Top 5 Tarantino deaths

Film: "Pulp Fiction" (1994)Death by: GunshotThe story: Butch Coolidge (Bruce Willis) has just had a terrible day (grievous understatement). All he wants to do is return to his apartment, grab a few things, and escape with his honey. So what happens when he comes to his apartment ready to face whatever baddies are lurking about? Nothing...absolutely nothing happens. That is until the bathroom door opens and a man dressed in a suit steps out whilst buttoning his pants. That man is assassin Vincent Vega (John Travolta).Why it rocks: Okay, seriously, after seeing everything Butch goes through and knowing that someone will probably be after him, it still catches you off guard to see the likable Vincent walk out of the bathroom. Who expected him to be in that scene? He was one of the film's main characters and the fact that his death was so suddenly performed (and forgotten) makes it one of the most unpredictable deaths in all of Tarantino's flicks.Film: "Kill Bill: Vol. 2" (2004)Death by: Blood loss/snake bites (assumed)The story: After rising from the grave (literally), The Bride (Uma Thurman) tracks down Elle Driver (Daryl Hannah) and the two commence in an epic sword fight with their Hattori Hanzo swords. Why it rocks: No, we don't necessarily see Elle Driver die, but the fact that The Bride plucks her remaining eye out, and then steps on it is a kill in my books. Plus there is a deadly snake still slithering about somewhere and who's to say Elle's frantic writing doesn't get her a snake bite of her own?Film: "Kill Bill: Vol 1" (2003)Death by: SwordThe story: As The Bride (Uma Thurman) is willing her body out of atrophy, she decides to narrate a little bedtime story. She reveals the backstory of the deadly assassin O-Ren Ishii (Lucy Liu). As visualized through an anime sequence, Tarantino creates a side-world filled with murder and drama. He proceeds to tell the tale of how a little girl turned into a vicious assassin in order to avenge her parents' deaths. The sequence is not only action-packed and epic, but also sad and dramatic when you really think about it.Why it rocks: Whether or not it's the comic book feel of the sequence or the massive amount of blood splattered across the screen, this scene is an epic representation of a little girl who has just witnessed an atrocity. Perhaps the massive amount of blood was how little O-Ren remembers her parents' death. Who's to say that isn't what it looked like through a child's eyes?View the list »
Quentin Tarantino

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Quentin Tarantino is currently in the running for an Academy Award for best screenplay ("Django Unchained"). He has won previous awards for his violently memorable films, such as "Kill Bill Vol. 1" (2003), "Inglorious Basterds" (2009), and "Pulp Fiction" (1994). One of the notable trade marks of Tarantino is his ability to present death in an extremely epic fashion. Here are my top five favorite Tarantino deaths.

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  • Film: "Kill Bill: Vol 1" (2003)Death by: SwordThe story: As The Bride (Uma Thurman) is willing her body out of atrophy, she decides to narrate a little bedtime story. She reveals the backstory of the deadly assassin O-Ren Ishii (Lucy Liu). As visualized through an anime sequence, Tarantino creates a side-world filled with murder and drama. He proceeds to tell the tale of how a little girl turned into a vicious assassin in order to avenge her parents' deaths. The sequence is not only action-packed and epic, but also sad and dramatic when you really think about it.Why it rocks: Whether or not it's the comic book feel of the sequence or the massive amount of blood splattered across the screen, this scene is an epic representation of a little girl who has just witnessed an atrocity. Perhaps the massive amount of blood was how little O-Ren remembers her parents' death. Who's to say that isn't what it looked like through a child's eyes?
  • Film: "Kill Bill: Vol. 2" (2004)Death by: Blood loss/snake bites (assumed)The story: After rising from the grave (literally), The Bride (Uma Thurman) tracks down Elle Driver (Daryl Hannah) and the two commence in an epic sword fight with their Hattori Hanzo swords. Why it rocks: No, we don't necessarily see Elle Driver die, but the fact that The Bride plucks her remaining eye out, and then steps on it is a kill in my books. Plus there is a deadly snake still slithering about somewhere and who's to say Elle's frantic writing doesn't get her a snake bite of her own?
  • Film: "Pulp Fiction" (1994)Death by: GunshotThe story: Butch Coolidge (Bruce Willis) has just had a terrible day (grievous understatement). All he wants to do is return to his apartment, grab a few things, and escape with his honey. So what happens when he comes to his apartment ready to face whatever baddies are lurking about? Nothing...absolutely nothing happens. That is until the bathroom door opens and a man dressed in a suit steps out whilst buttoning his pants. That man is assassin Vincent Vega (John Travolta).Why it rocks: Okay, seriously, after seeing everything Butch goes through and knowing that someone will probably be after him, it still catches you off guard to see the likable Vincent walk out of the bathroom. Who expected him to be in that scene? He was one of the film's main characters and the fact that his death was so suddenly performed (and forgotten) makes it one of the most unpredictable deaths in all of Tarantino's flicks.
  • Film: "Inglorious Basterds" (2009)Death by: Bullet rain, fire, bombThe story: After about two hours of seeing death and destruction in bursts of action sequences, the film peaks to the mission of the era: The assassination of Hitler. The Basterds lock Hitler and his guests inside of a theater where they are watching a film and padding each other's egos when all Hades breaks loose.Why it rocks: Even though the plan goes slightly awry, the Basterds never falter. They are there to complete the mission, even if it costs their lives. A fire is started in the theater and the Basterd rain a barrage of bullets among the unsuspecting Nazi's. Hitler is cornered and riddled with so many bullets it's surprising his body didn't fall apart. It was one of the more epic moments of the film and a perfect lead into the brilliant conclusion.
  • Film: "Pulp Fiction" (1994)Death by: GunshotThe story: After a lengthy and intimidating interrogation, Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson) is tasked with fulfilling his duty to execute Brett for transgressing against their boss. Before he does, he delivers one of the most iconic moments in film history (and certainly of Tarantino's career), complete with an epic biblical quote.Why it rocks: I repeat, this is one of the most iconic moments in Tarantino's films. Jules pretty much sums up his "you're gonna die" speech with his favorite hellfire quote from the Bible before killing poor, defenseless Brett in cold blood. If you haven't seen this moment, you need to find it on YouTube as soon as humanly possible.
  • There you have it. These are my favorite Tarantino deaths. Do you agree with this list? What Tarantino deaths would you have liked to see added to this list? Stay tuned for future "Best Of" and "Worst Of" lists coming your way.
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, Little Rock Movie Examiner

Jess Carson graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with her degree in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing. She has been an avid movie-goer for most of her life, and enjoys all aspects of the art; keeping a broad taste in genre. She has been an Examiner since 2010, and...

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