’ Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
Los Angeles, 1969. TV star Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), a struggling actor specializing in westerns, and stuntman Cliff Booth (Pitt), his best friend, try to survive in a constantly changing movie industry. Dalton is the neighbor of the young and promising actress and model Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie), who has just married the prestigious Polish director Roman Polanski (Rafał Zawierucha).
Marlon Brando in ‘The Island of Dr. Moreau’. Photo: New Line Cinema.
A shipwrecked sailor (David Thewlis) stumbles upon a mysterious island and is shocked to discover that a brilliant scientist (Marlon Brando) and his lab assistant (Kilmer) have found a way to combine human and animal DNA—with horrific results.
Karen McCoy (Kim Basinger) is released from prison with nothing but the clothes on her back. Before being incarcerated Karen was the bank robber of her time, but now she wishes for nothing more than to settle down and start a new life. Unfortunately between a dirty parole officer, old business partners, an idiot ex-husband, and a new partner (Kilmer) she will have to do the unthinkable in order to save her son.
After the murder of his beloved wife, a man (Kilmer) in search of redemption is set adrift in a world where nothing is as it seems. On his journey, he befriends slacker Jimmy “The Finn” (Peter Sarsgaard), becomes involved in rescuing his neighbor Colette (Deborah Kara Unger) from her own demons, and gets entangled in a web of deceit full of unexpected twists and turns.
Simon Templar (Kilmer), is a thief for hire, whose latest job to steal the secret process for cold fusion puts him at odds with a traitor bent on toppling the Russian government, as well as the woman (Elizabeth Shue) who holds its secret.
Sir Robert Beaumont (Tom Wilkinson) is behind schedule on a railroad in Africa. Enlisting noted engineer John Henry Patterson (Kilmer) to right the ship, Beaumont expects results. Everything seems great until the crew discovers the mutilated corpse of the project’s foreman, seemingly killed by a lion. After several more attacks, Patterson calls in famed hunter Charles Remington (Michael Douglas), who has finally met his match in the bloodthirsty lions.
Warwick Davis in ‘Willow’. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
The evil Queen Bavmorda (Jean Marsh) hunts the newborn princess Elora Danan (Ruth Greenfield), a child prophesied to bring about her downfall. When the royal infant is found by Willow (Warwick Davis), a timid farmer and aspiring sorcerer, he’s entrusted with delivering her from evil.
An FBI man (Kilmer) with Sioux background is sent to a reservation to help with a murder investigation, where he has to come to terms with his heritage.
For over 40 years Val Kilmer, one of Hollywood’s most mercurial and/or misunderstood actors has been documenting his own life and craft through film and video. He has amassed thousands of hours of footage, from 16mm home movies made with his brothers, to time spent in iconic roles for blockbuster movies. This raw, wildly original and unflinching documentary reveals a life lived to extremes and a heart-filled, sometimes hilarious look at what it means to be an artist and a complex man.
Terrence McDonagh (Nicolas Cage) is a New Orleans Police sergeant, who receives a medal and a promotion to lieutenant for heroism during Hurricane Katrina. Due to his heroic act, McDonagh injures his back and becomes addicted to prescription pain medication. He then finds himself involved with a drug dealer who is suspected of murdering a family of African immigrants.
Popular and dashing American singer Nick Rivers (Kilmer) travels to East Germany to perform in a music festival. When he loses his heart to the gorgeous Hillary Flammond (Lucy Gutleridge), he finds himself caught up in an underground resistance movement. Rivers joins forces with Agent Cedric (Omar Shariff) and Flammond to attempt the rescue of her father, Dr. Paul, from the Germans, who have captured the scientist in hopes of coercing him into building a new naval mine.
Val Kilmer and Tom Cruise in ‘Top Gun: Maverick.’ Photo: Paramount Pictures.
