Pulp Fiction

tarantino, Quentin. Pulp Fiction. United States. Miramax Films. 1994. 153 min.

            Pulp Fiction is one of the most representative films of Tarantino’s cinema and the film that exalted him to fame. As in many subsequent films such as Kill Bill vol.1, the plot follows a nonlinear storyline and it is divided in chapters. It connects the intersecting storylines of Los Angeles criminals and mobsters. Pulp Fiction is well-known for its dialogues and ironic mix of violence and humor. The film was nominated for seven Oscars, including Best picture, but only won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Pulp Fiction is considered one of the best films of all times.

            Pulp Fiction deals with three jumbled stories that are interrelated.

            At the beginning, in the prologue we can see “Pumpkin” (Tim Roth) and “Honey Bunny” (Amanda Plummer), a young couple of criminals that are having breakfast in a diner. They are having a conversation about how much money could they make robbing the diner and its customers.

            The opening chapter is called “Vincent Vega and Marsellus Wallace’s Wife”. Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson) and Vincent Vega (John Travolta) are two mobsters that are driving to retrieve a briefcase from Brett (Frank Whaley), who has transgressed against their boss, Marsellus Wallace (Ving Rhames). On their way, they talk about their boss’ wife and mention that Vincent has been asked to escort her. That night Vincent goes to dinner with Mia Wallace (Uma Thurman) but the night complicates.

            The second chapter (“The Golden Watch”) starts when a young Butch is visited by Captain Koons (Christopher Walken) who served with his dead father in Vietnam. Koons is there to tell Butch a story about a golden watch that was transmitted from generation to generation in Butch’s family. Immediately, we can see an adult
Butch (Bruce Willis) running away in a taxi because he has double-crossed Marsellus Wallace, betting his payoff on himself. He has won the fight and, besides, he learns from the taxi driver that he has killed the opposing fighter. Next morning, at the motel, he and his girlfriend Fabienne (Maria de Medeiros) are planning to escape to another country when Butch realizes that Fabienne has forgotten the golden watch in the apartment. When Butch returns the apartment to recover the watch, he discovers that Marcelllus Wallace’s mans are looking for him. On his way back to the motel, while waiting at a traffic light, Marcellus walks by and recognizes him. They start to fight until they get into the shop of a rapist.

            In the closing chapter (“The Bonnie Situation”) we return to the opening chapter but with a different view. When Jules and Vincent get to Brett’s, there’s another man (Alexis Arquette) hiding in the bathroom. He bursts out of the bathroom and shoots them but he misses all the shoots. Then they drive off with one of Brett’s associates, but Vincent shoots him accidentally in the face. In order to get rid of their bloody car, Jules calls his friend Jimmie (Quentin Tarantino) for help. Jimmie offers them his house but he’s really worried because his wife Bonnie will soon arrive from work.

            Finally in the epilogue, Jules and Vincent are having breakfast in a diner. In a brief, we see “Pumpkin” and “Honey Bunny” before the hold-up. While Vincent is in the bathroom, the hold-up starts. “Pumpkin” demands all the customer’s belongings, including Jules’ mysterious case.

            We can affirm categorically that Pulp Fiction is a masterpiece of 20^th century cinema. It has been a big influence for other directors that try to imitate Tarantino’s dialogues, violence and ironic sense of humor. This film is highly recommended and also it is an essential part of our culture.