Filmmaker Quentin Tarantino has had a storied career. Tarantino made his directorial debut with 1992’s Reservoir Dogs, an ensemble thriller whose reverberations can still be felt in action films today. Then, it was with his second directorial effort, 1994’s Pulp Fiction, that Quentin Tarantino won his first Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. No small feat. Over the course of his career thus far, Tarantino has been nominated for eight Academy Awards, winning his second for writing Django Unchained. What you might not know is that Tarantino’s first official credit was with the 1991 neo-noir (kinda slasher movie) Past Midnight. You can stream it now on Prime Video.
Per Prime Video: A man gets out of prison after fifteen years for stabbing his wife to death, and his social worker becomes convinced he was innocent. As she researches his case, and interviews other people who were involved, she begins to fall in love with him, as her friends warn her that he’s dangerous.
Quentin Tarantino was an uncredited writer on Past Midnight. Directed by Jan Eliasberg, the thriller saw Ben Jordan (Rutger Hauer) released from prison for the murder of his pregnant wife. He then teams with social worker Laura Matthews (Natasha Richardson) to prove his innocence. But is he really innocent? If he is, that means the real killer is still out there.
I won’t spoil the rest, but if you’re a fan of Quentin Tarantino’s distinct writing style, you’ll immediately recognize his contributions to the script. At the time, he was working for the production company CineTel, and his primary job was beefing up screenplays heading into production. His work on Past Midnight exceeded the usual scale, and it’s for that reason Associate Producer Catalaine Knell shared her credit with him on the film. Shortly thereafter, he began working on Reservoir Dogs.
Still, Past Midnight wasn’t exactly a critical success. While Quentin Tarantino’s filmography is, critically speaking, sterling, Past Midnight isn’t quite as revered. Some fans of his first official credit remain, however, and over the years, they’ve been vocal about their adoration for all the weirdness Past Midnight brought to the table. Broadly, however, the film is all but forgotten. It’s a shame, and if you’re unfamiliar, it’s worth seeking out.
What do you think? Do you have any plans to check out Past Midnight on Prime Video? Are you already a fan? Which Quentin Tarantino movie is your favorite? Let me know over on Twitter @Chadiscollins.
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