Londoners in the West End who saw a wild-eyed, erratic chap darting around like a man possessed this week can rest easy. For a maniac was not on the loose — it was just the giant ball of enthusiasm that is Quentin Tarantino pounding the streets in search of inspiration for his latest movie.

Premiere talent: Tarantino with Diane Kruger, star of his new film

The director was spotted talking loudly to himself as he wandered around Soho, eventually sitting at a table in The Glassblower pub near Piccadilly Circus.

But Londoners, being as they are, must have averted their eyes at the first sign of a potential nutjob, as Quentin says no-one recognised him on his little day out.

Well, not quite. One eagle-eyed punter at The Glassblower who did eventually clock who he was told us: “We just noticed a scruffy American guy sitting on his own in a corner drinking a pint of bitter, eating fish and chips and talking loudly to himself in different voices.”

Gallery: Inglourious Basterds premiere

But speaking last night at the Leicester Square premiere of his new movie Inglourious Basterds (and gloriously misusing the phrase “hoi polloi”, bless him), Quentin told us he was in fact working on a new script.

He said: “I try to get into a little hoi polloi from time to time. Actually, a couple of days ago it was my day off. I walked all around Piccadilly Circus and Soho and everything. I went to the movies — I saw Bruno — and I walked around the shops. I did some writing in a pub.” He was joined on the red carpet by the movie's star Diane Kruger and singer Rihanna, whose quiff was in a different postcode.

Quentin also revealed he had wanted to direct Pierce Brosnan as Bond in Casino Royale, and would still like to direct a 007 movie.
He added: “I said I wanted to do Casino Royale, they said it was unfilmable... I would have done it with Pierce Brosnan.”