What Makes Hans Landa One Of The Most Terrifying Villains in Film History

For many people Quentin Tarantino is one of the greatest film makers or our generation. Films like Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, and Kill Bill will stand the test of time as some of the best movies ever made. His 6th film, Inglourious Basterds will go down as giving us one of the greatest cinematic villains ever, Hans Landa played by Christoph Waltz. Christoph would go on to win the Academy Award for his performance in Inglourious Basterds, and the movie would not have been successful with anyone else in the role. Tarantino knew the entire film would hang on this performance, and he found the perfect actor to play Hans Landa in Christoph Waltz.
#InglouriousBasterds #QuentenTarantino #Nerdstalgic
Written by Chris Teregis
Edited by Dan Smiley

[@Nerdstalgic]

Name a villain more terrifying than Hans Landa…

[@g.hognihannesson2563]

kronk

[@ComicBookGuy420]

Mr. Blonde

[@timowo6541]

Frank Booth

[@FMVReviews]

Nate Jacobs

[@loganlabach4227]

The yakuza from Minbo or the main villain from a quiet life.

[@nickkestler4848]

Maybe I'm wrong, but what made his character different than most was that he wasn't motivated by hatred. He just seemed like a job perfectionist. Like he could not care any less who he worked for or what he was assigned to hunt down, he was going to complete the task with full devotion. The scariness of his character is his friendliness.

[@Darkstar5577]

I think the movie makes it pretty clear he does hate jews and sees them as beneath him.

[@SimplyTaylor14]

Totally agree. I feel like you can see that in his character towards the end

[@anonymousme3632]

He tries to explain this at the beginning with the rat analogy: "You don't know why you hate the rat, you just do." And when he makes the deal with the OSS, he wants nothing more than to retire.

[@anonymousme3632]

And with the way he uses the Jew Hunter nickname to his advantage at the beginning of the movie, then tries to express disdain for it towards Aldo at the end of the movie. He truly does not choose sides. To him, there is only one side; his side.

[@flatoutt1]

maybe some similarities to Werner von Braun with just wanting to make rockets irrespective of who he killed in doing it ,although i'm sure he did a pretty good job in trying to atone for his sins by being a major contributor in getting mankind to the moon

[@colinwills1235]

Inglorious Basterds has three of Tarantino’s best scenes ever. That chilling opening, then the scene where Landa orders the strudel, and the behemoth of a scene that ends with massacre in the bar.

[@ComicBookGuy420]

Love them all Plus the recruiting scene in the prison where Brad asks him if he wants to go pro But for me, Tarrantinos best scene was in reservoir dogs The fact that I don't need to tell you which scene is exactly how iconic it is

[@JoJoJoker]

That bar scene is one of my favorite scenes in any movie. To a lesser degree, the Spahn Ranch scene in Once Upon a Time is another great scene.

[@matthewkriebel7342]

I don't like the bar scene. I know the movie is "over the top", but that scene breaks suspension of disbelief for me. You know they're all fucked from the moment it starts. Your just waiting for the them to get it over with. Then again, it might be realistic in how a good but not good enough spy sticks to his role until the bitter end.

[@MrGyngve]

The bar scene had me fall over my chair the first time I saw it. The intensity as they are able to reassure the real Germans that the fake German is a real German is amazing. The three fingers ruining the whole set up was impossible to foresee.

[@matthewkriebel7342]

@@MrGyngve strangely, this is one of the very few pieces of non-verbal communication I knew as a teenager. I used it in Euro Disney to show the number of riders in your group. Didn't seem to make much difference in the 90s, though.

[@onionhater7994]

That minimal shift in his facial expression before saying the line “you’re sheltering enemies of the state” gave me chills like nothing before or after. It was such a subtle change but in that half second he lost all the humanity in his face and went ice cold… phenomenal acting, well deserved Oscar!

[@Eunegin23]

Hm. Might be a cultural thing. But "our" facial expressions are also often misinterpreted by Americans. I am rather used to that at my work place... Greetings from Berlin.

[@JH-zd6cy]

​@@Eunegin23As a German wtf are you talking about. Yes, it can be a an expression people use when they are in a bad mood, but the quick change from that happy friendly expression to this makes it look intimidating.

[@Eunegin23]

@@JH-zd6cy I worked in the US for many years as well as in Germany. Right now Berlin. Facial expressions are different. Of course the movie was exaggerating. But in big companies with a strict hierarchy you can see all variations... And your wtf is also very German in writing...

[@JH-zd6cy]

@@Eunegin23 Tut mir leid, dass ich in in einem Kommentar zu einem amerikanischen oder englischen Video englischen Slang benutze. Und ich habe ja auch geschrieben, dass man diesen Gesichtsausdruck häufig sieht, aber dass dieser schnelle Wechsel von fröhlich und freundlich hin zu diesem Ausdruck eben einschüchternd wirkt und so nicht häufig benutzt wird.

[@BruceCarbonLakeriver]

@@Eunegin23I can approve that. Working with US ppl sometimes leads to surprising 'missunderstandings'. Being precise is often understood as threatening xD Greetz from Austria o/

[@robfielding100]

One of the greatest roles in a film … he was immaculate and totally chilling with his malevolence

[@danielshays7161]

And with this scene he joins Hannibal Lechter and his favs beans and nice Chianti as the most chilling villain in movie history.

[@Jonno2summit]

His pleasant demeanor was chilling. The irony was splendid writing and directing. No scene in any other movie can equal this simple situation... that wasn't so simple.

[@itsrobin8362]

@@Jonno2summit His Role as Dr King Schultz in Django Unchained is just as awesome. But you get to hear and see more of him there as he got more screentime. The calmness, eloquency, style, overall a nicely written Character. Truly an awesome actor, one of my favourites all day.

[@HansRichter-lh9gt]

Oscar winner,In Django Unchained also great actin

[@ramencurry6672]

Not really. These are cheesy films

[@megasean3000]

The fact Christoph Waltz spoke four different languages in this movie, English, German, French and Italian, just shows how intelligent he is. Not many can boast having acting skills to win an oscar _and_ being quadrilingual.

[@Ara-gp4yj]

They just told him the Italian words to say, tho he had to practice to make sure he pronounced the words right

[@brod5392]

Lol

[@andresperedo1275]

To be honest, being polyglot does not imply intelligence at all. First, the deifinition of intelligence can vary a lot. Arguable you don't need the same skills or virtues or talent to learn languages than to, for example, learn how to play an instrument or learn how to follow (or construct) a logical argument. Second, learning languages is something than anyone can do if they need to do it. It would be easier or harder, but anyone can do it. The intelligence of the people of a country were they are mostly bi- or tri- lingual is not "higher" than the intelligence of the people of a country were that is not a common feature (although that can develop certain skills that can be quite useful). I mean, is the people of the Netherlands more intelligent than the people of England? I don't mean that he is not intelligent, probably he is. And I do not mean either than speaking languages is easy, for most of the people is not.

[@mirandela777]

@@andresperedo1275 - generally, is accepted by the scientific community a subject who have control of many languages - especially languages from different cultures - have a better memory and an enlarged understanding of the world. The brain is like a muscle, the more you exercise, the more performant become. And vice versa. Peoples who acquire and dominate several - different languages usually have a better intellectual performance.

