tarantino – Otis Morley’s A-Level Film Studies Blog

Component 2d: Experimental Film 1960-2000 (Auteurship)

“Experimental film is often the result of an auteur challenging established conventions with fresh ideas.” With reference to your chosen film option, how far do you agree with this statement?
Summer 2019

Plan:

Introduction

Defined as a film director who influences their films so much that they rank as their author, being considered an auteur is a highly prestigious honour only held by small circle of filmmakers. Auteurs possess full creative control over each of their respective works and thus, the viewer is able to identify a film as being part of an auteur’s filmography from a wide range of observable tropes, such as: patterns, repetition, and motifs. Originating from the Cahiers du Cinema magazine in the 1950s, auteurship has always been closely linked with subverting the status quo, and bringing fresh ideas to the table, with revered names such as Hitchcock and Welles utilising groundbreaking techniques such as high contrast and camera fluidity to pioneer this concept.

From the very start of his filmography, Quentin Tarantino has demonstrated that he is most definitely an auteur. Throughout each of his nine films, Tarantino’s artistic expression can be viewed throughout a wide variety of patterns, tropes and motifs that set his films apart from mainstream Hollywood flicks. Tarantino’s unique style of filmmaking is universally recognisable and acknowledged by both viewer and critic alike, particularly within his second film considered by many to be his magnum opus – Pulp Fiction (1994).

Body

Mention dialogue, pop culture, trivialities

Violence

Chaptering and nonlinear narrative

Soundtrack

Postmodernism

Revitalising the career of John Travolta and Bruce Willis

The way he represents certain types of people – women, black people etc.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I firmly agree with the statement. Considered a landmark of the postmodernist movement, Tarantino actively challenges the pre-established conventions of filmmaking by utilising a wide variety of unorthodox measures throughout Pulp Fiction, such as stylised hyper-violence, a jumbled narrative structure, alongside seemingly trivial yet slick pop-culture filled dialogue, that ultimately paints Tarantino as a leading auteur of cinema.

Essay – Version 1

Defined as a film director who influences their films so much that they rank as their author, being considered an auteur is a highly prestigious honour only held by small circle of filmmakers. Auteurs possess full creative control over each of their respective works and thus, the viewer is able to identify a film as being part of an auteur’s filmography from a wide range of observable tropes, such as patterns, repetition, and motifs. Originating from the Cahiers du Cinema magazine in the 1950s, the concept of auteurship has always been closely linked with subverting the status quo, and bringing fresh ideas to the table, with revered names such as Hitchcock and Welles utilising groundbreaking techniques such as high contrast and camera fluidity to pioneer this concept.

A cornerstone of Tarantino’s auterial tropes present within each and every one of his films is his stylistic use of dialogue. A typical occurrence is that a character will engage in a lengthy monologue about a seemingly trivial matter that is unimportant to the overall plot. The dialogue throughout Pulp Fiction moves with a flowing rhythm, being both fast paced and densely packed. Each character actively engages in seemingly trivial monologues, concerning frivolous topics such as burgers, milkshakes, and foot massages. In effect, this dialogue does not drive the plot forward, but instead richly humanises the archetypal characters being portrayed. The viewer is then able to empathise with characters that in actuality, are repugnant humans who commit morally corrupt actions for their own personal gain.

Tarantino also frequently uses swearing within his dialogue, initially providing shock value for the viewer, but it soon becomes clear that the profanity merely acts as a device that relaxes the viewer into the rhythm of the film. It provides for more naturalistic character interactions and contributes to the slick nature of the dialogue. Frequent pop culture references also appear throughout the dialogue of Tarantino’s films, references which provide a level of satisfaction and relatability for the viewer. For example, within Pulp Fiction (1994), bands such as Kool and the Gang, and TV shows such as Green Acres are name dropped. Despite being frequently observable throughout Tarantino’s films, these pop culture references occur swiftly instant, and do not detract from the flow of the film.

Stylised violence is another motif that contributes to Tarantino’s status as an auteur. Throughout his films, Tarantino often implements hyper-violence for two main purposes: light-hearted comedy and exhilarating or subversive set-pieces. An example of violence used in a comedic sense is during the infamous “I shot Marvin in the face” scene from Pulp Fiction. Marvin’s sudden death is ridiculously exaggerated and completely unexpected, creating one of the film’s funniest moments through the subversive use of gratuitous gore. Conversely, graphic violence is used during Vincent’s untimely death at the hands of Butch to make the scene more subversive and shocking – the gore reinforces that one of the main protagonists of the film is indeed dead.

Chaptering is a narrative technique often utilised by Tarantino throughout his filmography, providing structural compartmentalisation. Throughout Pulp Fiction, chapters are used to clearly define specific sections of the film. Through this, the film possesses a distinctively episodic flow to the narrative – the film tells three clear-cut yet interwoven storylines that are presented in a highly nonlinear fashion, each being signalled by the use chapter title cards. Through this, Tarantino creates some truly subversive moments, such as Vincent’s aforementioned death which occurs in the middle of the film. At this point, the viewer is so engrossed within Butch’s chapter in the film, that the idea of Vincent being behind the bathroom door doesn’t even cross the mind of the viewer – making his untimely death all the more unexpected.

