Reservoir Dogs
297111
226160989
2008-07-17T02:36:16Z
67.165.141.239
/* Cast and characters */
{{For|the video game based on the film|Reservoir Dogs (video game)}}
{{Infobox Film
| name = Reservoir Dogs
| image = Reservoir dogs ver1.jpg
| caption = ''Reservoir Dogs'' theatrical poster
| writer = [[Quentin Tarantino]]
| starring =[[Harvey Keitel]]<br />[[Tim Roth]]<br />[[Steve Buscemi]]<br />[[Chris Penn]]<br />[[Michael Madsen]]<br />[[Lawrence Tierney]]
| director = [[Quentin Tarantino]]
| producer = [[Lawrence Bender]]
| cinematography = [[Andrzej Sekula]]
| editing = [[Sally Menke]]
| distributor = [[Miramax Films]]<br> [[Rank Film Distributors]]<br> [[Momentum Pictures]] ''(UK)''
| released = [[October 23]], [[1992]]
| country = [[USA]]
| runtime = 99 min.
| language = English
| budget = US$1.2 million
| amg_id = 1:40984
| imdb_id = 0105236
}}
'''''Reservoir Dogs''''' is the [[1992 in film|1992]] debut [[feature film]] of director and writer [[Quentin Tarantino]]. It portrays what happened before and after a botched jewel [[Robbery|heist]], but not the heist itself. ''Reservoir Dogs'' stars an [[ensemble cast]] with [[Harvey Keitel]], [[Tim Roth]], [[Michael Madsen]], [[Chris Penn]], [[Steve Buscemi]] and [[Lawrence Tierney]]. Tarantino also has a minor role, as does criminal-turned-author [[Edward Bunker|Eddie Bunker]]. It incorporates many themes and aesthetics that have become Tarantino's hallmarks: violent crime, pop culture references, memorable dialogue with excessive profanity and a nonlinear storyline.
The film has become a classic of [[independent film]] and a cult hit. It was named "Greatest Independent Film of all Time" by [[Empire (magazine)|Empire]]. ''Reservoir Dogs'' was generally well received and the cast was praised by many critics. Although it never became a major box office success grossing [[US Dollar|$]]2,832,029, it achieved higher popularity after the success of Tarantino's [[Pulp Fiction (film)|''Pulp Fiction'']]. It is often criticized for its high amount of violence and profanity, and audience members reportedly walked out during the infamous ear-cutting scene. The film is responsible for launching the careers of several people associated with it including director [[Quentin Tarantino]] and actor [[Steve Buscemi]], reinvigorating the career of [[Harvey Keitel]] and providing important exposure, although not star status, to [[Tim Roth]].
A soundtrack titled ''Reservoir Dogs: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack'' was released featuring songs used in the film, mostly from the 1970s. In 2006, a [[Reservoir Dogs (video game)|video game]] was released to mediocre reviews. The video game—like the film—caused controversy for its violence.
==Plot==
The film opens to eight men eating breakfast at a diner: Mr. Blonde ([[Michael Madsen]]), Mr. Blue ([[Eddie Bunker]]), Mr. Brown ([[Quentin Tarantino]]), Mr. Orange ([[Tim Roth]]), Mr. Pink ([[Steve Buscemi]]) Mr. White ([[Harvey Keitel]]), Joe Cabot ([[Lawrence Tierney]]) and his son, "Nice Guy" Eddie ([[Chris Penn]]). Mr. Brown discusses his comparative analysis on [[Madonna (entertainer)|Madonna]]'s "[[Like a Virgin (song)|Like a Virgin]]" and Mr. Pink expresses his anti-tipping policy until Joe forces him to leave a tip.
After the credits, the action cuts quickly to the interior of a speeding car. Mr. White, driving with one hand, is trying to comfort a hysterical Mr. Orange, who has been shot in the lower [[human abdomen|abdomen]] and is bleeding profusely. They arrive at an abandoned warehouse, later revealed to be the rendezvous point for the armed robbery they have just committed. Mr. White leaves Mr. Orange on the warehouse floor. Mr. Pink appears and angrily suggests that the jewelry [[Robbery|heist]] was a setup. Mr. Brown has been killed by the police and the whereabouts of Mr. Blonde and Mr. Blue are unknown to Mr. White and Mr. Pink.
[[Image:Reservoirdog.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Opening sequence of the film, an iconic slow-motion scene playing [[Little Green Bag]] by the [[George Baker Selection]]]]
Mr. White and Mr. Pink are enraged at Mr. Blonde, who shot and killed several civilians after the alarm went off. They argue about whether or not to take the unconscious Mr. Orange to a [[hospital]]. The argument turns violent when Mr. White reveals that he told Mr. Orange his real first name. They point their loaded pistols at each other. Mr. Blonde, who has been watching the action from the shadows, steps forward and tells them not to leave the warehouse because Nice Guy Eddie is on his way there. Mr. Blonde takes them outside to his car and opens the [[Trunk (automobile)|trunk]] to reveal Marvin Nash ([[Kirk Baltz]]), a police officer he has captured.
