Few directors exploded on the scene with the force of Quentin Tarantino back in 1992 with Reservoir Dogs. And even fewer directors saw their reputations plummet so fast so soon thereafter. But fewer still have seen their stock rise again so dramatically and definitively.

Pulp Fiction consolidated Tarantino's standing as one of the most exciting filmmakers to emerge from post-film school Hollywood. But Jackie Brown divided both audiences and critics. Tarantino lapsed into a mysterious and intriguing silence, only to emerge after a long hiatus with the two part Kill Bill, which reaffirmed his stature as one of the best living directors.

Not just a filmmaker, but a rabid film buff as well, Tarantino is at the vanguard of a new breed of movie director, artists so steeped in the lore of films and other media that it is difficult to segregate personal expression from their copious allusions to films from the past and their salutes to beloved directors. But what's important is that Tarantino speaks to a new kind of filmgoer, otherwise ignored by mainstream reviewers and pundits.

This Pocket Essentials covers in detail not only Tarantino's five directorial efforts to date, but also the films he has written, appeared in, and polished. Also taken into consideration are Tarantino's writings, his TV appearances, his festival seminars, and his future and "lost" projects.