Your State’s Favorite Tarantino Movie

Quentin Tarantino’s ninth film as a director, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, hits theaters on Friday, July 26—but, if you’re Tarantino fan, you already knew that. His “event” movies come around only every three years or so; we’re not talking Marvel frequency here.

To celebrate the release of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, we at CableTV.com have concocted a whopper (or, if you prefer, a “Royale with Cheese”) of a research dive: determining each state’s favorite Tarantino movie. It’s kind of our thing—we really like maps around here.

Using Google Trends, we analyzed interest in Tarantino’s previous eight films state-by-state over the past 12 months. We included just the movies he’s directed, omitting projects where he acted only as a writer or producer.

We also considered Kill Bill: Volume 1 and Kill Bill: Volume 2 to be a single (but super-long) entity, and we left out his pre-Reservoir Dogs short-film debut, 1987’s My Best Friend’s Birthday. Never heard of it? Check it out on YouTube.

Everybody be cool—this is what we found:

At 25, Pulp Fiction still rules

Tarantino’s 1994 breakout hit Pulp Fiction still resonates with the furious anger of a Samuel L. Jackson monologue after all these years. Seventeen states remain fond of John Travolta’s ponytail, Uma Thurman’s bob, and the Gimp’s luxurious leather. Zed’s far from dead, baby.

Pulp Fiction states:

Jackie Brown knows how it’s goin’ down

Jackie Brown, Tarantino’s 1997 follow-up to Pulp Fiction, is absolutely, positively, our runner-up—accept no substitutes. The Pam Grier-led crime caper scored big with 11 states, despite its relatively low-key profile in Tarantinoland. Like the Delfonics, it’s still pretty good.

Jackie Brown states:

• Alabama
• Arkansas
• Connecticut
• Kentucky
• Maryland
• Mississippi

• Missouri
• Nevada
• New York
• Oregon
• South Carolina

Killing Bill for thrills

The sprawling martial-arts revenge epic Kill Bill was originally split into Volume 1 (2003) and Volume 2 (2004) out of theatrical necessity. In these binge-watching times, it’s now one big four-hour-plus movie. The bloody saga sliced its way into the hearts of 10 states that side with The Bride.

Kill Bill states:

• Arizona
• California
• Delaware
• Hawaii
• Indiana

• Louisiana
• Oklahoma
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas

The Basterds remain Inglourious

Tarantino’s darkly comic WWII tale Inglourious Basterds, released in 2009, is the most critically acclaimed of the director’s late-career work—and seven states agree. Brad Pitt and Christoph Waltz’s over-the-top performances alone are worth the proclamation, “That’s a bingo!”

Inglourious Basterds states:

• Alaska
• Colorado
• District of Columbia
• Iowa

• Massachusetts
• New Jersey
• North Dakota

The original Dogs

Before Pulp Fiction made him a household name, 1992’s Reservoir Dogs cemented Tarantino’s cred in cult-cinema circles. It’s a basic heist movie decorated (or splattered) with blood, profanity, and dazzling dialogue, set to a meticulous soundtrack—all Tarantino hallmarks that at least three states appreciate.

Reservoir Dogs states:

• Maine
• Minnesota
• New Mexico

The rest of the QT gang

The Hateful Eight (2015), Django Unchained (2012), and Grindhouse (2007) are apparently acquired Tarantino tastes—only one state apiece showed love for the trio. Kudos to Georgia for recognizing Death Proof, Tarantino’s car-crazed half of Grindhouse’s double feature.

Georgia: Grindhouse
Montana: Django Unchained
Vermont: The Hateful Eight

The United States of Tarantino

From cult-flick auteur to superstar director, Quentin Tarantino changed American cinema and inspired hundreds of copycats (check IMDB—the ‘90s and ‘00s overflowed with Pulp Fiction wannabes).

But do you agree with your state’s favorite Tarantino movie? Will Once Upon a Time in Hollywood top them all? Let us know in the comments (cue the Dick Dale surf guitar).