Reservoir Dogs
Quentin Tarantino ’s debut feature , Reservoir Dogs , shew many of the author - director ’s signature stylistic trademarks , like lifelike vehemence , idiosyncratic dialog , court - driven visuals , and nonlinear storytelling . The movie also introduced audience to Q.T. ’s penchant for filling his soundtracks with needle - drops .
The music ofReservoir Dogsis mostly diegetic , appear on the character reference ’ preferent tuner show , K - Billy ’s Super Sounds of the ‘ 70s . The movie features such iconic melodic moments as the “ Little Green Bag ” slow - motion walking across a parking lot and the “ Stuck in the Middle with You ” torture scene .
“Little Green Bag” By The George Baker Selection
Reservoir Dogsopens with Tarantino ’s first dialogue sceneas the thieves discuss the hidden significance of “ Like a Virgin ” and the proper etiquette of tipping while they eat breakfast in a diner before the diamond stickup . As they leave the dining car , Tarantino ’s first soundtrack needle - drop thrill in .
Over the opening titles , the thieves take the air across the parking batch of the diner on their elbow room to the heist in glorious slow - motion , mark to the iconic guitar string of the George Baker Selection ’s soda pop tilt hit “ niggling Green Bag . ”
“Harvest Moon” By Bedlam
Reservoir Dogs ’ bounteous narrative swing go far afterMr . Orange fool Mr. Blonde deadto save the liveliness of the copper he ’s torment , effectively let out himself to be the hush-hush copper in the chemical group . After this bombshell reveal , Tarantino lead back to when Mr. Orange first fuck off the undercover assignment .
Bedlam ’s “ Harvest Moon ” act as Mr. Orange join his mate in a diner and tell him that he ’s going to go underground with some thief planning a diamond heist .
“Fool For Love” By Sandy Rogers
Before the stakeout , Mr. Orange can be seen vex ready to leave his flat . This flat is filled with Easter eggs , from a Silver Surfer poster on the wall to a Travis Bickle homage in the mirror .
During this brief apartment view , Sandy Rogers ’ country popping ballad “ Fool for Love ” plays on the soundtrack . This was the title song that Rogers recorded for the Robert Altman movie of the same name .
“I Gotcha” By Joe Tex
One of the catchiest song inReservoir Dogsis “ I Gotcha ” by Joe Tex . The funk classic was once handle by Liza Minnelli on a 1972 TV concert . Tarantino licensed the track for theReservoir Dogssoundtrack .
The vocal can be heard on Nice Guy Eddie ’s car radio as he drive to the storage warehouse to adjoin up with the surviving thief . It carries over into the shameful successiveness of Mr. White and Mr. Pink mercilessly beating the bull that Mr. Blonde abducted .
“Magic Carpet Ride” By Bedlam
“ Harvest Moon ” is n’t the only Bedlam Sung that appears on theReservoir Dogssoundtrack . During the same sequence of Mr. Orange preparing to go cloak-and-dagger , “ Magic Carpet Ride ” work as he tells his rehearsed drug - dealing anecdote to Mr. White and Joe Cabot to earn their trust .
Tarantino has often explore the parallel between acting and going undercover . Dr. Schultztells Django he ’ll be “ playing a character”at the Candyland orchard . InInglourious Basterds , a German movie star topology teams up with Allied spies to infiltrate a Nazi bar . InReservoir Dogs , Mr. Orange ’s better half tells him that an underground cop needs to be “ Marlon f***ing Brando ” in guild to convert his gangster colleagues that he ’s one of them .
“Coconut” By Harry Nilsson
Harry Nilsson ’s “ Coconut ” wreak over the end credits ofReservoir Canis familiaris . This is one of Tarantino ’s bang-up ( and most underrated ) use of jarring juxtaposition on the soundtrack . The euphony - free ending of the movie is thrilling and intense , with mass of death and betrayal and a throttle - toting law foray .
When the credits kick off on a sudden barrage of off - screen gunfire , that tension is beautifully deflated by the cockamamy nature of the calypso - inspired gem . Nilsson ’s lighthearted trinket birdsong is contrasted with the shocking events of the final scene .
“Hooked On A Feeling” By Blue Swede
When modern audiences cogitate of Blue Swede ’s “ sneak on a flavor ” and its association with cinema , Guardians of the Galaxyis the first movie that comes to mind . “ addict on a Feeling ” appear on the “ Awesome Mix ” tape that Peter Quill heed to throughout the movie . But Tarantino used the Blue Swede strike in his unveiling feature article long before James Gunn used it in his Marvel space opera house .
InReservoir Dogs , “ Hooked on a flavor ” play when Mr. White , Mr. Pink , and Nice Guy Eddie arrive to nibble up Mr. Orange from his flat before staking out the jewellery store they intend to rob .
“Stuck In The Middle With You” By Stealers Wheel
Easily the most iconic musical second inReservoir Dogsis when Stealers Wheel ’s “ Stuck in the Middle with You ” plays overMr . Blonde brutally torment a police force officerhe nobble and tied to a chairwoman . There ’s a disturbing apposition between the lighthearted melody of the Stealers Wheel classic and the truly horrifying images on - screen .
The fact that Mr. Blonde put on the song himself and casually dances along to it as he attack the lost cop with a true razor makes the violence even more unsettling . It ’s alike to the haunting “ Singin ’ in the Rain ” fit from Stanley Kubrick’sA Clockwork Orange .
NEXT:10 Ways Reservoir Dogs Still Holds Up Today
