It’s like Christmas in July”: Quentin Tarantino’s Obsession With “Macaroni Western” Soundtrack Led To the Birth of Oscar-Winning Script of ‘Django Unchained’

 Fandom Wire

By Sonali Verma

Augst 22, 2023

Among the many great works of Quentin Tarantino, his 2012 directorial project, Django Unchained, remains one of the best works of his filmmaking career. Just like the intriguing plotline of the film, the story behind the idea of this film is even more intriguing.

Tarantino, who is known for his unique style, came up with the idea of Django Unchained in the most unique way. During an interview, the director revealed that his interest in the Macaroni Western genre and its soundtracks influenced the creation of his film.

Quentin Tarantino’s love for Macaroni Western soundtracks shaped Django Unchained

Previously, during an interview, Quentin Tarantino discussed how his fondness for the Macaroni Western soundtracks led to the creation of his Oscar-winning film Django Unchained. The actor claimed that he had an idea of making a film where a slave becomes a bounty hunter. He recalled,

“I even had the name Django Unchained for a long, long, long time.”

The actor further claimed that the concept of the film evolved naturally while he was promoting Inglourious Basterds.

The director further shared that Japan was among the final places where the film was theatrically released, and that’s where he discovered macaroni westerns. The director said,

“Spaghetti westerns are still really popular in Japan. They call them macaroni westerns. They have almost all of the soundtracks available on DVD. And I find out there’s this one soundtrack store that just specializes in nothing but soundtracks. My kind of store. So, I go there on my day off, buy a buttload of stuff. You know, it’s like Christmas in July. So happy. I get a little record player, go back to my hotel room…I’m just listening to the soundtracks.”

“Macaroni Western” is a subgenre of Italian-made spaghetti westerns that rose to fame in the 1960s. These films boasted a distinctive style and often quirky traits. The term macaroni was a play on the word spaghetti, referencing Italy’s association with pasta.

Tarantino recalled that while listening to the great compositions of Morricone, Riz Ortolani, and Luis Bacalov, he visualized the first scene of the film. Without wasting a minute, the director wrote the scene, which eventually made it to the final cut.

Quentin Tarantino’s Oscar-Winning Gem Django Unchained

Quentin Tarantino’s 2012 film Django Unchained was undoubtedly a masterpiece. The film received various accolades for its performance, among which are two Academy Awards: Best Original Screenplay for Quentin Tarantino and Best Supporting Actor for Christoph Waltz. The film starred Jamie Foxx, who portrayed the titular character, Django.

The film narrates the story of a former slave-turned-bounty hunter who teams up with hunter Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz) to rescue his wife from a brutal plantation owner. The film’s mix of audacious storytelling and social commentary not only garnered it many accolades, but it also performed incredibly well at the box office, grossing over $425 million.