I don't think it's fair to compare Tarantino to guys like Scorsese. I don't even think Tarantino thinks he's at Scorsese's level. Tarantino is firmly planted amongst the younger, gifted directors like Fincher and PT Anderson. And also, I think Jackie Brown is a lot better than average.
I do think it is fair to compare Tarantino to Scorsese, but for different reasons. When I consider viewing a movie, the first, second, and third thing I consider is who directed it. After that, who wrote it slightly edges out who acted in it.I can count on one hand the number of directors currently making movies on a regular basis that I look forward to their movies. Tarantino is number one on that list. Tarantino is a throwback to directors like Kubrick and Scorsese in the sense that every time they make a movie, it is a major event. Few other directors today can generate buzz just by releasing a movie like Tarantino can. And the reason for that is his movies are always at least good, and may times bordering on or realizing greatness.In my opinion, Tarantino has made 1 great movie (Pulp Fiction), 2 almost great movies (Kill Bill, Reservoir Dogs), 1 above average movie (Jackie Brown), and 1 OK movie (Death Proof). His involvement in other very good movies as a writer (Natural Born Killers, even if he didn't like the end result, and True Romance), collaborator (Sin City as guest director, plus Planet Terror and From Dusk Till Dawn where his influence on Rodriguez is fairly clear), and even as an actor in his own and other director's movies place him in a tier not shared by many right now, let alone throughout the history of film.I'm going to see Inglourious Basterds tomorrow, and my expectations are as high as they can be.