Pulp Fiction

Caroline Beverly

I decided to watch #94 on the AFI top 100 movie list, "Pulp Fiction". This film is organized chaos, split up into five chapters, tied together by cigarettes and a briefcase. The first sequence shows a couple discussing the complexities of robbery as they decide that an unsuspecting restaurant is the best place to become rich. This then begins the credits, where an impressive cast list is shown including but not limited to: John Travolta, Uma Therman, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, and even the director himself, Quentin Tarantino. Thus begins the out-of-order story of some gangsters, a few boxers, and a couple of small criminals that we call, "Pulp  Fiction".
Part of the reason I love this movie is because of the unexpected humor that comes with it. Most movies give no background to the antagonists, and if they do, it shows them as cruel, horrible people. What is great about this movie is the villains are humanized in a way. Tarantino's brilliant script includes casual conversation that audiences can relate to, even though the conversation is morbid and sometimes shocking.
During Mia and Vince's date in the 50's themed restaurant, I really was hoping for Travolta to break out into a chorus of "Grease Lightning". Sadly this did not happen, maybe next time.
I like the Prelude's that set up each section of the movie, like with the watch telling story. This is really when Butch (Willis) comes into the story as his own. I find it clever, or just funny, how the small occurrences are the things causing life or death situations. Example: the watch. I understand how much the watch means to him, but if gangsters are looking for you, do not go back for the watch. The ironic part is that he ends up killing Vincent, simply because Vega took the wrong time to go the bathroom. There was not an over-dramatized fight scene that ended with the righteous protagonist winning. A guy simply picked up a gun and killed a man who was sent there to kill him. It's hilarious.
 I do not watch a lot of his movies so I do not know if he does a lot of cameos, but was very surprised when I saw Tarantino. After cleaning up brains and skull, Vince and Jules decide to go get breakfast where the opening scene is occurring at the same time, hence the out-of-order sequencing. When seeing a film this can be confusing, but is obviously done for a reason, and once pieced together at the end is a creative way to organize a film. Jules puts Pumpkin in his place and walks out, unharmed, briefcase in hand.
My takeaways: We never find out is in the briefcase, and I want to know as it opens and closes the movie. I love Travolta and Jackson together. I love Samuel L. Jackson. If there is anything I don't like it is the fade outs from scene to scene. This made me feel like I was watching a show on TV. I would watch this film again for sure and give it an overall 9 out of 10.