Inglourious Basterds · reception & legacy

2009 · Quentin Tarantino

How Inglourious Basterds has been received, argued over, and remembered.

The arc

Divisive at Cannes 2009 — some critics balked at its audacity and Tarantino's rewriting of history — but it became his biggest box-office hit to that point and has since climbed to 'maybe his best film' status in fan rankings.

What's debated

The forever-debate: is this or Pulp Fiction Tarantino's masterpiece — and is its rewriting of history a stroke of genius or glib self-indulgence?

Its footprint

'That's a bingo!' entered the lexicon instantly, and Christoph Waltz's Hans Landa is routinely cited as one of the great screen villains of the century; the milk-and-strudel menace of his scenes is endlessly clipped and quoted.

Where it stands

A Letterboxd heavyweight and consensus top-tier Tarantino — the 'you must have seen this' entry point for his late period.

★ Did you know? Christoph Waltz was virtually unknown to international audiences before this; Tarantino said Waltz 'gave me my movie back,' having feared the role of Landa was unplayable — Waltz went on to win Best Actor at Cannes and the Supporting Actor Oscar.

Named by the director

Influences Quentin Tarantino has publicly named — the director's own word, distinct from the inferred lines of influence.

The Inglorious Bastards (1978) — Tarantino took his (misspelled) title from Enzo Castellari's war film and gave Castellari a cameo, though the plot is his own.
The Dirty Dozen (1967) — Tarantino repeatedly described the project as his entry in the 'bunch of guys on a mission' genre this film defined.
Where Eagles Dare (1968) — Named alongside The Dirty Dozen as the men-on-a-mission WWII adventure mold he wanted to work in.
Sergio Leone — Tarantino called the film a 'spaghetti western with World War II iconography,' citing Leone's style — especially for the opening farmhouse chapter.