Black Mask

You are always told what to like.


For example,the word great,when tagged to a film, often invokes the anal retentive philosopher
in people,especially film critics.An undue quantum of analysis is carried out noting existentialism in films that were only a result of a film producers materialism,the importance of the particular shade that some tapestry had that appears in a scene thats supposed to be a tribute to some other scene in some other typically ultra-analyzed film ,spotting an anti mccarthyist filmaker in an ordinary guy trying to make his living by making movies that hopefully many people might want to watch.
Yes,one often gets the feeling that critics like to agree on certain 'aspects',even though they obviously do no rate films alike.

When the movie in question did come out in the year 1994,it did cause quite a stir.It made its first 10 million within a few days,unheard of before for an art film.Critics were quick to send the QT to a Camusesque trial for racism and moral indifference.'Dead Nigger Store' especially attracted caustic criticism from many ,including Spike Lee.

But in the end,Pulp Fiction is a film that doesn't take itself too seriously,in spite of sparing a significant portion of its duration to theistic debate,and was made by a man who takes film making very seriously indeed.

This doesnt work like a review,and this is largely my own interpretation.This will work very well if you have the movie on your comp,if you may want to revisit certain scenes.

SPOILER WARNING

It starts off in a nondescript manner,or so you are lead to believe,but you quickly get the idea that this british couple arent there in LA on a holiday.This Bonnie and Clyde team,go about voicing the difficulties that the average blue collar robber faces,armed Jews,immigrants with 'lower than threshold' knowledge of the English tongue etc..

Money is hard to come by apparently-So far into the movie one can be pardoned for believing that it would turn out to be another couple heist caper comedy,but then you have the titles.

Cuts next to a scene that looks to be a black cop white cop scenario,(of the blue streak die hard 2 lethal weapon 1 2 3 4 fame) and they are discussing utter mundane trivialities,all of which turn out to be plot elements later on.

Its only when they enter the apartment to retrieve the suitcase that one confirms his/her suspicion that they are not policemen,but quite the contrary.Lots of the small talk the played out before does its job here of fixing the scene.The foot fetish exchange also plays a role later on.

The next works like a boxing saga,and a notable plot element is the fact that Vincent and jules are in casual clothes as opposed to the previous scenes.

The following scene is the first one to generate any confusion for a first time QT film viewer,as you know not where it comes from,know not where it goes,but really no complaints since you end up enjoying it for what it is.

The entire conversation with Mia,the constant fear that plays on Vincent's head, because of a certain something that happened to Tony Rocky Horror,Mia Wallace's overbearing sexual aggression and Marsellus Wallace's apparent power and 'protective ' nature (of his wife) all adds to create that dentist office atmosphere of dread,that culminates in one of the funniest scenes in the movie.

Now it all begins to unfold, and things begin to fall in place in the funniest and the most grotesque of ways.

There is this scene where Mr Wolf says that he'd reach his destination in ten minutes,and you actually have subtitles that count down the time to the exact second,again:evidence that supports the lack of seriousness I was talking about.

The film ends where it begins,continuing with the tradition of the circle that has been earlier employed in notable films like Lolita and more so in Goodfellas.

I could go on,but I might just end up telling you what to like.

Note: I have two films a several too many times:Pulp Fiction and Monty Python and the holy grail,the first one because it was the only good film I had at home for a very long time and I used to watch it at whenever I got infinitely bored at home, which was a lot,and the second because the Pythons are the Pythons.

*The anti Mccarthyist film in picture is the original Invasion of the Body Snatchers