Tarantino Week - Pulp Fiction (1994)
Hey guys, Chuck here. Today, as part of Tarantino Week, I'd like to take a look at a film that truly made Tarantino a household name, as well as started a long-standing working relationship between Tarantino and actor Samuel L. Jackson, who would continue to appear in Tarantino's films, with only two major exceptions. Ladies and gentlemen: Pulp Fiction.
The movie, set in Los Angeles, is told in a very non-linear way, as we actually start off with a pair of thieves, Ringo and Yolanda aka Pumpkin and Honey Bunny, talking about the dangers of robbing liquor stores, and discuss robing the diner they are eating in. After the opening credits, we meet Jules Winfield and Vincent Vega, who discuss the differences between things in America and things in Europe (for example, the McDonald's Quarter Pounder w/ Cheese is instead called a "Royale w/ Cheese" in Paris). Jules and Vincent are tasked with picking up a briefcase, with the number "666" as the combination to unlock both locks, for Marsellus Wallace. While on the job, they discuss the fact that Marsellus has asked Vincent to take Mia, Marsellus' wife, out for dinner while Marsellus is in Florida. Jules and Vincent, after confirming that Brett, Marsellus' business partner, did have the briefcase that they were looking for, Jules and Vincent kill Brett and another guy in the apartment (who is called "Flock of Seagulls" due to his haircut). We then meet with Marsellus, who is paying off professional boxer Butch Coolidge to take a dive in the fifth round of his upcoming match. Jules and Vincent, in a different set of clothes than the had before, arrive and deliver the briefcase. Some time later, we see Vincent picking up some heroin from a dealer named Lance, whose wife Jody has a ton of piercings. Afterwards, Vincent goes to the Wallace household and picks up Mia, taking her to 50's themed restaurant Jack Rabbit Slim's, where they waiter is dressed as Buddy Holly, and the MC is dressed as Ed Sullivan. After winning the twist contest, Vincent and Mia head return to her home, where she mistakes his heroin for cocaine and begins to overdose. Vincent drives her to Lance's house, where they rescue her using a shot of adrenaline. After dropping her off, Vincent leaves.
During a flash forward, we see Butch as a child meet with Captain Koons,who informs Butch that his father died in a POW camp in Vietnam, and that Koons is there to give Butch a family heirloom, a gold wristwatch that Butch's great-grandfather had bought before going to war during World War I. The watch was passed to Butch's grandfather before he went to fight in World War II, and another soldier, due to Butch's grandfather's passing during the war, brought it home to Butch's father, who was an infant at the time, and now Koons, who held the watch for Butch's father after he died, arrived to give young Butch his birthright: the watch. Years later, Butch goes into his next boxing match, and instead of taking a dive, as he was paid t do, we learn that Butch won the match, and accidentally killed his opponent. Butch and his girlfriend, Fabienne, are now looking to get out of LA as quickly as possible, as Marsellus will seek retribution for Butch's actions. However, Fabienne forgot to grab the gold watch when she left their apartment, meaning Butch would have to go back there and get it. Butch does get the watch, but sees a large gun on the kitchen counter. After seeing Vincent exit the bathroom, Butch shoots Vincent, killing him. Butch then drives back to the motel, seeing Marsellus crossing the street with a box of doughnuts. After the two lock eyes, Butch floors it, running Marsellus down and crashing into another car. Marsellus, after waking up, is talked to by a woman who saw the whole thing and offered to be a witness for him, but after seeing Butch exit his car, pulls his gun and goes after Butch, who hides out in a gun shop. The gun shop owner calls a friend of his, Zed, who comes over and they pick Marsellus to go into a back room of the basement, where both Butch and Marsellus were tied to chairs with ball gags in their mouths. As Zed and the shop owner take turns anally raping Marsellus, Butch breaks loose and grabs a katana to kill them both. Marsellus, grabbing a shotgun, threatens cold blooded torture on Zed, and lets Butch go on the condition that Butch never returns to LA. Butch, taking Zed's chopper, rides off to pick up Fabienne and leave town for good.
