Questions
Who directed Reservoir Dogs and when did it come out?
It was Quentin Tarantino’s feature directorial debut, premiering at the Sundance Film Festival in January 1992 and getting its wider release on October 9, 1992.
What is the movie actually about?
Eight diamond thieves who know each other only by color aliases plan a jewelry store heist that goes catastrophically wrong, then regroup in a warehouse where they suspect one of them is a police informant.
Who played the color-coded crooks?
Harvey Keitel was Mr. White, Tim Roth was Mr. Orange, Michael Madsen was Mr. Blonde, Steve Buscemi was Mr. Pink, Tarantino himself was Mr. Brown, and Edward Bunker was Mr. Blue, with Lawrence Tierney as Joe Cabot and Chris Penn as Nice Guy Eddie.
How did Harvey Keitel end up being so important to the film?
After reading the script, Keitel signed on as a co-producer to help secure funding, and he personally paid for New York casting sessions where Buscemi, Madsen, and Roth were discovered.
Why did Tim Roth want to play Mr. Orange specifically?
His agents pushed him toward Mr. Pink or Mr. Blonde, but Roth preferred Mr. Orange, describing it as playing an English actor pretending to be American playing a cop pretending to be a robber.
Which famous actors auditioned but did not make it in?
Viggo Mortensen, George Clooney, Samuel L. Jackson, and David Duchovny all reportedly auditioned, James Woods was considered, and Jon Cryer backed out of the Mr. Pink auditions at the last minute.
Is it true Tarantino fired one of the actors?
Yes, he fired Lawrence Tierney during breakfast in the first week of shooting, reportedly saying the cast and crew could not stand him because of his volatile, disrespectful behavior.
What is the story behind the ear-cutting scene?
Michael Madsen reportedly struggled to finish the torture sequence, especially after actor Kirk Baltz ad-libbed the line about having a little kid at home, and effects legend Rick Baker and director Wes Craven reportedly walked out during a screening at Sitges.
Why is that song used during such a violent scene?
Tarantino set the torture to Stealers Wheel’s upbeat 1970s hit Stuck in the Middle with You, deliberately choosing cheerful music to play against the graphic violence.
Where did the title Reservoir Dogs come from?
Tarantino liked the title because he felt it sounded like it belonged to a film by Alain Delon or Jean-Pierre Melville.
How much did the film cost and how did it do at the box office?
It was made on a small budget reported between roughly $1.2 million and $3 million, grossed about $2.8 million in domestic theaters, and reached around $22 million worldwide, gaining popularity after Pulp Fiction hit in 1994.
How did critics receive it?
It earned universal acclaim, holding about 90% on Rotten Tomatoes and 81 out of 100 on Metacritic, and Empire magazine once named it the greatest independent film ever made.
Did Steve Buscemi win any awards for it?
Yes, Buscemi won the 1992 Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male for his role as Mr. Pink.
What movies inspired Tarantino when making it?
He cited films like The Killing (1956), City on Fire (1987), Kansas City Confidential (1952), and Le Samouraï, and defended borrowing from them by saying he steals from every movie.
What is the film’s legacy today?
It is regarded as a cult classic and an independent film milestone, and in 2024 it ranked second in a Sundance Film Festival survey of the top 10 films of all time voted on by 500 filmmakers and critics.
