Chapter 456: The Difference Between Murphy and Quentin

As the credits rolled, applause erupted in the theater. Quentin Tarantino was clapping vigorously, alongside a Latino man next to him.

"This has become a Murphy Stanton film."

Seated next to Quentin Tarantino was Robert Rodriguez. Amid the applause, he leaned over and said to Quentin, "Murphy Stanton has integrated some of your style, but 'Inglourious Basterds' mostly bears his own mark."

Quentin Tarantino nodded lightly. In reality, the entire film, apart from following his story outline, was stylistically very different from his own work.

However, there was nothing to complain about. Murphy Stanton had done an excellent job, and even if Tarantino himself had directed it, he couldn't have done better.

More importantly, Murphy had ensured the film's quality while preventing Tarantino from breaching his contract and facing potential lawsuits.

Robert Rodriguez was well aware of this. As the film concluded, he believed no one could demand more from Murphy Stanton given the subject matter.

"Inglourious Basterds" wasn't a film for everyone. Or rather, viewers seeking a profound, earnest theme wouldn't appreciate such a movie because Murphy Stanton's works never aim to highlight an uplifting mainstream value. Murphy's style is unique, dark, and heavy, appealing only to those who enjoy such elements.

In this respect, Murphy Stanton and Quentin Tarantino shared common ground. Robert Rodriguez nodded slightly. True fans of Murphy and Quentin wouldn't seek a thematic pursuit in their films because that would be a pointless annoyance. They loved their narrative style and expressive techniques, which were the real highlights.

From Robert Rodriguez's perspective, "Inglourious Basterds" was primarily a "farce" because the story was entirely contrary to historical facts. It could be seen as Murphy Stanton's unique take on Quentin's fantasy.

Killing Hitler was a dream for many. Despite the real villain's confirmed death over sixty years ago, the fantasy of personally eliminating him remained a grand feat for many dreamers. Clearly, not only Quentin but Murphy Stanton himself had fantasized about this.

Fortunately, Murphy Stanton was a director, and a renowned one at that. Under his direction, a group of like-minded individuals gathered to create this "farce" that straddled dark comedy and historical drama. Judging by the film's final effect, "Inglourious Basterds" was no less than Murphy Stanton's other works.

But Robert Rodriguez also noted some drawbacks. Compared to Murphy Stanton's previous films, "Inglourious Basterds" introduced some fresh elements within its dark tone but hardly represented a breakthrough.

Blood and violence—if Murphy Stanton ever made a film devoid of gore, then that would signify a real transformation or breakthrough. But now wasn't the time for that, and many didn't want him to change, especially the studios supporting him. This was, after all, one of the best ways to attract audiences.

Nevertheless, Robert Rodriguez fully endorsed Murphy Stanton's approach in this film. Even if he decimated the Nazis and reduced Adolf Hitler to a pulp, most viewers would likely enjoy it.

Nazis were universally recognized villains, deserving of execution. If Spielberg had directed this, he might have delved deeper into human nature. But with Murphy Stanton at the helm, the focus was on cathartic violence, no matter how brutal or gory.

Reflecting on it, Robert Rodriguez realized that mainstream themes seemed irrelevant to Murphy Stanton's films. Unrestrained emotional release and dark brutality were his passions, even if criticized for excessive violence. This was precisely why many loved Murphy Stanton.

In this regard, Robert Rodriguez had enough understanding. Watching films was, to a large extent, an emotional release, explaining why people loved horror and violent movies. Even seemingly gentle women couldn't avoid it.

Sharp editing and grandiose music were also hallmarks of Murphy Stanton's films, making them impossible to ignore regardless of the plot's excitement.

Murphy Stanton was undeniably Murphy Stanton. The title of Hollywood's foremost contemporary dark film director wasn't just a fleeting accolade. It was as constant as night; though light might temporarily dispel darkness, night always returned to dominate the world.

Contemplating this, Robert Rodriguez had a sudden realization: Murphy Stanton could likely turn any genre or subject into an outstanding dark film.

As the film ended, Robert Rodriguez didn't go to the front to congratulate Murphy, instead choosing to accompany his old friend Quentin through the special passage reserved for the crew.

"Where do you think the biggest difference between me and Murphy lies?" Quentin suddenly asked. "Regarding this film."

"Let's talk about the similarities first. You both are 'inglourious basterds.'" Robert Rodriguez thought briefly and said, "The difference is, you're a rogue, and Murphy Stanton is a killer. You jest and sneer, but he can actually take lives."

Whether describing films or reality, Quentin Tarantino couldn't argue with this assessment.

In some ways, Quentin was indeed a mere jester, while Murphy was a killer.

After the joke, Robert Rodriguez spoke seriously. "Regarding 'Inglourious Basterds,' the biggest difference between you and Murphy lies in the film's pacing. A tense story like this isn't your forte."

Quentin Tarantino nodded gently.

Robert Rodriguez knew Quentin well, recognizing his stories for their slow, simmering development. The pacing of "Inglourious Basterds" was entirely different, with two parallel lines rapidly unfolding from the start. The characters were tightly interwoven, and the plot tension often left viewers breathless.

As the premiere ended and early screenings in North America concluded, Murphy was still giving interviews in the Lincoln Center press room. Meanwhile, online discussions about "Inglourious Basterds" were spreading rapidly.

Daisy, the most significant and well-known moderator of Murphy Stanton's section on IMDb, didn't attend the premiere, despite receiving an invitation from CAA.

She vividly remembered her last face-to-face interaction with Murphy Stanton, where he had promised to discuss some unique killing methods via email for use in future "Saw" sequels.

At that time, she was elated and filled with passion. She meticulously documented her murder methods and even learned graphic software to create accompanying images...

However, Daisy was disappointed when her emails went unanswered, and none of her ideas appeared in subsequent "Saw" sequels.

This left Daisy feeling dejected and somewhat resentful. The world's best director, in her eyes, clearly didn't care much about his fans.

Despite finding excuses for him being busy or no longer overseeing the "Saw" sequels, a part of her still harbored resentment. In her midnight dreams, Murphy Stanton even became a target in her killing fantasies...

Thus, although she wanted to see her idol's new work immediately, she restrained herself.

But this restraint was incredibly painful and frustrating. Calculating the time the film would end, Daisy couldn't hold back any longer. She turned on her computer to read reviews. If the reviews were bad, she would skip Murphy Stanton's film.

Daisy habitually checked IMDb first. As soon as she opened the "Inglourious Basterds" page, the 9.1 rating from 1278 users stung her eyes—clearly, it was a great film.

Scrolling down, she saw the comments section, filled with praise as usual for Murphy's films.

"Murphy's new film is shamelessly good, brilliantly bastardly. Watching the entire movie felt like admiring a dark-themed painting; every detail was perfectly placed, the pacing spot on, capturing my heart from the beginning."

"I've never watched such a long movie so intently."

"Just finished the film. Murphy conquered me again with this one. Every actor nailed their role, the characters came to life, and the plot was so tense I could hardly breathe."

"Beating Hitler's corpse was incredibly satisfying!"

Beating Hitler's corpse? Seeing this, Daisy felt like a thousand ants were crawling inside her, itching unbearably.

"This 'Inglourious Basterds' is the most enjoyable World War II film I've seen. Murphy maintained his dark style while adding a sense of historical weight. The story progresses densely and orderly, with perfect music integration. Spoiler: Hitler is killed, burned, and blown up in the film!"

Reading these, Daisy felt she couldn't hold back any longer.

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