Quentin Tarantino Ranks ‘Inglourious Basterds’ as His Best Work, Calls ‘Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood’ Favorite

Renowned filmmaker Quentin Tarantino has shared his thoughts on which of his films stands out as the best, and it’s not what most might expect.

With two Academy Awards to his credit – one for the screenplay of “Pulp Fiction” in 1994 and another for “Django Unchained” in 2013 – Tarantino has a robust filmography. However, he considers neither to be his best or favorite movie.

In an interview with “The Church of Tarantino” podcast, released on Friday, the director identified “Inglourious Basterds” (2009) as his most accomplished work. As for his favorite film, that honor goes to his latest feature, “Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood.”

During the interview, when asked about his preferred film among his body of work, Tarantino stated, “In ‘Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood’, I found my favorite film, while ‘Inglourious Basterds’ represents my best. Yet, if I were to consider the embodiment of Quentin Tarantino, nothing surpasses ‘Kill Bill.'”

Set against the backdrop of Nazi-occupied France and starring Brad Pitt and Christoph Waltz, “Inglourious Basterds” follows a band of American Jewish soldiers plotting to assassinate high-ranking Nazis.

Tarantino further revealed that every aspect of the two-volume “Kill Bill” story, which stars Uma Thurman as a vengeful former assassin, originated from his imagination, loves, and passions. “So I believe ‘Kill Bill’ is the movie I was destined to create,” he said.

The director also acknowledged certain aspects of his earlier works that could have been improved. Regarding any potential changes, Tarantino admitted there were a few things he misjudged in both “Reservoir Dogs” and “Pulp Fiction.” He pointed out minor issues, such as some amateurish shots in both films, stating that they were made during the early stages of his career when he was still learning the ropes.

Tarantino confirmed that filming for his latest project, tentatively titled “The Adventures of Cliff Booth,” a sequel to “Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood,” is currently underway. The original film starred Leonardo DiCaprio as a fading TV actor Rick Dalton and Brad Pitt as his stunt double, Cliff Booth, both attempting to regain their former glory.

Previously, Tarantino had expressed his intention to retire after directing his next movie, with rumors suggesting this would be a script called “The Movie Critic.” However, he shelved the project last year, citing a loss of enthusiasm for bringing the story to the big screen. Explaining his decision, Tarantino stated, “I grew disenchanted with the idea of adapting it for the screen. I pulled the plug on it.” He added that although he enjoyed writing the script, he wasn’t fully invested in dramatizing it once they entered pre-production, partly because it would have employed similar techniques used in “Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood.” Tarantino also noted that “The Movie Critic” would have been set in a comparable time and place.