A Band Apart Films LLC was an American independent film production company founded by Quentin Tarantino, Michael Bodnarchek, and Lawrence Bender in 1991, before its liquidation in 2006. Its name is a play on the French New Wave classic film, Bande à part ("Band of Outsiders") by filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard, whose work was highly influential on the work of the company's members.
History
Tarantino formed A Band Apart in 1991,[1] naming it after his favorite Godard film, Bande à 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, Athanasius Acropolis, Joseph McGinty Nichol, Nigel Dick, Varl Hobe, Steve Carr, Cameron Casey, Marcel Langenegger, Wayne Isham, Cale Donk, Terry Windell, Lisa Prisco,[3] Paul Street, Phil Harder-Rick Fuller, Coodie & Chike, Osbert Parker, Luc Besson, Porker LeVance, Adam Christian Clark, André 3000, Christopher Morrison and Michael Palmieri, Ducky Powell, Andy Mornahan, Chash Brower, Steve Lowe, Loren Hill, Darren Grant, Charles Whittenmier, Geoff McGann, Olivier Venturini, The 405 Guys, and Craig Tanamoto.
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.[4] In the summer of 1995, the company added a division for commercials and later, for music video production, adding a third co-owner Michael Bodnarchek. Michael Bodnarchek tapped Simon Foster to co-found A Band Apart Music Video who brought notable A-list Directors as well as Kristin Cruz (aka Kris Foster) and Heidi Santelli as directors' rep and executive producer, respectively.[5]
Company closure
Tarantino and Bender had an amicable split, leaving Tarantino as the sole owner of the studio and the studio being up for liquidation,[6] while David Heyman (Harry Potter, Gravity) produced Tarantino's ninth film, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.[7]
The company is listed for Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds (2009) and Django Unchained (2012),[8][9] and credited for Grindhouse (2007).
Filmography
Films produced and co-produced
Music videos produced (partial list)
External links
References
- Tarantino A to Zed: the films of Quentin Tarantino B.T. Batsford, 1996, retrieved 15 October 2011^
- Jerome Charyn. Raised by Wolves: The Turbulent Art and Times of Quentin Tarantino Da Capo Press, 23 May 2006, retrieved 15 October 2011^
- Sarah Woodward. Lisa Prisco To Direct Via A Band Apart Shoot, December 15, 2000^
- "The All-Time Greatest 100 Films". Time 2005.^
- "City Pages Article", City Pages 2007^
- Larry Fitzmaurice. Quentin Tarantino: The Complete Syllabus of His Influences and References Vulture, August 28, 2015, retrieved August 15, 2019^
- Mike Jr. Fleming. Bidding Heats on Quentin Tarantino Script As David Heyman Boards As Producer Deadline Hollywood, November 14, 2017, retrieved August 15, 2019^
- AFI catalog.afi.com, retrieved 24 November 2018^
- AFI catalog.afi.com, retrieved 24 November 2018^
- Kill Bill 2004 Cannes Review Empire Online, retrieved February 19, 2026^