Acclaimed director Quentin Tarantino claims that television is less memorable than films and uses western films yellow stone as a modern example. Tarantino rose to global prominence as a pioneer of 1990s American independent cinema with his directorial debut Reservoir Dogs achieving critical acclaim in 1991. Its follow-up pulp FictionThe casting cemented his status as a wunderkind writer-director who excelled at juggling multiple stories and actors, and his auteur status helped set him apart as one of the industry's most iconic and interesting directors, and he is well known for his elegant films and frank opinions.
Put Indie Yarnin a recent appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience, Tarantino spoke about his views on the state of modern television and voiced yellow stone as being “just a soap opera.” He discusses his opinions on TV in general, how it has become more cinematic in recent years and how the characters tend to be more prominent than the plot. Check out Tarantino's full comments below:
Everyone talks about how great television is now. And it's very good, I must say. But it's still television for me. What's the difference between television and a good movie? Because so much TV now has the patina of film. They are using cinematic language to keep you involved. I really couldn't watch 'Yellowstone' for the first three years or so. Then I watch the first season and think 'Wow, this is great!' I've always been a huge fan of Kevin Costner, he's wonderful in this.
And I get really invested in the show, I'm having so much fun watching it, and in the first season, I'm like, 'Oh, this is like a big movie. As I'm watching, I'm compelled. But at the end of the day it's just a soap opera. They introduce you to a bunch of characters, you learn their stories, you learn everyone's connection to everyone else… and then everything else is just your connection to the novel.
Now it seems unlikely that the director will explore TV projects
Tarantino has always been a staunch defender of cinema as the definitive medium for viewers to enjoy, but he has spoken positively about television in the past, with the director known for being a fan of TV shows such as Rawhide and Kung Fu. He has also made a few appearances behind the camera on scripted television shows in the past, directing episodes of medical dramas Emergency Roomin 1995, and a two-part episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigationin 2005.
If Tarantino works in TV after retiring from film, it could very well be in the form of a miniseries or limited series rather than a multi-season show.
However, it seems that his opinion on television has hardened in recent times, and his current comments suggest he may not be interested in returning to the small screen, as he had previously suggested. On the other hand, his revelation that he liked yellow stone the first season suggests that Tarantino enjoys telling long-form stories, and the cinematic nature of Taylor Sheridan's writing and imagination made the show a success. But it wasn't without problems, and the Kevin Costner controversy, in some ways, diminished the series' narrative legacy.
The enigmatic director will always favor films
Tarantino's comments have a degree of truth, and with such a wide range of TV shows produced these days, production companies seem to be trying to make things more cinematic, which isn't always a good thing. He clearly favors a more contained story that begins and ends in a finite period of time, rather than sprawling shows that span several years and sometimes lose track of the narrative. If Tarantino works in TV after retiring from film, it could very well be in the form of a miniseries or limited series rather than a multi-season show.
Source: Indie Yarn