[@samuelng6441]

@@andresperedo1275 it does imply intelligence. The more languages that you juggle, the easier to mess up the words and grammatical systems in your mind. I doubt you can speak more than 2-3 languages because I can. However, there are many occasions where my brain made farts and almost made me speak the wrong word and language or its grammar despite conversing on another language at that moment. This is especially true when dealing with complex language system that utilises a lot of tonal or rhythmic system, and when their tones crossover or seemingly appear to blend well with each other. In fact, speaking many languages well is a feat that is much more impressive than say, being good mathematically as technically the "language" of maths still fundamentally coexist within the same realm. But say languages like French, Chinese, several indian languages like Tamil that utilises phonetic and tonal systems, they can completely throw you off. Cognition can be honed but often the innate talent to structure, compartmentalise, conceptualise and recognise the idea of the systems in languages is hard to pick up if your base or innate talent just isn't there. This is why people who pick up new languages fast undoubtedly have the potential and talent to be a polygot. And this is also why I can speak multiple languages (albeit not fully proficient but basic conversation) only with short and little exposure to them. Many times I even corrected native speakers on the accuracy of the translation that they did on their native language, in cases like describing level of happiness for example (e.g. they translated as "happy", but the true meaning was "elated" which I corrected them on) Hence why your comments reflect your shallow attainment and understanding towards life and the world. You're a frog in the well basically and fail to recognise Mount Tai.

[@BeanMartinVEVO]

One of my favourite details about this scene is when Hans says "I bid you adieu" before having his men kill the family. Adieu is a permanent farewell that is used when you won't see someone again, but he tells Shoshanna "Au Revior" which means "until we meet again."

[@Xander_Park]

Favorite

[@AJ-of9yw]

@@africanlipplateandbonenose3223 and this is why we need an IQ test before allowing people on the internet

[@AJ-of9yw]

@@africanlipplateandbonenose3223 Whatever you say you holocaust denying fuckwit

[@nicole9volt]

@@AJ-of9yw wat?

[@muzak913]

@@africanlipplateandbonenose3223 there is overwhelming evidence proving the holocaust, in fact, happened. you cannot rewrite history because it is ugly.

[@bunnylegion3969]

I once read a comment that said “I could listen to Christoph Waltz talk about drywall paste peeling and I would still be entertained.” It’s true. The man is so charming in such a strange, albeit charismatic way.

[@HailAnts]

Waltz, when speaking normally, has boyish good looks. He not only appears friendly but he has an almost child-like warmth and wonder in his eyes. But in an instant, when his expression switches to, not even anger, but simply seriousness, he looks like a monstrous serial killer. He so deserved that Oscar..

[@suzyqualcast6269]

Imagine sitting down for a one on one interview with Himmler bred schnake Heydrich....

[@dm121984]

If you want to see his range, watch Inglorious Bastards and Django unchained. The same actor goes from an SS monster to a genuine, warm friend who hates what is done to slaves and both performances are so strong it's hard to believe it's the same man.

[@galihxtreme]

See also: *Downsizing*

[@ahmadalaama7217]

Lmao I saw them a few days apart and I couldn't believe it

[@Streetrocker28]

It’s called acting ….

[@jonpark6650]

How about Hans Brandon reading from a teleprompter

[@mookiewilson4166]

He was also a man who chose to murder human beings for money, and could kill a child’s parent in front of them without a shred of moral compunction-even justifying it to himself as if it were a kindness, which is psychotic behaviour. Not saying it to the detriment of his character-it made him more fascinating. But think about it, Hans Landa, Schultze and hell, even Calvin Candie were funny, warm, charming and charismatic and could take it away in a moment.

[@camilap.1638]

He’s probably one of the best characters ever written. And one of the most terrifying too. Christoph Waltz is a gift to the world!

[@RA-ji6ej]

Him and that hannibal actor, damn

[@lonestarr1490]

@@RA-ji6ej Mads Mikkelsen or Anthony Hopkins? Given that you're talking about Hannibal Lector, not Hannibal Barkas from some historical drama. (There are quite some levels of ambivalence in your statement.)

[@Myrzghe]

He was in this Amazing Crime drama before he went to Hollywood, have you seen it? He has a partner that is great at solving crimes, and get this, it's a dog! The master detective is a german sheperd! How strange is that? A dog?

[@camilap.1638]

@@Myrzghe I think I have! I think the dog was called Rex, or something like that! I really admire Christoph so I’ve been watching several of his films, he’s great in all of them, it’s crazy.

[@camilap.1638]

@@RA-ji6ej Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter in the Silence of the Lambs is one of my favourite characters ever. He deserved every single award

[@chz9530]

The things I would do to wipe my memory of this film just so I could watch this scene without knowing how it ends again

[@sitcomchristian6886]

Next best thing is to watch it with someone who hasn't seen the film :)

[@HouseDuke]

Do you know "Tequila"?

[@philippec46]

💀

[@kristinachaney7391]

I'm so grateful I watched this for the first time at home by myself. No interruptions, no one else around, I was glued to the screen the entire time. As soon as it ended I immediately restarted it and watched it all over again.

[@wilburmayrhauser]

christoph waltz and arnold schwarzenegger made me even more proud of my austrian heritage 🇦🇹❤

[@Leto85]

His intelligence, lack of empathy, and arrogance makes him such a deadly combination, especially since he's so aware of these traits. I had this video in my watch later list on Netflix for a while, forgot that I had, and just checked that I still have it, and now I've decided I have something to watch later today. I've never seen the film before, yet I came to love Quentin Tarantino movies for their dialogue first, and their build up tension second.

[@SM2005_]

Suuuuuch a wicked movie. Hope you got to see it!!!

[@jacobt3962]

The best part about the end of this scene is that "au revoir" translates closer to "until I see you again" than goodbye, So hans is literally saying he will find her no matter what here. Absolute masterpiece of a scene.

[@cmbaz1140]

"auf wiedersehen" In german has the same meaning

[@GiveZeeAChance]

Came here to say this

[@MrGreenWhiteRedTulip]

So does arrivederci, for what it’s worth

[@lonestarr1490]

So "see you around" would have been the better translation.

[@justingary5322]

I mean YEAH DUH 🙄😂

[@emma_nutella58]

The fact that the audience could never tell what he was thinking and that’s what makes him so terrifying, the strudel scene was so tense and cemented him as a terrifying villain

[@massudddecat7449]

an 8 min 30 sec ytube vid , 10 secs of audio from movie characters talking , 8 min 20 sec of "guy" talking quickly to barrista at Starbucks that he asked for lowfat latte and she gave him a full fat fattening latte narrating

[@43captrexkramer]

I thought the reaction portrayed by the actress playing Shoshanna in the strudel scene was equally fantastic and believable.

[@vdd1001]

This applies to Homelander from the boys too, whenever he's on screen, you don't know what's gonna happen because he's very unpredictable and it makes you nervous

[@Hazeleyedbri]

No one else can play this ROLE. Christophe Waltz was THE PERFECT CHOICE FOR HANS LANDA. I knew, without seeing any other movies that year, tha his performance was Oscar worthy

[@suzyqualcast6269]

Heydrich would've sorted it, remember, the tarted up ex boot radio op ¿?

