Quentin Tarantino can be compared to the legendary musician Jerry Lee Lewis, as both are explosive performers who are not afraid to push boundaries and create a spectacle. Tarantino's "Pulp Fiction" is a darkly comedic tale that delves into themes of violence, drugs, sex, and death. When I saw the film in 1995 after it had come out on VHS, I was unsure whether it would be one of the year's best or worst films. Those who've seen it know what I mean.
Despite his undeniable talent as a filmmaker, Tarantino's exuberance for the craft can sometimes lead him astray, much like the infamous director Edward D. Wood Jr. However, Tarantino's lack of inhibitions is precisely what gives "Pulp Fiction" its electric energy. It is as if he has been given free reign in a toy store and is determined to play all night long. With its crackling intensity, "Pulp Fiction" proves that Tarantino is a director who is unafraid to take risks and push the limits of cinema.
The collaboration between Tarantino and Roger Avary has resulted in a screenplay that is so expertly crafted in a scrappy and unrefined manner that it makes one want to rub the noses of formulaic screenwriting class graduates in it. "Pulp Fiction," like "Citizen Kane," is constructed in a nonlinear way that is so complex and interconnected that even after numerous viewings, the sequence of events remains a mystery. The film weaves together multiple storylines that take place in a seedy world of crime, deceit, and hopelessness, where the characters are constantly double-crossing one another. The movie's title is fitting as it resembles the old pulp magazines such as "Thrilling Wonder Stories" and "Official Detective" that transport readers to a world of over-the-top drama where no one is ordinary and every moment is a life or death situation.
In "Pulp Fiction," John Travolta takes on the role of Vincent Vega, a hit man who is not at the top of the criminal hierarchy. We are first introduced to him as he is heading out with his partner Jules (Samuel L. Jackson) to confront some young, wealthy drug dealers in a violent encounter. Their conversation during the journey includes musings about why there is a French term for Quarter Pounders in Paris, and their naive musings resemble those of Huck and Jim as they drift down the Mississippi River, contemplating how foreigners can communicate with each other.
Throughout Travolta's character's career, he is assigned tasks that are beyond his capability. He frequently ends up unintentionally killing individuals ("The car hit a bump!"), and is clueless when it comes to cleaning up his messes. Fortunately for him, he is acquainted with individuals like Mr. Wolf (Harvey Keitel), who specializes in damage control, and a character played by Eric Stoltz who possesses a comprehensive medical encyclopedia that he can consult during crises.
Also, there is a humorous and strange sequence between John Travolta and Uma Thurman. Thurman plays the wife of the mob boss (Ving Rhames), who instructs Travolta to take her out for the evening. Travolta appears stoned and greets an intercom with a solemn and dignified politeness that would have made Buster Keaton envious. They dine at Jack Rabbit Slim's, a 1950s-themed restaurant where the emcee is Ed Sullivan, and the waiter is Buddy Holly. The evening culminates in a twist contest, but then takes a dramatic turn when Thurman overdoses. Eric Stoltz, brandishing a syringe full of adrenaline, yells at Travolta, "YOU brought her here, YOU give her the shot! When I bring an O.D. to YOUR house, I'LL give her the shot!"
Bruce Willis and Maria de Medeiros portray another couple in the film. Willis plays a boxer named Butch Coolidge who is expected to throw a fight but doesn't. Medeiros plays his sweet and naive girlfriend, who is puzzled as to why they must leave town "right away." Butch has to make a perilous journey back to his apartment to retrieve a valuable family heirloom - a wristwatch - before they can leave. In a flashback, Vietnam veteran Christopher Walken describes the history of this watch to young Butch, explaining how it was purchased by his great-grandfather, "Private Doughboy Orion Coolidge," and has been passed down through the generations - and through a lot more than generations, for that matter. Walken's monologue culminates in the film's most significant laugh.
This movie delights in ensnaring its characters in challenging predicaments and then further entangling them in even stickier ones. This is how a prizefighter and a crime lord end up as the prisoners of a group of bizarre leather fetishists in the basement of a weapons store, or how two robbers played by Tim Roth and Amanda Plummer, who open the movie, find themselves in over their heads. The movie is all about crisis control. The dialogue in "Pulp Fiction" is as innovative and imaginative as its situations. Unlike many films that use bland and utilitarian language, the characters here are obsessed with words and their meanings. Although the dialogue penned by Tarantino and Avary can be offbeat, it's part of the appeal. Furthermore, the individual characters don't all sound the same; Travolta is understated, Jackson is precise, Plummer and Roth are lovestruck and dimwitted, Keitel employs the jargon of a busy professional, and Thurman learned how to be a gangster's girlfriend by watching soap operas.
It's been said that Tarantino, a former video store clerk, drew inspiration for "Pulp Fiction" from old movies rather than real-life events. The film takes the audience on a journey through the lurid imagery captured in the boxes of old Blockbuster rentals. Tarantino himself has described these old pulp magazines as cheap, throwaway entertainment that you could take to work, roll up, and stuff in your back pocket. They were so addictive that you couldn't wait until lunch to start reading them again.