Mr. Pink and Mr. White brutalize the officer, then Mr. Blonde tapes him to a chair. Eddie arrives at the warehouse and orders Mr. Pink and Mr. White to come with him to retrieve the stolen diamonds (that Mr. Pink stashed after fleeing the scene) and get rid of the hijacked vehicles, while ordering Mr. Blonde to stay with the dying Mr. Orange and the "cop". The officer denies knowing anything about the setup, and begs to be released. Mr. Blonde then draws a [[straight razor]] from his cowboy boot and tunes a radio to K-Billy's "Super Sounds of the '70s", which is playing "[[Stuck in the Middle With You]]" by [[Stealers Wheel]]. Dancing around to the music, Mr. Blonde slashes the officer's face and cuts off his [[ear]]. He then splashes the officer with [[gasoline]] and prepares to ignite it with his cigarette lighter when Mr. Orange suddenly shoots Mr. Blonde several times in the chest, killing him. Mr. Orange tells Marvin that he is actually an undercover police detective named Freddy Newandyke, and reassures him that a large police force is in position a few blocks down the road waiting for Joe Cabot to arrive.
Mr. Orange's [[flashback]] reveals how he went undercover, his mission being to catch Cabot. Joe prepares the robbery and lays out the heist plan, including the code names for the men. The flashback then jumps to Mr. White, Mr. Orange and Mr. Brown minutes after the robbery; Mr. Brown has been shot in the head and crashes their getaway car because he has blood in his eyes. After Mr. White kills two pursuing cops, he and Mr. Orange see that Mr. Brown has died from his injury. They hijack a car but the female driver shoots Mr. Orange in the abdomen before Mr. Orange shoots her back and kills her. The film replays a part of the car scene from the start of the film before the view jumps back to present time at the warehouse.
The remainder of the heist group return to the warehouse to find a dead Mr. Blonde. Mr. Orange claims that Mr. Blonde was going to kill the officer, Mr. Orange and the rest of the gang so that he could take the diamonds for himself. Eddie doesn't believe the story and, furious with Mr. Orange, shoots Marvin dead. Joe walks in and tells everyone that Mr. Blue was killed, and confidently accuses Mr. Orange of being an [[informant]], forcing Mr. White to defend Mr. Orange. Joe points a gun at Mr. Orange as Mr. White points his gun at Joe. Eddie then points his gun at Mr. White, posing a [[Mexican standoff]]. After a brief attempt at reasoning with each other, Joe shoots Mr. Orange and is then shot dead by Mr. White; Eddie shoots Mr. White, who shoots and kills Eddie. Mr. Pink, who stayed out of the shootout, takes the diamonds and flees. There is some ambiguity as to what his fate is. Some barely audible dialogue suggests he was subdued by the police. Mr. White cradles Mr. Orange in his arms and Mr. Orange reveals that he is in fact a cop, devastating his friend. Mr. White puts his gun to Mr. Orange's head just as the police enter. As the screen goes black, there is the sound of a gunshot.
==Cast and characters==
*'''[[Harvey Keitel]]''' as '''Mr. White''': a professional criminal and thief. His real name is revealed to be Lawrence Dimmick.<ref>{{cite web
| last = O'Neil
| first = Edward
| title = Are You Gonna Bark All Day, Little Doggy, Or Are You Gonna Bite?
| url = http://lhs2008.225pm.org/publication/438.html
| publisher = Student Publishing Program
| accessdate = 2008-05-05 }}</ref> Mr. White is portrayed in the movie as a criminal who doesn't hesitate to kill but is still human enough to care about innocent bystanders, as is evident by his line, "The choice between doing ten years and killing some stupid motherfucker ain't no choice at all, but I ain't no madman either." He blindly believes in Mr. Orange and takes a bullet for him in the final Mexican standoff. After Mr. Orange reveals his true identity, Mr. White shoots him and is shot by the police, right before the end credits roll.
*'''[[Tim Roth]]''' as '''Mr. Orange''': an undercover police officer, his real name is revealed to be Freddy Newandyke. A flashback sequence reveals the story of how he went undercover, including the fake "commode story" he told the robbers to gain status and trust. He is shot in the abdomen by a woman trying to defend herself and spends most of the film bleeding on the warehouse floor. He takes a second bullet during the Mexican standoff and is shot dead by Mr. White after he reveals to him that he is a police officer.