[@Staceyishere]

My brother watched this movie and one morning he decided to show me the opening 20 minutes. It made me cry. The performance from Christoph Waltz was just the cherry on top of an amazingly written scene. I decided to buy the movie and watch it myself and it has quickly become one of my all time favorite films.

[@thegatesofsleep]

Christoph Waltz is one of the best actors I have ever seen. His performance in this film as well as Django Unchained was impeccable. I often remember the film for his roles in it alone. His acting brought me to re watch Django several times.

[@steenie4726]

Yep, this right here. He's the standout in everything he's in!

[@tender0828]

I didn't really know him when I watched Django so I'm super shocked (and super impressed) to learn he's the same actor playing Hans

[@andraes9684]

@@tender0828 me too! I had to google who he was in Django and was shocked to see how prominent his role was and I never even realized it was him.. (to be fair I was much younger when I watched the film and only knew leonardo di caprio then lol)

[@Nightknight1992]

if you enjoy waltz i recommend carnage, a movie based on a theater play and very much simply focused on dialogue

[@samw2670]

Plays the same character in everything tho?

[@veea7]

I just saw this a few days ago but when he meets the farmer's girls he checks their pulse when he grabs their hands to see if they are frightened and might be hiding something. That little detail is absolutely brilliant.

[@Threemore650]

As if their hearts wouldn’t be all a flutter anyway.

[@WubzZz-]

I mean I think they would have been frightened anyway simply for the fact that a group of SS soldiers have appeared on their farm. The movie takes place during the period of which Germany had already seized control of France. So you can imagine that any French citizen at that time would have been frightened regardless of whether they had something to hide or not. Yet that is just my opinion.

[@neoberi2611]

Later in the movie, he meets Shosanna in a restaurant and he also has his fingers on her wrist while kissing her hand in greeting

[@entasis704]

@@Threemore650 yep, one guy with a brain.

[@Threemore650]

@@entasis704 I’m a girl.

[@nolby1758]

Waltz played this character ao scarily well. The opening scene is 100% factual and I could not have imagined anyone else is Christophes role. His character was brilliant,ultra smart and scary without telling,holding a gun ,a knife or any weapon. His face when it changes to dead serious when they're both smoking their pipes was one of the most intense movie scenes I've ever seen. Pierre himself played his character to elite levels,his facial expressions alone when he's forced to reveal the spot where he was hiding the Jewish family tells an entire story in its own within only the 1 minute you see of his saddening expression. Tarantino is a genius and this may very well be his finest movie.

[@darengardner6219]

100% factual yet the film is fiction. Bravo for stating stupidity.

[@jacobroberts2976]

Factual ?

[@vydave]

The scariest aspect of Hans Landa was that, unlike conventional villains, you would (as a viewer) be terrified of the man just when it was too late, and something bad was about to happen.

[@natelax1367]

I never noticed when landas face changes from polite to serious. It’s such a subtle change, the actual movement is almost unnoticeable but his whole expression changes completely

[@NameNik223]

He had a polite smirk and a bit cheerful voice and suddenly the smirk was gone and the voice became cold and quiet. It's Betty subtle but so powerful

[@AC_RDR2_Q]

@@NameNik223 he’s very very good at swiftly switching emotions. That’s why he’s an amazing actor and this scene was seriously terrifying

[@Dr.Osterman]

Goes to show How good he is

[@kurdaitcha3509]

It's the eyes. While the rest of his face is almost frozen, it's the hardening of the eyes that changes his whole demeanor. It is entirely possible to have an entire conversation without speaking a word. You could be as nice as pie....but if your eyes contain a look of death incarnate, that is a far more reliable indicator of someone's true intent! Having that ability to control the eyes is the mark of a truly great actor - or a terrifying psychopath! I allow the disabled guys I worked with, to scan DEEP into my eyes when I'm giving them a bollocking or giving them deadly serious instructions (which is normally a big "no no"! It can intimate and trigger them into an "incident"). The reason I do this is about trust. They will detect the faintest hint of deceit or ill intent. With just a look, these guys KNOW when they are in the shit! No words needed!

[@angc214]

What's really scary is we see it again when he's questioning Shoshana in the restaurant. He says he has one more question and gets that look. We're all petrified.

[@immortaljanus]

I like the scene where he reveals he's fluent in Italian to Aldo in his men. He knows. They know he knows. He knows they know he knows. And all done in public, surrounded by Nazis. Brilliant. :D

[@Kobe_Jay_Kenobii]

I fucking love that scene

[@Afrimusican]

DOMINIC DICOCKO!

[@Lazarenko93]

The fun thing about that scene is the following: Christopher Waltz doesnt speak Italian. He rehearsed it to perfection. His "immitation" is spotless, but it was all fake. Makes you appreciate the scene even more.

[@Dipatrizio]

ᵍᵒʳˡᵒᵐᶦ

[@adamhbrennan]

So good

[@AndreaDelRiva]

Behind those good manners, smiles and jokes, hides a merciless evil human. "A master of puppets". This is what makes him so terryfing. He does no need to threat you, he makes you realise how in deep shit u are just by hinting a situation. Masterfully written and excuted! Great Christoph Waltz, well deserved awards.

[@joeb2]

Always have been a big fan of Christoph Waltz. His range is insane and every role he is in is almost mesmerizing. He is insanely talented to say the very least.

[@gaijinhakase1575]

For me it’s the way Waltz controls the hardness of his eyes so subtly when changing from friendly to ruthless. Truly masterful performance.

[@FarmersAreCool]

You will see that look in government officials eyes soon with unrestricted powers granted to the state due to covid mandates. When they come to seize your shit for not following the newest rules fast enough for the "good of the many".

[@amasiphoto]

@@FarmersAreCool 😂

[@gaijinhakase1575]

@@FarmersAreCool scary but true

[@simon.annies]

@@FarmersAreCool 🤦‍♂

[@petertyldesley6542]

@@FarmersAreCool Riighhht. Yes, mask wearing and vaccines to protect the population is definitely on par with the holocaust. Get out of here you absolute melt.

[@spiderliliez]

I remember the first time I saw this film, and to be honest, any German SS officer or Gestapo officers portrayed in films are all scary, but HANS LANDA was just simply way scary than all the others I've seen. There's something about Christoph Waltz and his acting that makes the character more intimidating than others I've seen. What a great actor he is!

[@corbeau-_-]

most of them lean on the evil part of those characters. Hans comes of charming, but is a ruthless opportunist, proud of his ability to outsmart them subhumans. He has a better understanding of what these agents were really about - even though everything else is out of proportion.

[@trawlins396]

Definitely. The scene where his face changes to anger was SCARY AF. I saw this in the theater on opening day and you could hear a pin drop during that scene.

[@massudddecat7449]

an 8 min 30 sec ytube vid , 10 secs of audio from movie characters talking , 8 min 20 sec of "guy" talking quickly to barrista at Starbucks that he asked for lowfat latte and she gave him a full fat fattening latte narrating

[@wolfthequarrelsome504]

Every bastard is scary when they have the jump on you.

[@JohnDoe69986]

Yeah to me the SS officer in Schindler’s list is the most terrifying depiction of evil, maybe because he was real. But to me it was because of his lack of intelligence, and his random indulgence in sadism.

