Can we take a moment to recognize how amazingly intricate the Tarantino/ Rodriguez universe is? That’s right. You probably have heard of the Tarantino universe in which all of his films take place, but did you know that Robert Rodriguez’s films also exist in that universe?

To truly appreciate and understand the complexities of this realm, you must first understand the universe as if it were two separate universes and the fact that Tarantino’s films include films that character’s from his other films would watch. Before we get too far along, here is a helpful graphic:

For example, Tarantino’s infamously gory Kill Bill series would be a set of movies that a character from Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction may see. In addition, there is speculation that when Uma Thurman’s Pulp Fiction character, Mia Wallace talks of her failed TV pilot, Fox Force Five, it is the same storyline as Kill Bill on purpose. Instead of Thurman playing the bride in Kill Bill, Mia Wallace is playing the bride. To clarify, Uma Thurman is playing a woman named Mia Wallace in Pulp Fiction and again in Kill Bill, where Mia Wallace is playing the bride. It’s confusing I know.

There is also the fact that many of the characters in Tarantino’s films are related in some way. Vincent Vega of Pulp Fiction is the brother of Mr.Blonde, AKA Vic Vega. Again in Resevoir Dogs we have Mr. White briefly mention working with an “Alabama.” This Alabama is one in the same as the Alabama played by Patricia Arquette in True Romance. Again Pulp relates back to yet another character when Mr. Blonde’s parole officer, Seymour Scagnetti, is related to Detective Jack Scagnetti from Natural Born Killers. Then there is the connection between Donnie “Bear Jew” Donowitz from Inglorious Basterds and True Romance coked up in-film producer Lee Donowitz. How are they related, the Bear Jew is Lee’s father.

What differs from the two Tarantino universes is easily denoted by which films belong to which universe. The first universe, the realer than real universe is made up of Reservoir Dogs, Django Unchained, Inglorious Basterds, Pulp Fiction, True Romance and Death Proof. Additionally, it has been pointed out that Four Rooms can be included in this category based on the existence of a character known simply as “Long Haired Yuppie Scum,” in both pulp fiction and four rooms, as well as Fresh.

The second universe, the movie movie universe, is comprised of Natural Born Killers, From Dusk Til Dawn, and the Kill Bill series.

If that is confusing then also consider that characters aren’t then only things translated between these realms, we also see brands from one universe exist in the other. G.O. Juice, Big Kahuna Burger, and Red Apple Cigarettes can be found breaking through the different universes. From this point there is controversy amongst the rules exhibited between the realms. Some claim that characters cannot exist in both realms but the fact that their relatives can provides some confusion. At this point Tarantino himself provides some insight with the fact that he has three crossover characters that can go between the two realms. These characters are Pulp Fiction’s Winston Wolf, Sheriff Earl McGraw and Edgar McGraw from both Kill Bill and Death Proof.

Here is where the link between Rodriguez and Tarantino forms. Earl McGraw also has a daughter, Dr. Dakota Block from Planet Terror and Death Proof. This character as well as the crazy babysitter twins (featured in both films as well) were created by Robert Rodriguez. Once the possibility for characters to span through both the Tarantino and Rodriguez universes is revealed, the true intricacies of these works can be seen in full view. In the From Dusk Till Dawn series characters from both directors’ realms come together.The real connection between the directors comes from not a character but instead an item. The crotch gun, featured in both FDTD and Machete Kills.

In the FDTD series the Razor twins (Eddie and Charlie) are portrayed by Machete. This on its own isn’t that interesting until you view the characters portrayed by Machete in Rodriguez’s films. They are all Machete. It really becomes interesting when you realize that this is the same exact realm as the Spy Kids series. The fact that the Machete universe is shared with the Spy Kids universe and the FDTD universe which is in turn share with both universes created by Tarantino, means that the world that the Cortez family lives in is the same as the blood spewing, gut spilling, head smashing, death loving world that Tarantino has created for all of his characters in the movie movie universe. This in turn means that the Spy Kids exist twice, in the movie movie universe, one of far more vicious and unpunished gore, and the realer than real universe, one that too is not short on gore.

All that and we didn’t even touch on the fact that Tarantino stretches his universe into films from before he was creating, The relationships between Django: Unchained and Shaft or the Elmore Leonard universe. That is for another time though.