Pulp Fiction

illithid235

So, I just watched Pulp Fiction for the first time. It was a pleasant viewing experience, but I'm a bit puzzled as to why so many people seem to think this is the greatest movie ever. So please, from a place of curiosity, explain to me why Pulp Fiction is so good.

Mish42

Hmm. I saw it for the first time a few months ago. I think it's just the shock value! Fun to watch though.

deku12345

Its awesome because the cast is great, the writing is witty, the soundtrack is epic, and Quentin Tarantino does crazy shit with the editing and cinematography.

bruce

Two reasons!

This:



And this:

Julius: Your pardon; did I break thy concentration?
Continue! Ah, but now thy tongue is still.
Allow me, then, to offer a retort.
Describe Marsellus Wallace to me, pray.

Brett: What?

Julius: What country dost thou hail from?

Brett: What?

Julius: Thou sayest thou dost hail from distant What!
I know but naught of thy strange country What.
What language speak they in the land of What?

Brett: What?

Julius: English, base knave, dost thou speak it?

Brett: Aye!

Julius: Then hearken to my words and answer them!
Describe to me Marsellus Wallace!

Brett: What?

(JULIUS presses his knife to BRETT's throat)

Julius: Speak 'What' again! Thou cur, cry 'What' again!
I dare thee utter 'What' again but once!
I dare thee twice and spit upon thy name!
Now, paint for me a portraiture in words,
If thou hast any in thy head but 'What',
Of Marsellus Wallace!

Brett: He is dark.

Julius: Aye, and what more?

Brett: His head is shaven bald.

Julius: Hath he the semblance of a harlot?

Brett: What?

(JULIUS strikes with his blade and BRETT cries out)

Julius: Hath he the semblance of a harlot?

Brett: Nay!

Julius: Then why didst thou attempt to bed him thus?

Brett: I did not!

Julius: Aye, thou didst! O, aye, thou didst!
Thou sought to rape him like a chattel whore!
And sooth, Lord Wallace is displeased to bed
With aught save Lady Wallace, whom he wed.

illithid235

deku12345 wrote: »

Quentin Tarantino does crazy shit with the editing and cinematography.

This is the kind of thing that makes me the most bewildered. I feel like I'm missing some huge essential piece of the film-watching experience. I was kinda looking out for some crazy cinematography or whatever.... but I didn't see any. What's so crazy about how how the shots are set up or how they transition between scenes or how they use lighting or whatever?

*sigh* I fear I will never understand film.

Professor MacJake

Ok, watch the movie again, but before you do make yourself forget every movie made after 1994.

shakeycat

I saw the first 10-15 minutes, but couldn't bear to continue. I didn't get it. I have no desire to try again. I have a few pieces off the soundtrack which I like, sent ages ago.

I saw Kill Bill too, and though entertaining, it was largely unmemorable. Fight scenes (with GIRLS), each on a different set. Repeat. and Repeat. Insert something about Japan. Cool blood spatter. Lucy Liu in a kimono.

kukopanki

It's not one of the greatest movie ever, but it's entertaining. The non-linear storytelling makes it fun to watch, and the dialogue is really great, making it so damn quotable. "They don't call it a quarter pounder with cheese! They go the metric system, they wouldn't know what the fuck a quarter pounder is!"

But more importantly, get down, get down... Get down, get down.. JUNGLE BOOGIE! JUNBLE BOOGIE!

Behemoth

Professor MacJake wrote: »

Ok, watch the movie again, but before you do make yourself forget every movie made after 1994.

Exactly. I don't think you could appreciate it at this point because so many other movies and shows have borrowed from it. It was already cliched for you, even if you didn't realize it.

Amoeba Boy

While I'm not that big a fan of Tarentino, I think Pulp Fiction is great because of how memorable it is. Nearly everything Bruce Willis and Sam Jackson do in the movie is awesome. I don't know about cinematography or lighting, but it has great writing and acting.

I mean, come on, this is amazing.

Silverward

The fact that they have a 15 minute scene about foot massages with no cuts in it. Also, Steve Buscemi as Buddy Holly.

illithid235

Takeru wrote: »

The fact that they have a 15 minute scene about foot massages with no cuts in it. Also, Steve Buscemi as Buddy Holly.

So does the former comment fall under actors, scripting, AND cinematography?

mario

Pulp Fiction was considered somewhat revolutionary for its non-sequential scene layout. Several moments in the movie are not displayed chronologically. Tarentino has since gone batshit insane and does this with every movie he makes, but at this point it actually served an important role in how it revealed information to the viewer that had bearing on other events earlier in the timeline (with Kill Bill, the scene-scrambling felt completely arbitrary and unnecessary).

Memento does it better though.

FangédFaerie

Also, exploration of relationships that, for the movies, are atypical.

We know that Vincent (Travolta) wants very much to get into Mrs. Wallace's (Thurman's) panties, but we just have the kinda-awkward semi-date that involves a dance competition and ends with him giving her an adrenaline shot directly to the heart.

Basically, it boils down to the audience NOT being able to predict every move.

Panda

John Travolta played Vincent, I do believe.

EDIT:I still go 'ooooohh' every time she starts bleeding...