Original Release Date
October 23, 1992
Rotten Tomatoes
90%
Letterboxd Score
4.1/5
Official Synopsis
Six strangers, all professional criminals, are hired by crime boss Joe Cabot to carry out a jewelry heist. Assigned codenames—Mr. White, Mr. Orange, Mr. Blonde, Mr. Pink, Mr. Brown, and Mr. Blue—to ensure anonymity, the simple job turns into a bloody disaster. When the survivors convene at a warehouse, they realize one of them is a police informant, leading to a high-tension standoff where loyalty is secondary to survival.
The Color-Coded Crew
- Harvey Keitel: Mr. White (Larry)
- Tim Roth: Mr. Orange (Freddy)
- Michael Madsen: Mr. Blonde (Vic Vega)
- Steve Buscemi: Mr. Pink
- Lawrence Tierney: Joe Cabot
- Chris Penn: 'Nice Guy' Eddie Cabot
The Architects
- Director: Quentin Tarantino
- Writer: Quentin Tarantino
- Cinematography: Andrzej Sekuła
- Editing: Sally Menke
- Producers: Lawrence Bender & Harvey Keitel
The Official Trailer
The Accolades
- 🏆 Sundance Film Festival: Grand Jury Prize Nominee.
- ✨ Independent Spirit Awards: Winner - Best Supporting Male (Steve Buscemi).
- 📽️ Historical Impact: Named the "Greatest Independent Film of All Time" by Empire Magazine.
Vault Intelligence
- Tarantino originally intended to film the movie on a $30,000 budget in 16mm. When Harvey Keitel read the script and signed on, the budget jumped to $1.2 million.
- The "Stuck in the Middle with You" sequence was Michael Madsen's first time ever performing a dance scene; he was reportedly terrified of the improvisation required.
- The word "fuck" is spoken 269 times throughout the film.
Film Specifications
| Financial Backing | $1.2 Million Budget |
| Theatrical Earnings | $2.8 Million (Original U.S. Run) |
| Cinematic Format | 35mm / 2.35:1 Anamorphic |
Retrospective Pending
"Ray’s full 2026 Northstar analysis for this revolution in indie cinema is currently being restored from the vault."
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
The Indie Game-Changer
