Quentin Tarantino‘s films are known for their shared universe and interconnected references, which the director himself has confirmed. However, the connections aren’t always linear or narrative-based; they’re often thematic, stylistic, or based on shared characters or character relationships.
There are two universes in Tarantino’s films: the “Realer Than Real Universe” and the “Movie Movie Universe.” The first one is meant to reflect a heightened version of the real world, while the second one contains more stylized, fantastical elements.
Here’s a brief overview of some of the known connections:
The changes of history made concrete in Inglorious Basterds actually begin in Django Unchained (which takes place further back in history). These shifts from reality are what create Tarantino’s “realer than real universe.” This also ties into the recurring actors that Tarantino casts in his films (i.e. Samuel L. Jackson, Christoph Waltz, Brad Pitt, and Leonardo DiCaprio).
- Shared Characters and Families: Tarantino’s films often feature characters who are related in some way. For instance, Vincent Vega from Pulp Fiction and Vic Vega (a.k.a. Mr. Blonde) from Reservoir Dogs are brothers. The surname “Scagnetti” also comes up in both Reservoir Dogs and Natural Born Killers (which Tarantino wrote). The surname “McGraw” also comes up in From Dusk Till Dawn, Kill Bill, and Death Proof — Earl McGraw (played by Michael Parks) is a character in all three. Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction share a character named Marvin, although it’s unclear if they are the same person.
- Brand Names: the filmmaker uses recurring fictional brand names in his films. The most famous one is “Red Apple” cigarettes, which appear in Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, From Dusk Till Dawn, The Hateful Eight, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Another example is “Big Kahuna Burger,” a fast-food chain mentioned or featured in Pulp Fiction, From Dusk Till Dawn, and Reservoir Dogs.
- Movie Movie Universe: This is the more fantastical universe where films like Kill Bill and From Dusk Till Dawn exist. These are the types of movies that characters from the “Realer Than Real Universe” would go to see in a cinema.
- References to Past Works: Tarantino often pays homage to his earlier films within his later works. For instance, in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, there’s a scene where Rick Dalton uses a flamethrower, which is a nod to a similar scene in Inglourious Basterds.
- Shared Events: The events in Inglourious Basterds seem to have a reverberating effect in Tarantino’s universe. For instance, the film changes the course of World War II history with a movie theater fire that kills Adolf Hitler. Subsequently, in True Romance (which Tarantino wrote), a character references an explosive movie theater incident that sounds a lot like the Inglourious Basterds finale.
Django Unchained contains quite a few elements of its own that connect it to Quentin Tarantino‘s shared cinematic universe, albeit subtly.
Here are a few notable connections:
a. Dr. King Schultz and Paula Schultz: In Django Unchained, Dr. King Schultz (played by Christoph Waltz) is a bounty hunter who used to be a dentist. He mentions that he had a wife named Paula Schultz. This is presumably the same Paula Schultz whose grave is featured in Kill Bill: Volume 2. In Kill Bill, the Bride (Uma Thurman) is buried alive in Paula Schultz’s grave by Budd (Michael Madsen).
b. Crazy Craig Koons: Captain Koons, played by Christopher Walken in Pulp Fiction, gives a memorable monologue about a gold watch that has been passed down through generations. In Django Unchained, there is a wanted poster for a man named Crazy Craig Koons. This suggests a possible ancestor-descendant relationship between the characters.
c. The Smitty Bacall Gang: Django Unchained and The Hateful Eight both reference the Smitty Bacall Gang. In Django Unchained, Django and Dr. King Schultz hunt the gang as their first bounty. In The Hateful Eight, the character Oswaldo Mobray (played by Tim Roth) mentions the gang.
d. Red Apple Cigarettes: This fictional brand, present in many of Tarantino’s films, is also seen in Django Unchained.
6. Fictional TV Shows and Movies: The films and TV shows that the characters work on in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood have connections to other Tarantino films. For instance, Rick Dalton stars in a World War II movie called The 14 Fists of McCluskey, which uses the same Basterds style alternate history premise.
7. The “Deadly Viper Assassination Squad”: The members of this group in Kill Bill each have a code name based on a different species of snake. The character Elle Driver (played by Daryl Hannah) shares a code name (“California Mountain Snake”) with a character in From Dusk Till Dawn (played by Juliette Lewis), suggesting a potential connection.
While these connections exist, each Tarantino film is also designed to stand on its own. The references and shared elements serve as easter eggs for observant fans that don’t necessarily impact the standalone story of each film. Tarantino’s aim isn’t to create a cohesive universe in the traditional sense, but rather to layer his work with nods and connections that create a unique, interconnected tapestry. Their inclusion contributes to the director’s distinctive style, but understanding them is not required to enjoy or understand each individual film, though it does create really cool opportunities for double features.