[@nathanwang5880]

Christopher Waltz is one of my favorite and most underrated actors of all time, he's a huge reason why I loved Django so much. Amazing video essay as always

[@baddonkey6876]

Denis did an amazing job, you could feel his fear, BUT WITH Christoph and Denis both in that scene...........incredible, you can literally feel the gravity of the situation the moment Christoph went from happy to serious, the tear rolling down Denis' eye, just wow

[@sunsettersix6993]

6:43 That subtle shift in facial expressions always gives me the chills! There are multiple phases you see his expression go through in these few seconds when it finally and unmistakably settles on predator closing his jaws on the neck of his prey. Absolutely terrifying and genius level acting and directing. Chills!!

[@corbeau-_-]

I never really understood why some people feel very impressed when I get angry, but I figure I do the same... Perhaps not as masterful xD Often I smile at people. But when I notice something 'bad', nearly all expression vanishes from my face - except for my eyes... I never really understood how powerful that can be, until I saw this.

[@quackcake2586]

@@corbeau-_- you deadass typed that 💀

[@corbeau-_-]

@@quackcake2586 yes

[@trawlins396]

@@corbeau-_- definitely. The way he was able to emote fury was bone chilling.

[@JesusChristOfficial2]

@@corbeau-_- Yeah when I get angry im like a tiger!! Grrrr!!! or a wolf, woof woof!!! im always out hunting my prey!!

[@12jamiegavin12]

He's one of the most under appreciated actors. I'd never heard of him before inglorious bastards and the main takeaway from the film for me was just how good he was. Same with Django, magnificent acting!

[@carlopb22]

With 2 oscars in his name, I don’t think he’s under appreciated.

[@massudddecat7449]

an 8 min 30 sec ytube vid , 10 secs of audio from movie characters talking , 8 min 20 sec of "guy" talking quickly to barrista at Starbucks that he asked for lowfat latte and she gave him a full fat fattening latte narrating

[@scarlet2690]

he's got 2 oscars and being so respect by the whole industry..cmon.

[@tanksgameing8507]

Hes not a woke douche thats why hes not in the spotlight all the time

[@kretgwiazdonos7397]

you just wrote that he played in inglorious bastards and django, and that he is under appreciated in the same sentence

[@alfie4234]

6:43 I love how his facial expression change is really slow and subtle, you can barely pin point when his expression actually changes, such a creepy performance.

[@Eunegin23]

Well, I should invite you to our office meetings then. Viele Grüße aus Berlin.

[@tomm9493]

Pretty amazing how Nerdstalgic can analyze each scene and the psychology behind it. I don't quite have that gift. I just tend to sit back and enjoy the film, its acting, dialog or not enjoy. Two thumbs up to this awesome movie.

[@pmlabowicz3903]

"He considered the role unplayable" that is one of the coolest things I have ever heard, well coolest probably isn't the right word for that, but I think you understand where I am going. As someone who is already enamored by Cristoph Waltz and his portrayal of Hanz Landa, among other roles, that quote from Tarantino makes his portrayal even more legendary. Chilling even.

[@massudddecat7449]

an 8 min 30 sec ytube vid , 10 secs of audio from movie characters talking , 8 min 20 sec of "guy" talking quickly to barrista at Starbucks that he asked for lowfat latte and she gave him a full fat fattening latte narrating

[@Speedy2619]

I mean the requirement is huge. You need an actor that look like he is from Germany our some associated state. Musst be fluent in English, German, French and one two lines in Italian that still should be performed as he would be fluent in this language. After all this he need to be an top class actor to ever pull this caracter of.

[@thegunslinger1363]

If I'm not mistaken. This was Christoph Waltz first big break? (As in Hollywood) That scene on its own is a masterpiece. And notice how he first interacts with the daughter. Who has blue eyes and blonde hair.

[@Reykh24]

Tells us however old you are it's never too late to make it big in any industry

[@ComicBookGuy420]

Yep, big Hollywood break, he is such a captivating character

[@algorithmicalychallenged.291]

What? I was famous already before this.

[@inyrui]

He's been doing film since the late 70s. He mainly did German film before Inglorious Bastards; he's done more German film than American

[@Kdkjdjewerdnxa]

Break

[@ImtheHitcher]

This scene set the movie up so well. I'm not Tarantino's biggest fan but this blew me away

[@adityaparikh8237]

Actually, in the opening scene, Hans actually found out by feeling the floorboards and one of the women’s pulse when he grabbed her arm. The biggest part of Hans’ character, however, was that “he knows”.

[@ToeTag1968]

Also, the scene later where Landa and Shoshanna have strudel in the cafe later. He's just a cat playing with a mouse again like in the opening scene. Making a Jew eat a strudel - a pastry traditionally made with pig lard - and testing her further by making her eat not only that, but topped with cream, was brutal from a religious sense. Not only is there a pork prohibition, the mixing of animal products and milk is prohibited. For a practicing Jew, strudel covered with cream is way off limits. And the fact he orders a glass of milk for her up front just to let her know he knows who she really is from the start and makes her play the game anyway. Brilliantly written and masterfully acted all around.

[@pseudonayme7717]

OMG! Not being either religious, or indeed Jewish, I had never considered any of that. That context makes an already brilliant scene in a movie which I love even more interesting. Thanks👍

[@Patrick-jd1ku]

damn, I didn't know all that stuff

[@AJ-rd4ng]

Nice but in terms of Jewish law, it wouldn't make a difference re pork and milk... The only prohibition is of a kosher domesticated animal (lamb, cow, etc...).

[@xyaeiounn]

@@AJ-rd4ng No mixing of Milken und Fleischen, separate kitchens, even, oy!

[@Niosus]

@@xyaeiounn I used to work in a company that had an office in Israel. It always was a royal pain in the ass to find proper catering when they came over. So many rules to follow... Very few caterers would even try. Hosting the Italians or the French was much easier!

[@clapadamclap]

The farmhouse scene is honestly one of the most complete scenes I’ve ever seen. And the portrayal of nazi cunning by Waltz was sublime..

[@AdaptivePhenix]

It was a bit clumsy to show the approaching German troops cover the same stretch of road multiple times....did they keep slipping back? 😂

[@creatorsfreedom6734]

hollywood villan's

[@clapadamclap]

@@AdaptivePhenix I noticed that too but I feel like it’s a QT quirk

[@chrisnotyou]

No member of the NSDAP ever refered to themselves as a Nazi.

[@clapadamclap]

@In Common you know the real guy huh?

[@dickerpimmel96]

This scene was dubbed by the same actor in german and trust me it was insane to watch

[@darengardner6219]

First time I watched this it never even entered my mind that he is acting . Terrifying and brilliant all at the same time .

[@seraphik]

shoutout to Denis -- he played his small role beautifully too. you get the sense he's a strong, decent, soft-spoken, simple man who wanted to do the right thing. that tear he sheds and the utter heartbreak on his face as he gives the Jews up tells you this will haunt him for the rest of his life.

[@misanthropichumanist4782]

Guessing "the rest of his life," wouldn't be very long though... right?

[@Kreeos]

@@misanthropichumanist4782 Likely not. People that hid Jews in Nazi occupied territories weren't looked upon very faithfully.

