Skull Phrenology Scene
There is strong evidence of cultural appropriation in this scene because Tarantino used Phrenology and mixed with it with some racism to come up with this theory and he appropriated it with black slaves. Some would say that he is trying to justify slavery and racism back in the 1800s by saying that the Southern Americans were not scientifically advanced and that was the only information that they got told by racist scientists and scholars so therefore you can’t blame them being born into thinking this way as there was no other way for them to actually find out for themselves. On the other hand, others would say that Tarantino is not appropriating cultural here, he is just merely making a film for pure entertainment reasons. There is strong evidence for that as well because it’s not an entirely serious film and its intentions wasn’t made to be set out as historical documentary on the slavery of black people in 1800s America. The main example is the two names of the characters in the film of Candy and Daddy are comical names, not legitimate names of plantation owners. Another evidence that this was an entertainment film was the comedic scene of the Klu Klux Klan arguing with each other about the white masks and how they couldn’t see through the two eye holes, it was arguably the funniest scene in the whole film. This suggests that not only is he appropriating the cultural of black people, he is also appropriating the cultural of white supremacists and making a joke out of them. I believe Tarantino’s intentions wanted to use the theme of slavery and put his own twist on it in which he created a whole new meaning for the genre of Spaghetti Western which is what Tarantino specializes in most.
Another interesting point in this scene is the thinking process of Calvin Candy as he seems to be very forward thinking in that he questioned himself “Why don’t these slaves kill us, they outnumber us in our mansions and plantation” (Not a quote from the film) and that seems to be very forward thinking in comparison to others because when he said “Why don’t they kill us?” His lawyer burst out laughing as he found what he said very ridiculous but then he stopped and started to think once Candy started speaking. Tarantino put that on purpose in order to show the differences between the two Southerners at that time. Ones which question and wonder why those black people just settle down as slaves for them and the other just accepts that as a norm in everyday life. However, they still both believe divinely that slaves are their property which brings Candy back to square one because he came up with a ridiculously false theory to his question. This character of Calvin Candy is actually based on a real life person by the name of Charles Caldwell. He was a doctor from Kentucky who reveled in both phrenology and slave ownership. As in the film, Caldwell was a Europhile, travelling to Paris in the 1820s where he picked up the latest medical craze. This again brings to emphasis that there were actual people who believed in false science back then and it is scary to think that actual “doctors” were spreading this kind of news as they are renowned to be one of the more reliable sources for information.
This theory that Tarantino came up with racist Phrenology has riled up with media and the masses because he is using science in the wrong way and he is using that theory and appropriating it to the cultural of black people back then. One of the biggest critics of Tarantino as especially this film is Spike Lee who said “I have a definite problem with Quentin Tarantino’s excessive use of the n-word. And let the record state that I never said that he cannot use that word -- I’ve used that word in many of my films -- but I think something is wrong with him." This is very interesting as this comes from a black man’s perspective and he clearly feels very uncomfortable seeing Tarantino appropriating the black cultural and make a movie out of it.
Opening Scene
Themes explored: Colonialism, Freedom, Liberty
The first scene is another significant and iconic moment in the film. In this scene, we are made aware of the year in which the movie takes place. The year is 1858, two years before the start of the Civil War. Slave revolts had taken place in the Americas from the very beginning of the institution of slavery. The fact that this movie takes place two years before the Civil War, emphasizes the confusion in historical reality as well as in the movie about the institution of slavery and the very real threat of slave revolts for slaveholders. The years leading up to the Civil War were thus years in which slave revolts could be expected because the precipitants for rebellion mentioned above were in place. For example, the existence of antislavery thought can be seen as a revolutionary philosophy.
