Quentin Tarantino's next film, Django Unchained, is set for a 2012 release, but details about the film are already swirling about. Got questions? Lucky for you, we've got the answers.
What kind of movie is this going to be?
Tarantino is calling Django Unchained a "southern," which is more or less a spaghetti western set in the American Deep South during the period following the Civil War. So, expect violent, exploitative action coupled with thick accents, sweat and racism. A fair bit of racism.
Why is Tarantino creating a new genre?
The director wants to air out some of the nasty skeletons in America's closet, the nastiest of which is, of course, slavery. But, as opposed to serious movies on the subject, like Roots or something similar, Tarantino wants to tackle the issues with a genre film, much like he dealt with war, violence, bigotry and propaganda in Inglourious Basterds. Tarantino said that he wants "to do movies that deal with America's horrible past with slavery and stuff but do them like spaghetti westerns, not like big issue movies. I want to do them like they're genre films, but they deal with everything that America has never dealt with because it's ashamed of it, and other countries don't really deal with because they don't feel they have the right to."
What's it about?
Some folks at Indiewire read the script and they describe the movie as following a former slave, Django, who is gunning for revenge on his old master, and is helped along the way by a German bounty hunter.
Who's going to be in it?
As of now, the lead role is still up in the air, but there have been reports of both Will Smith and Idris Elba being considered. Additionally in news that should delight everyone and surprise no one, Inglourious Basterds stand-out Christoph Waltz will be playing the German bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz, while Samuel Jackson will play an older slave, presumably a mentor to the younger Django.
Is this based on anything else?
Well, kind of. Much the same way as Tarantino used the 1978 film The Inglorious Bastards as raw material for his 2009 flick, Django Unchained will likely bare the influence of 1966 spaghetti western Django. The film was considered one of the most violent in history up until that point, so it makes sense that the director of Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill would be interested in it. Additionally, there are rumors of Franco Nero, the star of the original Django, showing up in Django Unchained.
Add in a sexy broad with bare feet and this could already be a Tarantino movie.
What's the deal with Sukiyaki Western Django?
Tarantino is far from the first guy to take influence from the original Django - he's not even the first guy in the past five years to do it. In 2007, Japanese director Takashi Miike released Sukiyaki Western Django, a film that's very name was a gag on the spaghetti westerns, as sukiyaki is the name of a popular Japanese dish that often includes noodles. Beyond just the name, the film took obvious inspiration from Django as well as other spaghetti westerns. Tarantino himself even had a cameo in the flick. No word on whether his Ringo character will return for Django Unchained but we sure hope so, as it's always a trip watching that guy chew scenery.
Who is editing the film, and why does it matter?
We don't know the answer to this one, and no one else does either. See, all of Tarantino's films up until this point have been edited by the tremendous Sally Menke. Not taking anything away from the director's genius, but by all accounts Menke was one of Tarantino's most important collaborators, with her fingerprints all over the final cuts of Kill Bill, Pulp Fiction and the rest. Unfortunately, Menke passed away in late 2010, and Django Unchained will be Tarantino's first film without her. It will be interesting to see who, if anyone, steps into her shoes and what the effect on the final product will be.
What about Big Kahuna Burger?
Tarantino's films are loaded with in-jokes and references to other films, one of the most prominent of which is the fictional fast food chain Big Kahuna Burger. Obviously, the time period in which Django Unchained will be set would probably prevent anyone from swinging by a drive-thru, but it's too early to say if any of Tarantino's other favorite Easter eggs will be popping up. Personally, we've got our fingers crossed that one of the Vega brothers' ancestors will be making an appearance.
