AHC: Tarantino Directs NBK

With a PoD no earlier than 1992,* how can Tarantino get to direct his screenplay, Natural Born Killers? What would this version look like -- in terms of story, cast, or what have you? How would the needed PoD affect his career -- would we still have Pulp Fiction, for example? And what about Oliver Stone? Or American cinema in general? What else do the butterflies have in store?

*note, this is after Quentin sold the script in 1991
 
I dunno, is it now meant to be a grindhouse movie, instead of OTT satire?

QT refuses to accept the movie that Stone made, but the fact is, a dark socio-political comedy is okay for the nineties--but a dark pastiche of exploitation movies, that's going straight to video (you kids would know that as straight to digital release.:D)

Thing is, I believe young Tarantino doesn't realise any of this; that guy isn't as good at getting out of his pop cultural bubble until later.
 
I dunno, is it now meant to be a grindhouse movie, instead of OTT satire?

Not the impression I got; but then I've only read part of the original script -- FWIU, if anything, the first draft is even more about social commentary (protagonist is the reporter, not the killers), but I may be wrong here.
 
The protagonists being the killers is a social commentary itself. Upon the media exploitation of murders and other tragedies and how they make the perpetrators the stars of their own media circus.
 
I've still never read the entire script but I'll throw my hat in here.

Firstly, we'll see less of the Doors in the Desert, acidy kinda shit. Oliver Stone loves his nihilistic, super-serious peyote revelations. The closest I've seen to that in a QT work was maybe driving while shooting up scene in PF, but I haven't thought much about it so there might be more. Certainly nothing as severe as what Olly Stone likes to use.

It's gonna still have commentary but it'll have a sense of humor. Bobcat Goldthwait on one of the interviews for "God Bless America" briefly discussed QT vs OS's Natural Born Killers and likens Oliver Stone's sense of humor to that of a Vulcan. QT will have something to say with his script but he won't say it like such a self obsessed dickhead. (Keep in mind, I don't hate Oliver Stone or his films... but clearly neither does Oliver Stone.)

As far as casting, I have no idea. QT does have a certain group of favorites, particularly back then, so it's not madness to assume we'll see at least some usual suspects. You could use QT favorites that got smaller roles in Pulp Fiction than they had in Reservoir Dogs. Let's assume this is the case for a moment...

Journalist/Wayne Gale: I think Tim Roth would have made a great journalist character. I find his career to be a little underwhelming for his level of talent (just watch Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, for chrissake). We'll give it to him. His Aussie accent will certainly be better than RDJr. at any rate, no offense to him of course.

Mickey: Honestly, QT himself is just "off" enough to probably pull off a version of Mickey with less screen time, if indeed the film focuses on Mickey less than Stone's version. Not sure if Bruce Willis would be good or even say yes. Buscemi is our best bet, really. So, let's say Buscemi gets it rather than Bruce or QT himself. This makes sense because Buscemi barely got any screen time in Pulp Fiction which came out the same year, and then only as a waiter dressed like Buddy Holly.*

QT plays a prison guard.

Warden Dwight McClusky: Of course, Harvey Keitel would be perfect for the Tommy Lee Jones role. Perhaps the only person better than Tommy Lee Jones if that's imaginable.

Det. Scagnetti: Michael Madsen. Gotta be. He even kinda resembles Tom Sizemore. And it means he references himself in Reservoir Dogs which is classic Tarantino.

Expect Steven Wright to still make a cameo.

So now we get to the hardest part. Mallory Knox will be pretty tough and probably won't be as good as Lewis unless it's Uma Thurman. And I doubt it could be Uma Thurman because of her highly prominent role in Pulp Fiction. Any ideas here are welcome.

One thing I can say definitively is that the music will be far better and it will overall be a more entertaining movie if Tarantino avoids the "hipster" element referenced above. I think he will. And I think he'll be nominated for both of his films this year. Expect a more successful, more respected, and more influential Tarantino TTL, methinks.

Vultan, one of my favorite writers (and people) on here had Tarantino making both, but iirc, kept the cast the same as the Stone version. I don't think that would happen unless the film was given to Stone first and then something prevented Stone from completing it. I like the Reservoir Dogs-centric casting better, at any rate.

Thoughts?

*Some say Steve Buscemi's role as the Buddy Holly waiter character in Pulp Fiction is actually Mr. Pink in disguise following his escape from the law at the end of RD. I love that.
 
Mickey: Honestly, QT himself is just "off" enough to probably pull off a version of Mickey with less screen time, if indeed the film focuses on Mickey less than Stone's version. Not sure if Bruce Willis would be good or even say yes. Buscemi is our best bet, really. So, let's say Buscemi gets it rather than Bruce or QT himself. This makes sense because Buscemi barely got any screen time in Pulp Fiction which came out the same year, and then only as a waiter dressed like Buddy Holly...

Det. Scagnetti: Michael Madsen. Gotta be. He even kinda resembles Tom Sizemore. And it means he references himself in Reservoir Dogs which is classic Tarantino...

So now we get to the hardest part. Mallory Knox will be pretty tough and probably won't be as good as Lewis unless it's Uma Thurman. And I doubt it could be Uma Thurman because of her highly prominent role in Pulp Fiction. Any ideas here are welcome.

Actually, Madsen was supposed to be the original choice for playing Mickey. I'm also not entirely convinced PF* would still be made (or at least the same way) as OTL if Tarantino's schedule is adjusted to shoot NBK first. I don't know enough about the original story to comment on the cast too much (as to Scagnetti's character or role, for example), except that the journalist was the supposed to be the lead character -- so I can say I like the idea of Tim Roth as Gale, Madsen as Mickey, and Thurman as Mallory.

*"final" draft was finished in January 1993 OTL, where TTL Quentin may be busy in pre-production
 
Actually, Madsen was supposed to be the original choice for playing Mickey. I'm also not entirely convinced PF* would still be made (or at least the same way) as OTL if Tarantino's schedule is adjusted to shoot NBK first. I don't know enough about the original story to comment on the cast too much (as to Scagnetti's character or role, for example), except that the journalist was the supposed to be the lead character -- so I can say I like the idea of Tim Roth as Gale, Madsen as Mickey, and Thurman as Mallory.

*"final" draft was finished in January 1993 OTL, where TTL Quentin may be busy in pre-production

I've GOT to actually read the original script...

Two quick points.

1. It's my understanding that because the studio didn't want QT to direct NBK that Pulp Fiction would have begun production before NBK regardless. Either Stone turns it down, or begins pre-production before bowing out. Am I extremely far off?

2. Uma Thurman would be a great Mallory, but it doesn't seem like wisdom to have her have such prominent roles in both of QT's 1994 films. Are you sure he'd go in that direction?

Also, I didn't know about MM being desired for the role of Mickey. I'm curious as to how that would have gone. I like MM and wonder if his career does better TTL.

Are you planning on doing something with all this?
 
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