Therefore, it is no coincidence that the Speck brothers in this scene, while trying to move their slaves, become fearful of a stranger appearing in the night. The brothers cock their guns and demand that the stranger states his business. Their fear that this stranger might be someone who means harm to their slave business is expressed when Dr. Schultz (the stranger) asks them if they are the slave-trading Speck brothers. “Who wants to know?” is their answer, indicating their skepticism. Schultz is looking for a slave from the Caruccan plantation and Django turns out to be this slave. As Schultz speaks with Django in a friendly and humane way; he asks his name and he calmly inquiries about the knowledge of Django. The close-up camera showing both their faces indicates the intimacy of the moment and the relation between them about to unfold. The suspicion of the Speck brothers is aroused and they tell Schultz to “stop talking to him like that”. Schultz then tries to make himself innocent as he states that he is simply a customer trying to conduct a transaction. However, the Speck brothers have had enough of it, decline Schultz’ requests and becomes aggressive. “Oh, very well” is Schultz answer as he then proceeds to shoot one of the brothers in the head and shoot the other brother’s horse. Schultz tells him to “get up on that horse, also if I were you, I would take that winter coat that dear departed Speck left behind”. Django thinks about it for a bit, and then proceeds to walk in the direction of the coat. In slow-motion, he throws off his robe and we hear a ‘whoosh’. We see the muscled and beaten back of Django. Schultz looks up surprised and concerned as this happens, but he does not interrupt Django. This seems to imply Schultz realizing Django’s potential. These events point to the fact that Django is about to commit his act of revenge. The wounded foot and beaten back justify his revenge. Still, at first Django just walks to the coat, but the surviving Speck brother tells him: “Nigger, don’t you touch my brother’s coat”. Django stops, turns to the brother, and slowly but determined walks towards him. Django looks the Speck brother in the eyes and then he steps on the horse, putting pressure on Speck’s wounded body. Speck screams out in pain. Django then hurries to the coat and puts it on, as well as the boots. Then he gets up on the horse. He does not speak at all. It is his first act of revenge in the movie, although it is a careful one. In the same scene, another act of revenge takes place in which Django is not completely involved. Schultz gives the remaining slaves advice to unshackle themselves and shoot the remaining Speck brother. First, the slaves are shocked, but then they turn to the Speck brother who immediately tries to talk himself out of this situation. The slaves do not respond and throw off their robes in a similar fashion in which Django did that. The slaves pick up sticks, then stand around the Speck brother and finally shoot him through the head. Django, who is already on his way with Dr. Schultz, all the while looks back while this takes place, showing his affiliation with the slaves and interest in what will happen Schultz sets them free and gives them advice on what to do with the slave-owner.
He also portrays anti-slavery ideology by telling the slaves that they should travel north, to a more enlightened part of this country meaning: where slavery was not allowed. Django takes the opportunity, though not with great conviction. Django seems to function on his own, although he takes interest in his former slave companions, which shows compassion. So his revenge in this scene is typical of a slave rebelling once given the opportunity. If he revolts on his own or with a group of slaves is unclear. His action against the Brittle brother is an individual one, but his staring at the other slaves while they take their revenge involves Django in a more collective process.
Brittle Brothers Scene
I’ve picked the scene in which Django and Dr. Schultz have arrived at Bennett’s plantation, where they are looking for the Brittle brothers. A slave girl is commanded to escort Django around the property, which is an excuse for the latter to look for the Brittle brothers.
The scene begins with Django and the slave girl Betina walking away from the ‘big house’ and ends with Schultz shooting the last Brittle brother. Django is supposed to locate the three brothers and then fetch Dr. Schultz to take care of them. However, Django will become carried away with his feelings of revenge. He asks Betina if she knows where the Brittle brothers are. It turns out that there have come three brothers to Bennett’s plantation recently, but they use another name. Betina points one out, and Django takes a look at him through his spyglass. When Django sees him and recognizes him as one of the Brittle brothers, melancholic music starts playing. Shots appear with pale colors, indicating that we see a flashback. The music that we hear has the lyrics: ‘looking for freedom’.
In the flashback we see scenes of Django and his wife fleeing from their owners, interspersed with scenes after they have been captured. We see the Brittle brothers tying up Django’s wife Broomhilda and whipping her with a lash. All the while Django is desperately trying to convince one of the Brittle brothers that running away was his idea, and that he should be punished instead of his wife. He also argues that Broomhilda is a house-slave and that therefore master Carrucan would not appreciate her being whipped and scarred. Django begs and begs, but the Brittle brother just looks at him smiling and finally states with a sadistic smile: “I like the way you beg, boy”. The flashback, in this scene and in other movies as well, has a function. Flashbacks are short and they use different colors then the rest of the movie. Usually they are shown in black and white or in pale colors, as is done in this scene. The expressions on Django’s face show us how he feels on the inside. The flashback has a function for the character as well as for the viewer.
The character here, is reminded of the injustices done to him and his wife, which will undoubtedly arouse his anger and explain his revenge. The affect on the viewer is that he/she will sympathize with Django. The following actions of Django may not be ‘good’ perse, but because of the flashback we feel good about Django’s revenge. In other words: it makes him the ‘good guy’. The flashback has this effect in a greater way than words could ever have, because we tend to see images as showing the truth more than words. In the scene, we see that Django and his wife tried to resist slavery by fleeing. The main goal in the life of a slave was gaining freedom.
