Pulp Fiction is a crime controversial film directed by Quentin Tarantino back in 1994. The film is filled with everything anyone could want in a film including: action, drama, humor and vulgarity.
The film connects the storylines of two hit men named Vincent Vega; and Jules Winnfield, who have a mission to retrieve a suitcase that belongs to their boss Marsellus Wallace. The story also connects with the story of a boxer named Butch Coolidge, who is paid by Marsellus to throw the fight; Butch double crosses Marsellus, wins the fight, and gets away before suffering the consequences from a mobster.
The film intensely focuses on conversations between the characters and reveals a style of dark comedy humor and their perspectives on life. A combination of elements has been used throughout the film by the director to further build audience interest. Tarantino effectively uses the elements: editing, mise-en-scene and lighting keep the audience entertained and keep on watching.
Editing was effectively utilized in the scene where the boxer, Butch, approaches his old apartment; the entire scene used a single shot. While trying to get back his father’s watch, Butch crosses over a fence while the camera follows him closely allowing tension and suspense to build throughout the scene.
An edit occurred when after Butch crossed over and is then at the apartment. Tarantino saves time by editing the scene where Butch is going upstairs to the second floor and cuts to him coming out of the staircase. The editing allows more flow to the scene and for it to feel much more real in order to improve the audience’s experience.
Another editing technique used was cross cutting for the drug dealer in the house scene cutting to Vincent speeding away in the car. This technique shows the audience that Vincent was calling someone, and then the drug dealer’s phone started ringing. It became clear to the audience that Vincent was calling the drug dealer; Tarantino is showing a connection between the two characters.
Mise-en-scene is the arrangement of scenery and stage properties in a film. Tarantino’ choice of mise-en-scene was evident from the use of colors and shots in the scene where Vincent goes to see Mia at her house.
The scene begins with Vincent slowly approaching the door; as he is walking towards he door, his appears to be darker. When he gets to the door, there was a note left by Mia. There was a shot of the note that conveyed Mia’s voice reading out what was written on the note. The shot of Mia’s voice makes the audience feel a bit nervous and anxious that something intense is about to happen when Vincent enters Mia’s home.
When Vincent enters the home, Tarantino uses a white color on the walls and couches to make the shot look brighter in high key lighting. According to Jennifer Bourne, the color white “is a positive color, is associated with purity, virginity, innocence, light, goodness, heaven, safety, brilliance, illumination, understanding, cleanliness, faith, beginnings, sterility, spirituality, possibility, humility, sincerity, protection, softness, and perfection” (Bourn 2010).
Mia and Vincent are far from being anything of that description of white. Tarantino wanted the audience to see Vincent placed close together with a contrasting effect. In the scene where all is white, Vincent is wearing dark clothing that makes him stand out; this represents to the audience that Vincent I in a place he does not belong in.
Tarantino uses different types of lighting techniques throughout the film Pulp Fiction. The lighting is adjusted as the storylines differ. Low- key lighting is used during intense scenes in the film. Low-key lighting was an excellent choice by Tarantino because the film is filled with crime and violence. An example of low-key lighting was in the restaurant scene. The scene was bright from the outside of the restaurant, until the shot jumped to the inside; the lights were dim. The lighting was effectively utilized as the tension and hostility in the restaurant rose as the robbery was in motion.
Another example where low-lighting was used is during the scene where Marcellus wife overdosed on cocaine. Vincent ends up taking the wife to the drug dealer’s house in order to attempt to save her life. If I were to perform CPR or give an adrenaline shot to a dying individual, I would want all the possible lighting I can get. Tarantino did the opposite; he kept the lights dim in the drug dealer’s house to show the audience how intense the scene is going to get.
Pulp Fiction was a great film that used the elements editing, mise-en-scene and lighting to keep the audience entertained and to keep watching. Editing was used throughout the film to get the best shots. Tarantino portrayed mise-en-scene during the scene where Vincent was dressed in all black and goes to see Mia at her home. The lighting technique low-lighting was perfect for the crime film because of the violence and dark humor throughout the film. Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction film was a success.
