The ongoing debate about Quentin Tarantino best movies took a new turn when the director himself weighed in on which of his films stands out most. During a recent podcast episode, Tarantino expressed that his 1994 classic Pulp Fiction, though widely acclaimed, does not rank as his best work due to technical inexperience during its making.
Reflecting on his filmmaking journey on the August 15 episode of The Church of Tarantino podcast, Tarantino admitted he made rookie mistakes in both Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction. These errors, such as visible equipment and shadows in shots, highlighted his early lack of professional skill.
The only thing that bites my a** is just a few little shots in both Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction just because I didn’t know what the f*** I was doing. So there’s just amateur s*** in both of those movies, because I didn’t know what the f*** I was doing. So there’s amateur s*** in there that I feel bad about. Not a lot of it, I think both of those movies are fantastic, obviously, I love them, but I’m just a pro now, and I was just a f******* rookie, and I didn’t know what I didn’t know.
—Quentin Tarantino
Tarantino highlighted that it typically takes filmmakers at least two movies to master the craft of avoiding such flaws on set, explaining,
It takes you at least two movies to figure out how to do it.
Which Films Does Tarantino Consider His Best?
When discussing his favorite and best films, Tarantino placed Once Upon a Time in Hollywood as his favorite. The 2019 film stars Leonardo DiCaprio as a former TV Western star, Brad Pitt as a struggling stuntman, and Margot Robbie portraying Sharon Tate. The story creatively mixes real historical figures like Tate, Bruce Lee, Steve McQueen, and the Charles Manson family within a fictional narrative, earning Pitt a Best Supporting Actor Oscar in 2020.
However, Tarantino distinguished his personal favorites by noting that while Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is his favorite movie, he considers Inglourious Basterds to be his best work overall.
The director explained his deep connection to Kill Bill as well, calling it the film he was destined to make, saying,
But I think Kill Bill is the ultimate Quentin movie, like nobody else could’ve made it,
and further added,
Every aspect about it is so particularly ripped…from my imagination and my id and my loves and my passion and my obsession.
Summarizing his view, Tarantino stated,
So I think Kill Bill is the movie I was born to make, I think Inglourious Basterds is my masterpiece, but Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is my favorite,
highlighting a distinct appreciation for each.
Comparing Quality Among Tarantino’s Films
Tarantino elaborated that while Inglourious Basterds remains the film with his best script, he believes that The Hateful Eight and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood closely follow in quality, keeping the discussion about his best movies very much alive among fans and critics.
Upcoming Projects and Future Direction
Although there is a planned sequel focused on Pitt’s character called The Adventures of Cliff Booth, Tarantino has decided not to direct it himself. He has expressed reluctance to end his career with a sequel, as he intends to retire following his tenth film. Instead, Brad Pitt will collaborate with director David Fincher, known for Fight Club, to bring the sequel to life.
This shift marks an important moment in Tarantino’s career, as the legacy of his best films continues to evolve while he approaches the conclusion of his work as a director.
