How To Write A Close Textual Analysis Of Reservoir Dogs
Reservoir Dogs The 1992 film, Reservoir Dogs, was written and directed my Quentin Tarantino. The film is claimed to fame for the usage of violent crime, pop culture, intense profanity and a nonlinear storyline. The use of low lighting, images, and music are elements that Tarantino used to create what is considered to be a great independent film. Quentin Tarantino has directed various other cinematic films, Reservoir Dogs, was the first film of his to provide a range of symbolic interpretation, making it possible for a close textual analysis. As the film begins, there is a credit sequence with a voice over from Mr. Pink (Steve Buscemi), telling a story about Madonna. The film cuts to the interior of Uncle Bob’s Pancake House, where the men, all dressed in black suits and white button down shirts, sit around a table discussing the meaning behind Madonna’s song, ‘Like A Virgin’. These men are “business partners”, and at the table is their boss, and legendary Los Angeles gangster, Joe Cabot. The film is about a jewelry heist that these men took part in, and went
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terribly wrong. The events are in no particular order, as the viewer, you do not see what took place in the jewelry store, but see the events that took place before and after the robbery. The film becomes intense, as the plot thickens; the gang members have to try and piece together why the heist went south, and who is the alleged rat in the group. We hear gunshots, screaming, cars in high speed, but we do not see any of these events, until Mr. White (Harvey Keitel) is driving an injured member, Mr. Orange (Tim Roth) to the meeting point, an abandoned warehouse. The energy that Tarantino wanted to create, with off screen images, but sound brings suspense to the audience, sitting on the edge of their seat to find out the unknown. At the warehouse, the men await the arrival of other gang members, those who survived the chaotic, trigger- happy frenzy at the jewelry store. Mr. Pink has arrived, and is now discussing with Mr. White what has happened, when Mr. Blonde (Michael Madson) arrives and brings the men outside to see his surprise. In the trunk of the car is a handcuffed police officer in uniform. As the film continues in the nonlinear form, it jumps around, but we are brought back to the flash-forward of Mr. Blonde, Mr. Pink, and Mr. White surrounding the police officer in the warehouse. In the background we hear the song, “Fool for Love” by Sandy Rogers. The song is playing in the car of Nice Guy Eddie (Chris Penn), son of gangster Joe Cabot. Eddie is driving towards the warehouse, where he has learned that the gang has taken hostage, a police officer. Eddie is in a close medium profile shot, illuminated with the bright color of his purple jacket and luscious green grass in the background. In the warehouse Mr. Blonde is sitting atop an old covered car, with dull lighting, shadows being cast around him and the voices of Mr. White and Mr. Pink in the background. Mr. Blonde is starring off camera, to where we then see what he was looking at, Mr. Pink and Mr. White standing in front of the officer, interrogating him. The screen widens and we are able to see a full shot of the police officer, Mr. White, Mr. Pink in the foreground and Mr. Blonde still sitting on the car, when Nice Guy Eddie swings the warehouse door open. The warehouse is dark, the shadows make it seem darker, but when the door is opened, there is a slight burst of color that Nice Guy Eddie brings to the screen. The interaction of Eddie, Mr. White and Mr. Pink eliminates the sight of Mr. Blonde, but still keeps the police officer in the background, tied to a chair. As mentioned previously, Eddie wears a rather bright colored purple jacket, differentiating himself from the gang members, who are all wearing black suits. The camera goes back and forth to a close shot of Nice Guy Eddie, and then a point of view of Mr. White, Mr. Pink and the cop. As the conversation continues, the camera is focused on the one speak at the time. Each member is still asking the same question, “Who is the rat?” “Who set us up?” What seems to be a dolly camera move, the shot is widened and we are able to see, the cop, Mr. White, Mr. Pink, Eddie, Mr. Blonde, and in the corner you see the hand of Mr. Orange, who is lying on the floor bleeding to death. The scene focuses on each individual character, giving the viewer a close look at who they are. This is done through the usage of close-up shots. Screaming seems to be the only way of communication between the group members. Though the song is no longer playing, the warehouse gives off an echo-like sound, as it is a cold, dingy, empty, cement floor, high ceiling. As Nice Guy Eddie, is trying to be caught up on the whereabouts of the other gang members, you hear the cop trying to gasp for air after being brutally injured by Mr. White and Mr. Pink. As the scene progresses, less information is found out about the possible rat.
