Quentin Tarantino has a new book out called Cinema Speculation – which is partly film criticism, partly film theory, and also a wonderful personal history. In a recent interview with Jimmy Kimmel to discuss the book, he named some movies that he considers perfect best movies, and confessed to a classic work that he has never seen.
Kimmel says; “you said there are very few perfect movies, and one of them is Texas Chain Saw Massacre – what are the other perfect movies?” Tarantino replies; “there’s not many of them, which bemoans the fact that the film artform is hard. When you talk about perfect movies, you’re talking about an individual person’s aesthetic. But even trying to account for all aesthetics, a perfect movie kind of crosses all aesthetics, to one degree or another. Might not be your cuppa tea, but there’s nothing you can say to bring it down.”
“I think Jaws fits into that. I think The Exorcist fits into that. I think Annie Hall fits into that. Some people could say Young Frankenstein does, and I can understand that.” Tarantino then had an internal debate about The Wild Bunch and said “that’s kind of the point though, it’s something so unassailable. Back to the Future is a perfect movie!”
At the end of the interview, Kimmel asked Tarantino; “One more thing I wanna ask you – what’s the biggest movie, the most well-known, or well-respected movie that you’ve never seen. Because when I read this book, I felt like you know everything that has ever been put on a screen.”
And Tarantino says; “I’ve never seen The Sound of Music.” The 1965 musical starring Julie Andrews as the singing nun who becomes the governess of seven children is something we all grew up watching – surely? Apparently not, if you’re young Quentin.
If you’re a Quentin Tarantino fan, check out our guide to the best thriller movies.