After more than thirty years of service as one of the Navy’s top aviators, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him. When he finds himself training a detachment of TOPGUN graduates for a specialized mission the likes of which no living pilot has ever seen, Maverick encounters Lt. Bradley Bradshaw (Miles Teller), call sign: “Rooster,” the son of Maverick’s late friend and Radar Intercept Officer Lt. Nick Bradshaw (Anthony Edwards), aka “Goose.” Facing an uncertain future and confronting the ghosts of his past, Maverick is drawn into a confrontation with his own deepest fears, culminating in a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those who will be chosen to fly it.
Clarence (Christian Slater) marries hooker Alabama (Patricia Arquette), steals cocaine from her pimp, and tries to sell it in Hollywood, while the owners of the coke try to reclaim it.
Batman (Kilmer) must battle a disfigured district attorney and a disgruntled former employee with help from an amorous psychologist and a young circus acrobat (Chris O’Donnell).
When teenage geniuses Mitch Taylor (Gabriel Jarret) and Chris Knight (Kilmer), working on an advanced laser project, learn that the military wants to use it as a weapon, they decide to thwart the plan.
Val Kilmer in ‘Spartan’. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
U.S. government agent Scott (Kilmer) is assigned to rescue the daughter of a high-ranking government official. As willing as he is to bend the rules to get things done, though, Scott is shocked to find that others are willing to go even further to protect a political career.
A petty thief posing as an actor (Robert Downey Jr.) is brought to Los Angeles for an unlikely audition and finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation along with his high school dream girl (Michelle Monaghan) and a detective (Kilmer) who’s been training him for his upcoming role…
Obsessive master thief Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro) leads a top-notch crew on various daring heists throughout Los Angeles while determined detective Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino) pursues him without rest. Each man recognizes and respects the ability and the dedication of the other even though they are aware their cat-and-mouse game may end in violence.
Legendary marshal Wyatt Earp (Kurt Russell), now a weary gunfighter, joins his brothers Morgan (Bill Paxton) and Virgil (Sam Elliot) to pursue their collective fortune in the thriving mining town of Tombstone. But Earp is forced to don a badge again and get help from his notorious pal Doc Holliday (Kilmer) when a gang of renegade brigands and rustlers begins terrorizing the town.
(L to R) Val Kilmer and Tom Cruise in ‘Top Gun’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
For Lieutenant Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell (Tom Cruise) and his friend and co-pilot Nick ‘Goose’ Bradshaw (Anthony Edwards), being accepted into an elite training school for fighter pilots is a dream come true. But a tragedy, as well as personal demons, will threaten Pete’s dreams of becoming an ace pilot.
As Quentin Tarantino‘s new feature, the Charles Manson-adjacent “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” continues to capture our imagination (how many times have you seen it?), we thought it might be fun to look back at his smaller contributions to filmmaking. So small, in fact, that you might not even be aware of them.
‘It’s Pat: The Movie’ (1994)
Touchstone
Yeah … it doesn’t make sense. But then again, it sort of does. Julia Sweeney, who immortalized the androgynous Pat on “Saturday Night Live” before spinning the movie off into a woefully under-seen theatrical feature, has a brief but memorable role in “Pulp Fiction.” Also, consider this: the script for “It’s Pat” was co-written by Stephen Hibbert, Sweeney’s ex-husband and the guy in the gimp costume in “Pulp Fiction.”
Tarantino revealed in a 1994 Playboy interview that he did some uncredited re-writes on the movie but watching it, much like anyone dealing with the character of Pat, will be hopelessly confused.
‘Crimson Tide’ (1995)
Hollywood Pictures
The first script Tarantino ever sold was “True Romance,” long before he was a poster boy for the American independent film renaissance, and the filmmaker who finally would up making that film was the late British director Tony Scott. So, a few years later, after Tarantino had firmly established himself as a wunderkind, Scott called on him to finesse his script for the submarine thriller “Crimson Tide.”
Tarantino’s contributions are far more evident in this film than any of the others he anonymously worked on, from an early discussion of submarine movies, to later dialogue built around “Silver Surfer” comics and the original “Star Trek” series (surprisingly, Denzel Washington is a big Trekkie). He adds just the right amount of QT flavor to an otherwise standard (and totally brilliant) suspense movie.