Eddie, White and Pink leave the warehouse to remove the cars that have been left outside, causing suspicion. Mr. Blonde is now in charge, he is to watch the dying Mr. Orange and the hostage cop. It is at this point; that Blonde puts the radio on, “Stuck in the Middle with You”, by Stealer’s Wheel is playing for the entire duration of the scene. It is the perspective that Tarantino wanted to create; Blonde sits in front of the cop, starring at him, potentially looking out to the audience. The torture of the cop continues. The cop’s ear, or the ear of the audience has been cut off and is in a close shot to the victim, to show that Mr. Blonde is in charge. It is at the moment where the cop is almost burnt alive, when Mr. Orange pulls out his gun and fires a bullet into the chest of a criminal committing a heinous
crime. It is between the close ups and quick whip round camera shots, that creates a rather action packed scene of death and survival. Mr. Orange drags his bloody, limb body, across the warehouse floor to the feet of the cop, where they reveal their identities. Mr. Orange is an undercover cop, who was sent on a mission to capture Joe Cabot in action. The film, Reservoir Dogs, as previously mentioned is unlike the style of films, where one event sequentially follows another, but rather is a nonlinear story that pieces together the overall result of a heist that went terribly wrong. Between flashbacks and flash-forwards, the majority of the film takes place in a dilapidated neighborhood inside a warehouse that has been marked the meeting point for the gang members and employees of Joe Cabot. Though outside the warehouse, the sun, a natural source of light, helps to illuminate the characters, they do not change from their dark, black suit, “uniforms” creating a differentiation from the other characters that are seen throughout the film in the background, the foreground, on the streets, and among the commotion. As we were introduced to each character with an insert “Title Card” with their name on it, the same was conducted with Mr. Orange, or now known as, Freddy Newandyke, an undercover police officer for the Los Angeles Police Department. Learning about who Freddy is, and how he was brought into the gang of Joe Cabot, the lighting seems to be less dull, the camera shots bounce back and forth from close ups, to medium shots, and in frequently wide angle shots of the characters. Throughout the narration of how Freddy was hired, Tarantino continues with the ideas of flashbacks, and takes us through the story of Freddy, preparing for his “meet and greet” with Nice Guy Eddie, Mr. White, and the rest of the team. The film, Reservoir Dogs, created by a talented director, Tarantino, and like many other talented directors, use of lighting, sound, camera shots and angles is done purposely to create a film that portrays the right message. Reservoir Dogs, created using low lighting, close up shots, low angles, shadows, intense screaming, music of the 1970s and 1980s, all creates a mood and mystery to crime, violence and in addition to a take on a thriller. The film, Reservoir Dogs, usage of code names, Mr. Brown, Mr. White, Mr. Pink, Mr. Blonde etc., are additional clues to leave mystery between the characters, as the audience is introduced to the characters through flashbacks and title cards. Reservoir Dogs is an example of a different film style, constantly being mentioned, a nonlinear story line.
terribly wrong. The events are in no particular order, as the viewer, you do not see what took place in the jewelry store, but see the events that took place before and after the robbery. The film becomes intense, as the plot thickens; the gang members have to try and piece together why the heist went south, and who is the alleged rat in the group. We hear gunshots, screaming, cars in high speed, but we do not see any of these events, until Mr. White (Harvey Keitel) is driving an injured member, Mr. Orange (Tim Roth) to the meeting point, an abandoned warehouse. The energy that Tarantino wanted to create, with off screen images, but sound brings suspense to the audience, sitting on the edge of their seat to find out the unknown. At the warehouse, the men await the arrival of other gang members, those who survived the chaotic, trigger- happy frenzy at the jewelry store. Mr. Pink has arrived, and is now discussing with Mr. White what has happened, when Mr. Blonde (Michael Madson) arrives and brings the men outside to see his surprise. In the trunk of the car is a handcuffed police officer in uniform. As the film continues in the nonlinear form, it jumps around, but we are brought back to the flash-forward of Mr. Blonde, Mr. Pink, and Mr. White surrounding the police officer in the warehouse. In the background we hear the song, “Fool for Love” by Sandy Rogers. The song is playing in the car of Nice Guy Eddie (Chris Penn), son of gangster Joe Cabot. Eddie is driving towards the warehouse, where he has learned that the gang has taken hostage, a police officer. Eddie is in a close medium profile shot, illuminated with the bright color of his purple jacket and luscious green grass in the background. In the warehouse Mr. Blonde is sitting atop an old covered car, with dull lighting, shadows being cast around him and the voices of Mr. White and Mr. Pink in the background. Mr. Blonde is starring off camera, to where