Pulp Fiction Film | EssayIvy.com

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Pulp Fiction Film

The title of the film refers to the 20th century pulp magazines and written novels that

contained violent graphics, characters, and language. The violence in these pulp magazines

involved crime, sex, and physical gun fights. Quentin Tarantino drew his inspiration of writing

and directing such films from the pulp theme. The research plan involved both journal articles

and books to investigate the film in a detailed manner.

Quentin Tarantino displays many violent scenes that reveal his rare accomplishment

opening new horizons in the film industry. This movie has made Tarantino the best director and

writer in Hollywood and made him known as a producer of original eye-catching films (Jason

192).

The film Pulp Fiction is a mixture of many themes that one would wish to see in any

enticing movie. Quentin Tarantino wrote the film script with a unique style such that it has

intense scenes alternating with calm ones throughout. The viewer is enticed to keep watching as

they anticipate for the next scene. Pulp Fiction is controversial in the sense that its manic

excesses are likely to bring bewilderment and offense. The unusual film displays popular culture

and satirizes it unapologetically. In spite of the movie having a high rating and many followers,

the violence in the characters’ language and actions is beyond the expectation.

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The Pulp Fiction film can be discussed in many dimensions as it falls under drama,

humor, and crime genre. The reason it does not have a specific genre is because its arrays are

cinematic and reflexive. Moreover, the film uses homage and has pop cultural references. It falls

in the post-modern collage genre. The picture of the script is a flamboyant manic that conveys

the theme message of the film. It includes a collection of different crimes and uses

blaxploitation, which utilizes black stereotypes (Adilifu 121). The Pulp Fiction film is post-

modern as it has lively characters who know their roles well compared to those in other films.

The story writer and director Quentin Tarantino devoted developed characters’

conversations in such a way that shows their life perspectives and sense of humor. This film

shows a complete blend of both cinema and theatre aspects. It provides the insight of different

morals reflected in the criminals who reveal the tone of the entire film (Adilifu 16). Quentin

Tarantino had an interesting fantasy while writing the storyline of this movie. The allusions and

landscapes he portrays in the film provide the viewer with the experience of the best movie of all

times. For example, the image of Marilyn Monroe’s skirt situation when it flew over the subway

and Jules’ concern to being a flock of seagulls’ victim as he had a resembling haircut.

The language of Pulp Fiction clearly shows that the film is referenced in the mid 20

century, 1950’s to 1970’s (Jason 12). The teasing and bantering are the assembly of

complimentary references of other movies. Quentin Tarantino applied the old ways of

storytelling into the screenwriting of his Pulp Fiction film. From the crime genre, the story

unfolds in order as an audience would anticipate and then, within no time, it takes a twist leaving

the viewers in suspense. This feature is seen when Vincent goes to see Mia, his boss’ wife. Mia

entices him into romance and clearly, he is attracted to her. The audience's expectations of

Vincent falling for Mia’s charm are not confirmed, since he realizes that he has to be loyal to his

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boss and to himself. This fact clearly shows that Quentin Tarantino seemingly took genre

characters and situations, applying them to real life situations to show how they are likely to

unfold.

Quentin Tarantino drew references from the crime drama directed by Don Siegel,

Marcellus. Despite the fact that the pulp fiction story has an array of different visuals, it does not

have a film score. The reason is that the motion pictures are incorporated with not a common

genre of music but completely diverse assortment of genres: rock, pop, roll, surf, and soul (Jason

125). However, surf is the overall style Quentin Tarantino used in directing his film. The movie

text, on the other hand, was formed by blending underground song records, using musical style

of the 1960’s. Pulp Fiction film is a combination of insignificant sub-cultures that revolve around

political issues (Adilifu 142). The movie is focused on the younger generation audience who are

cinematically aware. Both the audio and visual collaboration of Pulp Fiction reveals that this film

is post-modern compared to other films of its time.

Quentin Tarantino incorporated three different types of narratives, which unfold as the

movie continues without being controversial to the viewers following. Each of the three

narratives is given equal weight and goes hand in hand with the main topic of the movie to bring

out the overall theme (Adilifu 15) The writer married the narratives in unusual way such that

their order is controversial. The preface introduces the viewer to the theme of the movie. It starts

with Bunny and Pumpkin who are protagonists in the storyline. The audience learns that

Pumpkin has been robbing liquor stores and he realizes that it is a risk. At this point, the film

shows the character wants to find a new job and discusses armed robbery with his friend Bunny.

