Movies - TV
Jordan Peele Took The Quentin Tarantino Approach To Horror Easter Eggs In Us
By DREW TINNIN
Jordan Peele and Quentin Tarantino skillfully use film history to reveal personal connections while giving credit to the movies that inspired them. Peele, in particular, peppers in references to horror films in an incredibly nerdy, fun way that reveals just how much of a genre fan he really is.
The beginning of Peele's second film "Us" features a few strategically placed VHS tapes that are some of the director's favorite films, and are also there to inform the audience, like "The Goonies" hints at an adventure that will take Adelaide Wilson (Lupita Nyong'o) underground at some point. For Peele, these "little winks" act as a story guide.
In an interview, Peele spoke about how Tarantino "does homage in a more fun way." Tarantino is a master of referential homage to cinema and has influenced Peele to make references of his own, with Peele elaborating, "you're not making in-jokes, but you're being a little bit vulnerable, and open with your audience as to how you got here."
Tarantino’s film references are often educational, whereas Peele’s easter eggs create a richer world that makes people think about society and culture from a new perspective. His entertaining and thought-provoking work says what is often left unsaid and audiences can’t get enough.