Tarantino blasts his way onto DVD

Quentin Tarantino is without a doubt the most dominant filmmaker of the 1990s. He burst onto the scene with the hilarious misconcieved-heist picture "Reservoir Dogs" in 1992, then followed that up with the Palme d'Or-winning crime caper "Pulp Fiction" and peaked with his 1997 blaxploitation-tinged Elmore Leonard adaptation "Jackie Brown." Each film was different than the other, yet singularly the voice of Tarantino. Luckily for cinemaphiles, all three films were recently released on DVD in editions worthy of these ground-breaking works.\n"Reservoir Dogs" is Tarantino's most infamous work, if for nothing else than the notorious ear slicing scene. Many critics harped on the film for its violent content, yet ironically enough, the film is far less violent than your run-of-the-mill action flick, and the aforementioned severing of the ear takes place off camera.\n"Dogs" tells the pseudo-comedic tale of six strangers assembled to pull a diamond heist, but Tarantino does something truly interesting. Viewers never actually see the heist, allowing the story to unfold in wake of the botched robbery through dialogue and deftly painted characterizations. Each of the primary actors turns in exemplary work. Figuring most prominently are Michael Madsen's psychotic Mr. Blonde; Harvey Keitel's honorable hood, Mr. White; Steve Buscemi's smarmy Mr. Pink; and Tim Roth's undercover cop, Mr. Orange.\nThe "Reservoir Dogs" disc boasts some truly cool special features. Especially worthwhile are the tributes to recently deceased actors Lawrence Tierney (Joe) and Eddie Bunker (Mr. Blue) and a featurette entitled "Small Dogs," which chronicles the development of the rather ironic "Reservoir Dogs" action figures.\nThe "Pulp Fiction" DVD offers the least in the way of special features, which is surprising, seeing as how it's Tarantino's best-known and most-beloved work. I won't go into specifics as to what the film is about, because if you haven't seen it, I'd suggest you stop reading this article, crawl out from beneath the rock you've been living under for the past 10 years and rent this movie.\nSuffice it to say, "Pulp" is Tarantino's finest film to date, and John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson give career-best performances in the flick. Despite a lack of bonus material, the crystal-clear transfer alone merits purchase, and some of the extras are noteworthy. "The Charlie Rose Show" interview with Tarantino clearly conveys why the man is the filmmaker he is -- both Rose and Tarantino are in rare form.\n"Jackie Brown" is the disc that will most surprise viewers. Many considered the film a failure upon release, but it's really one of those works that sneaks up on audiences on the third or fourth viewing and just knocks them out. "Pulp" is Tarantino's best work, but "Jackie" runs a close second.\nAgain, Tarantino relies on dialogue and characterization to propel his narrative, and here it works better than ever. Perhaps not as electrifying as "Pulp" or as gritty as "Dogs," "Jackie" accurately portrays what it's like to grow older and dissatisfied. The film simultaneously resurrected the career of magnificent blaxploitation starlet Pam Grier and oft-seen "Medium Cool" star Robert Forster, both of whom are magnetic in "Jackie." Also, Samuel L. Jackson churns out a performance that's right up there with his work in "Pulp," Robert DeNiro gives his most nuanced performance in ages and Bridget Fonda has never been as alluring as she is in this film.\nThe "Jackie Brown" disc boasts the best extras of the three sets, which is also surprising, since the film is Tarantino's least-seen. An interview and introduction before the film gives viewers further insight into the man behind the films, but my favorite extras are the hilarious extended version of the "Chicks With Guns" video and trailers of both Grier and Forster's old blaxploitation films. Rarely are extras this cool.\nTarantino fans rejoice: "Kill Bill" (Tarantino's first film in six years) hits screens in the fall of 2003, and these loaded DVDs should tide you over until the premiere filmmaker of our generation returns with his witty dialogue and seedy characters.