Pulp Fiction

Smooth tunes and chopped story-lines paint this film including the tales of a date gone horribly wrong, a fight not thrown, a diner stick-up and a strange briefcase. The stories interweave, but do so in a shuffled fashion. They're all connected to the business of Marcellus Wallace (Ving Rhames) a local Los Angeles hood. The film opens with a couple's robbery of a diner at gunpoint. We follow two patrons, Jules (Samuel L. Jackson) and Vincent (John Travolta) as they collect a briefcase from a bunch of slackers who owe Wallace some money. As the film drives on, we see a night between Wallace's Wife, Mia (Uma Thurman) and Vincent, ending in a near-fatal overdose. We follow Butch (Bruce Willis,) a boxer who is in debt to Wallace and is supposed to throw his final fight, a decides not to, prompting Wallace to pursue him for vengeance for his betrayal.

In trying to describe this film, I am lost. Mostly due to its fractured nature. The story line is not told in the correct order, and when the characters cross paths, it's made to look as if the meeting is a chance-meeting. Therefore, as my film watching books encourage, a second or third viewing is needed. It is vital, as well, to pay attention and ask questions in order to ascertain meaning and clarify structure. This fractured nature mirrors the film's creator and director, Quentin Tarentino, whose demeanor during interviews is chaotic and hyperactive. But his stuff works out pretty well, and this film is now a cult classic.

The dialogue is what makes this film memorable. The one liners are what makes it a conversation piece, more fun to quote and talk about than to see. As well, the content of the briefcase; which is never revealed and has had fans baffled for over a decade.

This film must be experienced to be understood, and taken in the right frame of mind and emotional state. There's not much interpretation to be said, this film just functions and runs its course. Its contribution to cinema is the fractured storytelling, memorable dialogue and great casting. But it's hard to explain, extrapolate and examine, and I'm sorry: I'm lost, overwhelmed and this is just one of those movies.

***

In: Uma Thurman

Out: Samuel L. Jackson

Coming Soon: SHAFT

This film contains very adult content, please examine my essay "On Discretion" (Here on Click's Flick on a Stick) and check yourself before plunging into any of the films on this blog.