‘Curdled’ (1996)
Rolling Thunder Pictures
This is a weird one. Tarantino saw a short film by Reb Braddock and encouraged the director to turn it into a feature film, which he did (Tarantino produced it via his A Band Apart production company and released it through his Miramax-housed Rolling Thunder Pictures shingle). While Tarantino’s interjections into the “Curdled” screenplay remain hard to track, it is clear that he wrote the news report recited by Kelly Preston, who played the same character in “From Dusk Till Dawn” (“Curdled” also uses old footage of George Clooney and Tarantino from that film).
Apparently, the Tarantino Cinematic Universe goes beyond Red Apple cigarettes and Big Kahuna burgers.
‘The Rock’ (1996)
Hollywood Pictures
While watching the finished movie, it’s hard to tell, but Michael Bay‘s “The Rock” had some pretty heavy-hitters in the writer’s room. Not only did Jonathan Hensleigh contribute significant rewrites (so much so that Bay wrote to the WGA to protest the arbitration process), but Aaron Sorkin also provided additional work, along with (of course) Mr. Tarantino.
Again, it’s hard to pick out what his contributions were, but “The Rock” is an action movie that ends with several characters having to inject themselves in the heart with adrenaline. Why does that sound so familiar?
‘Girl 6’ (1996)
Fox
It’s weird to think of Tarantino and Spike Lee ever being buddies, especially after Lee took Tarantino to task for his excessive use of the n-word. But, there was a time before such grudges, and 1996 was that time. Tarantino appeared, in a brief role (essentially playing himself, but still dramatic) in “Girl 6,” Lee’s call girl comedy.
The movie isn’t very good, aside from some well-placed Prince songs, and Tarantino isn’t very good either, but it’s worth watching as a pre-feud time capsule.
‘Muppet Wizard of Oz’ (2005)
ABC
Everything about “Muppet Wizard of Oz” is a painful exercise in WTF-worthy randomness, and this includes Tarantino’s brief cameo as himself. What does he do? He pitches a “Kill Bill“-style take on the classic story, which somehow already felt dated and unfunny even though “Kill Bill, Vol. 2” had just been released the year before.
Watching Tarantino yell at Kermit, while swinging a samurai sword around, is supposed to be off-putting but maybe not this off-putting. (On the DVD’s special features, Tarantino says that the Muppets are some of his “favorite actors.”) Well, Tarantino, you worked with the Muppets, check it off the list and move on.
15 years ago, Quentin Tarantino delivered what many consider to be one of the finest martial arts movies of all time in “Kill Bill: Vol. 1.” It is also considered one of Tarantino’s best.
It’s a movie that’s certainly held up over the years. From the movie’s unusual influences to a bit of Tarantino universe connectivity, here are some fun facts you might not know about “Kill Bill.”
1. The film’s original tagline was “In 2003, Uma Thurman Will Kill Bill,”: which technically became untrue after the film was split into two parts and the second half was pushed back to 2004.
2. The Bride’s distinctive yellow and black outfit was designed as an homage to Bruce Lee‘s iconic costume in 1979’s “Game of Death.”
3. While the shift to black and white footage during the final battle is a stylistic homage to classic martial arts films, it was also necessary in order for the film to achieve an R-rating in the US. The Japanese version of “Kill Bill” doesn’t include that color change.
Miramax
4. Originally, the Gogo Yubari character was written as twin assassins named Gogo and Yuki.
5. The sunglasses The Bride takes from Buck should be familiar to Tarantino fans. They were previously worn by Christian Slater in 1993’s “True Romance.”
Miramax
6. The tune whistled by Daryl Hannah‘s Elle is the theme music from 1968’s “Twisted Nerve.”
7. The sequence where The Bride slices a baseball in half was achieved naturally, with no visual effects or trickery. However, it was stuntwoman Zoe Bell, not Uma Thurman, who actually achieved the feat.
8. Apart from his hands, David Carradine‘s Bill is never actually shown on camera during the entire film. We only hear his voice and don’t see his face until “Vol. 2.”
Miramax
9. Tarantino (above, right) has a small cameo in the film as one of the Crazy 88 members killed by The Bride in the climax.
