After the collapse of the studio system, when actors finally gained more autonomy over their careers and were much freer to choose the types of roles and films they appeared in, the real test of an actor became what happened when and if they reached megastardom. Some stars love the spotlight so much that they try to give their public what they think they want to see over and over again, and can feel burned out or over-printed in the process. Others become much more open-minded, either turning down low-paying jobs altogether or being extremely picky about their projects. Then there are those stars who manage to straddle the line between the commercial and artistic sides of their vocation and are able to channel their newfound prowess into a mix of roles that demonstrate not only their range, but their creative curiosity.

At the peak of his film career in the 1990s, Bruce Willis was undoubtedly one of these starsbalancing his action hero persona as seen in Die Hard and its several sequels with bold turns in films like Death Becomes Her and 12 Monkeys, as well as appearing in Color of Night as Color of the Night, The Sixth Sense and The Fifth Element. These latter films demonstrated his interest in working with filmmakers of diverse voices, a desire that led to his participation in the ensemble cast of Quentin Tarantino's blockbuster Pulp Fiction. As Tarantino's career has continued since that award-winning successhe demonstrated his own interest in building a kind of repertory company of actors, with thespians such as Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, and especially Samuel L. Jackson has appeared in three or more of his nine films to date.

Those with only a passing knowledge of Tarantino's oeuvre may consider the Willis/Tarantino team-up a one-and-done with Pulp Fiction, but there's actually another collaboration between the two that's out there. However, you could be forgiven if you've never seen or heard of it; the collaboration in question is just a segment from the 1995 anthology Four Rooms, not the full movie, and not only that, but Willis' appearance is spot on!

Written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, the segment from Four Rooms marks the director's first time dealing with characters who work in the film industry. That's right; in front of stuntman Mike and the ladies from Death Proof, Bridget Von Hammersmark in Inglourious Basterds and pretty much the entire cast of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, the Hollywood Man segment sees Tarantino directly comment on (and, in this case, satirizing) show business. Tarantino plays what feels like a thinly veiled version of himself in his role as Chester Rush, the up-and-coming filmmaker who rents the penthouse of the old (re: seedy and seedy) Hollywood hotel, Hotel Mont Signor. Along with his friend Norman (Paul Calderon) and the mysterious woman from the previous segment of the film, Angela (Jennifer Beals), Rush dates another pal, Leo, played by Willis.

The premise of the segment involves Chester and his pals getting so confused on this New Year's Eve that, randomly on an episode of Presenting Alfred Hitchcock called "The Man from the South" (which the characters misidentify as "The Man from Rio"), the befuddled brothers decide they want to rerun the episode script and Roald Dahl's short story. is based on. Namely, they want poor Ted the Bell (Roth) to be the impartial ax bearer in a bet between Chester and Norman: if Norman can't light the lighter 10 times in a row, Ted will take off his little finger.

The segment gets its juice from the escalating, interwoven build-up of tension and drunken mayhem as the proposition is made to Ted and the bet is implemented. In this, Willis' manager (or agent, or colleague of some sort) is a vital component, as he vacillates between a heated argument with his wife on the phone and taunting the boys. It's a great gonzo performance from Willis, who takes Tarantino's signature sensational dialogue and amps up its intensity and humor. Where Tarantino is crazy, Calderon is laid-back, and Bills is aloof, it's Willis who supplies the segment with the much-needed threat of violence, implying that anything could happen and allowing the segment's ultimate punch to land a lot harder. According to this Playboy interviewWillis filmed his role in just two days. Given his busy schedule at the time, it's fortunate that he was able to fit Four Rooms in to lend his talents.

Four Rooms was generally dismissed upon release and has not been widely discovered in the years since, suffering from the uneven quality of an anthology film. Despite the efforts of Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez in their prime, none of the segments stand out in the way that, say, Timo Tjahanto and Gareth Hugh Evans do. "Safe Haven" from "V/H/S 2" ismeaning that Four Rooms did not enjoy sustained popularity or a wave of reappraisals. Perhaps now, in its 30th anniversary year, it will find more appreciation, because while it's not great enough to be labeled a hidden gem of a film, it does have some great moments.

The biggest reason Four Rooms needs to be rediscovered is that it's actually a fantastic alternative New Year's movie. The plight of Ted, newly hired by unscrupulous management, who must keep his sanity during the night that begins with Witches' Cove (in a segment by Alison Anders), continues by being caught in the middle of the couple's bizarre psychosexual game (in the Alexandre Rockwell segment), involves the need to babysit the wayward children of a gangster (in the Rodriguez segment), and concludes with "Hollywood Man" is a great encapsulating the potential for NYE parties to go off the rails like any other.

If nothing else, the film is fun to watch, especially given Willis' involvement. It's a shame he and Tarantino never worked together again, considering how well Willis' tough guy fits Tarantino's dialogue like a glove. At least we'll always have Pulp Fiction and Four Rooms, and for those who have yet to see the latter, your New Year just got a little happier.