Django asks where he can find the other two brothers. Betina tells him that they are at the stable, punishing a girl for breaking eggs. Django asks if they are whipping her, revealing his sympathy for the girl and vengefulness for the Brittle brothers. As Django determinately walks towards the Brittle’s the music is chaotic and tones become higher and higher, which symbolizes the arousement going through Django’s mind and the revenge to come. Django calls out: “John Brittle!”, just when the man is about to whip the slave girl. John Brittle looks around his shoulder surprised and we see Django standing firmly with his legs wide. The camera closes up towards Django while epic; tragic, heroic music is playing, emphasizing the revenge of the good over the evil. “You remember me?” says Django, and he shoots John Brittle through the heart. After which he says: “I like the way you die, boy”. These words show the significant amount of revenge in his action. Where John Brittle had power over Django before, the tables have now turned. The other slaves look awestruck at Django. This suggests that they are surprised that something like this can happen. As they see it happening before their eyes, it can be an example of the possibility of rebellion that they have. When the other Brittle brother tries to grab his gun, Django picks up the lash and starts to whip him furiously. This is another example of the tables that have turned. Django whips him as if he is a slave and Django is an overseer.
When the Brittle brother lies perishing on the ground, Django picks up his gun. A lot of slaves have gathered around him. Django looks at them and says: “Y’all wanna see something?”. He proceeds to shoot the Brittle until his gun is out of ammo. It is an individual act of vengeance but he involves the slave community in his actions. This can thus be seen as revenge by giving example to the other slaves Django thus involves fellow slaves in his revolt. Schultz arrives and Django points out the remaining Brittle who is riding a horse in the field. When Schultz shoots Ellis Brittle, Django smiles and says: I’m positive he dead”.
There is a lot of revenge in this scene. In the first scene he looks attentively at the slaves who give him an example of taking revenge. In the second scene he himself gives an example of taking revenge to the other slaves around by saying “y’all wanna see something?” and then shooting the Brittle brother. So, indirectly, he makes his revenge a collective revenge of all slaves. However, personal motives for revenge are stronger in this scene. The cruel treatment that Django and Broomhilda had undergone under the hands of the Brittle brothers is Django’s prime motivator in this scene. The slave girl who is being whipped for breaking eggs is in a similar situation as Django’s wife is in, in his flashback.
KKK Scene
Schultz’s ideas on abolitionism is found in the scene where Schultz and Django are being chased by a group of white Southern men who with their white masks represent some kind of precursor of the Ku Klux Klan. The group is being led by slaveholder Spencer ‘Big Daddy’ Bennett, the boss of the Bennett plantation where Django and Schultz have shot the Brittle brothers. Bennett and his henchmen apparently did not appreciate that Schultz and Django shot three of their co-workers, and plan to kill them. The group refers to Django and Schultz as ‘that nigger’ and ‘that nigger-lover’. On horseback, they raid Schultz’s dentist cart, but Schultz has anticipated this and has loaded the cart with dynamite. Django and Schultz are hiding in the bushes and when the group is gathered around the cart, Schultz fires a bullet in the dynamite. The cart of course explodes and many henchmen and horses die on the spot. The camera turns to Django and Schultz. Django calls out ‘whoa!’ and laughs excitedly. Schultz nods and states: ‘bull’s eye’. The approval of both of them is thus recorded, showing their hatred towards these men affiliated with slavery and racism. After this, the rest of the group, including ‘Big Daddy’ make a run for it.
Schultz and Django could just leave it at that, as the group now runs off and the danger has been avoided. But this is not what happens. Schultz first calls the men cowards, in response to Django who says: ‘look at them run’, again showing his negative attitude towards them. Then Schultz starts to cock his gun and points it at ‘Big Daddy’ who is still struggling to get away. Django looks at Schultz puzzled and then looks at ‘Big Daddy’ concerned. It shows that Django had not expected that Schultz wanted to kill this man. Indeed, it is not necessary to do so. However, Django does not disagree with Schultz and patiently looks at ‘Big Daddy’, awaiting what will happen next. Schultz then lowers his gun, looks at Django, and asks him: ‘would you care to?’, while he offers him his gun. This is interesting because why does Schultz want Django to shoot ‘Big Daddy’? Perhaps he wants to give Django an opportunity to take revenge on a slaveholder, or Schultz is trying to instigate rebelliousness against slavery in Django, or both. Either way, Schultz now actively incorporates Django in his abolitionism. I call this act abolitionism, as it serves no purpose for Schultz to have this man dead, other than the fact that it wipes out a slaveholder, which is a step towards the end of slavery. Django is eager to shoot the man and takes hold of Schultz’s gun. Django takes a long time aiming at ‘Big Daddy’ while Schultz tells him that ‘Big Daddy’ is getting away. But Django calmly says ‘I got ‘m’ and when he shoots and kills the man, he determinately says: ‘got ‘m’. Schultz is pleased and sees potential in Django as he states smiling: ‘whoa, the kid is a natural’.
