Aside from the striking visuals, twisting and turning narratives, vulgar dialogue, revitalizing actors’ careers, or blending comedy with tragedy, Quentin Tarantino knows what is what when it comes to music. Practically a second voice in many scenes throughout his filmography, Tarantino’s song and score choices fluctuate across a broad musical spectrum. Each film offers a wide variety of lyrical and instrumental soundscapes, always enhancing Tarantino’s vision.
1. Reservoir Dogs
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Harvey Keitel
Tim Roth
Michael Madsen
Chris Penn
Steve Buscemi
Lawrence Tierney
Randy Brooks
Kirk Baltz
Edward Bunker
Rich Turner
David Steen
Opening his first movie, Reservoir Dogs, with George Baker Selection’s “Little Green Bag” sets the tone for Tarantino’s career to follow. The Dutch pop-rock band’s 1969 hit had a resurgence 22 years after its initial release because of the calm, cool, collected thieves walking in slow motion before their next big score.
The movie’s most memorable and haunting scene is known for the music it is set to. Stealers Wheel’s “Stuck in the Middle with You” accompanies a darkly comedic and grotesquely violent moment where Michael Madsen’s character Mr. Blonde interrogates a hostage police officer. Some viewers might want to cover their eyes… and ears!
Find the full Reservoir Dogs Soundtrack here.
2. Pulp Fiction
John Travolta
Samuel L. Jackson
Uma Thurman
Bruce Willis
Ving Rhames
Harvey Keitel
Eric Stoltz
Tim Roth
Amanda Plummer
Maria de Medeiros
Christopher Walken
Tarantino’s major breakout came a couple of years after Reservoir Dogs with the epic crime ensemble Pulp Fiction. Featuring a rag-tag group of actors including John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman, Bruce Willis, Ving Rhames, Christopher Walken, Amanda Plummer, Tim Roth, Rosanna Arquette, and Eric Stoltz, the film employs a web-like technique to tell multiple intertwining stories between various characters.
The music throughout the movie punctuates easy-going and tension-building moments like Chuck Berry’s bopping “You Never Can Tell” as John Travolta and Uma Thurman compete in a dance competition at Jack Rabbit Slim’s or Urge Overkill’s ominous “Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon” as Uma Thurman dances alone.
Find the full Pulp Fiction soundtrack here.
3. Jackie Brown
Pam Grier
Samuel L. Jackson
Robert De Niro
Bridget Fonda
Michael Keaton
Robert Forster
Michael Bowen
Chris Tucker
LisaGay Hamilton
Tommy Lister Jr.
Hattie Winston
Sid Haig
The Elmore Leonard adaptation is the only film in Tarantino’s filmography that he didn’t write himself. The crime drama follows flight attendant Jackie Brown, played by Pam Grier, as she smuggles money for Samuel L. Jackson’s character Ordell Robbie.
The soundtrack involves many talented artists for the film, and the vibes of each song fit a specific mold, blending with the groove of the narrative. Tarantino has stated in interviews that he likes to let music help create how and why scenes happen, saying “I find the personality of the piece through the music that is going to be in it.” The soul, R&B, and disco tunes especially work in paying homage to 1970s blaxploitation films like Coffy and Foxy Brown.
Find the full Jackie Brown soundtrack here.
4. Kill Bill Vol. 1
Uma Thurman
Lucy Liu
Vivica A. Fox
Daryl Hannah
David Carradine
Michael Madsen
Julie Dreyfus
Chiaki Kuriyama
Sonny Chiba
Gordon Liu Chia-hui
Michael Parks
Michael Bowen
Kill Bill Vol. 1 begins to see the director branching out from lyrically based soundtrack choices. Using selections from Ennio Morricone, Tarantino places the Italian composer's spaghetti Western themes in moments paying homage to Japanese samurai films, blending genres in explosions of sight and sound.
The soundtrack bounces these Morricone classics off songs by Japanese pop artists and Wu-Tang Clan royalty to mesmerizing effect. This scene’s use of “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” is a whirlwind of style and instrumentation, giving the scene an extra jolt of tension and energy.
Find the full Kill Bill Vol. 1 soundtrack here.
5. Kill Bill Vol. 2
Uma Thurman
David Carradine
Daryl Hannah
Michael Madsen
Gordon Liu Chia-hui
Michael Parks
Perla Haney-Jardine
Vivica A. Fox
Ambrosia Kelley
James Parks
Jonathan Loughran
Michael Bowen
Where every other film Tarantino has made can be considered a stand-alone film, the Kill Bill films are indisputably linked. But while the first film utilizes more action and violence to tell its story, the second film marinates in slow moments and lengthy discussions.
Pieces of the film’s music were written by fellow director Robert Rodriguez, of Spy Kids, Desperado, and Sin City fame. As the film’s narrative took a slower approach than the first installment of the saga, Tarantino felt the music should match the mood and asked his buddy to write additional music for Vol. 2. These pieces fill out the score around famous works by Morricone and Nora Orlandi.
Find the full Kill Bill Vol. 2 soundtrack here.
