WORDS AND PICTURES BY MATTHEW PEJKOVIC
Last night Sydney welcomed back filmmaker Quentin Tarantino to its shores for the premiere of WWII revenge fantasy, Inglourious Basterds.
Along with Tarantino were actors Diane Kruger and Christoph Waltz, who play a German double agent and cunning SS officer, respectively.
Working with Tarantino proved to a joy for both actors. “It was real fun. Really fantastic”, said Kruger.
Added Waltz: “Multiply that by about 1000, and you have an approximation”.
For the German born Kruger - who after years of convincing casting agents that she could play American roles - landing this part proved to be a challenge, after finding herself in a unique position of having to prove her ethnicity to Tarantino.
But that did not deter Kruger from snagging the part: “I read the script and I really wanted to be a part of it. I kind of had to convince him a little bit for an audition, but in German.”
Of course with any Tarantino film controversy will follow, and Inglorious Basterds is no exception with critics and historians accusing Tarantino of changing history. But Kruger and Waltz are having none of that.
“It’s Quentin’s take on World War II”, said Kruger. “It’s definitely a fairytale.”
And for all you cinema hounds fed up with the ever increasing number of WWII films hitting the multiplexes, rest assured that Inglourious Basterds is a different and refreshing take on the sub-genre.
Stated Waltz: “It is unique and in a way I am hoping for another Quentin revolution, in that these usual WWII movies are done with from now on.”
Inglourious Basterds is due for release on the 20th of August through Universal Pictures.
