Quentin Tarantino is no stranger to making great movies that have helped define eras in Hollywood. His directorial debut Reservoir Dogs established him as an exciting name to watch, while Pulp Fiction became an instant classic and a major success outside the traditional studio system. Whether its been doing Kill Bill, Inglourious Basterds, Django Unchained, or Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Tarantino has remained an influential storyteller for decades and an incredibly vocal supporter of the cinematic experience, as well as a wealth of knowledge for the history of movies.

There’s not much debate that many of Quentin Tarantino’s movies are among the best of their respective years. But, some could even be considered among the best of the decade or century, depending on the тιтle. How they stack up against over 100 years of independent, American, and international cinema is a different conversation altogether. Some may personally consider one of Tarantino’s nine movies to be among the greatest ever made, but even he won’t argue for himself there. He believes a Clint Eastwood western trilogy is the best ever brought to the screen.

Quentin Tarantino Loves Clint Eastwood’s Dollars Trilogy

He’s On The Record About It’s Excellence

Sergio Leone and Clint Eastwood teamed up for a western franchise in the 1960s that became known as the Dollars Trilogy. The trilogy includes A Fistful of Dollars, For A Few Dollars More, and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Tarantino has made it no secret how much he adores these films. In fact, the writer/director believes it is “the greatest achievement in the history of cinema.” He declared as much over a decade ago as part of an anniversary screening of A Fistful of Dollars at the Cannes Film Festival (via The Telegraph).

Tarantino’s thoughts on the excellence of the trilogy has not changed over the years either. In 2024, the director appeared on Bill Maher’s Club Random Podcast and once again shared why he thinks so highly of the trilogy. He says its the only trilogy that “completely and utterly works to the nth degree.” Tarantino cites how the three films are “one director vision” and how it does “what never happens” in terms of having a trilogy where each movie is better than the last. That’s what makes the Dollars Trilogy a favorite of Tarantino’s.

How The Dollars Trilogy Has Influenced Quentin Tarantino’s Movies

There Are Lots Of Homages To The Good, The Bad And The Ugly

The affinity that Quentin Tarantino has for the Dollars Trilogy is evident while watching his movies if you’re familiar with Sergio Leone and Clint Eastwood’s classic westerns. This especially comes with The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, which Tarantino has said is his favorite movie and includes his all-time favorite sH๏τ. The influences of the Dollars Trilogy can be heard with “Il Tramonto,” a track from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, playing during Kill Bill: Volume 2. They can also be seen with The Hateful Eight‘s trailer copying The Good, the Bad and the Ugly‘s opening credits.

The influence can also be felt in a broader sense. Tarantino made two westerns, The Hateful Eight and Django Unchained, which is naturally a result of how much he adores the Dollars Trilogy. Those movies emulate similar moments and characters from Leone and Eastwood’s films. And, while not part of the Dollars Trilogy, Leone made Once Upon A Time In The West immediately after. Quentin Tarantino used that as inspiration then for Once Upon A Time In Hollywood.

Sources: The Telegraph, Club Random Podcast