*'''[[Michael Madsen]]''' as '''Mr. Blonde''': also known as Vic Vega or Toothpick Vic.<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://breakingnews.iol.ie/entertainment/story.asp?j=201089274&p=zxyx8998x
| title = Vega brothers movie back on
| publisher = Thomas Crosbie Media
| date = [[2006-11-12]]
| accessdate = 2008-05-04 }}</ref> He is a sadistic psychopathic criminal who indiscriminately shot several civilians during the robbery. He also gleefully tortures a policeman for his own pleasure—slashing the young officer's face, cutting off his ear and dousing him with gasoline—only to be stopped from burning him alive by Mr. Orange, who kills him first.
*'''[[Chris Penn]]''' as '''"Nice Guy" Eddie Cabot''': the son of Joe Cabot. Eddie does not take part in the heist; he is also the only one who does not believe the heist was a setup. He shoots Mr. White in the Mexican standoff and Mr. White in turn shoots and kills Eddie.
*'''[[Steve Buscemi]]''' as '''Mr. Pink''': the only major character whose real name is never revealed, also the only major character to survive. Mr. Pink often reminds the other robbers to be "fucking professionals" and is characterized by his self-interest and analytical thought. He is the only person present to stay out of the Mexican standoff. Off-camera it is suggested he is arrested by the police arriving outside to apprehend the gangsters in the warehouse. Mr. Pink is notable for his anti-tipping monologue from the beginning of the film. Incidentally, in Tarantino's next film, ''[[Pulp Fiction (film)|Pulp Fiction]]'', Buscemi had a [[cameo appearance|cameo]] as a [[waiter]].<ref>{{cite article
| last = Butler
| first = Robert W.
| title = No bad guy here Sure, he plays one in the movies. But in his directorial debut, actor tells a tiny tale
| publisher = The Kansas City Star
| date = [[1996-10-22]]
| page = E1
| accessdate = 2008-05-04 }}</ref>
*'''[[Quentin Tarantino]]''' as '''Mr. Brown''': Tarantino plays a small role as he often does in his films; Mr. Brown's real name is also not revealed. He had the opening lines of the film in Mr. Brown's insight that "[[Like a Virgin (song)|Like a Virgin]]" is a "metaphor for big dicks". He is shot in the head by the police after the heist. Even after sustaining the massive brain injury, causing him to lose his sight, he succeeds in helping Mr.White and Mr.Orange get away by being the getaway driver. He dies from his gun injuries in the driver seat soon after.
*'''[[Lawrence Tierney]]''' as '''Joe Cabot''': the mastermind of the heist and father of "Nice Guy" Eddie Cabot, Joe is killed by Mr. White during the final standoff.
*'''[[Edward Bunker]]''' as '''Mr. Blue''': a small role played by ex-criminal Eddie Bunker. Despite not having much screen time, he is often referenced by the other characters since nobody saw what happened to him after the heist. Near the end of the film, Joe reveals that Mr. Blue was killed by the police.
*'''[[Randy Brooks (actor)|Randy Brooks]]''' as '''Holdaway''': a police officer and a friend of Mr. Orange. He is shown helping Mr. Orange prepare for his mission and presenting the "Commode story" to him.
*'''[[Kirk Baltz]]''' as '''Marvin Nash''': as the police officer who is kidnapped by Mr. Blonde after the heist and tortured during the ear-cutting scene. He is killed in a fit of rage by Nice Guy Eddie.
*'''[[Steven Wright]]''' as the voice of '''K-Billy DJ''': The voice of comedian Steven Wright moves in and out of the film as the voice of the DJ of "K-Billy's Super Sounds of the Seventies", the radio station referenced several times throughout the film.<ref name="Wright">{{cite web
| last = Howe
| first = Desse
| title = Reservoir Dogs
| url = http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/reservoirdogsrhowe_a0af27.htm
| publisher = Washington Post
| date = [[1992-10-23]]
| accessdate = 2008-05-05 }}</ref>
==Production==
Tarantino had been working as a video store clerk in [[Los Angeles]] and was originally going to shoot the film with his friends on a budget of $30,000 on [[16 mm film|16 mm]]<ref>{{cite article
| last = Taubin
| first = Amy
| title = The Men's Room
| publisher = Sight and Sound
| accessdate = 2008-11-03 }}</ref> format with producer [[Lawrence Bender]] playing Nice Guy Eddie. However, when actor Harvey Keitel became involved he agreed to act in the film and co-produce.<ref>{{cite news
| last = McKenna
| first = Kristine
| title = Harvey Keitel
| work = Movies; Leaps of Faith; Harvey Keitel's Search for God Often Involves Confronting his Darker Self; Case in Point; "Reservoir Dogs"