[@davee.9906]

Waltz's performance was amazing but the actor that played the farmer also does a fabulous job. If his character isn't believable then the scene doesn't work. I remember how I felt the first time I saw that scene. I was in shock and I couldn't decide whether to continue watching the movie or watching that scene over again. And I remember thinking if the first scene is this good how great is this movie going to be. Well I was sure there couldn't be another scene as good as that one with it's suspense but this movie has several but the first scene and the scene in the restaurant are just fucking amazing.

[@kaned5543]

Agreed; the two actors against each other are spectacular. They both deserve credit for pulling off a terrifying scene with only dialogue and a table between them.

[@Cuzjudd]

Agreed. It was definitely the most tension filled part of the movie. And any movie really

[@kevinforslund52]

Yea the farrmer was very Good, you could really see the pain and sadness in his face and eyes

[@DmpstrPirate]

World class

[@juliustan9647]

I legitimately felt nervous watching that scene and I realized it's just a movie at that moment as well and still got nervous.. that's how much this movie affected me and how great this movie was and still is.

[@jetlee324]

One of the freaking best actor I know. He was so good as a villian.. loved it

[@erikl6988]

Incredibly captivating sequence. Hans Landa is one of the best characters ever created/performed.

[@purplehz97]

You have to give credit to Tarantino for these casting choices though. That speech Dicaprio gave as Calvin Candy in Django was freaking terrifying.

[@SilentKnight43]

Agreed. Like Inglorious Basterds, Django was filled with amazing dialogue (and casting) throughout.

[@ComicBookGuy420]

Calvin Candy, what a bloody villain

[@Aephyn.]

Django as a whole is perfect. Cristoph Waltz is amazing in that one too, and you don't even have to feel bad for liking his character lol

[@mmorkinism]

@@Aephyn. why would you feel bad?

[@Aephyn.]

@@mmorkinism Wasn't being exactly serious, but it's understandable why an outside observer might think someone else odd for really enjoying Hans Landa. Obviously there's a massive difference between idolizing a Nazi and thinking a Nazi character is very well written, but I'm sure to some they're one and the same.

[@ComfyMarius]

Here in Austria, the reaction was immense hype at first, and then a serious discussion how Tarantino gave him Hollywood roles while in Austria he never got any major roles in our regional cinema scene. (Schwarzenegger was not that much of a discussion, since we don't do movies like Conan) Waltz has a masterful grasp on everything about being Austrian, from culture to history, and Austrians just like Germans, are used to playing Nazi-esque characters, but the quality of the performance will always vary of course. Waltz studied in one of the best Act Academies of Vienna, and he's incredible at what he does. It's an honor to have someone like him from my home country in Hollywood movies!

[@notthechannel2]

Good for you for writing all that out 👍

[@ComfyMarius]

@@notthechannel2 lol how could my comment piss you off so much you just HAD to reply that? If you don't care, you wouldn't comment

[@leftsidem5030]

....and now his my neighbor in Zurich...

[@colin2623]

I had never heard of Christopher Waltz before seeing him in Inglorious Bastards and later in Django. He’s such an amazing actor. Probably works hard for his roles as they seem to come so naturally to him.

[@mirandela777]

Waltz is a TRUE great actor, when Arnie, is a kind of blah-blah pack of muscles with almost zero acting skills, a commercial product of Rambo era. I love Waltz, he is a genial actor, an "Anthony Hopkins" of Austria, I really hope he will enter a lot more movies - he has so much to offer !

[@danlacrosse3662]

I just love the way he annunciates words. Perfect.

[@alexandergreene6986]

As a historian, one does at times come across these types of people in life. While traveling through Germany in the early eighties, I vividly recall as the train was traveling towards Austria, the miles upon miles of barbed wire and land mines that separated West Germany from East. I still remember the train stopping for a brief moment, watching an East German farmer just plowing his fields, just one of those far-off things one remembers through time I suppose?

[@noahverstynen8091]

This is undoubtedly the best opening scene of any movie. As you said the dialogue is so well thought out and it could act as a short film on its own.

[@jackorami2557]

i know three people that left the cinema during this scene because they cant stand subtitles. switches to english half way through. thank god there are some directors that don't just cater to the cookie cutter mindless masses

[@castaingfrederic8798]

i like the opening scene from baby driver but i can't decide which one is better.

[@ef4947]

@@castaingfrederic8798 You can't be serious.

[@castaingfrederic8798]

@@ef4947 lol I am definitely serious. I also think the opening scene from Lord of War should be discussed.

[@ef4947]

​@@castaingfrederic8798 Lord of War? Even the lighting in that scene is just awful. Personally I really like the opening of PT Anderson's Magnolia but subjectivity doesn't make a goat. Objectively the most influential opening scene of all time is Once Upon A Time In The West.

[@the_glitter_is]

I love when people use food as a power play. Eating is so personal & the juxtaposition of doing it arrogantly, calm & charismatically is a recipe for what makes him so scary: unpredictability. He also uses food to gain info. Grabbing the girl's wrist to see how fast her heart is beating, having a girl poor milk to see if she's shaking or sweating nervously, and ordering strudel for Shoshanna, whom he suspects is Jewish, will eat the nonkosher food.

[@Speedy2619]

Were is pig in strudel?

[@ravanpee1325]

@@Speedy2619 "Since puff pastries (what strudels are) during WWII were made with pig lard (not Kosher) due to wartime butter shortage, Landa's choice of dish for Shosanna could be seen either as a test to see if she's Jewish (as she'd normally reject the food) or he knows who she is and is forcing her into eating non-kosher. The additional cream he orders is another contravention of Kosher rules"

[@chickenman7801]

Landa also insults the French attempt at a strudel and after the conversation he puts his cigarette out in the French strudel. It's saying France is Germany's ashtray and they're not even good at it.

[@RipperCyclotron]

@@ravanpee1325 Thanks for that I always wondered about that scene.

[@f14uubercat]

On the food aspect, the scene could also be seen as a dark mirror of the concept of hospitality. Normally the host gives food to show that the guest is welcome, but here, he is demanding food (safety) in exchange for the safety of those hiding the Jewish family from him. Another nice bit of power play to the scene.

[@BCreep234]

i love Christoph Waltz so much, I've only seen him in a few films but he's been outstanding in all of them.

[@porpedroiiebertrand]

3:16 Fun fact: When Hans is grabbing her arm, he’s not just making her stay, but he’s grabbing her arm to feel her heartbeat if they’re hiding something

[@roberthicks2364]

I remember being in awe of the cleverness of Hans Landa. I was amazed at how exceedingly evil he was. As Nerdstalgic pointed out, he is both polite and terrifying all at once. He is a cat toying with a mouse and there is nothing the mouse can do.

[@skitidet4302]

The end proves he was pretty dumb. He betrays his leader and his people and to top it off, he thinks a bunch of enemies of his people and humanity as a whole can be trusted and/or negotiated with... Ofc they where going to renege on their deals as they have no honor! They are the devil's people! Their only goal in life is to subvert, manipulate, torment, humiliate and exploit the non chosen people... he would have known this if he was smart enough to trust his leader.

[@TJ_Strick]

@@skitidet4302 wait… did you just call Americans the Devil’s people? And said Han’s should’ve trusted Hitler? Nazi Alert!

