Tarantinos in the Attic: A brief history of Quentin Tarantino’s use of trademarks in storytelling
The enfant terrible and award-winning film director and writer, Quentin Tarantino, is critically-acclaimed, and even if he is not your cup of tea, his influence in cinema and storytelling is undeniable. Ever since his debut behind the camera with “Reservoir Dogs” back in 1992, he made a name for himself as a savvy film and pop culture icon. However, it was not until 1994, with the release of “Pulp Fiction”, which proved to be a watershed in modern film, that his fame was truly cemented. Few auteurs manage to make such a long-lasting mark in the medium with one film, which has naturally come with a legion of copycats, and yet, Tarantino has proved film after film that he is one of the most remarkable filmmakers in the medium’s history. “Pulp Fiction” (1994), a pièce de résistance in film history made it seem impossible to repeat such a feat. So much so, that Quentin joked that after “Pulp Fiction” he began fearing earthquakes because he believed he had accomplished his life’s mission and could die at any moment; luckily for us he is alive and continues to make films! Since then, he repeated the feat several times over. His latest triumph, which he affectionately refers to as his magnus opus is “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood” (2019) — his most personal film yet and the closest he admittedly has come to “Pulp Fiction”. This is a memory piece and love letter much in the same vein as Alfonso Cuarón’s childhood in Mexico City was to “Roma” (2018), except Tarantino turns to the L.A. of 1969, a period that formed him.
This is not write-up on Tarantino’s abilities as a filmmaker, since there is a lot of existing literature on the matter. However, what has gone unnoticed, especially across the Intellectual Property circles is his use of IP in storytelling. IP is used for many things, but its most laudable use is the enrichment of knowledge and creativity. This is why it is surprising that little has been written on the value of IP, especially trademarks, in the creative process and creative output. If anything, IP has repeatedly been a target for its perceived hindrance of the storytelling creative process. In the case of Tarantino, existing copyright has always propelled his craft forward, namely by taking inspiration and referencing extensively from everything and everywhere in the medium. However, it is through his use of trademarks that rounds up his story and characters, while at the same time circumventing IP’s perceived limitations in the creative process. Additionally, by creating his own trademarks Tarantino has complete control over the content of his creations and avoids some of the narrative pitfalls of product placement. This, however, is not to say that he does not use more conventional product placement from time to time.
Copyright in Tarantino’s creative process
Experiencing a Tarantino film is an exciting and special occurrence that harks back to the olden days of Hollywood. His films are a refreshing treat that stand out as events in the middle of a landscape where events are few and far between, perhaps due to the seismic shifts the industry is currently undergoing.
One of the ways he achieves this stimulating experience is through his ability to process everything available in history’s film canon, take what he considers gems and process and repurpose it through his unique lens in order to create diamonds. To put it in his own words as recorded by Empire magazine in 1994, “[i] steal from every single movie ever made. If people don’t like that, then tough tills, don’t go and see it, all right? I steal from everything. Great artists steal, they don’t do homages”. It is through his “stealing” that he is able to create an unadulterated Tarantinoesque universe.
To put it in his own words as recorded by Empire magazine in 1994, “[i] steal from every single movie ever made. If people don’t like that, then tough tills, don’t go and see it, all right? I steal from everything. Great artists steal, they don’t do homages”.
Trademarks in Tarantino’s universe
Trademarks have enriched the films of Quentin Tarantino, by grounding the story in reality and rounding the narrative. In doing so, its use fosters Tarantino’s creativity and creates threads linking storytelling across his works. This would suggest that the Rembrandts in the Attic[1] are not exclusive to corporations, but can also be the domain of storytellers like Tarantino. Quentin has peppered his work with recurring use of trademarks, ranging from slight references, all the way to ubiquitous appearances throughout a story.
One of the ways Tarantino creates the appearance of a fully round and lived-in universe for his characters to inhabit is through faux trademarks. This is in itself a comment on human’s need for consumption and our inevitable descent into homo consumericus[2], but one that ultimately has a greater purpose in his narrative. Just a few years ago, these references were dismissed as Easter eggs meant to quench the thirst of film nerds. However, the success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has brought this technique to the mainstream and is now considered a necessary element in the narrative, which is necessary to bring a semblance of reality and continuity to a fictional universe.