10. David Carradine revealed that it was Bill himself who killed O-Ren Ishii’s father in the animated flashback scene.
Miramax
11. Elle’s codename “California Mountain Kingsnake” is the only one not named after a venomous snake. That’s intentional, reflecting her failed attempt to poison The Bride in the hospital.
Miramax
12. Exactly four minutes and 59 seconds pass between O-Ren’s threat of “You won’t last five minutes,” and the end of her fight with The Bride.
13. Between “Kill Bill” and its sequel, over 450 gallons of fake blood were used during production.
It’s been 25 years since “True Romance” hit theaters and showed moviegoers what a winning combination director Tony Scott and then-relatively new screenwriter Quentin Tarantino could be.
To celebrate the anniversary of this underrated but seminal ’90s crime movie, here are some interesting facts you might not have known about “True Romance.”
1. Though neither actor was ultimately cast, Quentin Tarantino has said he envisioned Robert Carradine and Joan Cusack playing the roles of Clarence and Alabama when he wrote the screenplay.
WB
2.Brad Pitt‘s stoner character, Floyd, wound up serving as a major inspiration for the two main characters in 2008’s “Pineapple Express.”
3. Actor Dennis Hopper voiced his concerns about being injured by Christopher Walken‘s prop gun at the end of the infamous “Sicilian Scene.” Despite director Tony Scott’s assurances, Hopper was indeed wounded when the gun went off and struck his forehead.
WB
4. During the shooting of the “Sicilian Scene,” the film’s most iconic, Tony Scott and his crew had lit the set to first shoot Walken’s half of the scene. Walken — mindful of the time it would take to re-light the set — asked the director (nay, “implored” him, in the words of his character, according to Tarantino) if he could please shoot Hopper’s side first. 90 mins later, Scott re-lit the set and shot Hopper first. “That’s an actor’s director,” Tarantino said on a 2012 podcast.
5. While Tarantino didn’t direct this film, he’s confirmed that it does indeed take place in the same shared universe as his other projects. Saul Rubinek‘s character, Lee Donowitz, is the grandson of Eli Roth‘s Sgt. Donny Donowitz (below, left) from 2009’s “Inglourious Basterds.”
The Weinstein Company
6.Patricia Arquette‘s own son, Enzo, plays the role of Elvis in the film’s final scene.
7. During a key emotional scene for her character, Arquette reportedly struggled with finding the performance necessary to nail the scene. She, according to Tarantino via the aforementioned 2012 podcast, asked Tony Scott for “The Pursuader” — which meant asking the director to slap her until she got into the emotional headspace necessary for her performance. If true, this is — at best — a highly questionable and problematic practice.
8. Originally, Tarantino wrote the film to end with Clarence being killed and Alabama becoming a criminal. She would have wound up joining forces with the Mr. White character from “Reservoir Dogs,” hence why White references a woman named Alabama in that film.
WB
9. Scott reshot the ending so that Clarance lived, later telling Tarantino — who did not originally like the choice — that he couldn’t kill “those kids” because the director (like the audience) fell in love with them.
10.Michael Rapaport had a rough time filming the roller coaster scene, as he suffers from acute motion sickness and the scene took two days to complete.
WB
11. Clarence’s ever-present sunglasses make a return appearance in 2003’s “Kill Bill: Vol. 1” They’re the same pair The Bride takes from Buck as she escapes the hospital.
12. Tarantino sold the screenplay for a mere $50,000, which was the minimum amount permitted by the WGA at the time. He used part of that money to purchase the Chevelle Malibu driven by John Travolta‘s character in 1994’s “Pulp Fiction.”
Miramax
13. In a 2011 interview with AFI, Gary Oldman named Drexl Spivey as one of his two favorite film roles. The other was Lee Harvey Oswald from 1991’s “JFK.”
WB
14. One scene in the film features the Soundgarden song “Outshined.” While initially intended as a placeholder track, test audiences responded strongly to its inclusion. Unfortunately, that meant a significant amount of the film’s budget had to be devoted to securing the licensing rights.
