Adult Supervision is Required

Rating: 9/10 (2 January 2013)

Greetings again from the darkness. Well, after two viewings and endless analyzing, it's time to commit thoughts to the page. Over the years, it has become very clear that a Tarantino movie generates a first reaction, and then proceeds to slither through your mind and morph into something else entirely. It would be very easy to accept this latest as an outrageous peek at slavery disguised as a spaghetti western. For most filmmakers, that would be plenty. The "whole" here is exceedingly impressive, but the real joy for cinephiles is in the bits and pieces.
One need not be a Quentin Tarantino expert to enjoy his movies, but there are a couple of things that help. First, he is at heart, a true lover of cinema and quite the film historian, showing sincere respect to the pioneers of this art form. Second, he loves to bring visibility to issues (large and small) by poking a bit of fun at the evil doers who wield unnecessary influence and control over weaker parties. Morality, vengeance, revenge and come-uppance invariably play a role in his story-telling ... a bonus this time is the inclusion of the Brunhilde/Siegfried legend from Norse mythology and the Wagner operas.
In his two most recent films, QT has been on a kick for revisionist history. Inglourious Basterds made a strong statement against the Nazi's, while this latest goes hard after slave owners. As you might expect, historical accuracy is less important to him than are the characters involved and tales they weave. And to that point, it seems quite obvious that where in the past, Tarantino would center his attention on crackling dialogue and searing one-liners, he now offers up much more complete characterizations ... these are people we understand, even if we don't much like them.
The obvious love he has for Sergio Corbucci and Sergio Leone, the driving forces behind spaghetti westerns is plastered on the screen. We even get the beautiful camera work through the snow as a tribute to Corbucci's The Great Silence (1968). While this is not a remake or sequel or prequel, Franco Nero's "I know" response to "The D is silent" generates a laugh and memories of a 25 year old Nero in the titular role of "Django" (1966). The Blaxploitation genre plays a significant role here as well since Jamie Foxx plays Django, a freed slave who buddies up with a German dentist-turned-bounty hunter, so that Django can get revenge on those responsible for the torture and mistreatment of his wife.
The details of the stories will not be exposed here, however, I would encourage you to pay close attention to the moments of film brilliance. There is a running gag with townspeople and slaves alike struggling to accept the sight of Django on a horse. You'll laugh again when Django is offered the opportunity to pick out his own clothes and we see Foxx in a velvet Little Lord Fauntleroy outfit straight out of The Blue Boy painting from Gainsborough. There is hilarious banter between Big Daddy (Don Johnson) and Betina as he tries to give guidance on how to give Django a tour of the plantation.
Some of the best moments occur when we recognize the actors in the vital foundation scenes. Don't miss: bad guy Bruce Dern, Don Stroud (the drummer in The Buddy Holly Story) as the sheriff, Tom Wopat (Dukes of Hazzard), father and daughter Russ and Amber Tamblyn, Jonah Hill who struggles with the eye holes in his "bag", the eyes of Zoe Bell, Ted Neeley (Jesus Christ Superstar), "Dexter" dad James Remar has two roles, Walton Goggins as a gunslinger, Michael Parks (multiple roles in Kill Bill and Grindhouse), and of course, Mr Tarantino himself (as an explosive cowpoke from down under).
While each of these provide wonderful moments, it's the main performances of Jamie Foxx (Django), Christoph Waltz (Dr King Schultz, bounty hunter), Leonardo DiCaprio (Calvin Candie, plantation owner), and Samuel L Jackson (Stephen, Candyland house slave). Any combination of these characters in any scene could be considered a highlight. It's especially enjoyable to see DiCaprio cut loose after so many uptight characters recently. Samuel L Jackson has long been a Tarantino favorite, and his delivery as the diabolical Uncle Tom house slave who has some secrets of his own, will bring the house down when he first sees Django and, in a much different way, when his suspicions are confirmed. Power is big player in the story, and even as a slave, Stephen knows what to do with power when he has it. Mr. Waltz won an Oscar for his Inglourious Basterds performance, and his dialogue here is every bit as rich. It's obvious how much Tarantino enjoys hearing his words spoken by Waltz. Foxx' performance could be easily overlooked, but it's actually the guts of the film. He is quiet when necessary and bold when required.
We must also discuss the soundtrack. Franco Migiacci's original "Django" theme is featured, as are classics and a new song from the great Ennio Morricone. If you doubt the originality of the soundtrack, can you name another western that utilizes a mash-up of James Brown and Tupac Shakur? How about a spot-on use of Jim Croce's "I've Got a Name"? The film is beautifully shot by Robert Richardson, and Fred Riskin takes over for Tarantino's long-time editor Sally Menke, who sadly passed away in 2010.
It should also be noted that the script puts hip-hop to shame by using the "N-word" more than 100 times. It is a bit disconcerting, and you can google Spike Lee's comments if you care to read more on the topic. Otherwise, dig in to the latest gem from Tarantino and appreciate his approach and genius ... either that, or stay away!