"Pulp Fiction" (1994)
A Film Review by Jason Wallis
"Pulp Fiction" * * * * (out of four)
Starring John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman, Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Amanda Plummer, Maria de Medeiros, Ving Rhames, Eric Stoltz, Rosanna Arquette, Christopher Walken, Bruce Willis and Quentin Tarantino Directed by Quentin Tarantino
When Quentin Tarantino made "Pulp Fiction", he was not only making the greatest film of the 90s; he was also making what I believe to be the most influential movie of all time. But before you send me hate-mail for not giving that title to "Citizen Kane", hear me out.
Much like "Citizen Kane", "Pulp Fiction" has changed movie making forever. But I think the latter has had a tad more impact. "Pulp Fiction" has actually ushered in a new era of film making. It has altered the way films will be viewed. "Fiction" has spawned so many imitations, I've lost count. Sure, some have been excellent ("Bound" and "The Usual Suspects" spring immediately to mind), but any serious movie-goer recognizes "Pulp Fiction" as the original neo-noir of the 90s. In this review, I hope to change all the people's minds who have criticized it for it's excessive profanity and violence (which, by the way, isn't really that graphic).
The most brilliant aspect of Tarantino's masterpiece is the screenplay. It is filled with so much classic dialogue (the "Quarter Pounder with Cheese" speech will go down in history), it should be required reading for any film student, if it isn't already.
The story (told in unorthodox non-linear format) centers around three main episodes, all of which eventually intertwine. The first, titled "Vincent Vega and Marcellus Wallace's Wife", deals with a very loaded John Travolta (I forgot to mention the cool heroin shoot-up sequence) taking Mia Wallace (a star-making performance by Uma Thurman), his bosses wife, out on a date to a cool 50s restaurant called Jack Rabbit Slim's. They talk for a while (with the occasional "uncomfortable silence"), mostly about a guy called Tony Rocky Horror. After giving Marcellus' new bride a foot massage, he was thrown off a building and into a greenhouse, giving him a "speech impediment". They also partake in a cool dance contest and end up twisting to the Chuck Berry classic "You Never Can Tell". I won't reveal the rest of the story, but I'll definitely say that it turns out to be a real bummer of a night, despite the cool trophy they win.
The second story (the least of the three but still four stars) stars Bruce Willis (proving he can play someone other than John McClain in the "Die Hard" flicks) as boxer Butch Coolidge. Previously in the film (like I said, it's told in non-linear form), he had made a deal with Marcellus Wallace that he would take a fall in a match. As it turns out, he not only doesn't take the fall, but he ends up actually killing his opponent. He takes a cab to his half-witted girlfriend's apartment, and to make a long story short, ends up going back to his own place to retrieve a gold watch, sort of a family heirloom explained by Christopher Walken in a hilarious flash-back sequence. On his way home, he bumps into (literally) Marcellus. The two winde up prisoner to two hillbilly sex murderers, which results in the infamous "Gimp" scene, which is very reminicent of the "squeal like a pig!" scene from "Deliverance".
The last (and best, in my opinion) of the episodes features John Travolta (again) and Samuel L. Jackson (in the best performance of any supporting actor ever) as two slightly off-kilter hitmen trying to rid themselves of a bloody car. They seek help with a friend of Jackson's (played by the Q-man himself), desperately in need of a Stress Ball. They end up calling a "cleaner" of sorts, played by the god among men Harvey Keitel, to help them out. In the end, the story brilliantly loops around itself, actually ending where it began.
If you haven't already seen the film (or even if you have, for that matter), I suggest you invest your money in a copy of the letterbox collectors edition. It features two previously unreleased scenes and the original film restored how it was originally meant to be seen. Earlier today, I bought this version and watched it a few hours ago. What the pan-and-scan did to this movie is inexcusable. That version cut out, like, half the movie. What I have missed in the past years of viewing this flick is amazing. For instance, when Travolta and Jackson are in the apartment near the end, the widescreen version allows you to see that several things on the walls make crosses. This might help explain the divine intervention that takes place. Just a theory...
One of the things that pisses people off so much about this movie is that Tarantino borrowed alot of scenes from other movies (i.e. "Psycho" "Kiss Me Deadly", "Deliverance", etc.). But why shouldn't he? It's not like he out-right and blatantly stole. Give the guy a break.
In case you haven't already noticed, I believe "Pulp Fiction" is a supremely excellent film and one of the best of all time (up there with such greats as "Casablanca" and "The Godfather"). Trust me, you will not see a better film come out of the 90s. And besides, it's one hell of a ride.
Note: If anyone knows how I could get a "Bad Motherfucker" wallet, please e-mail me. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Visit Jason Wallis' "Filmaholics Anonymous" web page at
http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Boulevard/7475
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