| pages = Calendar; Page 7; Calendar Desk
| publisher = [[LA Times]]
| date = 1992-10-18
| accessdate = 2008-02-21 }}</ref> Harvey Keitel was then cast as Mr. White. With Keitel's assistance, the filmmakers were able to raise $1.5 million to make the film.<ref name="Hartl"/>
''Reservoir Dogs'' was, according to Tarantino, his version of [[Stanley Kubrick]]'s ''[[The Killing]]''. Tarantino himself said that "[he] didn't go out of [his] way to do a rip-off of ''The Killing'' but [he] did think of it as [his] 'Killing,' [his] take on that kind of heist movie.<ref name="Hartl"/>" ''Reservoir Dogs'' has also been accused of [[plagiarism]], specifically [[Ringo Lam]]'s [[1987 in film|1987]] film ''[[City on Fire (1987 film)|City on Fire]]'', and has even been accused of lifting entire scenes from this film. Tarantino has denied that he plagiarized with ''Reservoir Dogs'' instead claiming that he does homages.<ref name="Vries"/>
One unique feature of the film is that the actual heist is never shown. Tarantino has said that the reason for not showing the heist was initially budgetary but that he always liked the idea of not showing it and stuck with that idea. He has said that the technique lets the viewer realize that the movie is "about other things".<ref name="Hartl"/> He compared this to the work of a novelist and has said that he wanted the movie to be about something that is not seen and that he wanted it to "play with a real-time clock as opposed to a movie clock ticking".<ref name="Accidents"/>
==Reception==
''Reservoir Dogs'' opened in 19 theaters with a first week total of $147,839 in the [[United States]].<ref name=boxoffice>{{cite web|title=Reservoir Dogs|url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=reservoirdogs.htm|publisher=[[Box Office Mojo]]|accessdate=2007-05-25}}</ref> The film was never released to more than 61 theaters in the US and totaled $2,832,029 at the box office there.<ref name=boxoffice/> The film gained most of its success after the popularity of ''[[Pulp Fiction (film)|Pulp Fiction]]''. However, in [[Great Britain|Britain]], the film was a success and gained recognition. After its success in Britain, it was put into the [[Sundance Film Festival]]. ''[[Empire Magazine]]'' named it the "Greatest Independent Film ever made".<ref>{{cite web
| last = Dirks
| first = Tim
| title = Empire's 50 Greatest Independent Films
| url = http://www.filmsite.org/independentfilms3.html
| publisher = Empire
| accessdate = 2008-02-21 }}</ref> The movie has since come to be seen as an important and highly-influential milestone of [[independent film]]making.<ref>{{cite book
| last = Gormley
| first = Paul
| pages = 137-139
| title = The New-brutality Film: Race and Affect in Contemporary Hollywood
| url = http://books.google.ca/books?id=Ex-3dDhaS1wC&dq=%22reservoir+dogs%22&source=gbs_summary_s&cad=0
| publisher = Intellect Ltd
| date = 2005-08-01
| isbn = 1841501190 }}</ref> ''Reservoir Dogs'' carries a 95% "fresh" rating at [[Rotten Tomatoes]].<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/reservoir_dogs/
| title = Reservoir Dogs
| publisher = Rotten Tomatoes
| accessdate = 2008-10-03 }}</ref> At [[Metacritic]] the film has a 8.8 rating. The film also holds a place in the upper end of the [[IMDb]]'s "''[[Top 250]]''" list, currently residing at #65.
Reservoir Dogs has inspired many other independent films and is considered key in the development of independent cinema.<ref name="Water"/> The [[Bollywood]] film ''[[Kaante]]'' from [[Sanjay Gupta (director)|Sanjay Gupta]] is an unauthorized remake of ''Reservoir Dogs'' featuring a similar plot and dialogue style.<ref>{{Citation
| last = Kehr
| first = David
| title = Film Review; Shot in Los Angeles, But Bombay All the Way
| newspaper = [[The New York Times]]
| pages = Section E; Part 1; Column 5; Movies, Performing Arts/Weekend Desk; Pg. 32
| year = 2002
| date = 2002-12-20
| accessdate = 2008-02-21 }}</ref>
===Critical reaction===
At the film's release at the [[Sundance Film Festival]], film critic [[Jami Bernard]] of the ''[[New York Daily News]]'' compared ''Reservoir Dogs'' to one of the first films ''[[L'Arrivée d'un Train en Gare de la Ciotat]]'', in which audiences first saw the moving train coming towards the camera and scrambled. Bernard claimed that ''Reservoir Dogs'' had a similar effect and people were not ready for it.<ref name="Water">{{cite news|first=Steve|last=Persall|title=The 'Reservoir' watershed|url=http://www.sptimes.com/2002/08/27/Floridian/The__Reservoir__water.shtml|work=[[St. Petersburg Times]]|date=[[2002-08-27]]|accessdate=2007-05-25}}</ref> [[Vincent Canby]] of the ''[[New York Times]]'' enjoyed the cast and the usage of flashbacks. He similarly complimented Tarantino's directing and liked the fact that he didn't often use close-ups in the film.<ref>{{cite news
