Pulp Fiction
“And you know what they call a Quarter Pounder with Cheese in Paris? They call it a ‘Royale with Cheese.’”
Simply Amazing Film
Quentin Tarantino’s 1994 film, Pulp Fiction, is definitely one of the greatest works of the 1990s and probably all of movie history. Both movie audiences and critics alike agree, this movie freaking rocks!
Roger Ebert praised the film for its nonlinear narrative and described it as a "comedy about blood, guts, violence, and a wristwatch that makes a dark journey down through the generations". Roger highlighted Tarantino’s unique style and the film’s ability to keep viewers engaged with its interlocking stories.
Variety mentioned that while the Pulp Fiction’s rough genre and bloody mayhem might not appeal to everyone, it remains a must-see for film buffs and young male viewers.
“That’s a pretty fucking good milkshake. I don’t know if it’s worth five dollars, but it’s pretty fucking good.“
At this point, Pulp Fiction is an essential view for any real fan of good cinema. It’s too well crafted, well scripted, perfectly shot and superbly directed to ignore!
Story Telling
“Uncomfortable silences. Why do we feel it’s necessary to yak about bullshit in order to be comfortable?... That’s when you know you’ve found somebody special. When you can just shut the fuck up for a minute and comfortably enjoy the silence.” - Mia Wallace shares a moment with Vincent Vega.
A master storyteller Tarantino is and Pulp Fiction delivers in spades. From the opening with the Pumpkin and Honey Bunny diner robbery scene to well all the scenes with Jules and Vincent Vega (John Travolta). I mean every last, mother-fucking scene with Jules Winnfield (Samuel Jackson)!
The Butch Coolidge (Bruce Willis) character and story scenes are also fascinating. Then there’s the way these very separate but related character threads interact. Of course, because it’s Pulp baby, they are not delivered in any type of linear order to the audience!
Cast Choices
Could Tarantino have pulled together a better cast than this for the film?!? Not sure if it’s even possible, maybe the casting for True Romance (a Quentin Tarantino script) was a little more epic?
MAIN CAST:
John Travolta as Vincent Vega
Samuel L. Jackson as Jules Winnfield
Uma Thurman as Mia Wallace
Bruce Willis as Butch Coolidge
Ving Rhames as Marsellus Wallace
Harvey Keitel as Winston “The Wolf” Wolfe
Tim Roth as Pumpkin (Ringo)
Amanda Plummer as Honey Bunny (Yolanda)
Eric Stoltz as Lance
Rosanna Arquette as Jody
Of course, Samuel Jackson steals all the great lines in the movie. For example, in the Brad’s Apartment scene (before executing someone)...
“The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men…” - Jules Winnfield quoting the Holy Bible, Ezekiel 25:17
Soundtrack
Right so the film’s casting, story and cinematography all top notch, but what about the soundtrack? Um yea, freaking AMAZING soundtrack man! :D
Seriously, one of the track’s Tarantino chose is such a classic, it happens to be me and my wife’s “song” (as in “Babe, our song is playing…”). Of course, that would be “Let’s Stay Together” by Al Green.
Then there are other huge hits like “Jungle Boogie” by Kool & The Gang, “Son of a Preacher Man” by Dusty Springfield. Let us not ignore “Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon” by Urge Overkill which plays during a pivotal scene with Mia Wallace.
Seriously, the soundtrack is possibly better than the film? They have kind-of merged into one in the same. You should just put it on now!
Physical and Cultural Impacts
QUESTION: What three famous movies are known for causing a physical reaction for members of the audience watching the film? (Physical reaction: as in an ambulance/EMT had to be called into the theatre.)
ANSWERS:
The Exorcist (1973 by William Friedkin)
This horror classic is infamous for causing fainting, vomiting, and even heart attacks among viewers.
It’s shocking and graphic content was groundbreaking at the time.
Pulp Fiction (1994, by Quentin Tarantino)
Some scenes, particularly the intense and violent ones, elicited strong emotional responses.
During a screening at the New York Film Festival, the movie had to be paused because an audience member fainted.
The graphic nature of Mia’s scene, including the overdose depiction and the subsequent adrenaline injection, was shocking to many viewers. Some found it too intense and disturbing, leading to fainting and other strong physical reactions during screenings.
Passion of the Christ (2004 by Mel Gibson)
The film’s brutal and realistic portrayal of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ led to intense emotional and physical reactions.
Some audience members reportedly fainted, vomited, or left the theater in tears. There were even reports of people having heart attacks during the film.
The overdose scene in Quentin Tarantino's film Pulp Fiction is one of its most memorable and intense moments. In this scene, Mia Wallace (Thurman) accidentally overdoses on heroin, mistaking it for cocaine.
Vincent Vega (Travolta) rushes her to his drug dealer's house, where they decide to revive her with an adrenaline shot directly to the heart.
The scene is famous for its dramatic tension and the way it was filmed. Tarantino used a clever editing technique to make it appear as though the needle was actually being plunged into Mia's chest¹. While the scene is gripping, it's worth noting that the medical accuracy of using an adrenaline shot in this manner is debated. Normally, a drug like naloxone (Narcan) would be used to counteract an opioid overdose.
Have you seen this “accidental over-dose“ scene before? If so, did this scene stand out to you when you watched the film?
This scene is notable for its tension and dark humor, as well as its graphic depiction of drug use and its consequences. It’s a pivotal moment that showcases Tarantino’s unique style of blending intense drama with unexpected humor.
Cultural Impact: The film’s dialogue, characters, and style quickly became iconic, influencing countless other movies, games and entertainment with pop culture references. It sparked discussions and debates about its themes and storytelling techniques.
For example, Pinball arcade games! ;)
