Oh, Quentin Tarantino…
Lauded as one of America’s greatest filmmakers and praised as being one of the few with a visual style all his own (him and Wes Anderson. Really, who else is there? Can you tell a Ron Howard film from a Bryan Singer from a Spike Lee just by looking at them?), the man has made a very successful career out of being just the right degree of quirky, existential, and darkly humorous. But major Hollywood films are not made by one man alone, so it makes sense that Tarantino would surround himself with similarly twisted yet fantastic help, right?
Meet Geraldine Brezca, Tarantino’s clapper angel.
Brezca has been on Tarantino’s team since his third (marvelous) film, Jackie Brown. As you certainly already know, the typical clapper will announce the scene and take, typically in the International Radio Operator Alphabet. Geraldine doesn’t play that way, opting instead for words relatable to the scene, cast and crew, making the whole experience just that much warmer. Most clappers would refer to the scene as “Fower Alpha Kilo,” but to Geraldine it is “Four Akira Kurosawa.” “Fife Niner Hotel” becomes “Fifty-Nine Hitler.” “Alpha Six Six Foxtrot,” the scene in Inglourious Basterds in which a black frenchman attempts to burn down a building full of Nazis is redubbed “Au revoir, Sixty-Six Fuckers!”
Does remind me of this marvelous scene from Archer, though:
What a fantastic job Geraldine has. Sit around watching movies get made and come up with crude, vaguely nonsensical codes to announce before each take? How does one get started in this growing industry and where can I sign up?
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