[@hirameberhardt8643]

When he chocked the actress in the theater...scary mess.

[@Threemore650]

@@skitidet4302 the whole story lacks credibility but then, it’s just a film. Pretty good on some aspects, but the ultimate idiocy of Hans was one of the ruining factors. Just not very believable. I struggle between Hans and Amon Goethe as ultimate in dangerous allure. 😂 I can’t help my hybistrophillia.

[@alexmonza2823]

He is not evil lol did you even watch the movie? He's indifferent to people's lives and lacks empathy. Which doesn't make him evil. Just a cold blooded psychopath

[@lauramorgan27]

I saw Inglorious Basterds with my dad when it was in theatres. I was 17 at the time. I had never seen or heard of Christoph Waltz before. After the opening scene, I leaned over to my dad and whispered "this guy is going to get an Oscar for this" and lo and behold he did. It was that obvious. Phenomenal actor.

[@massudddecat7449]

an 8 min 30 sec ytube vid , 10 secs of audio from movie characters talking , 8 min 20 sec of "guy" talking quickly to barrista at Starbucks that he asked for lowfat latte and she gave him a full fat fattening latte narrating

[@Stoirelius]

You were a very smart 17yo kid.

[@CyberChatBox]

Christoph Waltz is one of the world's finest actors and this performance was outstanding. It is at the very top of all Oscar performances.

[@lvncr]

Because of this movie I’m still (to this day) scared when I see Christoph Waltz. Even when he’s on a talk show all relaxed and being humorous, I’m still terrified of him. 😂 No other actor playing a villain has had that effect on me. I guess it just shows what a good performance he gave us in the movie. Still, I’m terrified of him. 😅

[@eury-bosch]

Another chilling detail is in Landa's choice of words. When saying goodbye to the farmer (and signaling his men to shoot the floorboards) he uses the word "adieu," which is a French word for goodbye which means something like "goodbye forever" and is generally used when parting with someone you may not expect to see again, at least for a long time. Appropriate given he is not only parting with the farmer, but also bidding the family under the floorboards adieu as well. What's more chilling is that, when giving up the shot on Shoshanna, he says "Au revoir, Shoshanna!" Au revoir is like Auf Wiedersehen, it essentially means "Until we meet again." So Landa isn't just saying goodbye there, in a way it's an active threat to the girl -- "I know your name, and I'll see you again soon."

[@marc-andrerenaud1394]

Adieu, literally translates to english as "To God", which was definitely their destination.

[@LynnHarrod]

Hans hints early on that he knows about the hiding Jewish family when he talks about how the "Hawk" (German soldiers) would only look in places where a hawk would hide, but that he himself can think like the "Rat" (Jewish people). He ominously says "Consider the world a rat lives in..." i.e. under the floorboards.

[@johnsantana601]

Dam.. to think shit like this was not at all far from reality. Those were truly dark times.

[@twixt999]

@@johnsantana601 reality was probably darker

[@AJ-rd4ng]

And only 83 years ago at the time of writing. A blink of an eye...

[@ramonsanchez4751]

Hans already knew the man was hiding something. By the subtle hints he gives off in his speech. Just wanted to see how long the man would play stupid before letting him know he knows

[@mukinmukin6352]

The way he is able to build tension with the dialogue...nobody does it better. Just two men sitting at a table, and slowly the scene descends into heart pumping, sweat pouring pure terror as you pray he is able to hold off Landa...but he slowly breaks him down

[@markhopkins2707]

Christofs performance in this very movie made him my favourite actor, pushing harrison ford down a spot. Favourite and who i think is the best are different, but the way he played this role and made it seems so effortlessly real, i just cant ignore it, he is the best actor ive seen.

[@Marcusml333]

I was blown back by Hans Landa - how a person could be so charming and terrifying at the same time, felt really fresh to me. Christoph Waltz really deserved the Oscar!

[@medic53067]

Kind of like dealing with the Devil.

[@vladimirputin8285]

Like me

[@Marcusml333]

@@vladimirputin8285 No Oscar for you, Putin!

[@vladimirputin8285]

@@Marcusml333 then those peasants gon get poisoned

[@Marcusml333]

@@vladimirputin8285 :(

[@YaroLord]

I agree that this scene is a perfect introduction to the Hans character and why he should be feared. Howeverr, the one part in the movie that is truly bone chilling for me is when "Emmanuelle" is on the table with Goebbels and Zoller discussing the venue for the movie night, bored and wishing to be anywhere else, and the mood is immediately turned around when Goebbels yells "Hey it's Landa!". I literally got chills and feared for Shosanna's life lol

[@Zargabaath]

The music definitely helps the tension.

[@maxtull]

Don't forget that Landa knows exactly who she is because he's ordering Shoshana milk. She remembers him through that even more.

[@43captrexkramer]

After he leaves and she breaks down, you can genuinely feel the terror of her character.

[@AndreSonofMogh]

It was Han’s charm that added to his psychological terror. Knowing that this guy will shake your hand with a truly genuine smile and care for as a person would then just as easily put a built in your brain. But with so much more nuance and layered textures than that discerption I just laid out.

[@aadicariappa2344]

This was the first time a villain legitimately made me choke in fear.

[@rigaaar]

The moment when Landa grab the girls' Hans to take their pulse.. he already knew they were hiding something. Marvelous scene 👏

[@ramonsanchez4751]

He already knew he was hiding jews otherwise he would've not have been there

[@NoNameAtAll2]

girls' Hans ha

[@AC_RDR2_Q]

The fact they told him not to use 100% of his acting during rehearsals tells us everything, that he’s literally an amazing actor. I can only imagine how amazed the others were watching him act

[@jackli1867]

They told him ‘not to use 100% of his acting’? What does this mean?

[@jackli1867]

@Audrey Lee No producer would ever tell their actors to not act as well as they can. That’d be idiotic. There is no reason to do such a thing.

[@christopherdunn5799]

@Audrey Lee You're all missing the point. He told him to not use 100% during rehersals. The performance on screen is no doubt 100%. The intent was to 'shock' the other actors in the real performance and thus add to the effect that Hans' character had on those around him.

[@MDP1702]

@@jackli1867 If I understood correctly, this was done during rehearsals etc., so that when he does act at his best during the actual filming some reactions of the other actors are more genuine. I don't know if this was the case or not, but it could be possible.

[@AC_RDR2_Q]

@Audrey Lee Yeah i agree with you. Whether or not it was in rehearsals anyway the fact they told him to not put in 100% to shock the actors is amazing

[@shuckeegaming]

I watch this film all the time and that particular scene still gives me chills to this day.

[@lwandomadikizela2213]

Casting Christoph Waltz as Hans Landa is the greatest move to make Inglorious Bastards one of the best movies ever made. His intelligence and ruthless nature brought fear and intimidation to the audience is still remembered till this day.

[@russquarles1071]

What you forget to mention is that when Landa meets Shosanna later in the film he terrorizes her by having her stay behind to talk as everyone else leaves, and asks the waiter for a glass of milk as a way to say "I know who you are."

