Details:
Movie Title: Reservoir Dogs
Released Date: October 23, 1992 (U.S. limited release)
Tagline: “Every dog has his day.”
Runtime: 99 minutes
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Screenplay Written By: Quentin Tarantino
Based On: Original screenplay
Is it a remake?: No. However, critics and commentators have noted similarities to the 1987 Hong Kong film City on Fire. Tarantino acknowledged the influence but denied it was a remake.
Budget: Approximately $1.2 million–$3 million (sources vary)
Box Office: Approximately $2.9 million worldwide
Main Cast:
- Harvey Keitel — Mr. White / Larry Dimmick
- Tim Roth — Mr. Orange / Freddy Newandyke
- Michael Madsen — Mr. Blonde / Vic Vega
- Steve Buscemi — Mr. Pink
- Chris Penn — “Nice Guy” Eddie Cabot
- Lawrence Tierney — Joe Cabot
- Quentin Tarantino — Mr. Brown
- Edward Bunker — Mr. Blue
Awards:
- Winner — Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male (Steve Buscemi)
- Nominated — Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature
- Nominated — Independent Spirit Award for Best Director (Quentin Tarantino)
- Screened Out of Competition — 1992 Cannes Film Festival
- Winner — Critics Award at the 1993 Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival
Short Plot Summary:
After a diamond heist goes catastrophically wrong, the surviving members of a criminal crew regroup at a warehouse hideout and attempt to determine what happened. As paranoia escalates, the thieves begin suspecting that one of them is an undercover police officer. Told through nonlinear storytelling and flashbacks, the film gradually reveals the events leading to the failed robbery and the collapse of trust among the gang.
Key Quotes:
- “Are you gonna bark all day, little doggie, or are you gonna bite?” — Mr. Blonde
- “Why am I Mr. Pink?” — Mr. Pink
- “I don’t tip because society says I gotta.” — Mr. Pink
- “Let’s get a taco.” — Mr. White
Trivia
Director:
- Reservoir Dogs was Quentin Tarantino’s feature-length directorial debut.
- Tarantino reportedly wrote the screenplay in roughly three and a half weeks.
- Tarantino originally intended to make the film on a very small budget in black-and-white with friends acting in the roles.
- The film’s nonlinear structure and dialogue-heavy scenes became trademarks of Tarantino’s later work.
Cast / Casting:
- Harvey Keitel helped secure financing after reading the script and also served as co-producer.
- Michael Madsen originally wanted to play Mr. Pink but was encouraged by Tarantino to play Mr. Blonde instead.
- Tim Roth chose Mr. Orange because he liked the layered concept of “a cop pretending to be a criminal.”
- Actors reportedly considered or auditioned for roles included James Woods, George Clooney, and Samuel L. Jackson.
Soundtrack / Score:
- The soundtrack heavily features 1970s pop songs presented through the fictional radio station “K-Billy’s Super Sounds of the Seventies.”
- Stuck in the Middle with You became permanently associated with the film’s torture scene.
- The film uses very little traditional score music, relying mostly on licensed songs.
Location:
- Much of the film was shot in and around Los Angeles, California.
- The warehouse location was a real mortuary building.
- Budget limitations led the production to use practical locations instead of elaborate sets.
Behind-The-Scenes:
- The infamous ear-cutting scene never actually shows the ear being severed on-screen; the effect is created through editing and camera movement.
- Tarantino filmed a short proof-of-concept version of the movie at the Sundance Institute before securing funding.
- The black suits and thin ties were inspired partly by French noir and Hong Kong crime films.
- The title “Reservoir Dogs” reportedly came from Tarantino mispronouncing the French film title Au revoir les enfants while working at a video store, though Tarantino has given differing explanations over the years.
Nostalgia:
- The opening diner conversation about tipping and Madonna became one of the most quoted movie scenes of the 1990s.
- The film became a major cult hit on home video after the success of Pulp Fiction.
- The color-coded criminal aliases became widely referenced in pop culture and parody.
Easter Eggs:
- The “Vic Vega” character is later implied to be the brother of Vincent Vega from Pulp Fiction.
- The fictional “Big Kahuna Burger” brand appears later throughout Tarantino’s shared film universe.
- Tarantino’s recurring fictional cigarette brand “Red Apple” also appears in later films.
Misc:
- The actual jewelry heist is never shown on-screen.
- The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 1992 and became one of the festival’s most talked-about films.
- Some audience members reportedly walked out during screenings because of the violence.
- The film is frequently cited as one of the most influential independent films of the 1990s.
Sources Cited:
- IMDb: IMDb – Reservoir Dogs (1992)
- Wikipedia: Wikipedia – Reservoir Dogs
- Box Office Mojo: Box Office Mojo – Reservoir Dogs
- Rotten Tomatoes: Rotten Tomatoes – Reservoir Dogs
- TMDb: TMDb – Reservoir Dogs
- Additional Sources:
