I wish Mr Tarantino was my history teacher at school

Rating: 8/10 (19 February 2013)

On the Eve of "Reservoir Dogs" 20th UK anniversary by director Quentin Tarantino, a handful of friends and I paid tribute – in true "dogs" fashion" - by dressing to impress in black suits, white shirts and black ties to see "Django Unchained" - the directors first take on a "Spaghetti Western" in his longest feature film to date.
"Django Unchained" set in the antebellum South two years before the American Civil War tells the story of Django (played by Jamie Foxx) - a once slave turned freeman - who in return for identifying the "Brittle Brothers" for his German Dentist - turned Bounty Hunter companion Dr King Schultz (Christoph Waltz), sets out to rescue his wife Broomhilda (Kerry Washington) from her slave master Monsieur Calvin Candie, a charming, profound racist and Francophile owner of "Candyland" - a brutal Mississippi plantation - (played by Leonardo DiCaprio). Schultz and Django devise a plan to lure Candie into selling Django's wife Broomhilda, vindicating that she helps relieve Schultz' nostalgia for his mother tongue because she speaks German. But once loyal house slave Stephen (played by Samuel L. Jackson) surmises that Django and Broomhilda know each other, informs his master Candie, he now realises that the generous offer from Django and Dr King Schultz was all too good to be true, a decision that doesn't end well for both parties.
Firstly I would like to point out that I have been a lifelong admirer of Tarantino's work and I believe that his latest installment "Django Unchained" is one of his best. "Django Unchained" marks the first Tarantino feature film I have been aged to see on the 'big screen' and what a difference the cinematic experience makes. Quentin Tarantino for all that he is - is a fantastic film maker. He captures all the aspects of a true "Spaghetti Western" with ease - close ups, shoot outs, stare downs and memorable Tarantino one liners. And not to mention the extensive use of ketchup style fake blood! Quentin Tarantino's music score for "Django Unchained" is an admirable blend of definitive "Spaghetti Western" orchestras' mixed with contemporary music, inheriting a soundtrack meeting the criteria of a classic "Spaghetti Western", interim with a modern twist. The title song "Django" - by composer Luis Bacalov - from the 1966 film by the same name and the on-screen cameo of Franco Nero - the protagonist in the original film, worked fittingly as a tribute from Tarantino to the inspiration of his latest film - Django meets Django!
Jamie Foxx was giving the green light by director Quentin Tarantino to play the central role of Django in "Django Unchained". Unfortunately for him he was overshadowed by the Oscar winning performance by Austrian born actor Christoph Waltz for his supporting role as Dr King Shultz -Tarantino's latest collaborator. As an Oscar winning actor I had high hopes for Foxx's role in this film but I found he was the films major flaw. Foxx felt far too contemporary for a film set in the 19th century, his acting at times felt lazy and he looked unconvincing during various action sequences. Although I thought his performance improved in the later stages of the film when the films focus was purely on Django and not his partnership with Schultz. Waltz' second to none performance as Dr King Shultz steals the show, with his sheer elegance, wit and intelligent acting. Kerry Washington's supporting role in the film is strong, having previously collaborated with actor Jamie Foxx in the 2004 Oscar winning film 'Ray', reprising her role as Foxx's in film wife Broomhilda, the romance scenes between the two worked well in the film, especially towards the films climax. Leonardo Di Caprio marks his Tarantino debut in true fashion, emerging himself well into Tarantino's style of acting, producing a remarkable piece of acting as slave owner Monsieur Candy. Samuel L Jackson adds a touch of sheer class to the film in his role as Candies house slave Stephen with some much needed humour,nothing but the best from a true Tarantino veteran actor, receiving the on-screen time he deserves. Quentin Tarantino himself makes a returns to the screen after a notable absence from film, in a brief cameo appearance as an Australian LeQuint Dickey Mining Co. Employee.
'Django Unchained' is a film that deserved the 2013 Oscar for Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen. I've never been to the cinema before where the audience has been completely captivated from start to finish. The film both shocks you and makes you laugh. The music score as with many Tarantino features is fantastic. The cinematography in Django is mesmerising and captures the Western feel brilliantly. The casting is first-class (bar a sense of contemporary-ism from the lead actor!) which incorporates some new faces to the Tarantino universe along with some more well known collaborators. I'm well aware that the films subject matter and the inclusion of graphic, violent scenes may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I feel If you can accept a Tarantino style of film for what it is you can enjoy it far more. After all, you wouldn't expect anything less from the controversial director.