Movie One Hundred Fifty Six
Pulp Fiction tells the tales of several different completely different, but completely intertwining events.
It would be impossible for me to detail the entirety of Pulp Fiction’s plot(s) in just one paragraph so I’ll keep it high-level. Story line #1: There are two robbers (Tim Roth and Amanda Plummer) at a diner planning to rob it. Story Line #2: Vincent Vega (John Travolta) and Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson) both work for Marsellus Wallace (Ving Rhames) as hit men, and Vincent has to take Marsellus’ wife, Mia (Uma Thurman),out. Story Line #3: Marsellus tries to fix a fight with boxer, Butch Coolidge (Bruce Willis). All of these story lines intersect at least once, continuously adding to the cast of memorable characters.
While not his first film, Pulp Fiction is what firmly placed Quentin Tarantino as a name to watch and remains high on the favorites list of many. Pulp Fiction itself is an absolute wonder to watch, a film that is simple in theory yet complex in execution. The characters (and there are a ton of characters) are incredibly memorable and even if you haven’t seen the film before, you will likely understand several popular culture references that came as a result. The early scene with Jules and Vincent talking about burgers is particularly memorable.
There are more than a few times, if you look hard enough, when the production values of Pulp Fiction show the film’s budget constraints. Luckily, this doesn’t detract from Pulp Fiction. If anything, the production cements the themes of the stories all being pulp novels. If the film was being made now it would likely suffer from “too many celebrity syndrome”, a term I am coining right now where the film suffers because it tries to cram too many big names and it just doesn’t work (an example is New Year’s Eve).
Pulp Fiction is a raw movie that will keep you guessing, even if you know what’s going to happen you likely don’t know exactly when it’s going to happen. Not as narratively complex as a Nolan film, Tarantino’s style is in perfect form here. Do yourself a favor and watch Pulp Fiction, whether it be for the first time or the tenth.
I give it 5 “Donuts, I got donuts…Hey, I know you!”s out of 5.
(it’s one of my favorite Simpsons lines and it’s a Pulp Fiction reference)
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good job here! This is a difficult thing to try and dissect. This didn’t get five “Zed’s deads”?? HA -
Thanks! Believe me, I have been dreading this write-up all week.
If The Simpsons didn’t exist it would have likely been Zed’s dead or Mia getting the adrenaline shot to the heart.
the lady that plays Willis’ girlfriend – the way she talks irritates me to no effing end. I work with a person who sounds and talks 100% like that. Spare me, gods of the east.
Ugh, yeah. I could have definitely done with someone else being cast in that role…
well written review, my favourite bit is when Mia and Vincent dance it’s a classic. I’ve always wondered what the song playing is do you know?
I’d have to check the soundtrack but I’m pretty sure it’s a Chuck Berry song
Thanks you were right it is a Chuck Berry song called “You never can tell”.
Great write up of one of my favourite film’s Andy. I agree on the Nolan mention also. Memento in particular, took the chronological construction a bit further. Still, Tarantino is the business man.
Thanks, Mark! The Nolans are a bit more surgical with their films while Tarantino works with a butcher’s knife. Both get the job done well but in totally different ways.
Great film and one of the best of the 90s. It’s a fantastic piece by Tarantino, who gives the film its wit and fantastic production. John Travolta is fantastic in the movie and it’s sad he’ll never be like that again.
I love this movie. Personally, though, I do like Tarantino’s first movie, Reservoir Dogs more. Probably because I saw that first, leaving a lasting impression in my mind.
My favorite scene, or one of the many, has got to be Travolta and Jackson discussing the nature of a foot massage. Also, anything Tarantino says in the movie is hilarious.
I also think Tarantino’s RESERVOIR DOGS is still his best. And I saw PULP first. I prefer RESERVOIR’s tighter script and more efficient direction, the use of only a few locations, the killer dialogue and the performances over PULP.
Yeah, there are so many memorable scenes in Reservoir Dogs. From the diner scene to the end, every scene was pretty amazing.
I think if I was forced to choose I would pick Reservoir Dogs as well.
There are very few directors with such passionate supporters as Tarantino, and I’ve counted myself a part of that group since I first saw this movie. He has a great way of juxtaposing the most trivial sorts of dialogue with powerful scenes of violence, and instead of clashing he makes the two complement eachother in a way which truly sets his style apart from other filmmakers
Just curious, how would you rank the Tarantino Movie’s you’ve seen so far?
Oh man, I have a really tough time ranking films…I’ll give it a shot (out of films he’s directed)
Reservoir Dogs
Pulp Fiction
Inglorious Basterds
Kill Bill (I consider both parts to be one single film)
Jackie Brown
Death Proof
If you asked me on a different day I might have a totally different answer, though
Oh…I could go on about this…The budget constrainsts are what make this PULP fiction, like the cheap rags we but on the check out lines. This movie changed how movies were made and marketed. It made the Movie Soundtrack relevant again, for a while anyway.
I own both the Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction soundtracks and I don’t think I own any other film soundtrack so that does say a lot.
Res. Dogs was geeeeenius. Making the soundtrack to your movie the radio station that every body is listening to….what a device.
Great review. Not a big favorite of mine by him, but he is one my favorites to watch.
What would you consider your favorite, just out of curiosity?
Honestly, one of my favorite films of all-time. Everything about it just works and I could probably watch it all day if I had to. Great review Andy.
Great review, Andy! I absolutely love the writing and the cast is amazing. SLJ is the standout; his scenes are the very best.
Thanks! I love him during the diner scene at the end. Such a badass.
Reblogged this on Banana Scoop and commented:
My Take
Andy from AndyWatches Movies writes reviews about movie he recently watches. This reblog is his review on Pulp Fiction. I like it when movie bloggers review Pulp Fiction, because everyone has a different experience with it. It’s such a unique film that it’s definitely interesting seeing what people say about it. I liked his words about ‘simple in theory yet complex in execution’. I like that particular line especially because I find that Pulp Fiction has 3 very simple story lines [like the one's he outlined], yet are shown to us in such a distinct and stylish manner that has become largely known to us as Tarantino-chic. Anywho, take a peak at his blog and the full review. Congrats on the Reblog Andy, keep on reviewing movies!
Get Saturday reblogged from Banana Scoop by simply visiting and commenting on any of our posts in the previous week.
Oh, god, I felt like this movie played in the common room of my dorm, first year of college, 24/7. Every time I was about to head to class, I’d catch a little scene. Then another. Then another. Finally, I decided to sit through the entire thing. Even though I’ve seen pieces of it prior, all of it felt new. I thought that was magical.
It had been maybe 4-5 years since I had seen all of it and even then it’s almost like a new film because so much happens in such a specific order that it’s almost impossible to keep track after the fact.
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