Pulp Fiction:
Analysis
Film
Summary:
Written and
directed by Quentin Tarantino, the movie Pulp Fiction effectively reforms
customary cinematic norms through use of anti-chronological sequences. Albeit, the dialogue remains procedural; that
is, there is no discernible evidence proving that the dialogue is also
portrayed within this anti-chronological paradigm. Nevertheless, the movie begins at its end
where, despite the viewer’s lack of understanding, a burglar couple make the
conscious decision to rob a restaurant.
Their aliases, as declared in the film, are “Pumpkin” and “Honey
Bunny.” Both Pumpkin and Honey Bunny
fail to succeed in robbing the restaurant, but this never comes to light until
the film’s conclusion. In-between the
start and finish of Pulp Fiction, a series of events happen in an intermittent
order, but for the purposes of this summarization, the paragraphs below
represent a chronological representation of the story.
The chronological perspective
begins with Vincent Vega and Jules Winnfield, who are two hit-men employed by
their mob boss, Marcellus Wallace. Both
Vega and Winnfield successfully initiate a search for a stolen briefcase
belonging to Wallace, but end up killing several men in the process. In
disarray, Winnfield calls Wallace, who calls Winston Wolf to help clean
up the mess. Wolf consults the men and informs
them how to clean up the scene.
Subsequently, Vega and Winnfield decide to have breakfast at the
Hawthorne Grill, where the actual (anti-chronological) beginning and ending
occur. Winnfield reveals his plan to
leave his current life and travel the world as a beggar, helping those
suffering under oppression. Vega ridicules
him, then goes to the bathroom. At this
time, it is observed that Pumpkin and Honey Bunny begin their robbery. Winnfield
consequently pulls his gun and disarms Pumpkin, while Vega proceeds to detain
Honey Bunny and prevent the full-extent of the robbery from taking place.
The next
chronological sequence is one where Wallace asks Vega to keep his wife, Mia,
company by taking her out for dinner when he goes out of town. Mia subsequently overdoses on cocaine, but is
brought back to life by a nearby drug dealer’s effort to inject a dose of
adrenaline into her heart. It works, and
Mia lives. Both Vega and Winnfield agree
not to tell Wallace about the incident.
In parallel, Butch
Coolidge, an experienced boxer, is asked by Wallace to lose his next fight in
hopes that Wallace will make a large sum of gambling money. However, Coolidge accidentally murders his opponent
during the boxing match and subsequently plans his escape. Realizing that he cannot leave town without
his prized possession, a golden watch, he returns to his apartment only to find
Vega in his bathroom. Coolidge kills
Vega and flees but, to his disadvantage, runs into Wallace during a
car-accident in the street. Now on foot,
Wallace chases Coolidge into a pawn shop where both of them are detained by the
sadistic owner, Maynard. Maynard, full
of grotesque intention, rapes Wallace.
Coolidge manages to escape and free Wallace. Wallace is grateful and allows Coolidge to be
set free so long as he never returns or speaks of the events that occurred that
day. Coolidge rides off and the story
ends.
Anti-Chronological
Tone:
Tarantino
revolutionized cinema when he broke the movie’s sequence of events into pieces
and cleverly placed them in an uncanny, anti-chronological order that comes
full circle in the end. Although the
aforementioned summary describes the story in a sequential manner, the
implementation of non-sequential scenes provide a tone that cannot be realized
until observed, in full, by the viewer.
The impetus behind this is clearly intentional. Tarantino must have understood that the anti-chronological
sequence of events could provide a more robust and intensified conclusion. To do
this, he had to create a sense of dramatic irony in the film, where the viewer
is unsure of the logical chronology until the conclusion. This puts the viewer in a position of
uncertainty, only to strategically (and cleverly) accumulate and stack the
rising action sequences to a more intensified climax. That, in effect, gives the movie a unique
texture and tone not previously seen in cinema.
Effects
of a Chronological Model:
Should the movie
be placed in chronological order, as depicted in the summary above, the entire tone
would negatively change. In fact, the
climax would not be nearly as climactic and the viewer would observe the movie
and a series of events that occurred at one point in time. In turn, the viewer may not feel a true
connection with the film, nor would they care about the welfare of the
characters. By implementing a
traditional order for a movie like Pulp Fiction, no real assembly to the film
could be made. Part of the greatness of
doing things in an unprecedented way is the conclusive appreciation of the
film. Once the film ends, the viewer
then begins to put the pieces together in a normal, chronological manner. Thus, in effect, this film makes the viewer
think long after its credits. This would
not happen in a traditional, chronological model. The movie would end and the viewers would
leave it behind. This movie is superb
because of its modification; changing it back to a customary sequence would
strip the film of its stout impression on the viewer.
Quality
Score & Justification:
Considered by
many to be one of the greatest films of all time, Pulp Fiction deserves an
“A.” The interweaving of sequences and
mini-stories make sense when separate, but not together, at least throughout
the film. The genius of it comes only at
the end, where all the pieces of the puzzle can be brought together and
understood. Further, and perhaps one of
the most impressive qualities of the film, is Tarantino’s ability to create a
dialogue that remains sequential. It is
almost as if the viewer has to ignore the words of the characters, so as not to
get confused. This effect is crafted
carefully and is fundamentally a work of genius. Any movie that can manage this and still find
room for comedic relief deserves the highest of accolades.
Additionally, the
dialogue is thought provoking, interesting, comical, and most significantly,
carries the film through a sense of sequence and connection. For example, the conversation between Coolidge
and his girlfriend, Fabienne, is coy and playful instead of serious. At this point in the film, the viewer might
expect the conversation to be serious since Butch just killed a man. Instead they cuddle in bed and have a normal
conversation, which gives insight to the impetus behind this film. There is connection here similar to that of
the viewer and the film, being that not all things need to happen in a procedural
manner. That is, Coolidge does not have
to feel remorse immediately after killing a man, it can happen at another time.
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