When Quentin Tarantino speaks about cinema, the world listens. With his fingerprints all over modern filmmaking, Tarantino is known for his dialogue, gritty narratives, and unapologetic reverence for the golden age of movies.
With films like ‘Pulp Fiction’, ‘Kill Bill’, and ‘Inglourious Basterds,’ Tarantino has solidified himself as one of the most innovative filmmakers of the last 30 years. However, even a director of his caliber doesn’t reserve the title of “greatest” for his own creations. Instead, he has crowned Sergio Leone’s iconic ‘Dollars‘ trilogy.
The ‘Dollars’ Trilogy Was A Game-Changer In Western Cinema
Quentin Tarantino has been vocal about his love for Leone’s trilogy for years. In fact, he has referred to ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’ as his favorite movie of all time. However, what exactly makes these nearly six-decade-old Westerns so enduring? And why do they continue to leave such a profound impact, not just on audiences, but on master filmmakers like Tarantino himself?
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Released between 1964 and 1966, the ‘Dollars‘ Trilogy, consisting of ‘A Fistful of Dollars’ (1964), ‘For a Few Dollars More’ (1965), and ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’ (1966) was a revolution in storytelling and visual style. Directed by Italian filmmaker Sergio Leone and starring a young Clint Eastwood in his breakout role as the “Man with No Name,” the trilogy redefined the Western genre.
Each film in the trilogy pushed the boundaries further. ‘A Fistful of Dollars’ was a bold remake of Akira Kurosawa’s ‘Yojimbo’, transplanting the samurai story into the Wild West. It introduced the world to Leone’s signature style: extreme close-ups and long silences punctuated by explosive violence. ‘For a Few Dollars More’ deepened the narrative complexity and character development.
It paired Eastwood’s Man with No Name with Lee Van Cleef’s ruthless Colonel Mortimer. But it was ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’ that transcended its predecessors and became an epic of operatic proportions. Tarantino reveres the trilogy not just for its technical brilliance but for its narrative evolution. On Bill Maher’s Club Random Podcast, he once again expressed his admiration, calling it “the only trilogy that completely and utterly works to the nth degree.” He emphasized how rare it is to find a trilogy where each installment surpasses the last.
How ‘Dollars’ Trilogy Shaped Quentin Tarantino’s Filmmaking Vision
The influence of the Dollars Trilogy on Quentin Tarantino is not just theoretical, it’s visible in nearly every frame of his work. His love for Leone’s cinematic language runs deep. Take ‘Kill Bill: Volume 2’. During a pivotal scene, Morricone’s “Il Tramonto” from ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’ plays, immediately transporting the audience into a Leone-esque world. Tarantino’s deliberate use of this score is more than homage, it’s an act of cinematic worship.
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In ‘The Hateful Eight’, Tarantino channeled Leone’s spirit more directly. The movie, with its snowbound setting, tense standoffs, and morally grey characters, feels like a spiritual successor to Leone’s Westerns. Even the film’s trailer mimics the opening credits of ‘The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly’. Tarantino has also credited the film with having his favorite shot in film history. However, he hasn’t specified exactly which shot that is.
But perhaps what Tarantino respects most is the Dollars Trilogy’s audacity. At a time when Westerns were starting to feel tired and formulaic, Leone and Eastwood breathed new life into the genre. They brought a rugged realism and operatic flair that hadn’t been seen before. For Tarantino, the trilogy represents more than just nostalgia. It’s a testament to the power of vision, the importance of style, and the enduring impact of a well-told story. So when he calls it “the greatest achievement in the history of cinema,” it’s heartfelt.
