"Mr. White's Cocktail" & "Mr. Orange's Cocktail" Recipe (Inspired by "Reservoir Dogs")

 "Mr. White's Cocktail" & "Mr. Orange's Cocktail" (Inspired by "Reservoir Dogs")

By: The Film Bartender

    Quentin Tarantino is regarded as one of the best and most influential filmmakers of all time. He has released films like "Pulp Fiction", "Inglourious Basterds", and so many more. Like everyone else, Tarantino had to start somewhere, and he released his first film called "Reservoir Dogs". That film is the basis for the next three drinks, starting with cocktails inspired by Harvey Keitel's Mr. White and Tim Roth's Mr. Orange. Keep reading to find out more about this film and to find the full recipes for these drinks below!

    Quentin Tarantino worked at a video store in Hollywood when he wrote the script for "Reservoir Dogs", shopping it around different producers, hoping to get his name out there and for someone to finance his film. Well, sooner or later, it got into the hands of Harvey Keitel, who already established himself as a fantastic actor and a higher-up in the film business. He absolutely loved the script, and not only decided to help fund this film, but wanted to star in the film as Mr. White. 

    "Reservoir Dogs" was released in 1992, and starred Keitel, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Steve Buscemi, Chris Penn, Lawrence Tierney, Edward Bunker, and Tarantino himself. Tarantino also directed the script he penned. The film revolves around six criminals who are going to attempt to pull of a diamond store heist. These criminals have no idea who each other are, including not knowing their names. They refer to each other as the colors that their boss, Joe Cabot, assigned them: Mr. White, Mr. Orange, Mr. Blonde, Mr. Blue, Mr. Pink, and Mr. Brown.

    They think the jewelry heist will go off without a hitch. However, what they weren't expecting were the cops to show up right away, opening fire on the criminals and killing two of them. The surviving robbers meet back at their rendezvous point, trying to piece together what really happened when they got to the jewelry store. What they come to the conclusion of is that someone in their group is a rat, and working for the police. It is now up to the four remaining criminals and Cabot and his son to figure out who exactly tipped off the police before it is way too late. 

    It was released at Sundance Film Festival, where it drew massive praise and became the festival's most talked-about film. It then spread to other film festivals, in places like Cannes, Toronto, and Sitges. Due to its massive praise at these film festivals, it was picked up by Miramax for a theatrical release. Worldwide, it grossed close to $8 million in the box office, which was very impressive for an independent film of the time.

    On a critic's standpoint, it was hailed as a marvel and an important, influential milestone in independent filmmaking. Critics were saying that audiences were not ready for this film to be released, and it totally changed the way independent filmmaking was done and perceived by the audiences. However, it did receive massive criticism by some for its graphic use of language and violence, which was gloriously on display throughout the entire runtime. However, this is just the start of Tarantino's influential career, and many filmmakers nowadays have lots to owe to Tarantino and his very impressive filmography. 

    Our two cocktails today are inspired by the two main characters of the bunch, Mr. White and Mr. Orange. They are considered the main protagonists of the movie, and they have the most screen-time throughout this film. Keitel and Roth did a terrific job with their roles, and their drinks hopefully reflect that with how they taste!

Mr. White's Cocktail

Ingredients:

- 2 oz Vodka

- 1 oz Simple Syrup

- Sprite (to top)

- Ice

Directions:

1. In a cocktail shaker, add ice. Then add the Vodka and Simple Syrup, and shake until well-combined. Strain into a rocks glass with ice.

2. Top the beverage with sprite, then stir with a bar spoon. Serve. 

Mr. Orange's Cocktail

Ingredients:

- 1 oz Tequila

- 1 oz Triple Sec

- 1/2 oz Simple Syrup

- 2 oz Orange Juice

- 1 oz Orange Soda

- Ice

Directions:

1. In a cocktail shaker with ice, add the Tequila, Triple Sec, Simple Syrup, and Orange Juice. Shake vigorously until well combined. Strain into a stemless champagne flute.

2. Top the beverage with the ounce of Orange Soda. Stir with a bar spoon. Serve. 

Film Fact: The budget for "Reservoir Dogs" was so low that many of the actors were asked to simply bring their own clothing as wardrobe; most notably Chris Penn's tracksuit. The signature black suits were provided for free by the designer, based on her love for the American Crime film genre. Steve Buscemi wore his own black jeans instead of suit pants, and Michael Madsen wore a jacket and pants that came from two different suits.

    You have now made your very own cocktails based off the two main characters from "Reservoir Dogs"! Let me know what you think of these cocktails and this breakout film in the comments below! Come back tomorrow for the recipes for two of the other criminals, Mr. Pink and Mr. Blonde! Until then, happy drinking!