Pulp Fiction - An Iconic Journey

Rating: 10/10 (26 April 2015)

Pulp Fiction is a movie that begins and ends in the same place, a diner. This being said, the movie is not just a single layer film. Pulp fiction has layers upon layers that build upon it. Major characters and bit players all contribute to the convergence of story line in this film. To watch it once does not truly do it justice. To appreciate the film, the viewer needs to take in every moment. The movie follows the movements of 2 mob hit men (Vincent Vega and Jules Winnfield) played by John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson as they try to obtain and return a briefcase containing some unknown glowing "beautiful" item. This movie is better understood if it is pictured as a giant circle. When the movie starts is actually where it's ending. This could be considered madness or genius on the part of the Director, Quentin Tarantino. As the hit men try to get the briefcase to their boss, Marsellus Wallace, played by Ving Rhames, they encounter a boxer who is trying to stiff Marsellus, named Butch played by Bruce Willis. A memorable scene in the movie involves Uma Thurman who plays Marsellus' wife, Mia. Vincent saves her from overdosing on cocaine. As the movie unfolds, each nuance plays into the overall plot of this film. The theme of the film deals with the truth of human nature. Pulp Fiction doesn't delve deeply into each character's background, history or story; it merely gives you a small bite of the character. An example of this is when Mia asks Vincent about Amsterdam. He states that he just got back after being there for 3 years. Not why he was there or what he was doing there, just that he was simply there. This film focuses only how each character plays into the overall purpose of Jules and Vincent getting the briefcase to Marsellus and then weaves each character into the plot. When we meet Butch, we find out why his father's watch is so important, but we never meet the father. Tarantino only wants us to know how the watch leads to his encounter with Marsellus. Each character is merely a representation of a type of person: The hit man, the mob boss, the boxer, the mob wife, etc. Tarantino likes a lot of dialogue in his films. Some cannot get past his excessive use of profanity and long conversations. He uses this in most of his films, such as Kill Bill which has been dubbed a "revenge film," but there is a lot of dialogue throughout the film that leads the viewer on the journey to revenge. Two important elements in the movie are the importance of visual imagery and the use of music. From the iconic scene at Jack Rabbit Slims with the retro theme to the basement at Maynard's shop with the gimp to the inside of Jules' car after he accidentally shoots Marvin, visual imagery is key. Music is also very important, again at Jack Rabbit Slims during the Twist Contest when "You Never Can Tell" is playing and again later when Mia comes back home and is dancing to "Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon," each song creates the scene for the audience. The soundtrack for this film is still head and shoulders above the all others and to this viewer is the most memorable part of the film itself. When Pulp Fiction came out, people rushed to buy soundtracks to movies and this proves why. Each song has a purpose and its purpose, just like the entire movie itself, is pure genius.