It is no secret that Quentin Tarantino writes some of the best scripts in Hollywood. They are packed to the brim with tension, strong character moments, and a very healthy dose of humor at every turn. That said, not every great Tarantino moment is on the page. In fact, it turns out that one of the best scenes from his directorial debut was actually improvised. Michael Madsen recently opened up and admitted that Mr. Blonde's infamous dance sequence from Reservoir Dogs was never practiced until they day they shot the scene, telling Tarantino:
'You never made me do it in rehearsal, because I was so intimidated by it. I didn't know what to do. In the script, it said, 'Mr. Blonde maniacally dances around.' And I kept thinking, 'What the fuck does that mean? Like Mike Jagger, or what? What the fuck am I gonna do?'
The cast of Reservoir Dogs recently reunited at the Tribeca Film Festival, and Michael Madsen directly addressed the director of the film to point out how Mr. Blonde's most iconic scene in the movie was entirely made up on the spot. The script only stated that the character was supposed to dance, but the specific details of the scene were almost entirely left up to the actor. Although it was clearly a daunting task for Michael Madsen prior to shooting, he managed to nail the sequence in a way that has made Mr. Blonde one of Tarantino's most enduring characters -- and infinitely more terrifying than his brother, Vincent Vega -- by taking inspiration from legendary actor James Cagney.
Reservoir Dogs' "Stuck in the Middle With You" scene has pretty much set the tone for Quentin Tarantino's entire career. It is an incredibly tense scene that maintains an undercurrent of sadistic, persistent humor, and that idea has carried through almost every single one of the director's future endeavors. Following the success of Reservoir Dogs, Tarantino has made sure to include a similarly menacing sequence in almost every single one of his films -- from Jules' Ezekial 25:17 speech in Pulp Fiction, to the introduction of The Bear Jew in 2009's Inglourious Basterds.
Check out the iconic "Stuck in the Middle With You" scene from Reservoir Dogs below.
It is moments like this that have made Tarantino into the silver screen icon that we know and love today. Now, if you will excuse me, I am going to rewatch Reservoir Dogs on repeat for the rest of the day.