We cut back to the apartment from earlier, and we see another man was in the bathroom of the apartment. After Jules and Vincent kill Brett, the man emerges from the bathroom and tries killing them, missing every time. In retaliation, Jules and Vincent kill him and leave the apartment with the briefcase and a man, who was also in the apartment with them, named Marvin. While driving to deliver the briefcase, Vincent accidentally blows Marvin's head off, and Jules quickly calls in his friend Jimmy, hiding out at his house for the time being. Jimmy wants them out of his house, because his wife Bonnie might return home any minute, and if she sees a dead man in their house, she will most likely divorce Jimmy. Jules calls Marsellus to send in assistance, and Marsellus tells him to wait for "the Wolf." It turns out that "the Wolf" is a cleaner named Winston Wolf, who arrives ten minutes after being called to help, despite being thirty minutes away. Winston has Jules and Vincent clean the car, mop up the blood from the windows and the upholstery, and use thick quilts and blankets to disguise the car's interior. After doing so, Jules and Vincent get themselves cleaned up, and changed into the clothes that we saw them in when they would go on to deliver Marsellus his briefcase. Jules and Vincent go with Winston to a place run by a wrecker named Monster Joe, where the car with Marvin's body is destroyed. All is well, and Jules and Vincent decide to get some breakfast. At the diner, Vincent and Jules discuss Jules' plan to retire from the criminal life, and (at that same time) Ringo and Yolanda make their play to rob the diner. After Vincent gets up to use the restroom, Ringo and Yolanda hold up the diner for all the cash in the register, as well as the customers' wallets. Ringo gets Jules' wallet as well, and after examining the contents of the briefcase, is grabbed by Jules, and told to drop his gun and sit down. Yolanda aims her gun at Jules, and Vincent emerges from the restroom with his gun aimed at her. Jules tell Ringo to fetch his wallet from the bag, and take out the $1,500 from the wallet. Jules is giving Ringo the money so that he doesn't have to kill the man. Ringo and Yolanda leave with the rest of the wallets and the cash from the register, and Jules and Vincent follow suit, leaving to deliver the briefcase.
Pulp Fiction, while not as violent as Reservoir Dogs, is still a pretty violent movie. Quentin Tarantino, who hit the ground running with Reservoir Dogs, knocked it out of the park with Pulp Fiction, and the cast that included returning actors from Reservoir Dogs like Harvey Keitel and Tim Roth, as well as actors like Samuel L. Jackson, John Travolta, Uma Thurman, Ving Rhames, Eric Stoltz, Amanda Plummer, Bruce Willis, and others. Everyone was on their A-game in this movie, and it shows. Heck, even Tarantino himself appears in this movie as Jimmy. Once again, the writing by Tarantino was excellent and the dialogue was clever and memorable. I know that everyone remembers the whole "Ezekiel 25:17" passage, as well as the whole "Royale w/ Cheese" conversation. One of my favorite props in the movie is Jules' wallet. Yes, the one that says "Bad Mother Fucker." Heck, I actually have one of those wallets myself. However, the one most prominent topic of discussion about Pulp Fiction is the contents of the "666" briefcase. In the movie, we never see what's inside, instead seeing an otherworldly golden glow emanating from the briefcase. Fan theories have existed for years, including the theory that Marsellus Wallace's soul is inside of the briefcase. In truth, however, we will never truly know what is inside.
Okay, if you haven't' seen Pulp Fiction yet, SHAME ON YOU. I cannot recommend this move enough for anyone who is a fan of film. I give Pulp Fiction a rating of 5/5. This is Chuck signing off. Tune in tomorrow as we continue Tarantino Week by taking a look at Tarantino's first film after the turn of the millennium: Kill Bill.
The movie, set in Los Angeles, is told in a very non-linear way, as we actually start off with a pair of thieves, Ringo and Yolanda aka Pumpkin and Honey Bunny, talking about the dangers of robbing liquor stores, and discuss robing the diner they are eating in. After the opening credits, we meet Jules Winfield and Vincent Vega, who discuss the differences between things in America and things in Europe (for example, the McDonald's Quarter Pounder w/ Cheese is instead called a "Royale w/ Cheese" in Paris). Jules and Vincent are tasked with picking up a briefcase, with the number "666" as the combination to unlock both locks, for Marsellus Wallace. While on the job, they discuss the fact that Marsellus has asked Vincent to take Mia, Marsellus' wife, out for dinner while Marsellus is in Florida. Jules and Vincent, after confirming that Brett, Marsellus' business partner, did have the briefcase that they were looking for, Jules and Vincent kill Brett and another guy in the apartment (who is called "Flock of Seagulls" due to his haircut). We then meet with Marsellus, who is paying off professional boxer Butch Coolidge to take a dive in the fifth round of his upcoming match. Jules and Vincent, in a different set of clothes than the had before, arrive and deliver the briefcase. Some time later, we see Vincent picking up some heroin from a dealer named Lance, whose wife Jody has a ton of piercings. Afterwards, Vincent goes to the Wallace household and picks up Mia, taking her to 50's themed restaurant Jack Rabbit Slim's, where they waiter is dressed as Buddy Holly, and the MC is dressed as Ed Sullivan. After winning the twist contest, Vincent and Mia head return to her home, where she mistakes his heroin for cocaine and begins to overdose. Vincent drives her to Lance's house, where they rescue her using a shot of adrenaline. After dropping her off, Vincent leaves.
