27 Things You Didn't Know About Reservoir Dogs

21. Monte Hellman Almost Directed It Instead

Though Reservoir Dogs is an unmistakably singular vision from a fiercely unique writer-director, the original plan was actually a little different.

After Tarantino completed the script, an established director was sought to make the movie, and Tarantino settled on cult filmmaker Monte Hellman, who enjoyed success with 1966 Jack Nicholson-starring western Ride in the Whirlwind and the 1971 indie road movie Two-Lane Blacktop, and served as a mentor to Tarantino in his earliest days as a budding filmmaker.

But Hellman's career wasn't exactly going places when Tarantino was putting together his movie, having helmed 1989's rancid horror sequel Silent Night, Deadly Night 3: Better Watch Out!, and Tarantino eventually lobbied to direct it himself.

Hellman ultimately ended up taking an executive producer credit for his involvement, and given the film's eventual success on home video, we're going to assume his investment paid off swimmingly.