| last = Canby
| first = Vincent
| title = Vincent Canby review of ''Reservoir Dogs''
| pages = Section C, page 14, column 1
| publisher = [[New York Times]]
| date = 1992-10-23
| accessdate = 2008-02-21 }}</ref> [[Kenneth Turan]] of the [[LA Times]] also enjoyed the film and the acting, particularly that of Buscemi, Tierney and Madsen, and said "Tarantino's palpable enthusiasm, his unapologetic passion for what he's created, reinvigorates this venerable plot and, mayhem aside, makes it involving for longer than you might suspect."<ref>{{cite news
| last = Turan
| first = Kenneth
| title = Movie Reviews; City Mauls, N.Y. to L.A.; Reservoir Dogs, Tarantino's Brash Debut Film, Announces a Director to be Reckoned with
| pages = Calendar; Part F; Page 1; Column 4; Entertainment Desk
| publisher = LA Times
| date = 1992-10-23
| accessdate = 2008-02-21}}</ref>
[[Roger Ebert]] was less enthusiastic; he felt that the script could have been better and said that the movie "feels like it's going to be terrific", but Tarantino's script does not have much curiosity about the characters. He also stated that "[Tarantino] has an idea, and trusts the idea to drive the plot." Ebert gave the movie two and a half stars out of four also claiming that he enjoyed it, and that it was a very good film from a talented director, like other critics, he enjoyed the cast, but stated "I liked what I saw, but I wanted more".<ref>{{cite news
| last = Ebert
| first = Roger
| title = Roger Ebert review
| work = Reservoir Dogs Looks Tougher Than It Really Is
| pages = Section 2; Features; Movies; pg. 30
| publisher = Chicago Sun-Times
| date = 1992-10-26
| accessdate = 2008-02-21 }}</ref>
''Reservoir Dogs'' has received substantial criticism for its strong violence and language. One particular scene that viewers found unnerving was [[Michael Madsen]]'s ear-cutting scene, and Madsen himself reportedly had a great deal of difficulty finishing the scene especially after Kirk Baltz ad-libbed the desperate plea "I've got a little kid at home".<ref>{{cite article
| last = Rensin
| first = David
| title = Playboy- 20 Questions
| url = http://members.aol.com/mrkerr/playboy.htm
| publisher = ''[[Playboy Magazine]]''
| date = 1995 }}</ref> Many people have left theaters during the film and Tarantino commented at the time <blockquote>
It happens at every single screening. For some people the violence, or the rudeness of the language, is a mountain they can't climb. That's OK. It's not their cup of tea. But I am affecting them. I wanted that scene to be disturbing.<ref name="Hartl">{{cite news
| last = Hartl
| first = John
| title = "Dogs" Gets Walkouts and Raves
| pages = Arts; Entertainment; page F5
| publisher = [[The Seattle Times]]
| date = 1992-10-29
| accessdate = 2008-03-01}}</ref></blockquote> During a screening of the movie at a [[Film Festival]] in [[Barcelona]], fifteen people walked out, including renowned [[Horror film]] Director [[Wes Craven]] and [[Special_Effects#Special_effects_animation| Special Effects]] artist [[Richard A. Baker| Rick Baker]].<ref name=ClarksonW> {{cite book | last = Clarkson | first = Wensley | authorlink = Wensley Clarkson | title = Quentin Tarantino – Shooting From The Hip | publisher = Piatkus | date = 1995 | location = London | pages = 180-181 | isbn = 0-7499-1555-2 }} </ref> Baker later told Tarantino to take the walk out as a "compliment" and explained that he found the violence unnerving because of its heightened sense of realism.<ref name=ClarksonW/>
Critic [[John Hartl]] compared the ear-cutting scene to the shower murder scene in ''[[Psycho (film)|Psycho]]'' and Tarantino to [[David Lynch]]. He furthermore explored parallels between ''Reservoir Dogs'' and ''[[Glengarry Glenn Ross]]''.<ref name="Hartl"/> After this film, Tarantino was also compared to [[Martin Scorsese]], [[Sam Peckinpah]], [[John Singleton]], [[Gus Van Sant]] and [[Abel Ferrara]].<ref name="Vries"/> For its nonlinear storyline, ''Reservoir Dogs'' has also often been compared to ''[[Rashomon (film)|Rashomon]]''.<ref name="Vries">{{cite news
| last = de Vries
| first = Hilary
| title = Cover Story; A Chat with Mr. Mayhem; Quentin Tarantino Quickly Acquired Quite the Reputation for Violence; His 1992 Film, "Reservoir Dogs", was a Cult Hit, Now Comes "Pulp Fiction". Is he Trying to Outgun Himself or all of Hollywood?
| pages = Calendar, p. 6, Calendar desk.
