4. True Romance
True Romance is a (mostly) superb thriller that helped make stars of both director Tony Scott and writer Quentin Tarantino, depicting the efforts of Clarence (Christian Slater) and Alabama (Patricia Arquette) to sell some stolen drugs and high tail it into the night. It's devilishly funny and brutally violent all at the same time - who can forget the immortal "part eggplant" scene? - right until a climax that just doesn't suit the tone of the film all that well. Tarantino has stated that the original scripted ending had Clarence die after he is shot, but director Scott, an altogether more optimistic, studio-friendly sort, had the final say, and filmed Clarence surviving the gunshot, and making a life with Alabama, resulting in a son they name Elvis. After so much brilliance, it's a shame the film didn't follow its bleakness right through to its most realistic conclusion.
Shaun Munro
Contributor
Frequently sleep-deprived film addict and video game obsessive who spends more time than is healthy in darkened London screening rooms. Follow his twitter on @ShaunMunroFilm or e-mail him at shaneo632 [at] gmail.com.
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