 |
| Django Unchained |
December 17 2012 – I don’t know when, but The Academy Awards will no doubt honour the directing, writing and producing exploits of auteur Quentin Tarantino with a deserving lifetime achievement award during the twilight of his career. And in so doing, the selected montage encapsulating his eclectic and ground breaking body of work will include the hybrid genre film, Django Unchained. Crafted from the essence of Spaghetti Westerns with an unflinchingly gaze towards the divisive roots of American slavery the remnants of which still lingers to this day, Tarantino has once again impacted modern cinema.
Django Unchained provides an unvarnished look into bigotry, race and revenge set two years before the American Civil War. Former German dentist turned bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz, deftly played by Christoph Waltz, temporarily extricates Django (Jamie Foxx) from bondage so he can ID three wanted men. In return, Dr. Schultz will help secure Django’s freedom and help him reunite with his German speaking wife Broomhilda (Kerry Washington).
From the opening scene, Quentin’s unmistakable touches rejigs the classic western shootout with new forms of raw vengeance and his playful use of long shadows aided in part by the Oscar winning cinematographer Robert Richardson. Tarantino’s musical influences stylistically elevates the narrative with subtle nuances like no other director of his generation and this movie was no exception. The 70’s infused soul mash doesn’t over play its hand while staying true to its cinematic roots. The ensemble cast also includes double dealing plantation owner Calvin Candie (Leonardo Di Caprio) with scene stealing turns from Calvin’s octogenarian confidant, Stephen (Samuel L. Jackson) and slick plantation owner Big Daddy (Don Johnson).
There are those who will revile at the liberal use of the N-word and the commonplace brutality towards slaves. Tarantino makes no apologies as he exposes, with unflinching realism the grinding violence slaves experienced, echoing those depicted in the ground breaking book of oral histories found in James Mellon’s Bullwhip Days.
Verdict: 4.5 / 5 – Tarantino’s soulful take on this American experience is a triumph.
