Recently named by Entertainment Weekly as the best film of the past 25 years and by the American Film Institute as the 7th best gangster film of all time, director Quentin Tarantino's masterpiece, PULP FICTION, is not unaccustomed to accolades. Tarantino and co-writer Roger Avary won an Oscar for their innovative screenplay. Stars John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson and Uma Thurman were all nominated for acting by the Academy, which also gave nods to Tarantino as director, editor Sally Menke and producer Lawrence Bender for Best Picture. To say PULP FICTION is beloved is truly accurate, ranked near the top among movie fans on IMDB. But for filmmakers, the most important distinction is its influence. No film since has been more influential to the world of cinema.
The interlocking stories move forward and backward in time, telling the tale of wayward criminals. The story begins with low-level thug Ringo (Tim Roth, THE INCREDIBLE HULK) and his girl Yolanda (Amanda Plummer, JOE VS. THE VOLCANO) planning an impromptu robbery of a diner. As they spring to action, we spring to another story. Hitmen Vincent Vega (Travolta, SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER) and Jules Winnfield (Jackson, JACKIE BROWN) are headed to an appointment. On the way, they discuss the delicate issue of foot massages as it applies to their rash gangster boss Marsellus Wallace (Ving Rhames, BABY BOY) and the feet of his wife Mia (Thurman, KILL BILL). This interchange sets up the tension of Vincent's next assignment — taking Mia out and showing her a good time. However, the good time ends with Vincent rushing an overdosing Mia to the house of his dealer Lance (Eric Stoltz, MASK).
From here we jump to different characters briefly introduced before. Capt. Koons (Christopher Walken, THE DEER HUNTER) tells a young boy about the history of his father's gold watch. That boy grows up to be Butch (Bruce Willis, DIE HARD), a boxer who we met earlier taking a bribe from Marsellus. He took the bribe, but didn't throw the fight. Now he's on the run, but his girlfriend Fabienne (Maria de Medeiros, THE SADDEST MUSIC IN THE WORLD) has left the cherished watch back at his apartment. So Butch has to go on a dangerous mission for the prized heirloom, which leads to some strange encounters, especially when he runs into Zed (Peter Greene, THE USUAL SUSPECTS), Maynard (Duane Whitaker, THE DEVIL'S REJECTS) and the Gimp (Stephen Hibbert, THE CAT IN THE HAT). But that's not the end. Now we flashback to Vincent and Jules' assassination from earlier, which leads to a headless body in their car and the need of help from family man Jimmie (Tarantino) and the slick cleaner Winston Wolf (Harvey Keitel, THE PIANO).
From its storytelling structure to its use of slick, referential dialogue, PULP FICTION has been imitated, but never bettered. Tarantino handles the material with precision, letting characters move in and out of the various stories with surprising ease. At over 2 ½ hours, the epic story never tires or loses the audience's gripped attention, because Tarantino knows how to weave a tall tale, luring the viewer in with witty, flamboyant conversations that appear on the surface as extraneous, but turn out to contain sly character building information that strengthens a forthcoming sequence. His pulpy scenarios are simple, but brilliantly tight, populated with interesting and iconic characters.
Look-wise Tarantino uses a widescreen format with a crystal clear filmstock that shows no grain. Because of it, the color palette pops from the screen. For his characters, they have distinctive looks. Jules and Vincent's matching black suits. The intro of Marsallus with a shot of the back of his bald head, wearing a band-aid on his neck. Mia's stark haircut. The characters' looks help mold the iconic feel of the picture. Larger than life characters in a larger than life world. Other details add to this — the mysterious briefcase, Butch's watch, Zed's motorcycle, Jules' wallet. And like all of Tarantino's films, he binds it all together with perfectly chosen classic rock and R&B.
So what is it about? Or is this just an exercise in pop-culture infused thrills? Underneath the slick exterior is tales of redemption. Both Jules and Butch find redemption from their wicked lives. One could say the same about Ringo and Yolanda. Vincent doesn't seem to learn from his mistakes and you can see what happens to him. It's a dog-eat-dog world, but in Tarantino's fictionalized universe the truly righteous survive.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
