I have two minor problems concerning ‘resevoir dogs’ which i finally saw recently…its really hard to get classics in Africa!
-Why is the shoot-out at the bank never shown?
-Didnt you feel that it ended a bit too abruptly?
What do you guys think?
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Because the shootout isn’t particularly important to the plot, and having the characters describe what happens is more economical (in both story-telling and financial terms)
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No.
An excellent movie.
I thought the decision to not show the shootout was a good one, for several reasons. One, when the movie starts, the shootout has already occurred. When the flashback gets to that point, showing it would just be redundant and slow down the momentum. Also, showing the shootout would be what you would expect, so it’s a wise choice not to do what you expect.
I didn’t find the end to be abrupt.
I’d also think not showing the bank scene would have prematurely displayed Mr. Blonde’s (?, Madsen’s character) insanity. We here of it before he goes apeshit, but his calmness upon arrival has us guessing.
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It also works better from a narrative standpoint to have all of our information about what happened during the robbery relayed to us by the characters. Conflicting stories, characters discussing details of what happened, and the viewer is left with a “who do you believe?” situation. Not showing the actual robbery is one of the movie’s greatest strengths.
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Nope. We had a resolution to what happened to every major character, going beyond that would have been pointless and not fitting with the structure of the rest of the movie.
I think it did end abruptly. But that’s part of the movie’s charm. It scares the hell out of you when the credits start rolling all at once because goddamnit, there should be more! Just like with “Pulp Fiction,” but your mileage may vary. That’s part of what I like when I watch a movie- not knowing when it will end. And then when it does, it all feels surreal.
Another poster who feels it was an excellent film. I also love the choices of music in Tarentino films. Pulp was similar in that you had to stay alert to catch all the little details. That one took me several watches before I could put all of the pieces together.
They are both films I’d gladly watch again.
I’ve got a question about the ending.
Is Mr. Pink getting busted or killed in the background while Mr. Orange confesses to Mr. White? I’ve tried to make out the voices on my last few viewings but to no avail.
To Jello
According to this site’s FAQ (http://home.earthlink.net/~hidprod/qtfaq.html), he does live but gets arrested.
Thanks, Cat Fight.
You might also remember that Steve Buscemi played the “Buddy Holly” waiter at the 50’s restaurant in Pulp Fiction. I read something once where Quentin Tarantino said that he deliberately intended that character to be Mr. Pink in disguise on the lam from the cops. At least, that was sort of the running, on-set joke. It’s also part of Tarantino canon that Vincent Vega (the Travolta character from Pulp) is the brother of Vic Vega (Michael Madsen’s “Mr. Blonde”). There is even a rumored “Vega Brothers” movie on Tarantino’s slate for the future.
I loved Reservoir Dogs.
I agree with the aboves explanations of the absence of the shootout. It would’ve been to the movie’s detriment if they showed it. I like the lead-ups to it, though. The planning and naming and just sitting in cars; it’s fun stuff.
The first time I saw it I felt it ended abruptly, but on repeat viewing it seems fine. (On the inside of the Mr. Pink version of the Special Edition DVD, it says, “It should come as no surprise that he’s the only one to survive the ordeal, though he does not escape justice.” So we know that he does get caught.) All the loose ends are tied up, so I think it’s alright, though it does come as a shock that it ends so abruptly.
Does Mr. White kill Mr. Orange, or is he shot before he can pull the trigger?
Mr Orange gets killed. Shot in the jaw. Ouch.
I liked it how Mr Blonde never actually killed anyone on screen.
I should add – the cops started shooting him because he shot Orange.