One of the most popular trademarks in Tarantino’s films is “Red Apple” cigarettes. This brand first appeared in “Reservoir Dogs” (1992), the cigarettes of choice of Mr. White, who in the film offers one to Mr. Pink. This is perhaps Tarantino’s most successful product placement, since it made its way to “Pulp Fiction”, “Four Rooms” (1995), “Kill Bill: Volume 1” (2003), “Kill Bill: Volume 2” (2004) and “The Hateful Eight” (2015). If it were not for the real cigarette brand Muratti, “Red Apple” would be the oldest and longest running tobacco brand. “Red Apple” made a brief appearance in the form of long cut tobacco brand in “Django Unchained (2012)”, which is set in 1858. Tarantino even shows a bit of his characteristic panache by going meta and having Sofie Fatale, a character in the Kill Bill saga, appear promoting “Red Apple” in large ad visible in a Japanese airport as The Bride strolls by. The appearance of the “Red Apple” trademark is not exclusive to the films written and directed by Tarantino. It has also spilled over into other projects, such as “From Dusk Till Dawn” (1996) which was written and stars Quentin, but is directed by his close collaborator Robert Rodriguez. The brand also makes a cameo in the double feature “Grindhouse” (2007), specifically in the segment directed by Rodriguez. Finally, it also made a brief appearance in “Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion” (1997) that starred Mira Sorvino, who was at the time dating Tarantino.
This, of course, is not exclusive to Tarantino; faux brands have appeared in film and TV in the past. Some examples include, “Duff Beer” which had its origins in the longest-running scripted prime time TV series in the US, The Simpsons; “Brawndo” carrying the slogan “the thirst mutilator” (a reference to the “Rondo” soda, whose slogan was “the thirst crusher”) and “Bubba Gump Shrimp Company” restaurant, which is inspired by the 1994 film “Forrest Gump”. In some cases, some of these brands made their way to real products.
All of this creates in the audience a sensation of familiarity with the story and the characters, creating a subtle verisimilitude in order to approach indistinguishability from reality — bridging the uncanny valley, if you will.
Tarantino’s filmography is sprinkled with other trademarks, and “Big Kahuna” burger is another notable one. The term Kahuna was used to refer to surf in the film “Gidget” (1959), staring Sandra Dee[3]. In that film, Burt ‘The Big Kahuna’ Vail, interpreted by Cliff Robertson, was the leader of a group of surfers. The “Big Kahuna” burger brand appears in “Reservoir Dogs” as a distinctive sign for Hawaiian-inspired hamburgers and fast food. The idea is to evoke fast food chains like McDonalds or Burger King. These restaurants, incidentally, are the subject of one of the most well-known and quotable film dialogues in history — an exchange touching on the distinctions between the metric and imperial system between Samuel L. Jackson’s character and John Travolta’s Vincent Vega in “Pulp Fiction”. Also in “Pulp Fiction”, Jules Winnfield, played by Sam Jackson, takes a bite out of a juicy “Big Kahuna” burger right before delving into his philosophical bible-quoting diatribe.
The “Big Kahuna” brand also appears right next to a package of “Red Apple” cigarettes in “Four Rooms” as well as in “From Dusk Till Dawn”. In “Death Proof” (2007), Stuntman Mike, played by Kurt Russell, mentions the trademark. Fast food seems to have a singular place in American culture; it certainly made a lasting impression in the cadre of independent filmmakers making their bones through the industry in the early 90’s. Kevin Smith, another auteur veering towards dialogue-intense films, created an intricate film universe with references to the Mooby empire. The empire is based on a fictional children’s television character known as Mooby the Golden Calf. “Dogma” (1999) features the first appearance of “Mooby”[4] as a fast-food restaurant, which also makes an appearance in “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back” (2001) and serves as location for the shenanigans occurring in “Clerks II” (2006).
Other faux trademarks with a less tangled history also appear repeatedly in Tarantino’s films. An example is “G.O. Juice”, which shows up in “Kill Bill: Volume 1” and “Death Proof”. Similarly, “Teriyaki Donut”, a fictional fast food restaurant serving donuts and Japanese fusion cuisine, makes its way into “Pulp Fiction” and Tarantino’s follow-up, “Jackie Brown” (1997).
This cross reference does not stop with trademarks, but is also prevalent in the characters populating Tarantino’s world. J.D. Salinger did it before with the fictional Glass family, which are a recurrent subject in Salinger’s short fiction. The Vega Brothers appear in Tarantino’s two first feature films while the McGraw family is featured in “From Dusk Till Dawn”, Kill Bill saga and “Grindhouse”. Not meaning to go into the long list of recurring characters, but it is worth noting another notable example in the case of Sgt. Donny Donowitz from “Inglourious Basterds” (2009) who is reportedly the father of True Romance’s Lee Donowitz.
