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Quentin Tarantino cites 'The Big Valley' and 'Bonanza' as inspirations behind his latest film
The director's new western was inspired by classic television. We're rounded up five episodes that serve as great examples.
Quentin Tarantino is a lover of the past. Well, perhaps a better way of putting it is that he believes in keeping good things alive. 70 mm film and veteran character actors like Michael Parks and Tom Wopat are not things of the past, just underutilized in an industry build around shiny new toys. As the multiplexes fill with CGI superheroes, Taratino has gone and made a western… in good old Ultra Panavision… with Kurt Russell and Bruce Dern. It was no surprise when a story recently broke that the director doesn't believe in Netflix and still records off his television with VHS tapes.
Bonanza
- 12/23 2:00PMReturn to Honor"Ben must travel to pay his respects after he learns of the death of his nephew Will. When he visits the grave, he finds his nephew barely alive with a bullet wound. He takes him to a doctor and Will insists that he leave, but Ben refuses. Will explains that the men after him must believe that he is dead. Ben decides his best bet is to take Will home. He and Will are followed by the same men who are interested in some valuables Will is carrying."
- 12/24 2:00PMThe Saga of Muley Jones"Bruce Yarnell makes his first appearance as the Cartwrights' cousin Muley from Missouri. "Blessed" with a singing voice that can literally shatter glass, Muley manages to make life difficult for his rich relations-and also inadvertently louses up negotiations with a neighboring Indian tribe."
- 12/25 2:00PMThe Roper"Will Cartwright is home alone when Army soldiers arrive at the Ponderosa with a prisoner named Hewitt. Not long after, Hewitt's men arrive and ambush the soldiers. When Will realizes the men are waiting for Ben to return so they can get the money from the safe, Will must come up with a plan."
Yesterday, The New York Times Style Magazine published an interview of Tarantino by author Bret Easton Ellis. The two talked about modern cinema and the influences behind The Hateful Eight, the latest Tarantino film due out this Christmas. This passage reveals that he found inspiration in classic television westerns.
The idea came to him from watching classic TV shows such as ‘‘The Virginian,’’ ‘‘Bonanza’’ and ‘‘The Big Valley,’’ in which, he says, ‘‘There was always, each season, at least one episode where bandits take over the Ponderosa or Shiloh Ranch, and they’d all be played by guest stars. It couldn’t help but lend itself to a situation like ‘Reservoir Dogs’: Trap them all in a room and let me get rid of all the hero characters so there’s no moral center.’’ Which is precisely what happens in ‘‘The Hateful Eight,’’ during a terrible blizzard.
In fact, there's such an example on MeTV this weekend, the Rawhide episode "House of the Hunter." In that homage to Agatha Christie, Clint Eastwood's Rowdy character is kidnapped and held in a closed room with strangers.
To further aide your — and Quentin's — research, we've rounded up a posse of Big Valley and Bonanza episodes that capture that same feeling of closed-room suspense. Keep your eyes peeled or set reminders for when they'll air on MeTV.
The Big Valley "Earthquake!" During an earthquake a mission church collapses into a forgotten mine that lies under it. Victoria is trapped there with a pregnant indian woman and a man with a grudge
The Big Valley "The Invaders" A gang of rawhiders injures Heath, and then takes him to the ranch looking for a reward for “saving” him from ambush. While there, they realize the rest of the men folk are away, leaving the ranch vulnerable to their thievery.
The Big Valley "Court Martial" Armed men occupy the Barkley house, bent on punishing Nick’s former general for the destruction of an innocent town during the war. Jarrod convinces them to let the general and Nick give their side of the story.
Bonanza "Five Candles" Ben and three others are trapped when the floor of the courthouse collapses—and one of the men may be a murderer.
Bonanza "Any Friend of Walter's" Attacked by outlaws, Hoss takes cover in a prospector's shack with the old prospector and Walter, the old man's surprisingly communicative dog.
