Introduction
Quentin Tarantino’s “Django Unchained” was released in India on March 22, 2013 and proved to be quite the stylish and hard-hitting film. As Tarantino’s films are known to be, this one too was filled with constant action but a historical setting, this one being the era where Americans were slaves and ‘not so’ politely treated. It was a violent, intensely human drama and the film’s script, stars, and emotions allowed this western film to get high recognition in the mass. In this article, we will take a closer look into the movie as well as analyze its advantages. There is no doubt that Django Unchained was completely a masterpiece and still captivates audiences around the globe.
Release Date
In India, Django Unchained officially debuted on March 22, 2013. Prior to that, the film had already performed well on a global scale, debuting on December 25, 2012, in the United States. Nevertheless, its release in India was considered a landmark achievement because it introduced the Indian audience to Tarantino’s unique style and vision that had never been seen before. The film caused quite a stir within the Indian film industry due to its subject matter, violence, and how historical events were depicted. The film caused quite a controversy and was a big topic of discussion.
Film Location
The film took place in the US, more specifically in California and Louisiana. The Southern dry landscapes and large plantations became an important model for the story in Django Unchained. For the characters’ unrelenting voyage, dry and barren desert scenes were shot in the California desert, while the overpowering green, yet suffocating mood of the antebellum south was modeled in Louisiana. The selection of these places was significant, as they contributed towards the bold realism, but further enhanced the visual graphics of the movie.
The beautiful, yet harsh landscapes complement the dire circumstances of enslaved people, in the lawless land ruled by bounty hunters, where the story is set. The settings serve supportive roles in the spectacular action and emotional drama that follows when Django, the main character of the film, goes on a quest to save his spouse.
Songs
Django Unchained wouldn’t have the same effect without its appropriate soundtrack. The film’s aesthetic is perfectly matched with the variety of styles including Western, soul, reggae, pop. One of them is a catchy track that features in the movie a few times “Unchained Melody,” the themes of which fit the emotions of the characters beautifully.
The most recognizable song of the original post is “Who Did That To You” by John Legend. The song fits in perfectly with the film as it enhances the overall feelings and emotions embodied in Django’s characters arc, being useful to the story as a whole.
Such strong soundtracks as “Ancora Qui” written by Ennio Morricone are also in the movie – a soft and poignant ballad that effectively conveys the emotional undertone that exists throughout Django’s quest for justice. Wirral’s trademark style of music in all his films: his films always include pop songs with memorable character score’s is present and works wonders in enhancing the Django Unchained experience.
Director
For those who are knowledgeable about Quentin Tarantino’s works, it is clear that he directed Django Unchained – a brilliant filmmaker whose stories never follow a pattern and in the same time, he mixes violence, humor, and society. And even when dealing with a complex subject such as slavery, he tackled the issue in an admirable and unapologetic manner. It is within this context that his creative approach absolutely shines, most notably within the fusion of comedic and tragic styles and finally the deconstruction of a particular genre, in this case, it would be the Spaghetti Western.
It is through the sharp dialogues, O.S.T enhanced slow motion action, and the character introductions in the film that one can see the fingerprints of Tarantino s directorial style The love for this genre of western is pretty clear on Tarantino’s work. In terms of craft, Tarantino also makes sure that the film is timely, has some sort of social issues and is funny in a twisted way. But it cannot be the other way and Tarantino explains best his vision as a director when referring to western, “Django Unchained was aimed to be a social commentary wrapped in western classic style.”
Producer
Moreover, a talented staff was responsible for the creation of this film, which was made under the supervision of a well-known director, Harvey Weinstein of The Weinstein Company, and Tarantino. Weinstein is known for being a producer in some of Tarantino’s famous movies and this time he was in collaboration with Tarantino for Django Unchained film. It was a combination of their talents which allowed them to successfully create a film that has spectacular high-budget visual effects matched by an emotional and coarse story.
Other than this, the production team also worked on keeping the film with western style the way Tarantino visualized it. This meant that the delicate equilibrium between gravity of history and cinematic imagination had to be sustained so that the film is able to push the stylized aspects of violence and racism while remaining true to its storyline.
