KMC Forums - thesis

here is the whole thing if anyone wants to read it or use it. although it is not anything that great.

Pulp n. 1. A soft, moist, shapeless mass of matter. 2. A magazine or book, containing lurid subject matter and being characteristically printed on rough, unfinished paper. This is what appears at the beginning of the film Pulp Fiction before the opening scene. This movie is classified as one of Quentin Tarantino’s best and is on most top one hundred best movie lists. This is due to the fact that Tarantino uses many different film techniques and genres throughout the movie. The main genre that he borrows from is film noir or neo noir which is a more modern take on film noir, wherein the heroes are the ones doing wrong and are mainly involved with a gang or a mob. The idea behind Pulp Fiction is that it is intended to model the pulp fiction magazines from the late 20’s to early 30’s. This is due to the fact that the movie title is named after this style, as well as the definition in the opening of the film explains what pulp fiction is. Also, the cove of the movie is designed to look like a pulp fiction magazine. Tarantino gives his own take on this popular genre by showing a series of interconnected criminal tales that follows through the lives of average L.A. underworld clientele. He develops a good personality for each of the characters therefore creating a personal level with the audience and allowing them to feel sympathetic toward each of the criminals in the three non linear stories; These anti-heroes include Vincent Vega and his partner Jules Winnfield, Butch Coolidge, a washed up boxer, and Pumpkin and Honey Bunny. Tarantino creates these characters and their stories with full intent to create this feeling of on screen pulp fiction.

The first of the three stories is, "Vincent Vega and Marcellus Wallace's Wife" this story starts off with Jules and Vincent on their way to a hit for Marcellus. The first evidence that Tarantino has borrowed from film noir is in how hid characters are dressed. They are in nicely fashioned matching black suits. This is the main wardrobe a detective would wear in a film noir movie although Tarantino puts a spin on this when they get their suits messy and have to exchange them for more of a relaxed wardrobe of shorts and a t-shirt. This brings the movie to an ironic comedic level due to the seriousness of the situation they are in and the clothes that they have to wear. Another way that these two characters are closely related to the likes of other film noir characters is that they engage in many witty dialogues between each other. They talk about normal everyday things such as Vincent’s trip to Amsterdam and the metric system. This creates that relaxed feel and makes the audience feel like they have known them forever. This dialog is a bit of a reversal from what original film noir was like. Tarantino simply modernizes the dialog to suit the 90’s. Although, the scene is reminiscent of Casablanca because of its cool dialogue, the image is soon shattered. The final element that all great film noir directors or pulp fiction writers include is the femme fatal. In this film the femme fatal is Marcellus’ wife, Mia. She is a smooth talking, and vary strong woman figure. She seems seductive towards Vincent on their friendly date at Jackrabbit Slims. The way she presents herself and the way she talks, make her out to be the cliché femme fatal.

The second story is "The Gold Watch". This deals with a plan that Marcellus Wallace has made with Butch, a washed-up boxer. Each are corrupt in the sense that Marcellus pays Butch to lose a match and Butch actually runs from the fight to spend his recent fortune. Both are perfect examples of the neo noir sub genre that is made up of corrupt gangsters and dirty money. Within this story Tarantino pays homage to early film noir directors such as Stanley Kubrick. When Butch is in the taxi cab it is dark and rainy, and shot in front of a blue screen. Also inside the taxi Butch and the driver engage in basically senseless dialogue that does not really advance the plot in any way. All of these themes are seen throughout countless numbers of film noir films and pulp fiction magazines.

The final interlaced story is entitled "The Bonnie Situation". This is where the movie begins and ends. It is in a diner with the two characters Pumpkin and Honey Bunny a married couple who are robbers. This scene is set in a diner style restaurant as is often seen in film noir and is complete with venetian blinds in the background as seen in many of these films such as The Big Sleep. The scene unfolds into a gun-drawn hay day between Pumpkin, Honey Bunny, Jules, and Vincent. Each of their guns is pointed haphazardly ready to be fired. The scene is tense but mellowed down with the calm and cool Jules as he talks his way out of the mess just like any good detective would. He proves to be a character who can talk his way out of anything and someone who anyone could take a liking to. This is reminiscent of Sam Spade from the film The Maltese Falcon.

Tarantino can make light of any situation while still giving his audience an enjoyable ride. With his use of modernized style of neo noir he is able to create an artistic masterpiece with a 90’s flare. He creates the connection between each of the separate characters and lets them solve their problems in their own individual way. Each character is an individual like in any film noir or pulp fiction magazine. He makes the movie his own personal tribute to many of the great film noir directors and thus contributes to the modern noir movie list. Now that’s a tasty burger!