| publisher = [[Los Angeles Times]]
| date = 1994-09-11
| accessdate = 2008-03-01}}</ref> Critic [[James Berardinelli]] was of a similar opinion; he complimented both the cast and Tarantino's dialogue writing abilities.<ref>{{cite web
| last = Berardinelli
| first = James
| title = Reservoir Dogs
| url = http://www.reelviews.net/movies/r/reservoir.html
| publisher = ReelViews
| accessdate = 2008-11-03 }}</ref> [[Hal Hinson]] of [[The Washington Post]] was similarly enthusiastic about the cast, complimenting the film on its "deadpan sense of humor".<ref>{{cite web
| last = Hinson
| first = Hal
| title = Reservoir Dogs
| publisher = Washington Post
| date = 1992-10-24
| url = http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/reservoirdogsrhinson_a0a7c1.htm
| accessdate = 2008-03-11 }}</ref> [[Todd McCarthy]] called the film "undeniably impressive" and was of the opinion that it was influenced by ''[[Mean Streets]]'', ''[[Goodfellas]]'' and ''[[The Killing]]''.<ref>{{cite web
| last = McCarthy
| first = Todd
| title = Reservoir Dogs
| url = http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=review&reviewid=VE1117794411&categoryid=31&query=reservoir+dogs&display=reservoir+dogs&cs=1
| publisher = Variety
| date = 1992-01-27
| accessdate = 2008-03-11 }}</ref>
===Critical analysis===
''Reservoir Dogs'' has often been seen as a prominent film in terms of on-screen violence.<ref>{{cite article
| last = McKinney
| first = Devin
| title = Violence: The Strong and the Weak
| work = Film Quarterly
| publisher = University of California Press
| url = http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0015-1386%28199322%2946%3A4%3C16%3AVTSATW%3E2.0.CO%3B2-X
| pages = Vol. 46, No. 4. (Summer, 1993), pp. 16-22
| accessdate = 2008-11-03 }}</ref><ref name="Book">{{cite book
| last = Gormley
| first = Paul
| pages = 137-139
| title = The New-brutality Film: Race and Affect in Contemporary Hollywood
| url = http://books.google.ca/books?id=Ex-3dDhaS1wC&dq=%22reservoir+dogs%22&source=gbs_summary_s&cad=0
| publisher = Intellect Ltd
| date = 2005-08-01
| isbn = 1841501190 }}</ref><ref>{{cite article
| last = Brintnall
| first = Kent L.
| title = Tarantino's Incarnational Theology; Reservoir Dogs, Crucifixions and Spectacular Violence
| publisher = Cross Currents
| accessdate = 2008-11-03 }}</ref> J.P. Telotte compared ''Reservoir Dogs'' to classic [[caper story|caper noir]] films and points out the irony in its ending scenes.<ref>{{cite article
| last = Telotte
| first = J.P.
| title = Fatal Capers, Strategy and Enigma in Film Noir
| date = 1996
| publisher = Journal of Popular Film and Television
| pages = 163 }}</ref> Mark Irwin also made the connection between ''Reservoir Dogs'' and classic American noir.<ref>{{cite article
| last = Irwin
| first = Mark
| title = Pulp and the Pulpit: The Films of Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez
| publisher = Literature and Theology
| pages = vol. 12; no. 1
| date = March 1998
| accessdate = 2008-03-25 }}</ref>
A notable motif in Tarantino's films is the use of accidents to move the plot further. In ''Reservoir Dogs'', the major plot event is also moved by an accidental occurrence; in this case the robbery going awry.<ref name="Accidents"/> Caroline Jewers called ''Reservoir Dogs'' a "feudal epic" and compared it to ''[[Pulp Fiction (film)|Pulp Fiction]]''. She paralleled the color pseudonyms to color names of medieval knights.<ref>{{cite article
| last = Jewers
| first = Caroline
| title = Heroes and Heroin: From True Romance to Pulp Fiction
| pages = 7
| publisher = University of Kansas
| accessdate = 2008-03-25 }}</ref>
A frequently cited comparison has been to Tarantino's second and more successful film ''Pulp Fiction''<ref name="Accidents">{{cite article
| last = Botting
| first = Fred
| coauthors = Scott Wilson
| title = By Accident: The Tarantinian Ethics
| url = http://tcs.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/15/2/89
| publisher = Theory, Culture & Society
| date = 1998
| accessdate = 2008-03-25 }}</ref><ref>{{cite article
| last = Jewers
| first = Caroline
| title = Heroes and Heroin: From True Romance to Pulp Fiction
| publisher = University of Kansas
| accessdate = 2008-03-25 }}</ref><ref>{{cite article
| last = Irwin
| first = Mark
| title = Pulp and the Pulpit: The Films of Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez
| publisher = Literature and Theology
| pages = vol. 12; no. 1
| date = March 1998
| accessdate = 2008-03-25 }}</ref> especially since the majority of audiences saw ''Reservoir Dogs'' after the success of ''Pulp Fiction''. Comparisons have been made regarding the black humor in both the films, the theme of accidents,<ref name="Accidents"/> and more concretely, the style of dialogue and narrative style that Tarantino incorporates into both of his movies.<ref name="Race">{{cite article
| last = Crouch
| first = Stanley
| title = Film Comment; Pulp Friction: Director Quentin Tarantino's Movies are Best Known for their Wit and Mayhem, but What You Don't Hear About is their Original Take on Race
| publisher = [[Los Angeles Times]]
| pages = Calendar; Page 5; Calendar Desk
| date = 1994-10-16 }}</ref> Also, the prominent theme of racism plays a big part in the films, specifically the relationship between whites and blacks. Stanley Crouch of the [[New York Times]] compared the way the white criminals speak of blacks in ''Reservoir Dogs'' to the way they are spoken of in Scorsese's ''Mean Streets'' and ''Goodfellas''. Crouch observed the way the blacks are looked down upon in ''Reservoir Dogs'', but also the way that the criminals accuse each other of "verbally imitating" the blacks and the characters' apparent sexual attraction to black actress [[Pam Grier]].<ref name="Race"/>
==DVD releases==
[[Region 1]] DVDs of ''Reservoir Dogs'' have been released multiple times.
