Antiheroes in the Films of Quentin Tarantino: Adaptation, Appropriation, Remix

Quentin Tarantino is universally lauded as one of the most original and influential contemporary American filmmakers even as his unique anti-establishment work has stirred controversy with its reliance on graphic violence. In this course we will study Tarantino’s films as adaptations, appropriations, and remixes of literature (Elmore Leonard), the work of comedians (Pryor, Carlin), cinema auteurs (Kurosawa, Godard) and pop culture icons (Madonna), as well as a variety of international cinematic genres (wuxia, noir, spaghetti westerns). We will explore how Tarantino blends seamlessly American and foreign cultural elements to create powerful anti-establishment characters that have inspired young filmmakers worldwide.