At Just 25, Quentin Tarantino Wrote The Crime Movie Script That Revealed His Distinctive Voice

In 1992, 28-year-old Quentin Tarantino crash-landed in Hollywood with his self-penned feature debut "Reservoir Dogs," an indie film that stunned audiences with its ultra-violent imagery and whip-smart dialogue. The game-changing heist movie featuring characters named Mr. White (Harvey Keitel) and Mr. Pink (Steve Buscemi) blazed the path for Tarantino's best-ranking films including "Pulp Fiction" and "Kill Bill," among others. But before "Reservoir Dogs," he wrote another savage classic, "True Romance," which established his signature graphic violence and fast-talking characters.

At just 25, three years before coming out of left field with "Reservoir Dogs," Tarantino wrote the screenplay to "True Romance," which was released in 1993 and helmed by "Top Gun" director Tony Scott. The romantic crime drama stars Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette as ill-fated lovers Clarence and Alabama, respectively, who run off to Los Angeles to start a new life after Clarence inadvertently steals a suitcase full of cocaine from a dead pimp. During the two-hour escapade, they find themselves in all sorts of high-stakes situations surrounded by a host of famous faces including Dennis Hopper, Gary Oldman, and Brad Pitt. While a box office failure at the time, the vibrantly stylized, retro-inspired movie was critically lauded and has since become a beloved cult classic.

Despite "True Romance" being written before "Reservoir Dogs" was released, the former came out after the latter because Tarantino sold his "True Romance" screenplay to director Tony Scott for $50,000 in order to fund "Reservoir Dogs." The decision proved pivotal in launching Tarantino's career.

By selling the script, he secured resources to bring "Reservoir Dogs" to life while also getting his foot in the door of Hollywood by rubbing elbows with Scott, who had such juggernaut films as "Top Gun" and "Beverly Hills Cop II" under his belt. With Scott at the helm, the film perhaps took on a different tone than Tarantino's own directorial work, yet still showcased the up-and-comer's talent as a screenwriter.

Although "True Romance" reached audiences after "Reservoir Dogs," its sharp dialogue, unconventional characters, and hyper-violence clearly reflected Tarantino's now-signature style. Together, the one-two punch of both films being theatrically released within a year of each other helped establish the Hollywood outsider's distinctive voice, introducing audiences to one of the most influential filmmakers of the time.