Quentin Tarantino refuses to kill animals in movies

Quentin Tarantino, the renowned filmmaker behind Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill discussed his stance on violence in movies during a Cannes Film Festival event.

He emphased his aversion to showcasing cruelty towards animals in cinema due to its real-life implications.

Tarantino believes in the make-believe nature of filmmaking and stated that while he can tolerate violent scenes involving humans, he draws the line at animals, reported Variety.

“I have a big thing about killing animals in movies. That’s a bridge I can’t cross,” Tarantino said.

“Insects too. Unless I’m paying to see some bizarro documentary, I’m not paying to see real death. Part of the way that this all works is that it’s all just make-believe.”

“That’s why I can stand the violent scenes, because we’re all just fucking around. [But] some animal, some dog, some llama, some fly, some rat, doesn’t give a fuck about your movie. I’d kill a million rats, but I don’t necessarily want to kill one in a movie or see one killed in a movie, because I’m not paying to see real death.”

He explained that animals, unlike actors, are not part of the movie's fictional world and should not be subjected to harm for entertainment purposes.

Tarantino also mentioned his preference for using violence onscreen to rectify historical injustices. He discussed how he wrote himself into a corner in films like Inglourious Basterds and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood but found creative ways to resolve the story, sometimes through violent means.

Tarantino shared details about his final film, tentatively titled "The Movie Critic," which will revolve around a film reviewer who works for a pornographic publication.

He expressed his intention to cast a new leading man in his mid-thirties for the role. Tarantino reiterated his plan to retire after directing ten feature films, stating his desire to go out on a high note and avoid diminishing returns.