Quentin Tarantino has given a severe dressing down to an interviewer who attempted to grill the legendary director on the link between film violence and real life violence.
When asked by Krishnan Guru-Murthy why he's "so sure" there's no connection between enjoying film violence and enjoying violence in real life, Tarantino responded: "Don't ask me a question like that. I'm not biting. I refuse your question."
When asked why he wouldn't answer the question, Tarantino — whose latest film, Django Unchained, deals with America's history of slavery, responded: "Because I refuse your question. I'm not your slave and you are not my master. You can't make me dance to your tune. I'm not a monkey."
The whole interview makes for enjoyably uncomfortable viewing. Tarantino clearly decides early on that he doesn't like Guru-Murthy, and essentially treats him with contempt for the duration ("this is a commercial for my movie," Tarantino reminds him). Certainly, as someone who's been in a similar situation recently, it's fun — Tarantino would probably say "cathartic" — to watch Guru-Murthy squirm.
Personally, I think Tarantino was right to avoid the question. Whatever answer he gave now would be politicised as part of the raging debate about gun control and violence in the media, and his opinons are well documented for those who care to find them.