With their misguided confidence, they plan that the robbery would be on soft targets. Their

characters and attitudes touch the theme that unfolds throughout the movie.

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In the apartment scene, there is a discrepancy revealed between screenplay and the film.

The narrative segment is cut immediately after Jules’ speech, which helps the viewer understand

gangster impressions where the preconceptions are not in vulnerable position. The next narrative

starts with Marcellus and Butch having a conversation on their business, which sets the Gold

Watch foundation. Here, we learn that Marcellus has a high self-confidence character throughout

the film. Their conversation starts with Marcellus criticizing Butches’ poor ability in their

business dealings. The effect of Marcellus’ mocking words is revealed in Maynard’s shop when

Butch punches him. The happenings and actions in this segment bring out the next anticipated

narrative. The manner in which these narratives interlock with one another shows Tarantino's

careful organization of the story line.

The next narrative is evident when Mia’s and Vincent’s protagonist characters take shape

depending on the decisions they make. Vincent’s attitude and character have been challenged

throughout the film. Additionally, Mia’s charm and charisma are also challenged from the

moment Vincent arrives in the apartment and is greeted with a note at the door. Mia’s allure is

outlined in the film more than in the script such that she surveys and welcomes Vincent over the

intercom into the house with an omnipotent voice (Jason 53). Vincent’s moral is challenged once

again when his date with Mia takes place and he clearly reveals his romantic self. To intensify

Vincent’s moral challenge, Mia involves him in a dance competition to entice him and mask her

attraction towards him. She traps Vincent with her charm as they dance, wearing his coat. This

scene is more of a moral choice as Vincent gives Mia his coat allowing her attraction to be

ambiguous if he did not. Towards the end of this scene, Mia is still dominating over Vincent,

while he is clearly out of his moral sphere to normal morality. Later, in the bathroom, Vincent

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convinces himself that Mia’s actions were a moral test to him and he needed to maintain his

loyalty.

The theme of good versus evil is clearly revealed when Vincent chooses to be loyal to his

day job as a gangster and to his boss Marcellus. To show the narrative of the theme, the character

saves Mia’s life not because he is loyal to his boss but because he cares more about himself.

Additionally, his loyalty results to his death when Butch kills him over the Gold Watch. These

actions show that one could be caught in a dilemma challenging one’s moral standards.

Moreover, they provide insights about the character Butch possesses. In this segment, the

viewers understand Jules’ reasons for escaping tyranny of evil. They anticipate that as Butch

goes to get his Gold Watch from his apartment, he would finally win the war. The storyline

marries into the theme of the film and gives a crucial information for the Pulp Fiction overall

opinion.

Vincent’s death narrative resolves the question to what people get when they do not

embrace change in life, especially when faced with difficult situations. Wheels of change

traverse those who refuse change as Vincent does. Another moral lesson of the film is that

people should always identify themselves with those pioneering evil in life as in Marcellus and

Butch’s case. The law in their vulnerable state captures them both. Butch’s vulnerable state is

faced with a moral decision bringing out his protagonist character and the overall theme. In the

end, he becomes honorable and loyal by saving Marsellus with his freedom and he has been

rewarded.

In another scene, the viewers are brought to the speech between Vincent and Jules. As

they have their conversation, a gunman ambushes them. Jules feels that the death escape is a

great sign that he should leave the life they are leading. She talks about this incident with

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Vincent who, on the other hand, refuses to acknowledge Jules’ fears. In the same instant, as if to

joke, Vincent shoots a boy across the street. As Jules acknowledges their pathetic lifestyle, he

has to deal with it. Vincent is motivated by Jules’ resolution to quit this lifestyle and live as a

righteous man. She is left in a dilemma, facing challenges towards his moral decision to live

righteously or continue being a gangster as it is his lifestyle.

Conclusion

The film Pulp Fiction has a non-chronological structure, which is responsible for

heightening the results of protagonists’ decisions bringing out a morality tale. The structure

allows the viewer to identify with the growth of the characters. This way, the audience enjoys

each scene, anticipating the next one as it reveals the pulp situations. Additionally, the storyline

of the film takes unanticipated turns and brings the characters into unfamiliar areas. If the movie

was arranged in a chronological order instead, it would lose its theme that is set in combination

of interrelated narratives and styles.

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Works Cited

Bailey, Jason. Pulp Fiction: The Complete Story of Quentin Tarantino's Masterpiece. Voyageur

Press, 2013.

Nama, Adilifu. Race on the Qt: Blackness and the Films of Quentin Tarantino. University of

Texas Press, 2015.

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