Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez, two central members of A Band Apart (pictured at the 2007 Scream Awards). A Band Apart Films was a production company created by Quentin Tarantino and Lawrence Bender, which has been active since 1991. Its name is a play on the French New Wave classic, Bande part ("Band of Outsiders") by filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard, whose work was highly influential on the work of the company's members. Thanks in part to the popularity of Quentin Tarantino's and Robert Rodriguez's films, the company quickly gained cult-like status within Hollywood.

History

Tarantino formed A Band Apart in 1991,^[1] naming it after his favorite Godard film, Bande part.^[2] The company's logo was a stylized image of the robbers from Reservoir Dogs, Tarantino's debut film. Subsequently, several legal entities within the company were named after the film's characters. Mr. Pink LLC was for music video production budgets, and Mr. Brown LLC was for commercials.

In addition to Tarantino, members of the company included Robert Rodriguez, John Woo, Tim Burton, Steve Buscemi, Darren Aronofsky, John Landis, Joseph McGinty Nichol, Nigel Dick, Andy Dick, Marcel Langenegger, Wayne Isham, Scott Gillen, Coodie & Chike, Osbert Parker, Chris Applebaum, Luc Besson, Adam Christian Clark, Andre 3000, and Michael Palmieri.

The company catapulted to fame with the 1994 release of Tarantino's Pulp Fiction, which was considered by some critics to be the most influential American film of the decade.^[3] In the summer of 1995, the company added a division for commercial and music video production, adding a third co-owner Michael Bodnarchek.^[4]

Company closure

A Band Apart closed in June 2006. Feature film work now goes through owner Lawrence Bender's other production company, Lawrence Bender Productions. Some A Band Apart members have found new roots at Holmes Defender of the Faith, which does most of its business in music videos and television commercials. Holmes Defender of the Faith was formed by former A Band Apart managing director Jeff Armstrong. A Band Apart members that have moved to Holmes Defender of the Faith are Andy Dick and Marcel Langenegger.^[5] While the company is listed as studio for the 2009 film Inglourious Basterds and credited in the 2007 Grindhouse movies, it is unclear whether the company was reformed for the films.

Movies and TV shows produced

• Pulp Fiction (1994)
• The Whiskey Heir (1995)
• White Man's Burden (1995)
• Four Rooms (1995)
• Curdled (1996)
• From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)
• Jackie Brown (1997)
• Good Will Hunting (1997)
• Metallica: Cunning Stunts (1998)
• From Dusk Till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money (1999)
• Debtors (1999)
• From Dusk Till Dawn 3: The Hangman's Daughter (2000)
• Stark Raving Mad (2002)
• Lost in Oz (2002)
• When Incubus Attacks (2002)
• Kill Bill (2003, 2004)
• Voces inocentes (2004)
• Build or Bust (TV) (2005)
• Inglourious Basterds (2009)
• Django Unchained (2012)

References

1. ↑
2. ↑
3. ↑ "The All-Time Greatest 100 Films", Time Magazine 2005.
4. ↑ "City Pages Article", City Pages 2007
5. ↑ Holmes Defender of the Faith Official Listing of Directors

External links

• An Archive of the Company's Website ''circa 2001''
• City Pages feature on Michael Bodnarchek, co-founder of A Band Apart

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