True Romance – Falling in Love with Cinema

Alabama (Patricia Arquette) and Clarence (Christian Slater) on their date

It seems as though every cinephile or aspiring filmmaker familiarises themselves with the works of Quentin Tarantino in the early stages of their cinema-centred love story. Certainly, those of a similar age to myself, and I was no different. Whether revelling in the cool, fuck-youness of Pulp Fiction or wincing at the grit and gruel of his debut “heist” flick Reservoir Dogs, we all encounter these now-infamous pieces of cinematic text one way or another. Although it wasn’t until my first run-in with True Romance that I got it. Albeit, not technically part of the director’s filmography, he penned the initial script and in an off-meeting with Tony Scott, sold it to him for a lump of cash that Tarantino used to fund his directorial and sadly not-dog oriented, debut feature. And it’s with this perfect marriage of writing/directing that led to True Romance having a huge impact on my taste in film, from a relatively early age.

And how couldn’t it? True Romance is unsurprisingly a love story, albeit unconventional and at times considerably warped. Following the classic boy-meets-girl trope and twisting it to his will, Scott presents two dysfunctional characters as the arbiters of this love story; Clarence, (Christian Slater) a lonely, pop-culture and movie nerd, meets and falls madly in-love with Alabama (Patricia Arquette) a wistfully, world-inspired call-girl, and after discovering a large quantity of cocaine, the two elope to Hollywood to make it big. While this may sound like an intentionally Tarantino-esque action movie on the surface, and despite his involvement in the script, there is a true heart at the core of True Romance and if not for some staggeringly charming moments between the two lovers, the film might’ve become another in the long-line of forgettable 90’s action movies. Thankfully, for me, this was not the case.

Alabama and Clarence on the road. Featuring THAT purple Cadillac

I’ve fond memories of the first time I watched True Romance; it was during my year between finishing A-Levels and moving to Liverpool for university, a year that reminded me of my true passion for cinema and set me on the course to studying it. It’s hard to put my finger on what makes True Romance stick out when I think of movies that shaped my cinematic taste, but there is an ethereal coolness that seems to float throughout the film. Irreverent, over-the-top and frankly quite schlocky, it shouldn’t work. But it has that something, a quality that just keeps it going, grasping your attention throughout. Perhaps it’s the star-studded cast, along with the two leads it features Dennis Hopper, Christopher Walken and Gary Oldman (to name just a few – there really is a silly amount of quality on show), or maybe being exposed to a sexy, drug-centred action movie littered with violence and profanity hooked me, but that doesn’t seem right either. When I think back to my first experience with the film, the strongest memory that comes to me is the main theme, “You’re So Cool”, created by the now legendary Hans Zimmer, a glockenspiel-led, floating melody that captures the aura of the film so perfectly and enables it to exist out of time. It’s this timeless reminder of my burgeoning adulthood that will ensure True Romance stays with me forever.

However, it should be noted that the film is far from faultless, and at times quite problematic. The most notable example of this being the iconic confrontation between Clifford, Clarence’s father (Dennis Hopper) and mob-boss Vincenzo Coccotti (Christopher Walken). The two verbally face-off in a flurry of racial slurs, profanity and reckless abandon that conjures seismic performances from the two heavyweight actors. While it should be a joy to witness these two legendary figures go toe-to-toe, the unescapable, discomfort that comes from this out-dated “ironic racism”, often employed by the film’s writer, renders it cringe-inducing and leaves a rather large blemish on Scott’s film. Add to this some old action movie tropes and instances of fluffed dialogue, there are some rather large flaws with True Romance.

Vincenzo Coccotti (Christopher Walken) facing off with Clifford (Dennis Hopper). Seriously this scene is intense and uncomfortable and worth a watch!

The film is a great example of the reckless excess of 90’s Indiewood cinema, far from a lean, concise film True Romance is filled with the superfluous and stupendous; exemplified by the drug deal that takes place on a rollercoaster, a delightful metaphor for the film itself. It could definitely be argued that the film walks the fine line between pastiche and genuine, and only upon watching it can you decide which side True Romance lies on. For me, the majority of the blemishes and imperfections create a beauty that you cannot help but fall in love with. I know I did.

Popcorns - 80

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