Quentin Tarantino was in Paris promoting his book Cinema Speculation.
France Inter spoke with Tarantino for their radio show. A mostly spirited affair. Nothing gets mentioned that we didn’t already know, or if you’ve read his book.
He once again refers to our current cinematic landscape as being even worse than the ‘80s, which he once considered to be the worst decade for movies. He calls the current decade a “creative wasteland,” but holds out hope for better years to come …
"I think that's how it is in cinema, it's cyclical in Hollywood, it comes and goes. In my opinion, things will change, for the better. I'm not saying throw everything away: you could say that in a decade that's considered a creative wasteland, there are still a few films that break through the glass ceiling, that don't conform to the norm. That makes them even more valuable."
Quentin Tarantino has consistently promised to stop making films at 60, an age he has just reached. He confirms that "his next film will definitely be his last cinema film". "Afterwards, I will do books, TV series, plays... But on the cinema, I will throw in the towel."
So, we’re technically going to be getting more Tarantino, but just not on the big screen.
Tarantino has been insisting, for a few years now, that he plans to quit making movies after his 10th feature. Of course, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” was his ninth film, so that just leaves us with one more.
This whole notion of retiring after ten movies comes from Tarantino’s theory that a director’s quality of work only gets worse as their career goes along. Tarantino wants his filmography to be perfect or, as he puts it, “without a misfire.”
What about Akira Kurosawa, who directed “Ran” at 75. Robert Bresson directed “L’Argent” at 82. Sidney Lumet directed “Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead” at 83. I could go on and on.
If Tarantino’s reasoning to retire has to do with “perfection,” then fine. But I don’t believe for a second that Tarantino will stop making movies after “The Movie Critic”.
It’s an itch that is too addictive to just drop like that. turn be 70, be bored out of his mind and long for the cinema of yore — the result will be a comeback film from him in, no later than, 2035.