Quentin Tarantino accuses a popular writer of plagiarism: “I don't understand how the Japanese writer didn't sue her for absolutely everything he has.” The controversy started from a movie

Quentin Tarantino criticized the global phenomenon created by the American writer Suzanne Collins, the series of novels “The Hunger Games” (The Hunger Games) for having completely copied another, older film, reports Far Out Magazine.

Speaking in The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast with the author of the novel American PsychoTarantino began listing what he considered to be the 20 best films of the 21st century, choosing his titles for positions 20 through 11.

As he went through the list, he finally arrived at Battle royalethe film by the late Japanese director Kinji Fukasaku. Tarantino has expressed his love for the feature numerous times in the past.

The 2000 dystopian film is based on the novel of the same name by Japanese journalist and writer Koushun Takami. He finished the novel in 1996, but was only able to get it published three years later because of its controversial storyline. The book follows a group of middle school students forced to fight each other to the death by a totalitarian government of Japan.

Fukasaku's film hit theaters just a year after the novel went on sale in bookstores in Japan.

Quentin Tarantino accuses Suzanne Collins of “stealing” the story of the Japanese book

Suzanne Collins has published her first book in the series The Hunger Games eight years later, and the first film The Hunger Games appeared in 2012.

Quentin Tarantino believes that the similarities between the two stories are too great to be put down to coincidence. “I don't understand how the Japanese writer hasn't sued Suzanne Collins for absolutely everything she has,” he said on the podcast.

“They just stole the damn book! Idiot literary critics would never go see a Japanese movie called Battle royaleso those idiot critics never held her accountable [pe Collins]”, he continued the series of accusations.

Gushing, Tarantino added, “They were talking about how it was the most original thing they'd ever read, damn it. As soon as the film critics saw the movie, they were like, 'What the hell! That's just Battle royalebut the PG version!'' Tarantino referred here to the fact that in the US the original film The Hunger Games it has been rated as viewable even by children under parental guidance. Japanese film is much tougher and brutal.

Each of the 4 novels in the series The Hunger Games have been adapted for the big Hollywood screen, the last of which will be released in 2023. The film franchise has grossed $3.3 billion.

The director told how he first saw the Japanese film

Tarantino, who hasn't released a new film since 2019's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, also told the podcast that he was one of the first people to see Fukasaku's 2000 film. He said the Japanese director invited him to a private screening when he was in Japan to document the filming of his famous feature. Kill Bill.

Recalling the experience, Tarantino said, “I had no idea what the hell I was going to see. And, oh my god, damn it! I don't even know what I saw.”

Shortly thereafter, the film was released to a wider audience. Tarantino continued, “It was so crazy…three months later I was at the Seattle Film Festival. They were going to run Battle royale at midnight. No one had seen this in America yet.”

“I got to the midnight screening and it was one of the most exciting screenings since I was waiting for the movie to start. I knew what they were going to see. This is going to deliver more than they imagine! They are not prepared for how this movie is going to deliver,” said Quentin Tarantino.