6. Grindhouse: Death Proof
Kurt Russell
Zoë Bell
Rosario Dawson
Vanessa Ferlito
Sydney Tamiia Poitier
Tracie Thoms
Rose McGowan
Jordan Ladd
Mary Elizabeth Winstead
Marcy Harriell
The cinema double feature event Grindhouse was an adrenaline rush of nostalgia, violence, and debauchery. Debuting back in 2007, the Robert Rodriguez directed Planet Terror about a zombie outbreak on a military base, and Quentin Tarantino’s Death Proof about a mad stuntman terrorizing the roads, were shown in theaters on the same ticket.
Tarantino’s choice of music throughout the sweltering story of driving fast and reckless fits the mood of the story and the ‘70s exploitation cinema the film emulates. The film features a variety of tracks from artists like The Coasters, Eddie Floyd, Smith, and T. Rex that blend genres like soul, R&B, blues, and rock & roll, while also featuring classical and contemporary score pieces from artists such as Pino Donaggio and a long time Tarantino favorite, Ennio Morricone.
Find the full Death Proof soundtrack here.
7. Inglorious Basterds
Brad Pitt
Mélanie Laurent
Christoph Waltz
Michael Fassbender
Diane Kruger
Daniel Brühl
Til Schweiger
Gedeon Burkhard
Jacky Ido
B.J. Novak
Omar Doom
The first Tarantino soundtrack not to include audio excerpts from the film, Inglourious Basterds leans heavily into instrumental music for most moments. When not dipping back into the familiar Morricone well, the soundtrack leans into composers such as Charles Bernstein, Nick Perito, and Gianni Ferrio.
Besides the score, Tarantino only uses a select few lyrical tracks throughout the fantastical, Nazi hunting, war-extravaganza to punctuate specific moments. Like Billy Preston’s “Slaughter” ripping insane electric guitar licks as the audience is introduced to Nazi-hating former Nazi Hugo Stiglitz or David Bowie’s “Cat People” accentuating Shosana’s planning and preparation for the ultimate mission against the ultimate enemy.
Find the full Inglourious Basterds soundtrack here.
8. Django Unchained
Jamie Foxx
Christoph Waltz
Leonardo DiCaprio
Kerry Washington
Samuel L. Jackson
Walton Goggins
Dennis Christopher
James Remar
David Steen
Dana Gourrier
Nichole Galicia
Laura Cayouette
Out of all the genre-bending and industry-defying songs chosen for a Quentin Tarantino movie, the soundtrack to Django Unchained might be the best collection of songs. The slave-era Western features a star-studded cast including Jamie Foxx, Kerry Washington, Leonardo Dicaprio, Samuel L. Jackson, Jonah Hill, Don Johnson, Walton Goggins, and Academy Award-winner Christoph Waltz. (for this role!!)
The soundtrack boasts the same level of fame and prestige as the actors with artists such as Anthony Hamilton, Elayna Boynton, Jim Croce, Rick Ross, James Brown, Tupac, and John Legend. Songs by these artists weave throughout the narrative around classic Spaghetti Western musical cues from composers such as Riziero Ortolani and Ennio Morricone. This would be Morricone and Tarantino’s first collaboration using original music written by Morricone for a Tarantino film. Morricone stated he would never work with Tarantino again after this experience, but that didn’t last long.
Find the full Django Unchained soundtrack here.
9. The Hateful Eight
Samuel L. Jackson
Kurt Russell
Jennifer Jason Leigh
Walton Goggins
Demián Bichir
Tim Roth
Michael Madsen
Bruce Dern
James Parks
Dana Gourrier
Zoë Bell
Lee Horsley
The Hateful Eight is the first film Tarantino ever chose to have an original composition as the score. After dealing with “misreported” comments in the press slandering their working relationship, composer Ennio Morricone wrote and conducted a full score for the film, incorporating old pieces from The Thing and Exorcist II with all new music. The music invokes elements of horror and suspense to create an eerie and foreboding atmosphere throughout the film.
The film also features a couple of lyrical tracks in specific moments to alter the overall mood and break certain moments of tension. The use of The White Stripes “Apple Blossom” plays at a key transition, almost as a tongue-in-cheek recognition of the elements swirling on the screen.
Find the full Hateful Eight soundtrack here.
10. Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood
85%837.6Leonardo DiCaprio
Brad Pitt
Margot Robbie
Emile Hirsch
Margaret Qualley
Timothy Olyphant
Julia Butters
Austin Butler
Dakota Fanning
Bruce Dern
Mike Moh
Luke Perry
Some critics and cinephiles consider Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood Tarantino’s magnum opus. A convergence of every piece of the director’s madcap sensibilities and history condensed into a sprawling, pseudohistorical epic of southern California. With an insane cast boasting Leonardo Dicaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Al Pacino, Austin Butler, Emile Hirsch, Margaret Qualley, Dakota Fanning, Bruce Dern, Luke Perry, Timothy Olyphant, Damian Lewis, Mike Moh, and Lorenza Izzo, the film deals with a “struggling” actor and his best friend/stuntman as they traverse life through the late 60s Hollywood studio system.
Cleverly incorporating recordings of radio DJs from the LA area in 1969 throughout the film as Cliff Booth cruises through the LA streets with the radio blasting is an incredible touch of authenticity and artistry. Quentin Tarantino’s panache for building a soundscape to accompany his visual canvas reaches a pinnacle in this story as the movie seamlessly blends all sorts of musical cues, needle drops, and actual recordings from the era.
Find the full Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood soundtrack here.
