Julian RuncanPulp Fiction: The Real Deal
March 13th 2010 15:25
Every couple of years, I try to watch Pulp Fiction again to remind myself why I fell in love with movies to begin with. I can't count the number of times I've actually seen the movie, but I never get tired of it. Even though it's 16-years-old, it still holds up as a modern masterpiece.
Having seen it so many times, and hearing it quoted everywhere, the dialogue doesn't have quite the same punch it did at first, but Samuel L. Jackson, Harvey Keitel, and Christopher Walken still steal the show. Although Tarantino's Jimmy character was once one of my favorites, I've long gotten over his acting style and am glad he barely gets out in-front of the camera in his movies anymore.
One thing that really caught my attention this recent viewing was the camera work. Tarantino likes to utilize the edges of his screen, and subtly shift the camera in or out during some of the longer takes. These little movements help ramp up the tension, which has become one of Tarantino's specialties, while keeping the audience invested and involved, something that some critics feel hasn't been handled as well in his newer works.
The first several times I watched this movie, I hated all of the scenes involving Bruce Willis' character, Butch. These last few times, that segment has become my favorite part of the movie. At this point it still isn't clear exactly how it will play out, and everything takes several delightfully bizarre turns that result in a fantastic climax in the pawn shop. One of the things I like best about Zed and his friends is that you are never given any real explanation about them, only getting the information as Butch gets it, making us feel just as confused as he is.
If you're one of those people that watches movies only one or twice and then never again, I highly recommend trying Pulp Fiction out for multiple viewings. I have a new appreciation for scenes I never liked before, and there are always new things to pick up on like character reactions, shot compositions, or camera movements. Every time I see it, I find something new to appreciate.
8.5/10 (Current Rating)
10/10 (What it was like before it was over-quoted, over-spoofed, and Tarantino became somewhat of a parody of himself)
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