Filled with Tarantino’s style while being infused with traditional western stories that often feature the element of lawlessness and revenge, the movie, “Django Unchained” emerges as one of the most highly acclaimed films ever made by Tarantino. Apart from intriguing plotline and dialogues, the way actors and actresses delivered is also one of the major reasons why it surely will remain as a masterpiece. Today, I will talk about specific scenes in the movies in which one or more actors’ pure acting is highly applaudable. There will be spoilers, so read on at your own risk.

Samuel Jackson plays the house slave living at Candyland plantation, looks down on his fellow Africans but consistently appears subservient and flattering at his master. When Django arrived at the Plantation on a horse, his official status as a freeman. At that point, Tarantino dedicates a rather long close-up at Stephen’s eyes, showing the transition of his facial expression from confused, to surprise, and eventually to outrageous. “Why that N****** on a nag?” he loudly questions the owner of the plantation, Candie, who was played by Leonardo DiCaprio as if he was committing an incomprehensible atrocity. Upon receiving the answer that Django is a freeman, Stephen was still dissatisfied at seeing his fellow African receiving favorable treatment. Then, Stephen proceeds to joke with his master about how much he misses him, which ended up becoming Stephen laughing hysterically at his own joke, alone. Realizing the master he was trying to please had stopped laughing long ago, he coughed and also stopped. During this first scene in which Stephen is introduced, Samuel Jackson clearly portrays him as a subservient dog toward his master but degrading toward his fellow Africans. He tries hard at appeasing his master, and just as hard as trying to differentiate himself from his race. Is he ashamed of being African, or did he genuinely accept his utter loss of individual dignity? While that question is left unanswered by the movie, the audience surely gets to experience a world-class delivery and portrayal of one’s character by Samuel Jackson.