Cast
Django Unchained managing to impress audiences had intersperses a cast of Hollywood stars readily available backed up by actors still in their infancy of fame. The character in this case goes by Jamie Foxx as Django who is a bounty hunter out to save his wife, Broomhilda (portrayed by Kerry Washington), after being a slave. Django, as played by Foxx, is a staunch and humane survivor of 19th century America.
Django teams up with Dr. King Schultz, Christina Witzel who used to work as a bounty hunter turned dentist. As one of the supporting characters, Waltz plays this unexpected partner of Django and received an Oscar for his performance in the process. Foxx and Waltz, whose performances cannot be ignored, were able to bring a refreshing mix to one another despite a high level of seriousness.
The character of Calvin Candie, a slave owner, is performed by Leonardo DiCaprio, who is infamous for his menacing screen persona. The character of Diaz manages to deliver a different tone to the screenplay and the followers as he is a sadistic plantation owner and helps to emphasize on the brutal nature of slavery and the institution.
In supporting roles, Samuel L. Jackson rediscovers Stpehen- Candy’s house slave who is master’s right hand in deceiving Dummy, while Don Johnson does not hesitate to portray a racist old time slave owner Big Daddy. Each of them effectively contributes not to the hard violence of the film, but to a well written story embedded with slavery and racism.
Trailer
The Django Unchained teaser is quite appropriate as it fuses different elements courtesy of darkness. The trailer introduces the viewers to some of the most memorable scenes from the movie. Django wins several battles, high but still intense shootouts events, each accompanied with a blazing soundtrack. The trailer’s blasts of violence and moments of laughter drive home the fact that Tarantino was the Sweeney Todd. Django Unchained would be a far more enjoyable version of the classic Western.
As for the trailer, it was a very sensational one, cutting across numerous topics, especially before the film was released. It focused mostly on the clean thoughts of showing the effects of war and the horror of a complete massacre, giving the term ‘Action Movie’ a relatively new definition that people were eager to read about and see.
Pilot
Though not in the conventional sense, Django Unchained does not lack a self-contained or a prototypical episode. There is a beginning and middle and an end to the entire script in its own little segments. Writing is dynamic, how it is conveyed and the sort of characters that Tarantino manages to create in his films are all reasons to stay tuned for more. This is one of the main reasons why Tarantino deserves high praise, especially in regards to his pacing and structure.
Reviews
Critics are divided over whether Django is an equally engaging film as Tarantino’s previous works. Some critics argue that great performances and direction cannot cover such outrageous themes. Others believe, on the other hand, that the film captures slavery and racism unapologetically and that is the reason why it makes for a great film.
Interactions involving Quentin Tarantino’s direction and dialogues were engaging and Jamie Foxx and Christoph Waltz’s performances deserved praise. Christoph Waltz was nominated for an Academy Award of Best Supporting Actor where he too won and further repeated what he had done as one of the best actors of his generation.
The film did attract flak for its depiction of violence with a section of observers saying that even Tarantino’s gimmicky violence was overkill. However, on the whole, most of the audience and critics believed that the violence did have relevance in the film both in terms of the plot and its background in history.
To summarise, Django Unchained comprehensively achieved critical and commercial success with over $425 million earned worldwide and numerous awards won including two Academy Awards.
Conclusion
Django Unchained is a film that considers itself as one of the many masterpieces directed by Quentin Tarantino. Tarantino magnificently fused a Western film with a direct confrontation of slavery in America, expanding the concept of genre, as a film both fun and stimulating. The roles, especially of Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz and Leonardo DiCaprio, are not easy to forget, and the film’s action together with social issues makes it a relevant cinema.
Django Unchained proved to be much more than just a film at the times it was released in India on March 22, 2013 it was to become a whirlwind of sorts, a cultural revolution of some sorts which not only broke barriers but made people face tough questions about America’s history. Be it good or bad, what is sure is that Django Unchained is definitely one of the most controversial films of the 21st century.
