Quentin Tarantino Cast This Real-Life Criminal in His Debut Film, Now On Prime Video
Quentin Tarantino is well-versed in the commission of onscreen crimes. He has carved out a niche for himself, making gritty films about unsavory types running afoul of the law. But at least one actor with whom Tarantino has previously worked had some experience with the real thing.
Tarantino cast real-life felon Edward Bunker as Mr. Blue in Reservoir Dogs. Bunker was a frequent flyer at detention facilities during his formative years. At 17, he became the youngest inmate at San Quentin State Prison. Bunker spent a grand total of 18 years incarcerated for crimes ranging from check forgery to bank robbery. Not an ideal situation, but he made the most of it. Bunker recognized that he had a talent for writing and went to work honing his craft.
During his incarceration, Bunker penned his first novel, No Beast So Fierce. He was then able to leverage his writing (with the help of some influential people) to prove that he brought value to society and subsequently secured release from prison. He published several more books in the years following his release and eventually tried his hand at acting.
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Dustin Hoffman optioned the screen rights for No Beast So Fierce. The feature film adaptation is called Straight Time. Bunker appears in a cameo role in the feature, his first screen credit.
Following Straight Time, Bunker appeared in several other small roles, often playing criminals. In 1992, he featured briefly in Tarantino’s debut, Reservoir Dogs. Mr. Blue doesn’t get a whole lot of screen time. He only has a couple of lines and dies off-screen. But Bunker certainly lends an authenticity to the proceedings.
Bunker lived an exceptional life. Pivoting from hardened criminal to author and actor is no small feat. He passed away at the age of 71 from complications related to surgery.
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