Quentin Tarantino Vs. Robert Rodriguez: Which Filmmaker Is Best?
Round 6: Best Use Of Music
It is impossible to talk about either director without mentioning the soundtracks that accompany their films. When it comes to Tarantino's films, the soundtracks, with music from the day and age of Tarantino's youth, are seen as cool as the movies that they feature in. Many of Tarantino's most famous and iconic scenes have been aided via the perfect use of music. Scenes such as Mr. Blonde slicing off the ear of a hostage in Reservoir Dogs, Vincent Vega and Mia Wallace dancing to victory in Pulp Fiction as well as Arlene performing a very seductive dance for Stuntman Mike in Death Proof have all benefited from very retro, yet very cool, music.
Tarantino usually only ever samples music for his films, and never records new music specifically for them. However this changed in 2013 when Django Unchained boasted a soundtrack full of songs specifically written for the film. The variation in music in Django, from cool RnB, which strangely doesn't feel out of place in a Western and helped emphasise how bad-ass Django is as a character, to poetic and heartfelt songs that helped emphasise the plight and agony slaves had to go through, proved that not only does Tarantino have great taste in choosing music from bygone eras to accompany his films, but that he has an ear for new songs that are tailor-made for his own films.
Rodriguez's soundtracks have never been as famous or sought after as Tarantino's, however it is not absurd to find out that the 'one-man crew' system that Rodriguez basically invented not only includes him writing, editing and directing his films, but it also includes him writing and scoring the music for his films. I find this, and the fact Rodriguez plays in his own band, Chingon, amazing, as it raises the question of just how impressively talented is Rodriguez? Rodriguez is so talented that Tarantino even paid him a dollar so he would score Kill Bill, Vol. 2.
Though I have the utmost respect for Rodriguez and his many talents, aside from his kick-ass Sin City soundtrack which had some truly memorable and enjoyable scores to accompany his brilliant neo-noir adaptation of Frank Miller's legendary series of graphic novels, when it comes to the actual 'use' of music, Tarantino is certainly the winner. Not only does Tarantino have a wealth of knowledge when it comes to films, but from the musical choices he makes for his own films, he certainly knows his music, and it has been through Tarantino soundtracks that I have been introduced to some legendary and cult bands and songs.