TEHRAN – The Persian translation of the nonfiction book “Cinema Speculation” by American filmmaker Quentin Tarantino has been released in the bookstores across Iran.

Hamidreza Khatibi has translated the book and Hermes Publication has brought it out in 491 pages, IBNA reported.

Originally published in 2022, “Cinema Speculation” is Tarantino's debut work of nonfiction and combines film criticism, film theory, a feat of reporting, and wonderful personal history.

In addition to being among the most celebrated of contemporary filmmakers, Tarantino is possibly the most joyously infectious movie lover alive. For years, he has touted in interviews his eventual turn to writing books about films. 

The book is a collection of essays organized around key American films from the 1970s, which Tarantino saw in his youth, ranging from blaxploitation films to all the Best Picture nominees of 1970. It was inspired by the film writing of critic Pauline Kael.

The first and last chapters are autobiographical. Two other chapters are a homage to film critic Kevin Thomas and a comparison of two generations of filmmakers. The rest of the chapters are essays about films such as “Dirty Harry,” “Taxi Driver,” and “Escape from Alcatraz”.

Quentin Tarantino, 62, is an American filmmaker, actor, and author. His films are characterized by graphic violence, extended dialogue, and references to popular culture. His work has earned a cult following alongside critical and commercial success; he has been named by some as the most influential director of his generation and has received numerous awards and nominations, including two Academy Awards, two BAFTA Awards, and four Golden Globe Awards. His films have grossed more than $1.9 billion worldwide.

Tarantino began his career with the independent crime film “Reservoir Dogs” (1992). His second film, the crime comedy-drama “Pulp Fiction” (1994), was a major success and won numerous awards, including the Cannes Film Festival's Palme d'Or and the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. He next wrote and starred in the action horror film “From Dusk till Dawn” (1996). His third film as director, “Jackie Brown” (1997), paid homage to blaxploitation films.

Tarantino wrote and directed the martial arts films “Kill Bill: Volume 1” (2003) and “Kill Bill: Volume 2” (2004), with both volumes combined regarded as a single film. He then made the exploitation-slasher film “Death Proof” (2007), which was part of a double feature with Robert Rodriguez, released under the collective title “Grindhouse”. 

His next film, “Inglourious Basterds” (2009), followed an alternate account of World War II. He followed this with “Django Unchained” (2012), a slave revenge Spaghetti Western, which won him his second Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. His eighth film, “The Hateful Eight” (2015), was a revisionist Western thriller and opened to audiences with a roadshow release.

Tarantino's ninth and most recent film, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” (2019), was a comedy-drama set in the late 1960s about the transition of Old Hollywood to New Hollywood; his debut novel, a novelization of the film, was published in 2021. He has tentative plans for his tenth film to be his last before retiring from filmmaking.

SS/SAB