Although not a typical Italian mobster movie like the other movies covered so far, Quentin Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction” is a crime movie following the dark story of gangsters getting entangled in stories of redemption and violence.
One of my favorite aspects of this film is the cinematography. The music is a big part of the movie because it not only sets the scene and mood but adds to the chaos and madness of the film. For example, the fun and crazy music playing in the background of Uma Thurman and Tarantino’s dance contest in the colorful restaurant they eat at.
Starring in “Pulp Fiction” is Quentin Tarantino as Jimmie Dimmick, John Travolta as Vincent Vega, Uma Thurman as Mia Wallace, and Samuel L. Jackson as Jules Winnfield.
From the very beginning of the film, two hitmen wreak havoc on a diner and begin their chaos-filled rampage. As if the scene was not enough action to stun the viewer, loud and fast music blasts shortly after.
The interwoven storylines of the characters are a bit confusing to watch because the scenes quickly change from Dimmick and his partner to Vega and Winnfield in no particular order, and eventually loosely connect.
Arguably, the scariest scene in the movie involves Wallace’s close encounter with death as she overdoses. It starts as Vega takes Wallace home and quickly runs to the bathroom to practice how he will talk to her.
However, in the other room, Wallace looks around and plays “Girl You’ll Be a Woman Soon” and dances in one of the most iconic scenes of all time. She dramatically sings the song and sits down on the couch, eyeing a bag of drugs on a table. As she accidentally overdoses, she falls to the ground and has to be saved by Vega.
Another iconic scene is Vega and Winnfield’s conversation about what hamburgers are called in other countries. It is funny at the moment, but the deeper meaning behind it is to convey how the two mobsters are almost like normal people. This idea adds to one of the purposes behind the movie of showing the insanity behind mobs.
In sum, the movie is three different stories with one small accidental event that completely ruins everything. Tarantino pays close attention to small details in the film that slowly snowballs into bigger problems.
From watching the film, it is easy to see where Tarantino took inspiration from many other mobster movies. The fashion, colors, and music are some aspects that are recognizable from other movies like “Casino” or “Goodfellas.” However, “Pulp Fiction” is brutally original and rule-breaking.
The film does include violence and drugs on-screen which may be uncomfortable for some viewers, but it is still groundbreaking and an action-packed crime-flick. “Pulp Fiction” is filled with irony and realistic characters to create a cinematic masterpiece of a movie.
“Pulp Fiction” is an absolute must-watch because it teaches the viewers how everything happens for a reason through its perfectly cast characters, comedy, violence, and abstract stories. If not watching for the masterfully crafted cinematography of each scene, I recommend at least watching for the iconic music throughout the film.