10 Best Gangster Movies (Not Made By Martin Scorsese)

5. Reservoir Dogs

The first of two Tarantino films to feature on this list, Reservoir Dogs was Tarantino's first proper foray into the world of cinema, and the film helped to cement his reputation in Hollywood as the creator of films with highly stylised violence and witty and extensive dialogue-heavy scenes. Funded and filmed on a shoestring budget, Reservoir Dogs was not only helped to gain prominence by featuring established names like Harvey Keitel, but it also brought the likes of Steve Buscemi and Tim Roth to the attention of wider audiences. Like many great directors, Tarantino has opted to collaborate with many of the actors that starred in Reservoir Dogs multiple times since (with Tim Roth appearing in Pulp Fiction and Four Rooms in addition to Reservoir Dogs), and the film established many of the film conventions that Tarantino has used in many of his films since: non-chronological narratives and the extensive use of intertitles and chapters have become staples of his films. With the addition of iconic scenes like Mr. Blonde (Michael Madson) torturing a police officer while dancing along to Steelers Wheel's 'Stuck In The Middle', Tarantino cemented his reputation and made his film debut one not to miss.