Quentin Tarantino's influence on modern-day filmmaking is undeniable, but unlike most artists, his impact was felt almost immediately upon his emergence as a director, especially following Pulp Fiction. Imitation is said to be the sincerest form of flattery, and in the aftermath of the release of that movie, which Roger Ebert once prophetically said would be "the most influential film of the next five years," the market was flooded with a host of imitators.

In short, Pulp Fiction became a formula. Take one helping of eccentric (if not sympathetic) criminals, combine it with a cast of either rising stars or reclamation projects, a script that avoids chronological convention, a soundtrack composed of underappreciated hits, and, most importantly of all, copious amounts of dialogue sprinkled lovingly with numerous pop-culture references. Quentin Tarantino didn't invent any of these ideas; he simply synthesized them in such a way that inspired others to try themselves.