In his last two films, Tarantino omitted a crucial part. He built his reputation on the inclusion of his trademark piece and for so long, it has been the thing that sets him apart from every other director and places him at the top of the perch. Until recently, we believed no Tarantino film could be completed without his trademark touch. Whilst the incessant violence, infectious soundtrack and droplets of comedy are useful to keep the narrative ticking over, without a flash of feet, we have to question whether it is even a Tarantino film at all!
Following Pulp Fiction, Tarantino failed to win the Oscar for Best Screenplay until Django Unchained. A whole four films! Disastrous. Yet, without Vince Vega and Jules Winnfield's iconic discussion about the value of a foot massage, we believe Tarantino would've embarked on a Di Caprio-esque Oscar streak himself. Whilst the genius non-linear nature of the plot, amongst other legendary moments, may have helped him pick up the gong, we are of no doubt that without the foot massage debate, Tarantino's screen-play would've been rendered average at best. This scene provided entertainment, sure, but it also provided clarity. Clarity to humans everywhere that a foot massage does in fact mean something. It is not a meaningless action, quite the opposite in fact. You shouldn't just be handing out foot massages to whomever wants one instead they should be viewed as a gift, in fact better than a gift, more like a reward. Just like a Tarantino foot scene, it is the pinnacle of its kind.
Tarantino's foot fetish is one of the most well-known Hollywood secrets. From Pulp Fiction to Inglorious Bastards, every Tarantino film contained over a minute of feet on screen. In fact, in Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown and Kill Bill Volumes 1 and 2, there is over two minutes of feet on show! And we'd argue, that's still not enough.
Even more staggering is that in Kill Bill Volume 1, there is over a minute where Uma Thurman's feet are the main emphasis. Of course, most of this is during the scene where Thurman's character attempts to regain movement in her body by wiggling her big toe. Tarantino focuses in on Thurman's feet as she repeatedly utters the phrase 'wiggle your big toe', a line which has undoubtedly come from Tarantino's own arsenal of pillow talk. We heard a rumour that this scene took the most takes out of any Tarantino film ever to shoot, due to his inability to avoid arousal.
Tarantino isn't even subtle about his foot fetish and sometimes, it just gets a bit too weird. In Deathproof, Kurt Russel's character, Mike, walks up to a car window with a pair feet hanging out and proceeds to tickle and lick said feet, before walking off, not saying a word to the victim. We want to know what ol' Quentin was drinking on the day he wrote that scene. Yes, we know it's used to add to the creepiness of Mike the Stuntman but come on, there are so many other ways to make a character appear weird. It makes you question what Tarantino's fetish actually is. Is it just feet, or is it actually watching his own characters do things with or to feet? Either way, you have to admire his gusto in presenting such a strange desire so interminably.
However, Tarantino has lost his bottle, clearly. The lack of feet in Django Unchained and The Hateful Eight is a crime. Yes there's flashes of feet here and there but there's not enough. A Tarantino film without a foot narrative is like a Star Wars film without light sabers, or without that little green thing that talks backwards. We genuinely feel that the Oscar snubs have knocked his confidence and have caused him to forget about his true passion, feet.
Maybe when he returns, the infamous feet scenes will too. If we're lucky he'll scrap this idea of the Manson murders and write a whole screenplay around feet. Just some feet having conversations about their normal day to day lives. Talking about which shoes provide the most comfort, how heavy their owners are, the important things you know? There'll be no violence, no gangsters, no karate kids or bounty hunting heart throbs instead just two lovely pairs of feet, engaging in romantic walks along Sunset Boulevard. A pair of feet that grow old together with no troubles. But I guess we'll only get this if we're really lucky.
Quentin, if you're reading, bring back the feet. Please man!
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