The medium of film is such a subjective artform, with even the best movies of all time proving to be divisive. For Quentin Tarantino, pleasing everybody has never been the mission statement, and for anyone who doesn’t like his work, the filmmaker has a very simple solution.
Tarantino has put together some incredible films, from great action movies and violent thriller movies; he’s even dabbled in the western genre a couple of times, too. While many laud his work, there are some who deem Tarantino movies to be too violent, and there has been criticism of his decision to use the N-word in his films, too.
Appearing on the Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace series on HBO Max (via Variety), Tarantino had a very clear message for anyone who doesn’t like what they see in his movies.
When asked about the backlash to his work and prompted to send a message to those detractors, Tarantino said: “Then see something else. If you have a problem with my movies then they aren’t the movies to go see. Apparently I’m not making them for you.”
It’s a fair point. No one is forcing anyone to watch anything they don’t want to, and life’s too short to spend time doing something that makes you feel uncomfortable. If bloody, offensive films aren’t your cup of tea, there’s a whole range of more pleasant drama movies out there to explore.
Tarantino does have his fair share of allies in this argument, though. MCU star and frequent collaborator with Tarantino, Samuel L Jackson once told Esquire: “You can’t just tell a writer he can’t talk, write the words, put the words in the mouths of the people from their ethnicities, the way that they use their words. You cannot do that, because then it becomes an untruth; it’s not honest. It’s just not honest.”
Take a look at our list of the best ‘90s movies and you’re sure to find some of Tarantino’s work. Or, for more Samuel L Jackson, dive into our guide to Marvel’s Secret Invasion release date.