Tarantino Knew Travolta Was Cheese to His Popcorn After This Thriller He Dubbed ‘One of The Greatest Films Ever’

Brian De Palma has often been called the second incarnation of Alfred Hitchcock in cinema. During his long career in Hollywood, he earned a reputation as one of the most provocative and versatile directors, equally at home directing gory horror films, brutal gangster dramas, and commercial hits.

His works became a reference not only for the creation of other movies and music videos, but also for musical careers; for example, Al Pacino's scream from Carlito's Way opened Jay-Z 's second platinum album. And another of De Palma's cult films was the inspiration for Quentin Tarantino to create the best character in one of his most famous flicks, Pulp Fiction.

Tarantino’s Choice for The Role of Vincent Vega Was a Surprise to Many

Tarantino likes to choose actors at his own discretion and gets very upset when one of his chosen stars is not available to participate in his movies. This happened with Michael Madsen, who the director wanted to cast in Pulp Fiction, but Michael was already busy filming the movie Wyatt Earp.

After Madsen's refusal, a large number of popular actors applied for the role of Vincent Vega, but Tarantino chose John Travolta, which surprised everyone.

John Travolta’s Career Had Its Ups And Downs

At the beginning, Travolta's career looked like any actor's dream. First he got a role in Brian De Palma's Carrie, then he danced to the fashionable disco of The Bee Gees in Saturday Night Fever, and in 1978 Grease broke out – a musical story about high school students of the 1950s, in which Travolta already got the leading role.

By the 90s, however, Travolta's star had waned – he was starring in mostly failed projects and few directors in Hollywood perceived him as a serious actor.

Tarantino Cast Travolta Because He Was Impressed by Blow Out

Pulp Fiction literally saved Travolta's career. And it happened only because Tarantino once saw his performance in Blow Out, Brian De Palma's initially flop thriller that later achieved cult status. Tarantino had nothing but praise for Blow Out:

“It’s one of the greatest films ever made because as we all know Brian De Palma is one of the finest directors of his generation.”

Separately, the director noted Travolta's acting, as Quentin was impressed by his “great performance.” And the rest is history: John Travolta's great comeback as Vincent Vega and probably the best role of his entire career.

It Was John Travolta Who Choreographed Pulp Fiction’s Most Famous Scene

The choice of Travolta for the role in Pulp Fiction was truly fateful. The most iconic scene in Pulp Fiction was undoubtedly the dance between Vincent and Mia, choreographed by none other than John Travolta himself.

Source: Quentin Tarantino: Hollywood’s Boy Wonder (via YouTube)