The first release was a single two-sided disc from [[Artisan Entertainment]], released in June 1997 and featuring both [[pan-and-scan]] and [[letterbox]] versions of the film.<ref>[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105236/dvd DVD details for ''Reservoir Dogs''] from [[IMDb]]</ref> Five years later, Artisan did a two-disc 10th annversary edition featuring multiple covers color-coded to match the nicknames of five of the characters (Messrs. Pink, White, Orange, Blonde and Brown) and a disc-full of bonus features such as interviews with the cast and crew.<ref name="Artisan">{{cite web
| last = Rivero| first = Enrique
| title = 'Dogs' DVD Develops Multiple Personalities : Anniversary 'Reservoir Dogs' DVD Has Extras and Five Different Styles to Boot.('Reservoir Dogs' DVD released by Artisan Home Entertainment)(Brief Article)
| url = http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-87089526.html
| work=Video Store (magazine) | publisher = HighBeam Research
| date = [[2002-05-26]]
| accessdate = 2008-04-25 }}</ref>.
For the 15th anniversary of the film, [[Lions Gate Entertainment]], which had purchased Artisan in the interim, produced a two-disc 15th anniversary edition with a remastered [[Aspect ratio (image)#16:9 standard|16x9]] transfer, a new supplement, but not all of the extra features from the 10th Anniversary edition.<ref name="monsters">{{cite web
| title = DVD Review: Reservoir Dogs (15th Anniversary Edition)
| url = http://www.monstersandcritics.com/dvd/reviews/article_1215898.php
| publisher = monstersandcritics.com
| accessdate =2008-05-27 }}</ref> In particular, interviews with the cast and crew were dropped, and a new 48-minute-long feature called "Tributes and Dedications" was included.<ref name="monsters"/> The packaging for the 15th anniversary edition is fancier: the discs are enclosed in a large [[matchbook]], and the matchbook is in a thin aluminum case made to resemble a gas can.
==Soundtrack==
{{Infobox Album
| Name = Reservoir Dogs
| Cover = Reservoir Dogs soundtrack.jpg
| Type = Soundtrack
| Artist = [[Various Artists]]
| Length = 30:50
| Genre = [[Soft Rock]], [[Pop Rock]]
| Label = [[MCA Records]]<br>[[A Band Apart]]
| Producer = [[Quentin Tarantino]]
| Reviews = [[Allmusic]] {{Rating|4.5|5}} [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=&sql=10:d9foxqugldje link]
| Chronology = [[Quentin Tarantino]] film soundtracks
| Last album =
| This album = ''[[Reservoir Dogs (soundtrack)|Reservoir Dogs]]''<br/>(1992)
| Next album = ''[[Pulp Fiction (soundtrack)|Pulp Fiction]]''<br/>(1994)
}}
The ''Reservoir Dogs: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack'' was the first soundtrack produced by [[Quentin Tarantino]] and set the structure his later soundtracks would follow.<ref>{{cite web
| last = Stovall
| first = Natasha
| title = Jackie Brown Original Soundtrack
| publisher = Salon
| url = http://www.salon.com/music/sharps/1997/12/22sharps.html
| date = [[1997-12-22]]
| accessdate = 2008-05-05 }}</ref> This includes the use of snippets of dialogue from the film. The soundtrack has selections of songs from the 70s. The radio station "K-Billy's Super Sound of the Seventies" played a prominent role in the film.<ref>{{cite web
| last = Strauss
| first = Neil
| title = The Pop Life Tarantino's music
| url = http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F07E2DD1E3AF93AA1575AC0A962958260
| publisher = New York Times
| date = [[1994-09-29]]
| accessdate = 2008-05-05 }}</ref> The DJ for the radio was chosen to be [[Steven Wright]], a comedian known for his deadpan delivery of jokes.<ref name="Wright"/>
An unusual feature of the soundtrack was the choice of songs. The film uses music from the 1970s. Tarantino has said that he feels the music to be a counterpoint to the on-screen violence and action.<ref name="Breen">{{cite web