Django looks affected by what he just did as he quietly looks at his gun and then towards ‘Big Daddy’. Killing ‘Big Daddy’ did not have any purpose for Schultz except for abolitionism. ‘Big Daddy’ was not on Schultz’s bounty hunter list and did not pose any threat to Schultz and Django as he was running off at a safe distance. The motivation for shooting ‘Big Daddy’ must come from anti-slavery thought. On top of this, Schultz incorporates ex-slave Django in his abolitionism as he lets him do the killing. The idea that abolitionists inspired slave revolts thus seems to apply to Schultz and this movie as well. By giving Django an opportunity for revenge, it seems like Schultz is instigating rebelliousness. Schultz sees Django’s potential while Django still seems to feel slightly uncomfortable with his newfound talent and opportunity. This was seen by his hesitation and his quiet gazing at his weapon and his victim seeming to imply a ‘what have I done?’ thought in Django’s mind. Anti-slavery and inspiring slave rebellion are aspects of abolitionism that are thus seen clearly in this scene. The effect of the scene on the reader is that he/she sees Schultz as enjoying killing slaveholders and he tries to make Django feel the same. Schultz seems to be an active abolitionist who tries to instigate rebelliousness in a freed slave, namely Django.
Schultz and Django could just leave it at that, as the group now runs off and the danger has been avoided. But this is not what happens. Schultz first calls the men cowards, in response to Django who says: ‘look at them run’, again showing his negative attitude towards them. Then Schultz starts to cock his gun and points it at ‘Big Daddy’ who is still struggling to get away. Django looks at Schultz puzzled and then looks at ‘Big Daddy’ concerned. It shows that Django had not expected that Schultz wanted to kill this man. Indeed, it is not necessary to do so. However, Django does not disagree with Schultz and patiently looks at ‘Big Daddy’, awaiting what will happen next. Schultz then lowers his gun, looks at Django, and asks him: ‘would you care to?’, while he offers him his gun. This is interesting because why does Schultz want Django to shoot ‘Big Daddy’? Perhaps he wants to give Django an opportunity to take revenge on a slaveholder, or Schultz is trying to instigate rebelliousness against slavery in Django, or both. Either way, Schultz now actively incorporates Django in his abolitionism. I call this act abolitionism, as it serves no purpose for Schultz to have this man dead, other than the fact that it wipes out a slaveholder, which is a step towards the end of slavery. Django is eager to shoot the man and takes hold of Schultz’s gun. Django takes a long time aiming at ‘Big Daddy’ while Schultz tells him that ‘Big Daddy’ is getting away. But Django calmly says ‘I got ‘m’ and when he shoots and kills the man, he determinately says: ‘got ‘m’. Schultz is pleased and sees potential in Django as he states smiling: ‘whoa, the kid is a natural’.
Django looks affected by what he just did as he quietly looks at his gun and then towards ‘Big Daddy’. Killing ‘Big Daddy’ did not have any purpose for Schultz except for abolitionism. ‘Big Daddy’ was not on Schultz’s bounty hunter list and did not pose any threat to Schultz and Django as he was running off at a safe distance. The motivation for shooting ‘Big Daddy’ must come from anti-slavery thought. On top of this, Schultz incorporates ex-slave Django in his abolitionism as he lets him do the killing. The idea that abolitionists inspired slave revolts thus seems to apply to Schultz and this movie as well. By giving Django an opportunity for revenge, it seems like Schultz is instigating rebelliousness. Schultz sees Django’s potential while Django still seems to feel slightly uncomfortable with his newfound talent and opportunity. This was seen by his hesitation and his quiet gazing at his weapon and his victim seeming to imply a ‘what have I done?’ thought in Django’s mind. Anti-slavery and inspiring slave rebellion are aspects of abolitionism that are thus seen clearly in this scene. The effect of the scene on the reader is that he/she sees Schultz as enjoying killing slaveholders and he tries to make Django feel the same. Schultz seems to be an active abolitionist who tries to instigate rebelliousness in a freed slave, namely Django.
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