Charlie:
The last time I took the helm for the ‘ol Goggles cruise to yesteryear, was to talk about one of the biggest bands to ever exist; Nirvana. If it is possible for a bunch of kids who were still suckling on momma’s teat when Cobain died, to feel nostalgic for something they were hardly alive for, it is possible for you to get those sweet purple hazies about things gone by if they meant something to you at a specific point in time. But it’s important to keep in mind that you were probably a pretty shitty little gremlin thing while you were having those thoughts about “finally finding good music” or “realizing that this was the real shit andcomputersaren’tinstrumentsbecausefirescaresmeandIamhorribleatembracingnewideas.”
The Pulp Fiction nostalgia trip is similar to the Nirvana one in a lot of ways; initial exposure usually occurred sometime during the pre-teen/early teenage years, the introduction of more adult themes to a youngster used to more squeaky-clean forms of entertainment, and the unnatural obsession with something that most normal people would agree is just “pretty good.”
To clarify, after exposing the young mind to something new that excites them beyond belief, it’s natural, if extremely annoying, to see said mind take that exhilarating thing and try to make it a part of their internal DNA, so that they might hope to be as interesting and thrilling as they think the product they’re consuming is.
This is what leads to 14 year olds donning flannel shirts and power chords like it’s their connection to God, and leads other 14 year olds to wait on pins and needles for days on end until they hear one of their friends to say, “what” in passing conversation, their cue to recite Jules’ entire execution speech in front of all their friends; fellow impressionable minds that are both confused, yet excited by these lines their hip friend has no doubt practiced in front of his mirror a few dozen times. Kids watching Pulp Fiction start to think that they know things about swearing and violence and surf rock and heroin, something that might annoy other fellows who’ve seen the movie and just take it in like they would any other form of entertainment. Folks who would consider such rabid behavior “abrasive,” or “obnoxious,” or “trying too hard.”
So remember: it’s okay to like Pulp Fiction. It’s okay to like swearing and surf rock and violence and drugs (well… sorta), just keep your references to the Royale with Cheese to a minimum. The amount of groans and disdain coming from the room after making them listen to Vincent’s opinions on foot massages for the thousandth fucking time won’t be the movies fault, it’ll be yours.
Jakub:
Had you been born yesterday you would still have heard about Quentin Tarantino’s iconic masterpiece Pulp Fiction. Although Tarantino made Reservoir Dogs in 1992, it was Pulp Fiction’s release in 1994 that granted him recognition across not just in America, but the world. In this work of art, the viewer finds the quintessential definition of Tarantino’s style. Love it or hate it, you have to have a reaction.
So, what is one-of-the-most-talked-about movies of the cinematic history even about? Truth be told, it’s about nothing…and yet everything. The film tells several stories of the crime world of Los Angeles, California. Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson) and Vincent Vega (John Travolta) are two hitmen on the job, hired by the powerful boss Marsellus Wallace (Ving Rhames) to retrieve a mysterious briefcase. In another story, Vincent is asked by Marsellus to take out the boss’ wife Mia (Uma Thurman) while he does some business in Florida, while another story finds boxer Butch Coolidge (Bruce Willis) accepting a bribe from Marsellus to lose a fight.
Many of Tarantino’s films are told in a non-linear manner. Pulp Fiction, however, takes the non-linear aspect to a whole new level. The stories intertwine at least once, forcing you to watch the film more than once in order figuring out the chronological order of events and discover something you hadn’t notice to first time. It is a truly rare ability for a filmmaker to make their work re-watchable for an infinite number of times, and yet Tarantino succeeds.
Pulp Fiction is one of those movies in which everything works well. The stories, apart from being such a joy to watch, are magnificently written. The dialogues and lines themselves make the film, arguably, the most quotable motion picture ever made.
The characters of the film are just as colorful as their lines. Although the entire cast deserves to be mentioned for their wonderful work on screen, a special shout-out must go to Samuel L. Jackson, who adds even more humor and drama to the film. One moment, you are laughing at his response to Vincent’s behavior, the next, you get goosebumps hearing him quote a verse from the Bible. Not many actors are able to pull off such a change so well, and yet Tarantino’s manages to deliver.
Music is a very important part for any Tarantino film. Tarantino, like always, personally chose the music for each scene before (and at times during) writing the script. The opening credits are accompanied by the explosive “Misirlou,” which perfectly expresses the movie’s style and prepares the viewer for the excitement to come. The songs Tarantino chose fit perfectly with what happens on the screen making Pulp Fiction to be a pleasure to watch and listen to.
Despite all of its obscenities, graphic violence, vulgar language and perversion, Tarantino’s greatest film is likely to find fans literally everywhere. It is a truly groundbreaking film that should be celebrated, cherished and recognized for its existence alone. This year being the 20th anniversary of its release, it is only fair to look back on the influence that it had for the cinematography. And no matter what happens with it in the future, one thing is certain: we’ll always have Pulp Fiction.
