7. Christoph Waltz
A relatively new addition to Tarantinos list of favoured collaborators, Christoph Waltz first appeared in a Tarantino film (and in any film for many of us) as the truly terrifying Col. Hans Landa, or, The Jew Hunter. His performance was truly electrifying, and arguably Tarantinos most memorable creation. In one of the tensest scenes in recent cinema, the opening of Inglourious Basterds reveals to us Landas horrific role within the Second World War, and frighteningly, his pleasure in carrying out this role with a real enthusiasm. In Django Unchained, Waltz gets an even bigger bite, this time as Dr. King Schultz - a bounty hunter masquerading as a dentist, with a soft spot for slaves. In Django, Tarantino asks of Waltz to play a very similar character to his Landa creation. They both have the articulate eloquence which equally scares and surprises their foe (and often us too), and both are larger than life with a taste for the eccentric. It was never going to be easy for Waltz to bring the same intensity to a more fictional, less antagonistically ready-made character, and this shows with Dr. Schultz. Although his performance is accomplished, I am starting to find Tarantinos flamboyant characters a little tiresome. Im sure Waltz will return, so next time it would be nice to see him play a more grounded character.
(A Band) Apart Of: 2 Features
Collaborative Influence: 7/10