Keeping some chains on "Django Unchained"

When a Quentin Tarantino movie is released, you are guaranteed a few things: an all-star cast, excessive violence, an oddly-placed pop song, and to go along with these things is a wave of media coverage.  While this is a good recipe for box office attendance, it also can lead to an onslaught of controversy. Tarantino and his staff are used to this, so they are always prepared to counter any negative media that will strongly detract from the box office earnings.  This week, we will look at the most recent addition to the Tarantino movie family, "Django Unchained", and analyze how prior preparation and good media relations kept the movie out of serious trouble.

Let me give you a disclaimer that I loved this movie and many other Tarantino movies. They are quirky, driving, groundbreaking and usually feature actors going above and beyond any previous performance they may have had. Tarantino is sometimes a tough director to watch if you don't drink the Tarantino Kool-Aid, but none-the-less he has helped push the film industry to do more.

The areas that were most criticized after the movies release were the high level of violence and use of derogatory language. Both areas are what helped make the movie distinctive, but with the release at the same time as the Shady Hook shooting, it made them an easy target for media scrutiny.  Tarantino's professionals had a very good handle on the situation by making sure to have the actors and staff prepared for the onslaught. Tarantino himself showed a great deal of poise throughout the media barrage and spoke frankly about the film.  This approach smoothed many ruffled feathers that surrounded the controversy.  Instead of letting the discussion go on without them involved, they stepped up and directed the conversation in a way that protected the film.

Another hot topic was the potential harm that was caused to the horses used in the film.  This scrutiny took place prior to the release after several animal rights groups released statements about horses being hurt during film production.  Thankfully, the film crew saw this potential problem and had it addressed by having certified and reputable horse care authorities on location. This helped disprove the wrongful allegations. In addition, the film crew put in a blatant disclaimer in the film to make it clear that no animals were harmed during the production.

While there was still some chatter about how negative the film was overall, the PR team for the movie did a stand up job. Due to their diligent preparation and desire to be an active member in the controversial discussions they were able to keep the film in good standing with the public.  I hope that Tarantino is back in the studio soon to give us another great experience at the theater!