Quentin Tarantino Picks His All Time Favorite Science Fiction Movies
Quentin Tarantino has always been known as a filmmaker who lives and breathes old movies. Most people link him to crime stories, westerns, and violent revenge films, but his taste goes far beyond that. Even though he has never made a science fiction movie himself, the genre clearly holds a special place for him.
Tarantino recently talked about science fiction during an episode of The Video Archives Podcast, where he regularly shares his thoughts on classic films. While discussing the genre, he made it clear that he does not casually praise movies. He explained that he rarely uses the word masterpiece, saving it only for films that truly deserve it.
During the conversation, he said that the 1974 cult film Dark Star fits that description perfectly. He described it as a science fiction masterpiece and praised it as a great example of early 1970s counterculture filmmaking. According to Tarantino, the movie captures a rebellious and creative spirit that feels very real.
Dark Star was the first film directed by John Carpenter and was written by Dan O’Bannon, who later became famous for writing Alien. The movie is a dark comedy about a group of bored astronauts whose job is to destroy unstable planets.
Tarantino enjoys how strange and low-budget the film feels and even joked that one of the actors looked like a hippie friend they picked up off the street rather than a trained performer. His admiration for John Carpenter does not stop there.
Tarantino also strongly recommends The Thing from 1982. He said the practical effects in the movie are some of the best seen in a theater. He explained that while many horror movies rely on sudden scares, this one creates fear through tension and paranoia. The idea that you never know who the monster is genuinely scared him.
Tarantino’s love for science fiction started when he was very young. He has previously shared that Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein was his favorite movie as a child. He was amazed that a film could be both scary and funny at the same time. He believes this mix of genres inspired him to blend styles throughout his own career.
As of now, Tarantino is keeping fans guessing about his future. After scrapping his planned final film, The Movie Critic, he shifted his focus to other creative projects. He is currently finishing a stage play, which he has hinted could come before his final return to directing.
He is also working with David Fincher on a sequel to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood titled The Adventures of Cliff Booth. The project is expected to be released on Netflix later this year.
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