During a flash forward, we see Butch as a child meet with Captain Koons,who informs Butch that his father died in a POW camp in Vietnam, and that Koons is there to give Butch a family heirloom, a gold wristwatch that Butch's great-grandfather had bought before going to war during World War I. The watch was passed to Butch's grandfather before he went to fight in World War II, and another soldier, due to Butch's grandfather's passing during the war, brought it home to Butch's father, who was an infant at the time, and now Koons, who held the watch for Butch's father after he died, arrived to give young Butch his birthright: the watch. Years later, Butch goes into his next boxing match, and instead of taking a dive, as he was paid t do, we learn that Butch won the match, and accidentally killed his opponent. Butch and his girlfriend, Fabienne, are now looking to get out of LA as quickly as possible, as Marsellus will seek retribution for Butch's actions. However, Fabienne forgot to grab the gold watch when she left their apartment, meaning Butch would have to go back there and get it. Butch does get the watch, but sees a large gun on the kitchen counter. After seeing Vincent exit the bathroom, Butch shoots Vincent, killing him. Butch then drives back to the motel, seeing Marsellus crossing the street with a box of doughnuts. After the two lock eyes, Butch floors it, running Marsellus down and crashing into another car. Marsellus, after waking up, is talked to by a woman who saw the whole thing and offered to be a witness for him, but after seeing Butch exit his car, pulls his gun and goes after Butch, who hides out in a gun shop. The gun shop owner calls a friend of his, Zed, who comes over and they pick Marsellus to go into a back room of the basement, where both Butch and Marsellus were tied to chairs with ball gags in their mouths. As Zed and the shop owner take turns anally raping Marsellus, Butch breaks loose and grabs a katana to kill them both. Marsellus, grabbing a shotgun, threatens cold blooded torture on Zed, and lets Butch go on the condition that Butch never returns to LA. Butch, taking Zed's chopper, rides off to pick up Fabienne and leave town for good.
We cut back to the apartment from earlier, and we see another man was in the bathroom of the apartment. After Jules and Vincent kill Brett, the man emerges from the bathroom and tries killing them, missing every time. In retaliation, Jules and Vincent kill him and leave the apartment with the briefcase and a man, who was also in the apartment with them, named Marvin. While driving to deliver the briefcase, Vincent accidentally blows Marvin's head off, and Jules quickly calls in his friend Jimmy, hiding out at his house for the time being. Jimmy wants them out of his house, because his wife Bonnie might return home any minute, and if she sees a dead man in their house, she will most likely divorce Jimmy. Jules calls Marsellus to send in assistance, and Marsellus tells him to wait for "the Wolf." It turns out that "the Wolf" is a cleaner named Winston Wolf, who arrives ten minutes after being called to help, despite being thirty minutes away. Winston has Jules and Vincent clean the car, mop up the blood from the windows and the upholstery, and use thick quilts and blankets to disguise the car's interior. After doing so, Jules and Vincent get themselves cleaned up, and changed into the clothes that we saw them in when they would go on to deliver Marsellus his briefcase. Jules and Vincent go with Winston to a place run by a wrecker named Monster Joe, where the car with Marvin's body is destroyed. All is well, and Jules and Vincent decide to get some breakfast. At the diner, Vincent and Jules discuss Jules' plan to retire from the criminal life, and (at that same time) Ringo and Yolanda make their play to rob the diner. After Vincent gets up to use the restroom, Ringo and Yolanda hold up the diner for all the cash in the register, as well as the customers' wallets. Ringo gets Jules' wallet as well, and after examining the contents of the briefcase, is grabbed by Jules, and told to drop his gun and sit down. Yolanda aims her gun at Jules, and Vincent emerges from the restroom with his gun aimed at her. Jules tell Ringo to fetch his wallet from the bag, and take out the $1,500 from the wallet. Jules is giving Ringo the money so that he doesn't have to kill the man. Ringo and Yolanda leave with the rest of the wallets and the cash from the register, and Jules and Vincent follow suit, leaving to deliver the briefcase.
Pulp Fiction, while not as violent as Reservoir Dogs, is still a pretty violent movie. Quentin Tarantino, who hit the ground running with Reservoir Dogs, knocked it out of the park with Pulp Fiction, and the cast that included returning actors from Reservoir Dogs like Harvey Keitel and Tim Roth, as well as actors like Samuel L. Jackson, John Travolta, Uma Thurman, Ving Rhames, Eric Stoltz, Amanda Plummer, Bruce Willis, and others. Everyone was on their A-game in this movie, and it shows. Heck, even Tarantino himself appears in this movie as Jimmy. Once again, the writing by Tarantino was excellent and the dialogue was clever and memorable. I know that everyone remembers the whole "Ezekiel 25:17" passage, as well as the whole "Royale w/ Cheese" conversation. One of my favorite props in the movie is Jules' wallet. Yes, the one that says "Bad Mother Fucker." Heck, I actually have one of those wallets myself. However, the one most prominent topic of discussion about Pulp Fiction is the contents of the "666" briefcase. In the movie, we never see what's inside, instead seeing an otherworldly golden glow emanating from the briefcase. Fan theories have existed for years, including the theory that Marsellus Wallace's soul is inside of the briefcase. In truth, however, we will never truly know what is inside.
Okay, if you haven't' seen Pulp Fiction yet, SHAME ON YOU. I cannot recommend this move enough for anyone who is a fan of film. I give Pulp Fiction a rating of 5/5. This is Chuck signing off. Tune in tomorrow as we continue Tarantino Week by taking a look at Tarantino's first film after the turn of the millennium: Kill Bill.
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