Jackie Brown trivia and movie references

Jackie Brown trivia and movie references

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Trivia & References Guide

Blaxploitation Film references

  • Quentin Tarantino named the lead character "Jackie Brown" as a tribute to Foxy Brown --one of his favorite movies, which also starred Pam Grier, and director Jack Hill, who directed Foxy Brown and Coffy, also one of Tarantino's favorite movies (and another that starred Grier).

  • The font style used for Jackie Brown is identical to the font used on the theatrical posters for Foxy Brown (1974).

  • One name on the tenant list for Melanie's apartment building is "S. Haig", a reference to Sid Haig, who previously appeared in several 70s Blaxploitation films with Pam Grier (usually as a low life character) got cast in the role of the judge that sentences Jackie to prison. Another is J. Hill, a reference to Jack Hill, the director of the exploitation films Sid Haig and Pam Grier starred in.

  • The opening credits music is the title theme to the 1971 Blaxploitation film Across 110th Street.
  • When Jackie Brown, played by Pam Grier, is being locked in prison, the song "Longtime Woman" plays. This song was performed by Grier for The Big Doll House (1971), and plays when the main character in that film is being locked in prison.
  • Quentin Tarantino used several music scores from Exploitation films that starred Pam Grier including The Big Doll House (Long Time Woman) and Coffy (Aragon, Escape, Brawling Broads, Exotic Dance, Vittroni's Theme-King Is Dead).

General Movie and TV references

  • The music playing in the scene where Ordell Robbie (Sam Jackson) is talking to Jackie on the phone (and we see his head from behind) is "The Lion and the Cucumber" from the Jess Franco sexploitation-horror film Vampyros Lesbos.
  • Early in the film Ordell tells Louis (Robert De Niro) that "he's as serious as a heart attack." De Niro used the same line in The Fan (1996) when threatening another character.
  • The song "Street Life" by Randy Crawford was first used as the opening music for the film "Sharkey's Machine" which starred one of QTs favorite actors: Burt Reynolds.
  • Samuel L. Jackson says the line, "This is some repugnant shit" towards the end of the movie. He says this line in both Pulp Fiction (1994) and Shaft (2000).
  • Ordell tells Louis in the beginning, that the people he sells guns to don't just want one gun, but two "because they all wanna be the Killer." This is the reference to The Killer (Dip hyut shueng hung (1989)), and John Woo's style of shootout scenes where a person fires from two guns simultaneously. Later, Jackie Brown is seen holding two guns and pointing them at Ordell at the same time, in the dark, right after she confiscates Ordell's gun.
  • The opening sequence is influenced by The Graduate.

  • Actors referenced: Cheech and Chong, Rutger Hauer, Helmut Berger.

References to Tarantino Movies

Image:CivicPF.jpg

  • References to Pulp Fiction (1994): Jackie eats food from Teriyaki Donut, the same place that Marsellus Wallace bought food from before being run over by Butch.
  • The suit that Jackie buys is the same that Mia Wallace wears in Pulp Fiction (1994).

  • Ordell says, "He didn't have a pot to piss in or a window to throw it out." This line was used by Dick Ritchie in True Romance (1993), also written by Quentin Tarantino.
  • Director Trademark: [Quentin Tarantino] [trunk] The scene where Ordell is trying to convince Beaumont to get in the trunk of the car is shot entirely from a camera in the trunk looking up at them.

  • Director Trademark: [Quentin Tarantino] [corpse view] After Ordell is shot and killed, the camera points up from his "head" and we see Jackie, Max, and Ray looking down at his body.
  • Director Trademark: [Quentin Tarantino] [bare feet] Melanie is barefoot in all the scenes that take place in the apartment.

  • Director Trademark [long shot] When Jackie leaves the dressing room after making the switch.
  • Director Trademark [singing along to music] Melanie sings along in the car.
  • Director Trademark : Jackie Brown looking in the mirror

  • Director Trademark : the vinyl reccordplayer close up like in Pulp Fiction and Death Proof

  • Director Trademark : As in Kill Bill to show you the Bride's trip

  • The money that's shown in the bag is also a reccurant thing in Tarantino's movies.

  • Jackie reaches for a coffee mug in her kitchen with the name "Alabama" on it. Alabama is a recurring name in Quentin's stories.

Trivia

  • Jackie's answering machine is voiced by Director Quentin Tarantino.
  • When Ordell Robbie first goes to Max Cherry's office and is asked if he has the cash for the bond, he responds "I got it right here in my brand new raptor bag." Although the logo is partially obscured, it is clearly that of the Toronto Raptors. Actor Samuel L. Jackson was frequently courtside at Toronto Raptor games the season before filming Jackie Brown.
  • Actress Mira Sorvino, who at the time was dating director Quentin Tarantino, can be seen out-of-focus in the back of the courtroom at Jackie's arraignment.
  • In the closing credits, Tarantino gives special thanks to "Bert D'Angelo's Daughter" (among others). In the late 70's, Paul Sorvino starred in a TV detective show, Bert D'Angelo/Superstar (1976). Thus "Bert D'Angelo's Daughter" is Paul's daughter and Tarantino's girlfriend, Mira Sorvino.
  • According to Quentin Tarantino, 70's actress Carol Speed originally helped out in making this film and was willing to play a small cameo part in the film. At the last minute, Tarantino decided not to use her in the film.
  • It was Samuel L. Jackson's idea to give his character the long hair and the braided goatee. It was inspired by characters from his favorite kung fu films.
  • The casting director's name was Jaki Brown
  • Tarantino's potential list for actors who could play Max Cherry was: Paul Newman, Gene Hackman, John Saxon and Robert Forster.
  • Louis and Ordell first appeared in the Elmore Leonard novel The Switch. At age 15 Quentin Tarantino was arrested for shoplifting this book, his one brush with "real" crime. In The Switch, Louis and Ordell kidnap a millionaire's wife only to discover he doesn't want her back, a plot that was used in Ruthless People (1986). In the novel's sequel, Rum Punch, Louis and Ordell complain that the movie producers stole their idea (without mentioning the movie by name).
  • When Robert DeNiro first got a hold of the script he wanted to play the role of Max Cherry. Tarantino wanted to work with De Niro but had his heart set on Robert Forster as Cherry, so he gave the role of Louis to De Niro.
  • Sylvester Stallone originally wanted to play Louis, while John Travolta was the first choice to play Ray Nicollete.
  • Other Music referenced : The Delfonics, Mary Wells, Diana Ross and The Supremes (Simone's dance).
  • In the first mall scene, Max Cherry is seen exiting a movie theater while the music for the ending credits is playing. This is, in fact, the closing music for Jackie Brown (1997).

Locations

  • Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles Restaraunt.
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