[@alifr4088]

That gives me a chill lol

[@BlackHazama]

Wait, so Landa did actually know it was her?! I wasn't quite sure

[@paulbloomer6022]

@@BlackHazama He doesn’t know

[@Edaloy27]

He orders HER a glass of milk, which makes it even more creepy

[@BlackHazama]

@@paulbloomer6022 Ok, I thought so too. But OP is implying that he definitely knew it was her because he ordered the glass of milk. I just thought it was coincidence?

[@RDog4484]

My favorite aspect of this scene: It is the fault of the redheaded daughter in the beginning that Landa figures out where the Dreyfusses were hiding. In the beginning of the film, after Pierre and Landa make their way inside of Pierre's house, Pierre introduces Landa to his daughters. Landa says something to the effect of "The rumors I've heard about your family are all true", and the redheaded daughter's facial expression changes ever so slightly. Landa immediately catches this, and even after he says "Each of your daughters are more beautiful than the last" as a cover, his gaze never really leaves the redhead. Landa may have been suspicious before arriving that the Dreyfusses were hiding there, but I believe that this confirmed it. A little bit later, after Landa has had a seat at Pierre's table, Pierre sends another daughter to close the windows. The readhead, unlike everyone else in the room, has her head down and is staring directly at the floor. Again, Landa notices this, and his gaze never leaves her until one of the other daughters pours Landa a glass of milk to drink. Now, not only does Landa know that the Dreyfusses are *somewhere* in Pierre's house, he knows *exactly* where.

[@othnielmcfarlane3612]

you, you are a genius

[@dazmorland]

@@othnielmcfarlane3612 Is that like a 'genius' but a level higher?

[@othnielmcfarlane3612]

​@@dazmorland whoops XD; thanks

[@TheYvesL]

Pretty nicely observed indeed

[@damnmayneunfiltered]

impressive, very nice...lets hear paul allen's favorite aspect

[@TomIovino]

I saw that scene for the first time and was left speechless. My first thought was the actor (I didn't know Walz's name at the time) would definitely win an Oscar

[@roguestar8]

Christoph Waltz played Landa perfectly. Every moment he is onscreen is terrifying. Great video! Except the character's name is not Pierre, it's Perrier (like the drink).

[@Milkman2199]

The opening scene of inglorious bastards could’ve have won Oscar’s as a short film. Absolute masterpiece

[@sammylong3704]

That is Tarantino's strong suit. He can make great scene completely void of context. His real problem is making those epic scenes into full length movies....lol.

[@virtualwarp]

@@sammylong3704 Uhm... have you watched, and finished watching, any of his films at all?

[@sammylong3704]

@@virtualwarp Yes, I seen them all and I like most of them. I just think he's better at making epic set piece scenes then he is at making great movies. I dont think he's made more than 2 or 3 great movies, the rest are just okay. However hes made countless epic scenes.

[@virtualwarp]

@@sammylong3704 I disagree. I think Quentin Tarantino is a masterful director when it comes to full lenght films. He's definitely one of the best filmmakers of our time.

[@danadams05]

Fantastic scenes with an incredible Christopher Waltz doing an amazing job. Instantly became one of my favourite actors!

[@Nicole-yj8ts]

Your movie break downs are staggering!❤

[@justlooking4771]

He's a dark empath. A true actor in life. And has mastered that art on the big screen. Excellent eye and guidance by Quentin Tarantino. And without saying, an expected display of enviable showmanship by Christoph Waltz.

[@justlooking4771]

@Carmine Licavoli Yikes! I meant the actor, I guess what I wrote didn’t specify that! I’m sorry! I guess what I meant to say was that the actor is a dark empath, and ALOT of actors are! Which does not mean they are “dark” or “bad”, my understanding is that not only are they very understanding of other’s feelings and aware of others’ feelings, but they “can” use that to their advantage, but NOT to be confused with narcissistic personality tendencies. He can (Jared Leto is another example!!) quite deeply (and physically) “become” the character he is playing. “Method acting” is another term often used, but I (just my personal opinion) don’t see “all” method actors as actually possessing the ability to mentally “become” that character. I definitely see him, as an actor, use some very rare abilities that not many are born with.

[@Eric-ff7mu]

@@justlooking4771cringe

[@massudddecat7449]

an 8 min 30 sec ytube vid , 10 secs of audio from movie characters talking , 8 min 20 sec of "guy" talking quickly to barrista at Starbucks that he asked for lowfat latte and she gave him a full fat fattening latte narrating

[@nishantsharma5336]

@@massudddecat7449 get a life

[@bigd2098]

@@justlooking4771 "hes a dark empath" 🤓

[@GaryLaaks1]

Hans makes this film. A brilliant actor that completely makes the roll he plays completely believable.

[@Norm6671]

Great video. This is probably my favorite opening scene in any movie.

[@Yoshimitsu4prez]

I also love the similar tension/reveal moment later, when it’s revealed they knew the guys weren’t really German because of how they held up their fingers in the bar. You just get this slight sense that the jig is up but unless you know that weird German fact you can’t quite tell why

[@Escorducarla]

That is probably my favorite scene in the film. I went to a German bilingual school growing up, and all of my German teachers were actual Germans, so I understood the visual cue immediately. I remember my stomach dropped and I actually gasped and whispered, "oh no, he's screwed!" My boyfriend at the time had no idea what was going on. Tarantino can be a real obnoxious nerd about his films, but his finished product speaks for itself. "Once Upon A Time...In Hollywood" is still one of my favorite films for that reason.

[@ugotserved911]

U knew the moment the generals face changed and couldn’t hold eye contact with fassbender anymore.

[@Yoshimitsu4prez]

@@Escorducarla I respect what he wanted to do with once upon a time, he really just loves that era of film and I think he deserved to indulge in it like that. It just really didn’t do it for me lol

[@votre_il8802]

well afaik it's only the British in Europe who do the three with those fingers, that dude was screwed anywhere he would've went in Europe doing threes that way

[@eidolusgad3818]

Every German I know starts counting on their thumb, not their forefinger.

[@Kailinn92]

I love Christoph Waltz, the subtleties in everything he does is so delightful to watch even when he's playing a monstrous character. He's a perfect fit for these kinds of roles.

[@candycane61]

This movie grabs me in every time I watch. Everyone was exceptional playing their character!

[@rodrigoaragon4934]

SIMPLY BRILLIANT! WITH SO MANY SEQUELS, PREQUELS, SERIES, AND BIG STUDIOS DECIDING HOW MOVIES END, TO HAVE DIRECTORS LIKE TARANTINO GIVES US HOPE !

[@stefan465]

The scene in the restaurant where Landa orders Shoshana a glass of milk and tells her to wait for the cream is incredible, such clever writing. He knows who she is and let’s her know in the most clever and evil of ways

[@43captrexkramer]

How does he know who she is? He never saw her face at the farm.

[@MaddRamm]

He doesn’t know she is Jewish. This is what makes it tense is her trying to control her overwhelming fear of the monster he is in juxtaposition to his seemingly civil, polite manner.

[@Nickhaja]

That scene really shook me. I was wondering if he knew it was Shoshanna but I don't think he really did. He knew something was off with her and tried to read something out of her reactions but she didn't break. She took it all calm until Landa left. So I think Landa has a suspicion but is not quiet confident with it yet. I find it a biet sad that their little relationship wasn't revealed and solved in the end but hey the movie is still a masterpiece.

