Pulp Fiction was originally magazines with tales about bigger than life characters solving crimes or rescuing a damsel in distress. The stories were written on “pulp” which was the cheapest paper available in the 1930’s and 40’s. The low price and exotic new stories drew in readers like moths to a flame. The stories were filled with violence, risque scenes with women, and drug use all too off the wall to be published by the major outlets of the time. But some authors like H. P. Lovecraft and Ray Bradbury gained popularity off of these magazines (“What is Pulp Fiction”).
The 1995 film Pulp Fiction comes back over half a century later with non-linear storytelling, witty dialogue, and raw unadulterated violence which makes it a truly thought provoking film. The first and most notable part of the film Pulp Fiction that viewers tend to notice, is the non-linear story line. Starting off in the diner with the conversation between the Bonnie and Clyde like couple it’s easy to slip into the idea that this film is going to be some sort of crime filled love story.
However, when “Honeybunny” jumps up and says her line, “If any of you fucking pricks move I’ll execute every last fucking one of you” then a freeze frame and jump to opening credits with “Miserlou” by Dick Dale and the Delton’s playing it quickly sets the tone. The opening and closing scenes, while chronologically taking place in order, are perfect bookends that hold the rest of the film together even though they occur nearly two hours apart. As the film progresses it moves into four distinctly different story arcs. Each one taking place during a different time.
On the first watch of the film it can be very confusing and causes viewers to have more questions than answers. It can take many viewings of Pulp Fiction to fully understand the entire story line. A film of this magnitude can only be found in the mind of a writer who has devoted their life to film. According to the book “Pulp Fiction: The Complete Story of Quentin Tarintino’s Masterpiece” by Jason Bailey, Steve Buscemi is quoted as saying, “When I saw Pulp Fiction … the little boy watching this big TV, being alone in the room, the TV being his friend—to me, that’s Quentin” (11).
This goes to show that actors who worked closely with Tarintino have seen the sheer imagination and genius that he has. When it comes down to it the non-linear storyline can be confusing on the first watch of Pulp Fiction but this adds to the film being thought provoking. In another scene, when Vince and Jules are riding in the car they have some friendly banter back and forth about what a quarter pounder in France is called, a “royal with cheese”. According to IMDB user and film critic, kylopod, the dialogue in the film is not only witty it is also comedic.
On top of that, in some instances it tends to be very different than what some viewers might expect from a crime movie. Pulp Fiction is also a very quotable film. From dorm rooms, to parties, to lunch rooms across the United States, you are bound to hear at some point “Say what again. I dare you. I double dog dare you. ” When this line is said in the film it is both scary and hilarious at the same time. The quotable nature of the film has given it a very high re-watch value, easily earning it a place in the top 100 movies of all time according to the American Film Institute (“AFI’s 100 Years… 00 Movies – 10th Anniversary Edition. “).
Dialogue from Jules’ bible verse to Jimmie’s (played by Quentin Tarintino) lines about “dead nigger storage” are both extremely shocking and fresh. Few movies are able to combine the freshness of banter between characters as well as the quotability. Many of the lines in the film make a viewer step back and look at what is being said and why. The creative dialogue adds to the value of this film. While certain aspects of the spoken word in Pulp Fiction are shocking what is more shocking is the ultra-violent nature of the film.
There are many violent aspects of the film ranging from simply pointing a gun at a diner full of people, to stabbing a man with a katana. The bloodiest scene in the film is when Vince accidentally shoots Marvin and fills the car up with blood. While on the other hand, one of the most infamous scenes is when Butch, a protagonist, gets captured in a rape dungeon alongside Marcellus Wallace, an antagonist, and they are both tortured and raped. Butch has a change of heart and comes in to save the day. This in particular is very difficult for many people to watch as it can dredge up a lot of bad memories.
These examples of violence often make the viewer ask himself “why? ”. It can easily be said that Quentin Tarintino is a sick person but to some he is just purely creative. According to the book, “Quentin Tarintino: The Cinema of Cool” he drew many of his influences from different films. The Chinese film Hard Boiled features a very visually striking and violent opening scene, and it is easy to see where Tarintino pulls his creative influences from (Dawson 9). Less mature audiences might just get a kick out of seeing blood and guts in Pulp Fiction but none the less it makes viewers think.
Each of the three main elements of Pulp Fiction, non-linear storytelling, witty dialogue, and ultra-violence are all aspects of the original pulp novels. Combining all of these elements with Quentin Tarintino’s creativity, together make a movie that is very enjoyable to watch on the surface. But deep down they make the viewer think and reevaluate things they take for granted. Overall, Pulp Fiction is a film that has immense re-watch value along with being ground breaking while still standing the test of time.