we then see what he was looking at, Mr. Pink and Mr. White standing in front of the officer, interrogating him. The screen widens and we are able to see a full shot of the police officer, Mr. White, Mr. Pink in the foreground and Mr. Blonde still sitting on the car, when Nice Guy Eddie swings the warehouse door open. The warehouse is dark, the shadows make it seem darker, but when the door is opened, there is a slight burst of color that Nice Guy Eddie brings to the screen. The interaction of Eddie, Mr. White and Mr. Pink eliminates the sight of Mr. Blonde, but still keeps the police officer in the background, tied to a chair. As mentioned previously, Eddie wears a rather bright colored purple jacket, differentiating himself from the gang members, who are all wearing black suits. The camera goes back and forth to a close shot of Nice Guy Eddie, and then a point of view of Mr. White, Mr. Pink and the cop. As the conversation continues, the camera is focused on the one speak at the time. Each member is still asking the same question, “Who is the rat?” “Who set us up?” What seems to be a dolly camera move, the shot is widened and we are able to see, the cop, Mr. White, Mr. Pink, Eddie, Mr. Blonde, and in the corner you see the hand of Mr. Orange, who is lying on the floor bleeding to death. The scene focuses on each individual character, giving the viewer a close look at who they are. This is done through the usage of close-up shots. Screaming seems to be the only way of communication between the group members. Though the song is no longer playing, the warehouse gives off an echo-like sound, as it is a cold, dingy, empty, cement floor, high ceiling. As Nice Guy Eddie, is trying to be caught up on the whereabouts of the other gang members, you hear the cop trying to gasp for air after being brutally injured by Mr. White and Mr. Pink. As the scene progresses, less information is found out about the possible rat.
Eddie, White and Pink leave the warehouse to remove the cars that have been left outside, causing suspicion. Mr. Blonde is now in charge, he is to watch the dying Mr. Orange and the hostage cop. It is at this point; that Blonde puts the radio on, “Stuck in the Middle with You”, by Stealer’s Wheel is playing for the entire duration of the scene. It is the perspective that Tarantino wanted to create; Blonde sits in front of the cop, starring at him, potentially looking out to the audience. The torture of the cop continues. The cop’s ear, or the ear of the audience has been cut off and is in a close shot to the victim, to show that Mr. Blonde is in charge. It is at the moment where the cop is almost burnt alive, when Mr. Orange pulls out his gun and fires a bullet into the chest of a criminal committing a heinous
crime. It is between the close ups and quick whip round camera shots, that creates a rather action packed scene of death and survival. Mr. Orange drags his bloody, limb body, across the warehouse floor to the feet of the cop, where they reveal their identities. Mr. Orange is an undercover cop, who was sent on a mission to capture Joe Cabot in action. The film, Reservoir Dogs, as previously mentioned is unlike the style of films, where one event sequentially follows another, but rather is a nonlinear story that pieces together the overall result of a heist that went terribly wrong. Between flashbacks and flash-forwards, the majority of the film takes place in a dilapidated neighborhood inside a warehouse that has been marked the meeting point for the gang members and employees of Joe Cabot. Though outside the warehouse, the sun, a natural source of light, helps to illuminate the characters, they do not change from their dark, black suit, “uniforms” creating a differentiation from the other characters that are seen throughout the film in the background, the foreground, on the streets, and among the commotion. As we were introduced to each character with an insert “Title Card” with their name on it, the same was conducted with Mr. Orange, or now known as, Freddy Newandyke, an undercover police officer for the Los Angeles Police Department. Learning about who Freddy is, and how he was brought into the gang of Joe Cabot, the lighting seems to be less dull, the camera shots bounce back and forth from close ups, to medium shots, and in frequently wide angle shots of the characters. Throughout the narration of how Freddy was hired, Tarantino continues with the ideas of flashbacks, and takes us through the story of Freddy, preparing for his “meet and greet” with Nice Guy Eddie, Mr. White, and the rest of the team. The film, Reservoir Dogs, created by a talented director, Tarantino, and like many other talented directors, use of lighting, sound, camera shots and angles is done purposely to create a film that portrays the right message. Reservoir Dogs, created using low lighting, close up shots, low angles, shadows, intense screaming, music of the 1970s and 1980s, all creates a mood and mystery to crime, violence and in addition to a take on a thriller. The film, Reservoir Dogs, usage of code names, Mr. Brown, Mr. White, Mr. Pink, Mr. Blonde etc., are additional clues to leave mystery between the characters, as the audience is introduced to the characters through flashbacks and title cards. Reservoir Dogs is an example of a different film style, constantly being mentioned, a nonlinear story line.