Oscar Directors: Tarantino & Pulp Fiction–Impact on Hollywood, Mainstream and Independent

August 24, 2025 by

 Tarantino’s influence on modern-day filmmaking is undeniable, but unlike most artists, his impact was felt almost immediately upon the release of his seond feature, Pulp Fiction.

In the 1990s, American cinema was flooded with a host of imitators of Tarantino’s sensibility and visual style.

Pulp Fiction was defined by eccentric (with varying degrees of being sympathetic) criminals, large ensemble casts of either rising stars or comeback of have-beens, a loopy script that avoids chronological convention (disjointed timeline), a soundtrack composed of hits, and, most importantly of all, a lively dialogue sprinkled with pop-culture references.
Tarantino didn’t invent any of the above ideas, but he synthesized them in a contagious way that inspired others to try them.

Things to do in Denver When You’re Dead, 1995

 

Reindeer Games, John Frankenheimer, 2000

 

2 Days in the Valley, John Herzfeld, 1996

Eric Stoltz and Charlize Theron in 2 Days in the Valley
8 Heads in a Duffel Bag, Tom Schulman, 1997

Joe Pesci in 8 Heads in a Duffel Bag

The Big Hit, Kirk Wong, Kirk Wong, 1998

Bokeem Woodbine, Lou Diamond Phillips, Mark Wahlberg, Antonio Sabato in the Big Hit
The Boondock Saints, Troy Duffy, 1999

Connor and Murphy with their guns pointed downward in the Boondock Saints

Smokin’ Aces, Joe Carnahan, 2006

Smokin’ Aces in different colored boxes

Bad Times at the El Royale, Drew Goddard, 2018

Billy Lee stands in the rain with the hotel sign behind him

bad-times-at-the-el-royale-movie-poster
Go, Doug Liman, 1998

Sarah Polley, Scott Wolf, Jay Mohr, Katie Holmes in Doug Liman’s Go
The Way of the Gun, Christopher McQuarrie, 2000

Parker and Longbaugh prepare to breach a hotel room
Get Shorty, Barry Sonnenfeld, 1995

Harry Zim drives Chili Palmer around LA in Get Shorty

get-shorty-movie-poster

Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels, Guy Ritchie, 1998

Bacon, Soap, Tom and Eddy in a pub in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels

Grocer and Blank take aim at one another in the finale to Grosse Point Blank
Out of Sight, Soderbergh, 1998

Karen Sisco readies her weapon

Out of Sight 1998 Movie Poster
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