A True Masterpiece. Review on Pulp Fiction Movie

Starring : John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Ving Rhames, Bruce Willis, Uma Thurman, Eric Stoltz, Harvey Keitel, Quentin Tarantino ..........................

Director : The great Quentin Tarantino

Distributor : Miramax Films

Running Time : 154 Min.

Theatre Release : October 14 1994

DVD Release : May 19 1998

Pulp (pulp)n. 1. A soft, moist, shapeless mass of matter. 2. A book containing lurid subject matter, and being characteristically printed on rough, unfinished paper.

The danger of having as successful and explosive a debut as Reservoir Dogs is that expectations are invariably high - sometimes unrealistically so - for the follow up. Quentin Tarantino, however, has managed the near-impossible: improve upon the extraordinary. Pulp Fiction shows what can happen when a talented and accomplished filmmaker reaches his apex.

One of my greatest oversights is not having watched Pulp Fiction in the 10 years since its release in 1994 ( I got hold of it just a couple of months back ). This film is one wild ride. An anthology of three interconnected stories that take place in a modern-day Los Angeles, the movie impresses in every possible way. Writer/director Tarantino has merged film noir with the gangster tale and pulled them both into the '90s. As definitive as Francis Ford Coppola's Godfather saga was for the '70s, so is Pulp Fiction for today's generation.

Love it or hate it - and both camps have plenty of inhabitants - 'Pulp Fiction' is the kind of movie it's virtually impossible to take your eyes off. There's so much happening, yet at the end you'll wonder if anything happened at all. It's gratuitously violent, yet most of the violence occurs off-screen. It's funny, but it shouldn't be.

Pulp Fiction's three tales are structured to intersect and overlap at key points, even though they are not presented in chronological order. Tarantino arranges his initial scene to dovetail with his final one in a remarkable example of closure. Those confused by the structure will see everything clearly once the final line is spoken. It is absolutely brilliant.

~~ Summary ~~

The film opens with a conversation in a restaurant, and ends in the same restaurant. In between, we have several story threads that, at first, seem unrelated to each other, but the links become clearer as the film progresses.

''Vincent Vega and Marsellus Wallace's Wife'' is the first story. It opens with Vincent (John Travolta) and Jules (Samuel L. Jackson) out on a hit for their boss, Marsellus (Ving Rhames). Along the way, Vincent confesses that he's uneasy about an upcoming job - taking out Marsellus' young wife Mia (Uma Thurman) while the main man is out of town. The source of the nervousness lies in a story circulating that Marsellus had a man thrown out a fourth story window for giving Mia a foot massage. One wrong step and Vincent could find himself in deep trouble.

''The Gold Watch'' is about a boxer, Butch (Bruce Willis), who is handsomely paid by Marsellus to throw a fight. Only at the last moment does it become more profitable to drop the deal. So, along with his French girlfriend, Fabienne (Maria de Medeiros), Butch goes on the run, hoping to live long enough to spend some of the fortune he has suddenly gained.

''The Bonnie Situation'' ties together a few loose threads. It also introduces Harvey Keitel as a suave problem-solver named Wolf and Quentin Tarantino as Jim, a man worried that his wife will come home from work to find a dead body in a blood-spattered car in his garage. Sometimes, it appears, helping out Marsellus is not without its complications.

Pulp Fiction is one of the most original films I've seen so far and the casting is perfect. Everyone has done a wonderful job and they give out such a neat attitude, one which is really unique. It would be wrong not to mention the music in Pulp Fiction. The collection of songs and instrumentals are so perfectly suited to the scenes, style and mood of the film as to almost become part of the seduction. A particular standout is when Vincent arrives to pick up Mia for their night out. Too often songs are put on a movie soundtrack to help sell the eventual CD, even though they weren't part of the film. Tarantino has chosen just the right songs for this, his magnum opus, and it makes a great film even better.

One of the more unique aspects of the film is the dialogue. Tarantino brilliantly scripted very profane, but unusual dialogue that isn't the usual movie chitchat. Now legendary discussions ranging from the menus of McDonalds restaurants around the world to the difference between an Elvis and a Beatles person (everyone is either an Elvis person or a Beatles person, but not both). The conversation in Pulp Fiction is already classic.

WARNING : All those who will be offended and hurt by potrayal of drug abuse and extensive usage of foul language ( not to mention violence ) - Please Keep Away....................the rest - U Better have watched this goddam Film or else #$!@#$^#$@#!$!@#$@#%&$!@!@# And yes.................the movie needs to be watched repeatedly, if you are to have any chance of not missing anything. ( The dialogues tend to get pretty low on volume at times )

This motion picture has achieved true cult status, and there is no doubting why.

''The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who in the name of charity and goodwill shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper and a finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee.''

• Jules' version of Ezekiel 25:17