Pulp Fiction Review
Quentin Tarantino's 1994 box office hit Pulp Fiction created a new genre: film noir with the sarcasm and disillusionment of the '90's. Base situations and low-life characters somehow do not come off as dramatic and shocking, but rather as ordinary and understandable. Tarantino, a self-taught, one-time video store clerk, has made a film not based on reality but based on film. Pulp Fiction is a tongue-in-cheek look at typical movie cliches, ranging from the dangerous life of a mobster to the returning of a patriotic war hero. While Pulp Fiction is only occasionally laugh-out-loud funny, a smirk remains painted on the lips of its viewers through out the duration of the two and a half hour film. The extraordinary somehow becomes ordinary and the ordinary somehow seems inappropriate. Perhaps it is the nonchalance with which Tarantino approaches drug use and violence that has offended so many people, but conversely, it is that same casual nature that makes the film void of judgment and therefore draws people to it. The screenplay, written by Tarantino and Roger Avary, is quick and witty. Action is cushioned by dialogue, and even without action, the dialogue is strong enough to stand on its own. The most enjoya
ble banter takes place between organized-crime partners, Jules and Vincent Vega. Vincent Vega, played by John Travolta, is a well-intentioned hit man who, despite his arrogance, usually screws things up. Travolta gives a stellar performance, making a cocky, middle-aged thug seem harmless, charming, and oddly loveable. Samuel L. Jackson is cast as Vincent Vega's better half, Jules. Jackson delivers his lines with an undaunted confidence and Shaft-style smoothness. Lines which could potentially seem over-the-top, through the assistance of Jackson's amazing screen presence, come across as intimidating and oh-so-cool. Making it seem not only acceptable, but ultimately necessary that Jules should have a wallet that says "Bad Mother Fucker". Both Travolta and Jackson took potentially one-sided roles, filled out their intricacies, and created two different, complex characters that compliment each other beautifully. Despite the lurid overtones of the film, an undertone of redemption and innocence is present throughout. Yolanda and Ringo, played by Tim Roth and Amanda Plummer, have a child-like attachment to each other, using pet names like "honey-bunny" and "pumpkin". Once again, the juxtaposition of dialogue and imminent crime startle the viewer into acceptance. Clinging tenaciously to each other before and after robbing a coffee shop, Yolanda and Ringo make innocence amongst depravity apparent in the final scene. Jackson's character, Jules, believes God has saved him from death, and returns the favor in the closing scene of the film. By choosing not to kill but rather to help the crazed yet harmless British couple holding up the coffee shop where he's eating breakfast, Jules completes the circle of redemption. Willis's character, Butch, returns after escaping potential rape to save his gang
Some common words found in the essay are:
Pulp Fiction, Yolanda Ringo, Orion Coolidge, Americanbut Tarantino's, Alan Stone, Jules Jackson, Amanda Plummer, John Travolta, Roger Avary, Robert Ebert, pulp fiction, coffee shop, yolanda ringo, marcellus wallace, bruce willis, vincent vega,
Approximate Word count = 1219
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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