Quentin Tarantino wrote the film as a favor for Robert Kurtzman, who provided the special make up effects for Reservoir Dogs. He was influenced by the 1975 horror/action film Race with the Devil starring Peter Fonda when writing the script, and certain dialogue and plot elements are similar in both films.
The film has many references to the John Carpenter film Assault on Precinct 13.
…What is similar, i haven’t seen either.
