8. Reservoir Dogs
After getting two screenplays turned into films, Quentin Tarantino finally got a chance to show off his own inimitable style with Reservoir Dogs, an enormously important part of the burgeoning American Independent film scene. Reservoir Dogs deals with the aftermath of a jewel heist gone horribly wrong, with scenes of the planning related through flashbacks. The tension of the story comes when it is revealed than one of the members of the group is a snitch and although the audience knows right away, all the rest of the characters are left guessing to the bitter end. Reservoir Dogs serves as a precursor to Pulp Fiction in introducing the world to Tarantino's now endlessly copied use of dialogue. Gone were the days of dialogue serving as pure exposition and in was dialogue that was completely inconsequential except in establishing the different personalities of each character. Conversations now dealt with the meaning of Madonna songs and the merits of tipping and alongside quick editing and innovative song selection, Tarantino soaked the film in pure, unbridled energy. Reservoir Dogs established Tarantino as one of America's most unique filmmakers and set the stage for Pulp Fiction to send waves through the film world two years later. As a debut film, it's arguably the best in recent cinema.