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Socialist Review Index (1993–1996) | Socialist Review 168 Contents
From Socialist Review, No. 168, October 1993.
Copyright © Socialist Review.
Copied with thanks from the Socialist Review Archive.
Marked up by Einde O’Callaghan for ETOL.
True Romance
Dir: Tony Scott
Quentin Tarantino is fast becoming one of Hollywood’s hottest commercial prospects. With only two films to his name, Tarantino’s scripts are already selling for half a million dollars each. His first film, Reservoir Dogs, established him as a director.
His script for True Romance utilises the successful formula of Reservoir Dogs as well as drawing on a host of classic American road movies. Starring Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette, the film begins in Detroit with lots of grey, grainy shots. Against this backdrop Clarence and Alabama fall passionately in love. He works in a comic shop, she is a novice hooker.
As if to prove his love, Clarence commits a murder, blowing away the pimp of his new found lover. At this juncture the couple are forced to flee from the scene and take off in an old convertible across America.
Although the plot unashamedly conforms to numerous Hollywood conventions, it does so with style and humour, whilst at the same time poking fun. There is also enough blood and bullets to rival Reservoir Dogs, although the violence is nowhere near as disturbed.
However, True Romance, although well worth watching, is completely apolitical. Tarantino is clearly a talented film maker, with an obsession for movies and TV culture. You get the impression that if he moved on from these areas to make a movie with even a slight political edge, his films could have a much more hard hitting impact.
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