Quentin Tarantino is, again, insisting that he plans to quit making movies after his 10th feature. Of course, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” is his ninth feature, so that just leaves one more. This whole notion of retiring after 10 movies comes from the director’s theory that a director’s quality of work only gets worse as it goes along. Tarantino wants his filmography to be perfect or, as he puts it, “without a misfire.” I know some may not agree that he hasn’t had a misfire in his 3+ decade career as a filmmaker, but I do. I even loved “Death Proof” and “The Hateful Eight.”
In a video interview with Rolling Stone Troubador Peter Travers, Tarantino opened up about his future plans post-retirement:
“I kind of feel this is the time for the third act [of my life] to just lean a little bit more into the literary, which would be good as a new father, as a new husband,” Tarantino said. “I wouldn’t be grabbing my family and yanking them to Germany or Sri Lanka or wherever the next story takes place. I can be a little bit more of a homebody, and become a little bit more of a man of letters.”
Tarantino added, “I guess I do feel that directing is a young man’s game. I do feel that cinema is changing, and I’m a little bit part of the old guard.”
May I give Mr. Tarantino some sound advice? How about he looks into my IndieWire writeup of the 12 Best Films By Director’s Over 80. Some of the most legendary directors, during the twilight of their lives, have released indisputably great films. Tarantino is talking about retiring when he will be around 60-years-old (he is currently just 56). Directing is not necessarily a young man’s game; Akira Kurosawa released “Ran” when he was 75-years-old and Ingmar Bergman released “Fanny and Alexander” when he was 64 — both of those films might just be the definitive statements of both of these directors long and illustrious careers.