My Best Friend's Birthday

From The Quentin Tarantino Archives

My Best Friend's Birthday is the first movie written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. It was was shot on 16mm and made in between 1984 and 1987 while he was working at Video Archives. The original version clocked in at about 70 minutes long. The film had caught fire in a editing lab and most of the ending of the film was lost.

Of the remaining footage (34min), you can find a transcript here.

There is a 2019 book on the making of it: My Best Friend’s Birthday: The Making of a Quentin Tarantino Film

Cast

  • Quentin Tarantino: Clarence Pool
  • Rich Turner: Oliver Brandon
  • Allen Garfield
  • Al Harell: Clifford
  • Brenda Hillhouse
  • Craig Hamann: Mickey Burnett
  • Stevo Polyi
  • Alan Sanborn
  • Crystal Shaw: Misty Knight
  • Rowland Wafford: Lenny Otis
  • Linda Kaye

Crew

  • Written and directed by: Quentin Tarantino and Craig Hamann
  • Produced by Quentin Tarantino, Craig Hamann and Rand Vossler
  • Cinematography: Roger Avary, Scott McGill, Roberto A. Quezada and Rand Vossler
  • Sound: Dov Schwarz
  • Cameras courtesy of: Fred Olen Ray

Movie References

  • That Darn Cat! (1965): The film's poster is seen briefly in Clarence's apartment.
  • Chato's Land (1972): The film's poster is seen briefly in Clarence's apartment.
  • Black Mama, White Mama (1973): The film's poster is seen briefly in Clarence's apartment.
  • Little Cigars (1973): The film's poster is seen briefly in Clarence's apartment.
  • The Legend of Hillbilly John (1974): The film's poster can be seen in the K-Billy radio booth.
  • The Lords of Flatbush (1974): The film's poster is visible at one point.
  • Return of the Street Fighter (1974): The film's poster is visible at one point.
  • Squirm (1976): The film's poster is seen briefly in Clarence's apartment.
  • The Fury (1978): The film's poster is seen briefly in Clarence's apartment/the K-Billy radio booth.
  • Bloodbrothers (1978): The film's poster is seen briefly in Clarence's apartment.
  • Dressed to Kill (1980): The film is discussed between Clarence and Misty.
  • The Evil That Men Do (1984): The film's poster is seen briefly in Clarence's apartment.

Songs

  • "I Walk the Line" by Johnny Cash
  • "Ballroom Blitz" by Sweet
  • "Nadine" by Chuck Berry
  • "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" by Elvis Presley
  • "Rock Billy Boogie" by Johnny Burnette
  • "Little Arrows" by Leapy Lee

Trivia

  • There is a scene in the film that seems to have inspired the movie poster for Pulp Fiction as an actress poses in the same pose Mia Wallace is in.
  • K-Billy Radio makes it first appearance here as Clarence Pool is a disc jockey for them. K-Billy also is referenced in Reservoir Dogs.
  • Tarantino's friend Stevo Polyi later appeared in Reservoir Dogs in Mr. Orange's flashback as a Sheriff in the bathroom story. Brenda Hillhouse appeared in both Pulp Fiction and Robert Rodriguez's From Dusk Till Dawn.
  • The call girl character Misty Knight is a reference to a Marvel comic book character with the same name.

Pictures

Birthday1.jpgBirthday2.jpgBirthday3.jpgBirthday4.jpgBirthday5.jpg

External links

Tarantino XX BluRay
Bad Mother Fucker Pulp Fiction Wallet