| last = Breen
| first = Marcus
| title = Woof, Woof: The real bite in Reservoir Dogs
| publisher = Australian Humanities Review
| date = December 1996
| url = http://www.lib.latrobe.edu.au/AHR/archive/Issue-Dec-1996/breen.html
| accessdate = 2008-03-10 }}</ref> He also stated that he wished for the film to have a [[1950s|'50s]] feel while using '70s music.<ref name="Breen"/> A prominent instance of this is the torture scene to the tune of "[[Stuck in the Middle With You]]".<ref>{{cite web
| last = Jardine
| first = Dan
| title = The Killing Fields (on Reservoir Dogs)
| url = http://www.thefilmjournal.com/issue10/reservoirdogs.html
| publisher = The Film Journal
| accessdate = 2008-03-10 }}</ref>
===Track listing===
#"And Now Little Green Bag..." (Dialogue extract performed by Steven Wright)
#"[[Little Green Bag]]" by [[George Baker Selection|The George Baker Selection]]
#"Rock Flock of Five" (Dialogue extract performed by Steven Wright)
#"[[Hooked on a Feeling]]" by [[Blue Swede]]
#"Bohemiath" (Dialogue extract performed by Steven Wright)
#"I Gotcha" by [[Joe Tex]]
#"[[Magic Carpet Ride]]" by [[Bedlam (band)|Bedlam]]
#"Madonna Speech" (Dialogue extract performed by Quentin Tarantino, [[Edward Bunker]] and [[Harvey Keitel]])
#"Fool for Love" by Sandy Rogers
#"Super Sounds" (Dialogue extract performed by Steven Wright)
#"[[Stuck in the Middle With You]]" by [[Stealers Wheel]]
#"Harvest Moon" by Bedlam
#"Let's Get A Taco" (Dialogue extract performed by [[Harvey Keitel]] and [[Tim Roth]])
#"Keep on Truckin'" (Dialogue extract performed by Steven Wright)
#"[[Coconut (song)|Coconut]]" by [[Harry Nilsson]]
#"Home of Rock" (Dialogue extract performed by Steven Wright)
==Video game==
{{Main|Reservoir Dogs (video game)}}
A video game based on the film was released in 2006 for [[Personal computer|PC]], [[Xbox]] and [[PlayStation 2]]. However, the game does not feature the likeness of any of the actors with the exception of [[Michael Madsen]]. It received mediocre reviews,<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.gamespot.com/xbox/action/reservoirdogs/
| publisher = Gamespot
| title = Reservoir Dogs
| accessdate = 2008-03-10 }}</ref> but caused controversy for its amount of violence and was banned in [[Australia]]<ref name="Australia">{{cite press release|title=''Reservoir Dogs'' computer game Refused Classification (PDF)|publisher=Australian Office of Film and Literature Classification|date=[[2006-06-28]]| url=http://www.oflc.gov.au/resource.html?resource=858&filename=858.pdf| accessdate=2006-07-07}}</ref> and [[New Zealand]].<ref>{{cite press release|title=Reservoir Dogs Computer Game Banned|publisher=New Zealand Office of Film and Literature Classification|date=[[2006-07-07]]|url=http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0607/S00059.htm| accessdate=2006-07-07}}</ref>
== References ==
{{reflist|2}}
== External links ==
{{wikiquote}}
* {{imdb title|id=0105236|title=Reservoir Dogs}}
* {{rotten-tomatoes|id=reservoir_dogs|title=Reservoir Dogs}}
* [http://www.metacritic.com/video/titles/reservoirdogs/ Metacritic: ''Reservoir dogs'']
* [http://www.godamongdirectors.com/tarantino/faq/mrpink.html What Happened To Mr. Pink] at God Among Directors
{{Quentin Tarantino films}}
[[Category:1992 films]]
[[Category:A Band Apart productions]]
[[Category:American films]]
[[Category:Crime thriller films]]
[[Category:Directorial debut films]]
[[Category:English-language films]]
[[Category:Films directed by Quentin Tarantino]]
[[Category:Heist films]]
[[Category:Gangster films]]
[[Category:Independent films]]
[[Category:Miramax films]]
[[Category:Films shot in Super 35]]
[[Category:Films set in Los Angeles, California]]
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