Tarantino Unscripted: Author Andrew Rausch Explores the Legacy of a Cinematic Icon
A Journey Through Tarantino's Cinematic Revolution with Author Andrew Rausch
In the realm of cinema, few filmmakers have left as indelible a mark as Quentin Tarantino, and few writers have chronicled his journey as meticulously as author Andrew Rausch. What began as a transformative moment watching "Pulp Fiction" on its 1994 opening night became a lifelong passion for Rausch, who has since dedicated himself to exploring Tarantino's cinematic universe. From his early fascination with the rough-cut "My Best Friend's Birthday" to his comprehensive examination of the 1990s filmmaking wave in "Generation Tarantino: The Last Wave of Young Turks in Hollywood," Rausch has been more than a mere observer—he's been a dedicated documentarian of a pivotal era in film history. Starting from his middle school dreams of writing crime novels inspired by "Scarface" to interviewing Tarantino himself, Rausch's journey mirrors the unpredictable, genre-bending narratives that define Tarantino's work. His upcoming books, including "The Taking of New York City" and a study of cinematographer Gary Graver, continue to showcase his deep commitment to understanding the nuanced landscape of modern cinema. Rausch met up with journalist John Wisniewski for a Q & A session to discuss his journey and latest projects.
Could you tell us about writing your book My Best Friend's Birthday: The Making of a Quentin Tarantino Film?
I was a huge fan of Tarantino's work from the moment I encountered it. I was late to the party. The first of his films that I saw was Pulp Fiction. I saw it on opening night in 1994 and it changed my life and the way I looked at film. I started working on a book about Tarantino's films in 1998. Tarantino even did some fact-checking from afar on that one. I'd sent the list of things to fact-check to his then-publicist Bumble Ward who sent it to him, and it came back in his unique and instantly recognizable handwriting. But that book went on and on and eventually wound up being scrapped after another Dale Sherman came out with a very good book that was almost exactly like what I was writing. By that time, I had met Tarantino at his QTIII festival in Austin in 1999. He was a little standoffish at the time, but I got to talk to him about The Death Collector, which he was screening at the festival, and its similarities to Mean Streets. We also got to talk briefly about the terrible 1980 Menahem Golan film The Apple, which was of some interest to me at the time.
I wasn't a big fan of Tarantino's (and Craig Hamann's) early film My Best Friend's Birthday because it was ridiculously rough. It was actually the first thing I ever watched on YouTube. But I still wanted to write something about Tarantino, and I saw an opportunity to write something new about his evolution as a filmmaker. The project went well. I interviewed my friend Craig Hamann at great length and started there. I then interviewed everyone else involved with the movie, but I still didn't have Tarantino. Finally, his mother told him about the project, and he reached out. It was touch and go for a while trying to get an interview since he was in post on Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and I was getting a heart transplant, but we eventually got to talk for about an hour-and-a-half.
2. Your new book is coming out soon Quentin Tarantino: The Last Wave of Young Turks in Hollywood. How did this project come about?
Even though the book has been wrongly advertised as being about Tarantino's influence on the rest of cinema, it's actually about the entire wave of filmmakers who emerged in the 1990s. I saw Tarantino as being the face of the movement, but he was only one of 13 directors I examined in the book. Some of the others are Richard Linklater, David Fincher, and Christopher Nolan. Additionally, there is a single chapter about the "Tarantino sub-genre," which consists of films like Suicide Kings, Boondock Saints, and Two Days in the Valley that, rightly or wrongly, have been called "Tarantino pastiches." I look at many of these films and interview some of their directors.
3. What made Pulp Fiction cause such a stir in Hollywood?
Pulp Fiction was like Citizen Kane in that it combined many innovative techniques and ideas regarding filmmaking approach that had existed, but weren't all that known or used in the United States. Additionally, Tarantino brought many fresh ideas and techniques of his own. For me, the main thing Pulp Fiction offered was a screenplay that was unlike anything I had ever seen. While his detractors will say that he just steals ideas from other people, this does him a tremendous disservice. He takes ideas, yes, but he drastically improves upon the originals. He also has a wild way of looking at things that is very much original. In short, Pulp Fiction was just very fun, hip, and different. It was violent, shocking, and edgy at the time. And like Citizen Kane, it may be difficult for newer audiences to recognize just how revolutionary Pulp was because it and its techniques have been replicated to the point where they have become mainstream.
You also write crime novels and horror. Could you tell us about your latest in those genres?
My crime fiction is heavily inspired by Tarantino and Elmore Leonard and Joe R. Lansdale in terms of dialogue and violence, but it's its own thing. I'm also a giant fan of Max Allan Collins' books, but I don't write like him in terms of style. And while Tarantino wrote about hitmen in Pulp Fiction, I've tried to do different and new things with hitmen characters. I think John Wick has helped to make hitmen stories more of a sub-genre, and that's a big part of what I write about.
When did you begin writing, Andy?
I started writing in middle school when I tried to write a crime novel about an undercover cop who becomes a mobster. It wasn't realistic and I knew nothing at all about the mob. I was just inspired by Scarface. Maybe I just liked the violence, rebellion, and curse words. I don't know.
6. Any upcoming projects and plans?
I have three nonfiction books coming soon. The first is The Taking of New York City, which is a history of New York City in the 1970s and the crime films that were shot there. The book comes out in November. The second is a book about the filmmaker and cinematographer Gary Graver. That comes out in late winter, early Spring. The third is the Generation Tarantino book we discussed. That comes out in July.
7. Has Quentin commented on the upcoming book Generation Tarantino: The Last Wave of Young Turks in Hollywood?
He has not. At one point he was going to be interviewed for it, but that never happened. But to be fair, at that time he was working on The Critic and his mysterious Once Upon a Time in Hollywood spinoff, both of which have since died. Plus, I guarantee you he's working on something new that we haven't heard about yet. He's absolutely my favorite filmmaker.
8. How can readers follow you and learn about your upcoming projects?
My books can be found on Amazon.
"I haven't read all of Andy (Rausch)'s books, but I've read several, and I like that he writes whatever he likes. He's got some damn good stuff." -- Joe R. Lansdale, author of the The Bottoms
"Andrew J. Rausch is a talented author and journalist." - S.A. Cosby, author of Blacktop Wasteland
About Andrew Rausch: Andrew Rausch's journey as a Tarantino chronicler began with a life-changing viewing of "Pulp Fiction" in 1994. His book "My Best Friend's Birthday: The Making of a Quentin Tarantino Film" explores Tarantino's early work, culminating in a personal interview with the director. Rausch's upcoming book, "Quentin Tarantino: The Last Wave of Young Turks in Hollywood," examines the broader wave of 1990s filmmakers, with Tarantino as the movement's face. Rausch attributes "Pulp Fiction's" impact to its innovative techniques and fresh ideas, comparing its influence to "Citizen Kane". As a crime novelist, Rausch draws inspiration from Tarantino's style while creating his own unique narratives. His writing career began in middle school, inspired by "Scarface". Rausch has three upcoming nonfiction books, including "The Taking of New York City" and the aforementioned Tarantino-focused work. While Tarantino hasn't commented on the upcoming book, Rausch remains an ardent admirer of the filmmaker's work.
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