Quentin Tarantino Reveals the One Performance That Knocked Him Out and Changed Cinema

Quentin Tarantino has never been shy about sharing his cinematic obsessions, but his latest discovery might be his most profound yet. During a recent episode of the Video Archives Podcast, the legendary filmmaker revealed a performance that left him completely floored.

The movie in question is Arthur Hiller’s 1971 satirical drama The Hospital, featuring a powerhouse turn by George C. Scott. Tarantino admitted that while he had encountered the film in the past, a recent viewing with his co-host Roger Avery provided a new level of clarity.

I thought The Hospital was just fantastic, Tarantino explained during the broadcast. It knocked me out.

The director did not stop at mere praise, elevating Scott’s work to the highest possible tier of the craft. I think that George C. Scott gives one of the best performances I’ve ever seen in my life.

Written by the revered Paddy Chayefsky, who secured an Academy Award for the screenplay, the film follows Dr. Herbert Bock. The character is a man whose personal and professional lives are spiraling into absolute chaos.

Bock faces a crumbling marriage and estranged children while trying to manage a hospital where staff members are mysteriously dying. It is this specific portrayal of a man in crisis that resonated so deeply with the Pulp Fiction director.

Tarantino reflected on how his perspective has shifted as he has matured. One on hand, even though I didn’t know what he was talking about, I think I understood that as a little boy. Now, watching it as an older man… There’s a quote, ‘Most men end their lives in anguish’, and I think that is actually true, he noted.

He went on to say that the character’s internal struggle feels more relevant to him now than ever before. I think there is something to George C. Scott’s character, into his id, that he reveals that once you get older, it’s just kind of devastating. I see something of myself in him at this age, alright, the director confessed.

The raw emotional weight of the performance seems to have bridged the gap between the screen and Tarantino’s own life. There is an anguish there that I wouldn’t have related to at any other time of my life, he added during the discussion.

He concluded his high praise by reiterating his awe for both the writing and the acting. But now I’m at the right age… I think it’s one of the best characters I’ve ever seen in my life and one of the best performances I’ve ever seen in my life, he said.

George C. Scott, who passed away in 1999, remains one of the most decorated yet rebellious figures in Hollywood history. He is perhaps most famous for refusing his Best Actor Oscar for Patton, claiming the ceremony was a “meat parade.”

In his later years, Scott remained active in television and film, delivering a chilling performance in The Exorcist III and a memorable turn in the 1997 remake of 12 Angry Men. His legacy continues to influence actors who seek to portray complex, often abrasive men with a deep well of hidden vulnerability.

The film The Hospital remains a cornerstone of 1970s “New Hollywood” cinema, known for its biting cynicism and sharp dialogue. It co-starred Dame Diana Rigg, who later gained a new generation of fans for her role as Olenna Tyrell in Game of Thrones.

As for Tarantino, the director is currently navigating the final stages of his own legendary career. While he recently scrapped his planned The Movie Critic project, fans are eagerly waiting to see what his final tenth film will ultimately be.

Do you agree with Tarantino? Tell us what you think in the comments.