Royale with Cheese

Rating: 9/10 (24 September 2012)

Novels written in the early 20th Century for general audience, emphasizing exciting and titillating plots. That's what "pulp fiction" is defined as, and that's just what Pulp Fiction is, exciting and titillating.
Ever since Reservoir Dogs back in 1992, Tarantino has kept on producing top quality films such as this one in 1994, the Kill Bill series, Death Proof, and most recently, Inglourious Basterds.
One of Quentin Tarantino's greatest work and truly a masterpiece in it's own sense, the timing was perfect; made during the transition phase from the 20th to the 21st Century, Pulp Fiction isn't too intense for the past generation and isn't too old for the current to disapprove of.
It won the Palme D'Or Award when it premiered at the Cannes film festival. Although Tarantino and his screenplay partner Roger Avary received the award only for the best original screenplay, it was also nominated for the best picture and the best director at the 1995 Academy Awards. There are numerous other awards and countless nominations that Pulp Fiction has received over the years.
If you're familiar with Tarantino's earlier works, then you know that nonlinear storytelling is his trademark. This is also incorporated in Pulp Fiction where the narrative is structured around three separate but intersecting story lines. The lead of the first story is the mob hit-man Vincent Vega, played by John Travolta. The boxer Butch Coolidge, played by Bruce Willis, is the lead of the second, and Vincent's partner, Jules Winnfield, played by Samuel L. Jackson, is the lead of the third.
It is an excellent example of a postmodern film, where mainstream conventions and norms are twisted and churned into brilliance. But I do warn the easily queasy and squeamish, there is A LOT of graphic violence, drug use, and profanity in this movie. It is definitely not a movie for children to watch and I wouldn't recommend taking your date out to watch it.
However, if you aren't familiar with this type of storytelling and think you can handle the violence, you should definitely give it a go. When I first saw Pulp Fiction, I didn't know what to expect either. The movie poster seemed like an old cheap rundown book cover and I had never heard of Tarantino before. However, after my first watch, I was totally sold. The acting by Travolta, Willis, and especially, Jackson were profound; it was their prime performance.
The cinematography, lead by the same people who had worked with Tarantino on Reservoir Dogs, fit the story very well. An excellent portrayal of this is in the scene in the car where Vincent accidentally shoots Marvin in the face and his matter is spread all over the interior of the car. Marvin's body and the gunshot wound aren't shown in the movie; the audience only sees the gunshot and a lot of blood in the car. This allows the viewer to imagine the scene in his/her own way.
The nonlinear storytelling is also well portrayed in this movie. It might throw the average viewer off at first; however, you get accustomed to it, and by the end, you've a good understanding of the plot. Also, the dialogue in the movie is very plain and normal; the characters' conversation is what an average Joe would have when doing the same thing. This makes the characters relate with the audience. An example of this is in the scene in the beginning of the movie where Vincent and Jules discuss about a Quarter-pounder with Cheese from McDonalds being called Royale with Cheese in France because of the metric system.
Pulp Fiction is truly something worth watching in your lifetime. I definitely recommend this movie; even if you don't enjoy it, you will appreciate the genius it oozes. So grab your popcorn with extra butter and your diet Pepsi, or what have you, lie back on your couch, and enjoy!