[@puppieslovies]

Hans is brutal and cunning. He had no clue who she was, but he's always playing games and trying to weed out his victims. But in the end, Shoshana's resolve was stronger and she got away long enough to act on her plan.

[@kath1626]

He has no idea who she is.

[@sava3786]

Honestly Christoph Waltz's performance was almost terrifying in Inglorious Basterds. He didn't play Hans Landa, he WAS Hans Landa. A vous Monsieur Waltz, je dis Bravo!

[@phalynwilliams4119]

I remember that Quentin once stated that he never expected to find an actor who could fully perform so convincingly as that evil 👿 character until he met Christoph Waltz. Christoph became an international star. His performance was frightening and excellent.

[@Chris_231]

I remember when Inglorious Basterds came out and it was my very first foray into Tarantino’s films. I was in 9th grade when it came out. A lot of the reviews I read at the time mentioned that it was a “good movie, but that it was boring and contained far too much dialogue”. I never understood that. I still don’t. The dialogue in this movie is absolutely saturated with tension and it just builds and builds. I really wish more people would pay attention to the dialogue in movies

[@gabrielcanejo187]

I Will never get how Downright Retarded Critics and Reviewers can be. Seriously this and a lot of other examples show anyone can be one as they just have to open their mouth and say/write whatever shit they thinking about.

[@elijahford5884]

from unplayable to perfectly cast... incredible work from christoph

[@wojurera3131]

Phenomenal Actor, I want to watch everything Christoph Waltz is in!

[@ComicBookGuy420]

Alita battle angel He displays compassion that made me a fan of his

[@TomEyeTheSFMguy]

DJANGOOOOOOO

[@ComicBookGuy420]

@@TomEyeTheSFMguy 😂 his name was king

[@TomEyeTheSFMguy]

@@ComicBookGuy420 he had a horse

[@ComicBookGuy420]

@@TomEyeTheSFMguy 😂

[@Jonno2summit]

I am an unpublished writer, like many others. Tarantino directly influenced my writing with his conversational scenes. I learned to use conversation to throw information at the reader in a more palitable and envoking manner. Technical talk in a story is boring as hell, but in a conversation it can be very enjoyable and help to develope characters in a story. Conversation in a story is incredibly important. It brings characters to life. Thank you, Quentin.

[@maxbracegirdle9990]

I was surprised you didn't mention that Kristoph didn't want to play the character at first. Apparently, he had been asked to play a Nazi in tons and tons of films and always turned to roles down because he knew they were only asking him cause of his accent/background being min-european. After reading the script he jumped on the part and deserved that Oscar.

[@samuelbarber6177]

I think he also embodies what was so effective about the Nazis. Hans is an undeniably evil character, a truly loathsome and disgusting human being, and yet, he’s the favourite character for many. This is because of the charisma which Waltz gives him. As terrifying as he is, he’s also an incredibly charismatic person, and that’s what made many Nazi leaders so effective. Their ideas were abhorrent and clearly wrong but they said it with such conviction and performance that many bought in. There’s also the ways he controls the situations. Like when he switches the language to English, showing he has such control in the situation he literally controls what is being said, or how Lapadite asks his daughter to bring wine but Landa asks for milk and his general air of relaxation throughout. It’s these little things which show you that this man who is smaller in stature than his prey, who compliments said prey and even asks permission to do things like enter their home is really the one with the power.

[@pugdad2555]

But it wasn't only the Nazis lol. And it wasn't many Nazis that had that skill. Usually the firepower that back them up is what made them so terrifying. Also, the Nazis drugged their fighters so literally showing how easy it is to control someone that is addicted to commit horrid crimes. Also, these traits can be attributed to many leaders in the Drug Cartel in Mexico and Central/South America. Literally go to those places and you will have people praising the drug cartels for providing hospitals, schools, food, stores, etc. While they are committing crimes on par with the Nazis.

[@mrman2062]

This is what makes political leaders so able to make people vote for them, just look at the political nature in American congress and the rest of the western world.

[@jbj27406]

Landa systematically and politely makes his case for evil with irrefutable precision. He leaves you defenseless. You surrender and acknowledge his superiority. Chilling.

[@pugdad2555]

@Kamil S lol, then why did the Nazis escape to where it is easier to get those drugs? Lol. It is like Nazi sympathizers just don't want to hear the truth. 🤣😂🤣

[@mizuozman2028]

@Kamil S If winning the war is a shitty performance poop would be at a premium.

[@iainjames03]

There's a clue about the switch to English being a ruse simply in the fact that Landa is obviously very fluent in French, given how well he's spoken it up to then. Even the very act of explaining he has "exhausted the extent" of his French is not how a limited speaker would phrase it. Clearly there's an ulterior motive to change languages.

[@Brecherbernd]

In the german version they switch from french to german, making it an even more powermove.

[@safs3098]

I think it's because the family under the floorboard couldn't speak English so when he asked him if their harbouring enemies of the state and where they are, the family couldn't understand them even if they overheard them. Makes more sense considering the conversation they had in French till the language change felt like he was just chatting and didn't really know anything fishy was going on.

[@masondixon797]

@@safs3098 Guessing didn't watch entire video lol

[@safs3098]

@@masondixon797 ye, just got to the ending.

[@troydavies4511]

One of the best acting performances ever done I reckon

[@edmondhuot4626]

Excellent commentary.

[@cosmiccowboy776]

When I first saw this film, I was expecting a historical train wreck, so I wasn't expecting much other than another example of Tarantino's story telling skill. Waltz gave me something that I did not expect. He gave me a brilliant and subtle villain in a movie that was anything but subtle.

[@corbeau-_-]

historically it is a trainwreck ;) Over the top like any tarantino movie. Django unchained is also horribly inaccurate. But for these movies, that doesn't really matter. Revenge on the nazi's and revenge on slave owners is something most people can appreciate. Kill bill, resevoir dogs and pulp fiction also had that element of being about exercising over the top justice - brutal, bloody, with a twist. Postponed vengeance seems to be his theme. Jackie brown! ;) In all of his movies the plot is actually quite ridiculous and too elaborate at points. But it adds to the flavor the way he does it - history and hollywood after all are well known. Making it accurate, or predictable is boring ;) But yeah, Waltz comes off very warm and charming and can turn ice cold within the blink of an eye.

[@joekerr2348]

Saw this in theater on release day. The entire audience was quiet, tense, captivated, and filled will growing dread with the opening scene. Truly breathtaking performance.

[@zer0pulse156]

both actors were brilliant in this scene, especially those micro expressions they made at 6:37. The shift in Hans' facial expression always got me and the dread in Perrier's eyes connects in me.

[@mr.dalton9507]

Great analysis! Thanks.

[@AndrewWesthoff]

This scene owes a ton to the introduction of The Bad in The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Right down to a lot of the shot choices and music. Its a great framework to introduce Waltz's incredible performance.

[@philhelm1318]

It definitely reminded me of Lee Van Cleef's introduction.

[@jasonbarnes6568]

ooooo now that u mention it...ur right. love

[@jasonbarnes6568]

speaking of...the good the bad and the ugly was a magnificent film

[@VeteranVandal]

Ffffuuuuck That's where he got it from! Holy shit.

[@MrISabier]

Great observation. Lee Van Cleef had that unique aura which made his character one of a kind.