Trademarks as storytelling devices
In Tarantino’s worldbuilding trademarks can also function as storytelling devices. This is evident in “Django Unchained” with the big spring-loaded molar tooth sitting on top of Dr. King Shultz’s wagon. The wobbling tooth serves as a distinctive sign to advertise Dr. Shultz’s dentist services and to distract other characters from the real threat the character poses as a bounty hunter. At first glance, this comical prop seems out of place in the period piece, but as it is the case in Tarantino’s oeuvre, we eventually discover its true purpose. The molar’s flamboyant design serves perfectly to mask the dynamite that ends up exploding in the middle of a fumbling KKK horse raid — a Chekhov’s molar perhaps?
Tarantino and traditional product placement
Tarantino is not immune to traditional forms of power placement, but he uses it with a twist. His power with product placement on occasion jumps from the screen into the real world. Perhaps not in a literal sense, as in the case of the character of Mia Farrow in Woody Allen’s “The Purple Rose of Cairo” (1985), but with real implications nonetheless. In “Death Proof”, which is admittedly Tarantino’s worst film, he makes a brief appearance as Warren, a bartender at the Texas Chili Parlor. His character offers shots of Chartreuse, capping it off with the statement “The only liquor so good they named a color after it!”. Chartreuse is a traditional French liqueur made in the Saint-Pierre-de-Chartreuse commune, not far from Geneva, which at that point in time and since the Middle Ages was largely known for its medicinal virtues. After the brief mention in the film, Chartreuse became a trendy cocktail almost overnight (Isani, 2014).
The reference to Chartreuse was endearing and certainly in line with the characters. Although rare, this has been done in other films as well. In the Fast & Furious series, the character of Dominic Toretto and his predilection for Mexican Corona[5] beer was noticeably flaunted. In that instance, Corona beer worked to round out a believable character trait. However, this is not always the case, since often product placement can seem out of place. A glaring example being James Bond’s inclination for Heineken beer — a deliberately jarring choice due to Bond’s image as a cocktail connoisseur.
Conclusion
This very brief overview shows how one of our very best modern storytellers uses all the tools at his disposal to tell a story. In the case of Tarantino, his infectious use of pop culture is well documented, but another lesser-known tool is his understanding of the power of trademarks and its use throughout his films. This shows his understanding of society’s undying need for mass consumption, but it is also useful in cementing his story and characters in a familiar world and seamlessly inviting the audience in. By creating his own brands, he is free from the constraints imposed by the increasing use of product placement, which seems to be creeping everywhere and often does not serve the story. The faux brands are now part of his canon and IP, which ultimately mean he is subverting a paradigm only to uphold, albeit it in his own terms. Through this, he has traced a new path forward for other creators, just in the same way that previous creators informed his work. Few have had the pleasure of enjoying “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood”, but once it opens, it is safe to assume it will include some of these trademarks, and perhaps some new ones.
[1] “Rembrandts in the Attic: Unlocking the Hidden Value of Patents” by Kevin Rivette and David Kline was a very influential book in the corporate world that argued that patent portfolios are “the new currency of the knowledge economy”.
[2] Homo consumericus is a mock Latin neologism used by Gad Saad in “The Evolutionary Bases of Consumption” and by Gilles Lipovetsky in “Le Bonheur Paradoxal” to describe consumer behavior and mass consumption through the lens of Darwinian evolution.
[3] Sandra Dee was immortalized in the Broadway musical and film “Grease” (1978) through the “Look at Me, I’m Sandra Dee”, sung by Rizzo to satirize new girl Sandy’s clean-cut image, which is likened to actress’ Sandra Dee’s image. John Travolta, who also appears in “Grease”, starred in Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction”.
[4] Mooby’s slogan is “I’m eating it”, which references McDonald’s “I’m lovin’ it” campaign.
[5] It was reported that Corona beer was used because Vin Diesel thought it would be appropriate for his character and not due to any product placement arrangement.
References
Hainey, M. (2019). Three Kings: Quentin, Brad, and Leo Take You Inside ‘Once Upon a Time…In Hollywood’. [online] Esquire. Available at: https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/movies/a27458589/once-upon-a-time-in-hollywood-leonardo-dicaprio-brad-pitt-quentin-tarantino-interview/ [Accessed 22 May 2019].
Isani, S., 2014. Chartreuse verte, digestif du Moyen Âge devenu cocktail branché de la jeunesse française: un discours promotionnel séculaire face au cinéma américain. ILCEA. Revue de l’Institut des langues et cultures d’Europe, Amérique, Afrique, Asie et Australie, (19).
The Quentin Tarantino Archives. (2016). Quentin Tarantino’s Trademarks. [online] Available at: https://wiki.tarantino.info/index.php/Quentin_Tarantino%27s_Trademarks [Accessed 22 May 2019].
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