Update: Playboy Germany walks back Ennio Morricone comments on Tarantino

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

UPDATE #2: Man, this one just keeps getting weirder. Playboy Germany has released a statement via Deadline that walks back Morricone's comments and calls into question the journalistic integrity of the author. Here's the full statement below:

In a statement sent to Deadline, German Playboy editor-in-chief Florian Boitin said:

“Up to now, we have considered the freelancer who conducted the Ennio Morricone interview on our behalf to be a renowned print and radio journalist. In the past, we have had no reason to doubt his journalistic integrity and skills. Based on the information now at our disposal, we must unfortunately assume that the words spoken in the interview have, in part, been reproduced incorrectly. We would like to express our regret should Mr Morricone have been portrayed in a false light. We are working to clarify this matter and are exploring legal measures.“

UPDATE: Well, that was a fast turnaround. After the original "statements" from Morricone were released via Playboy Germany, the famed composer has released a full statement in retaliation to it, saying he never said ANY of it and that he'll be pursuing legal action. Here's his full statement, via THR:

It has come to my attention that Playboy Germany has come out with an article in which I have stated extremely negative comments about Tarantino and his films, and the Academy. I have never expressed any negative statements about the Academy, Quentin, or his films — and certainly do not consider his films garbage. I have given a mandate to my lawyer in Italy to take civil and penal action.

I consider Tarantino a great director. I am very fond of my collaboration with him and the relationship we have developed during the time we have spent together. He is courageous and has an enormous personality. I credit our collaboration responsible for getting me an Oscar, which is for sure one of the greatest acknowledgments of my career, and I am forever grateful for the opportunity to compose music for his film.

In London, during a press conference in front of Tarantino, I clearly stated that I consider Quentin one of the greatest directors of this time, and I would never speak poorly of the Academy – an important institution that has given to me two of the most important acknowledgments of my career.

Ennio Morricone

Ennio Morricone is responsible for bestowing upon us the music for THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY, which this writer would argue is the greatest movie score of all time. Clearly, director Quentin Tarantino is fond of the man as well, which is why he called upon the legendary composer to work his magic for his 2015 crime drama THE HATEFUL EIGHT. However, as Variety reported late last night, Tarantino's affections for the veteran musician are exceedingly unrequited.

In an interview in the German language version of Playboy, Morricone savagely ripped Tarantino to shreds, calling the director "a cretin", and going on to say that the man is "not a real director". Morricone harshly criticized Tarantino's work ethic and his lack of creativity, arguing that the iconic filmmaker never gave him enough time to complete his music for the film, and going on to add that Tarantino doesn't conjure up original ideas, only copies and pastes from what has already been done.

Tarantino “is absolutely chaotic. He talks without thinking, he does everything at the last minute. He has no idea,” said Morricone, adding: “He calls up out of the blue and wants a complete score in just a few days. That’s not possible. It makes me so mad. I’m not going to put up with this. And I told him so last time.”

Although many would define Tarantino as one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, Morricone believes that the man who gave us such gems as PULP FICTION, RESEVOIR DOGS, and JACKIE BROWN pales in comparison to the directors who came before him.

“The man is a cretin. He only steals from others and puts stuff back together again. There’s nothing original about that. That doesn’t make him a director,” said Morricone. “He is nothing compared with the Hollywood greats, such as John Huston, Alfred Hitchcock or Billy Wilder. They had class. Tarantino simply recooks old dishes.”

Although this writer would argue that Morricone, who has credits for working on over 500 films, should have received his first Oscar many moons ago, it wasn't until he was recognized for Tarantino's HATEFUL EIGHT that he finally took home his first Academy Award for best original score in 2016. This doesn't seem to bother the renowned musician, however, who put both the Oscars and the United States on blast this week shortly after turning 90 years old. "I was in pain from sitting down for so long, on the plane and at the ceremony. If I looked happy, it was because I knew I would soon be getting away from that boring ceremony". Morricone went on to add that he has no desire to ever return to America with “its self-inflated pomposities and embarrassments like the Oscars".