"Django Unchained" Movie Review

"Django Unchained" movie poster.

"Former dentist, Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz), buys the freedom of a slave, Django (Jamie Foxx), and trains him with the intent to make him his deputy bounty hunter. Instead, he is led to the site of Django's wife (Kerry Washington) who is under the hands of Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio), a ruthless plantation owner." Written by BenLobel (Source below.)

I found this awesome
poster here.

Written and directed by Quentin Tarantino ("Kill Bill Vol. 1 and 2", "Reservoir Dogs"), starring Jamie Foxx ("DreamGirls", "Collateral"), Christoph Waltz ("Inglourious Basterds", "The Three Muskateers (2011)"), Kerry Washington ("The Last King of Scotland", "Ray"), Leonardo DiCaprio ("Inception", "Revolutionary Road"), Samuel L. Jackson ("The Avengers", "The Other Guys") who plays Candie's head house slave, Stephen, Walton Goggins ("Cowboys & Aliens", "The Bourne Identity") and Dennis Christopher ("Fade to Black", "Deadwood") who are Candie's right-hand men, and Laura Cayouette ("Kill Bill Vol. 2", "Enemy of the State") who plays Candie's widowed sister. Don Johnson ("Miami Vice", "Machete") and Jonah Hill ("How to Train Your Dragon", "Moneyball") show up in the funniest part of the whole movie.

Christoph Waltz (L)
and Jamie Foxx.

It was really good, I found the whole movie quite satisfying and the only problem I had with it was, it was a bit long. The soundtrack was really good. The clothing was well done and cinematography was beautiful. It was graphic, but this is a Tarantino film so you can't expect any less than that.

There is some nudity as well as graphic violence. And as far as the N-word is concerned, after the first few times they say it, it doesn't grate on you because it's obvious that for them in that time period that it is just a word they use. It's still derogatory, but it wasn't as big a deal as it is today. 

Leonardo DiCaprio.

After seeing this film, I can understand why Leonardo DiCaprio was snubbed for an Oscar nomination. Not because he didn't do a great job as a horrific villain 'cause he was fantastic, he just wasn't in the film that long. I think there could've been more scenes with him. Also, I liked his "good cop, bad cop" routine with Samuel L. Jackson, but as far as his villainy is concerned, I still think he could've been worse. I knew which moves he was going to make before he did them, so it wasn't as much of a shock as it could have been.

I still loathe the Academy for snubbing him, but at least they nominated Waltz, he was amazing. 

Samuel L. Jackson (L)
and Kerry Washington.

I wish they could've given Kerry Washington more to do, instead of just be a prisoner, but I think Tarantino was limited with what could've been done as far as what she would've been capable of doing.

Overall, a very good film and I am sure it will garner a number of awards. Also, I learned something as I watched this film; I had no idea that Alexander Dumas was black. I have all of his work (the author of "The Three Muskateers" and "The Man in the Iron Mask" to name a few) on my to-read list.

I give this movie 5 out of 5 typewriters.

I found this interview with the cast and director of "Django Unchained" 

and I wanted to share it as it is quite funny:

Sources: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1853728/plotsummary and http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1853728/fullcredits#cast.

Quentin Tarantino on Screenwriting!!!

"For Quentin Tarantino, the script really does come first.

"Tarantino ("Django Unchained") said if he does his job right, the script should speak for itself as [a] work of literature, even if he chose not to make it into a film.“When I’m writing, it’s about the page. It’s not about the movie,” the writer-director said during The Hollywood Reporter’s Director Roundtable. “It’s about the literature of me putting my pen to paper and writing a good page, and making it work completely."

“ 'Now it’s mine to f-up if I go forward with it,” he said. “I always go forward with it. But I want to love that script so much that I’m tempted to stop.”

"Writing "Django Unchained", [which hits theaters Christmas Day], was no different.

“There’s stuff that’s in the script that I know will never ever make the movie, but it just makes the book — the piece of literature — better,” Tarantino said. “It’s a better read. It’s more emotionally satisfying. Then just like you do with an adaptation, you peel a lot of that stuff away.”

"Tarantino joined awards season contenders Ben Affleck ("Argo"), Ang Lee ("Life of Pi"), Tom Hooper ("Les Miserables"), David O. Russell ("Silver Linings Playbook") and Gus Van Sant ("Promised Land") for a roundtable discussion moderated by THR news editor Matthew Belloni and executive editor features Stephen Galloway."

You can see the original posting here.

Tip and Quote of the Week: The First Five Pages

The First Five Pages

Your first five pages will make or break your script. That cool, awesome, amazing little detail or set piece you've imagined for your script?

Put it up front.

You never know if anyone will read past the first five if it isn't compelling.

Likewise, if you're creating a new TV series, don't save your best stuff for the show bible or season two. All that's going to be read is the pilot -- so put your heart, soul, and kitchen sink into it.

"To me, movies and music go hand in hand. When I'm writing
a script, one of the first things I do is find the music
I'm going to play for the opening sequence."

-Quentin Tarantino

Sources: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/script.html and http://www.screenplay.com/default.aspx.

A former Hollywood Lit Manager, Michael Ferris started ScriptAWish.com as a way to help other writers get their foot in the door and has helped several writers sell their scripts (like Travis Beacham of PACIFIC RIM) and set up projects with producers like Academy Award Winner Arnold Kopelson. The mission of ScriptAWish.com is to help aspiring writers get their scripts into shape and then get their foot in the door. His new venture is a collaboration with several professional screenwriters called StudioGhostwriters.com and is intended to help producers get their movie ideas on paper or their drafts polished for production.