The soundtrack of each and every one of Tarantino’s films are highly prolific and contribute to his rank as an auteur. Tarantino strives to acquire an eclectic compiled score for each film, usually made up of music from the 1960s and 70s which provide an potent evocation of the respective decades. Through this, Tarantino often brings long-forgotten deep cuts of the time period into the spotlight of the modern day, and revitalises their legacy. A clear example of this can be seen within Dick Dale’s 1962 surf rock cover of Misirlou, which is now synonymous with the opening titles of Pulp Fiction.

Another unconventional technique employed throughout Pulp Fiction is postmodernism – a term closely associated with Tarantino’s body of work, often making romanticised references to aesthetics that fuel his creative inspirations. Within Pulp Fiction, this idea can be seen through Butch selecting a katana as his weapon of choice, harkening back to Tarantino’s fascination towards the films of Akira Kurosawa. The Jack Rabbit Slim’s diner pays homage to the pop culture of the 1950s – oozing with the style of the decade and displaying cultural icons such as Marilyn Monroe and Buddy Holly. Tarantino has also created a fictional brand of cigarettes (Red Apple) and burger (Big Kahuna) that appear throughout the film, with this perhaps being Tarantino’s way of light-heartedly acknowledging the postmodernist culture that his filmography is associated with. Tarantino is also a very traditional filmmaker, always opting for the use of 70mm celluloid film, despite the benefits of digital filmmaking.

Another auterial trait of Tarantino is his tendency to revitalise the careers of actors who were generally associated with playing certain types of roles in the past. For example, audiences were surprised to see the return of John Travolta – an actor of the 1970s regarded as a handsome heartthrob – cast as Vincent Vega, a charismatic yet corrupt hitman, in Pulp Fiction. Furthering this, a number of racial epithets are also prominent within the dialogue of the film, but this isn’t considered to be exploitative due to Tarantino’s conceptual footing. He instead uses these stereotypes to create strong black characters, such as Jules and Marsellus, who play a hitman and mob boss respectively – two highly dominant forces to be reckoned with.

Quentin Tarantino, Auteur

From the very start of his filmography, Quentin Tarantino has demonstrated that he is most definitely a film director who influences their films so much that they rank as their author, establishing his status as an auteur. Throughout each of his nine films, Tarantino’s artistic expression can be viewed throughout a wide variety of patterns, tropes and motifs. Setting his films apart from mainstream Hollywood flicks, Tarantino’s unique style of filmmaking is universally recognisable and acknowledged by both viewer and critic alike.

A cornerstone of Tarantino’s auterial tropes present within each and every one of his films is his stylistic use of dialogue. A typical occurrence is that a character will engage in a lengthy monologue about a seemingly trivial matter that is unimportant to the overall plot. A classic example of this can be seen within the opening of Reservoir Dogs (1992) in which the bank robbers engage in a conversation in a diner concerning both Madonna as well and tipping waitresses. Tarantino also uses dialogue to illustrate entertaining set-pieces, which do not drive the plot forward, but instead humanise the characters being portrayed. For example, the ‘Who Am I?’ guessing game proves to be one of the most engaging scenes in Inglorious Basterds (2009), despite not contributing to plot progression in any way.

*The classic opening scene of Reservoir Dogs (1992)*

Tarantino’s dialogue moves with a flowing rhythm, being both fast paced and densely packed throughout his films. He frequently uses swearing within his dialogue, initially providing shock value for the viewer, but it soon acts as a device that relaxes them into the rhythm of the film. It provides for more naturalistic character interactions and merely contributes to the slick nature of the dialogue. Frequent pop culture references also appear throughout the dialogue of Tarantino’s films, references which provide a level of satisfaction and relatability for the viewer. For example, within Pulp Fiction (1994), bands such as Kool and the Gang and TV shows such as Green Acres are name dropped. Despite being frequently observable throughout Tarantino’s films, these pop culture references are moved on from in an instant, and do not detract from the flow of the film. A number of racial epithets are also prominent within the dialogue, but this isn’t considered to be exploitative due to Tarantino’s conceptual footing – he instead uses these stereotypes to create strong black characters, such as Django in Django Unchained (2012) and Jackie Brown from Jackie Brown (1997).

Stylised violence is another motif that contributes to Tarantino’s status as an auteur. Throughout his films, Tarantino often implements hyper-violence for two main purposes: light-hearted comedy and exhilarating action set-pieces. An example of violence used in a comedic sense is during the infamous “I shot Marvin in the face” scene from Pulp Fiction. Marvin’s sudden death is ridiculously exaggerated and completely unexpected, creating one of the film’s funniest moments through the use of gratuitous gore. Conversely, hyper-violence is used by Tarantino in Kill Bill (2003-4) to create dramatic and enthralling set-pieces, acting as a homage to samurai cinema.

*Stylised violence within Kill Bill (2003)*

Chaptering is a narrative technique often utilised by Tarantino throughout his filmography, providing structural compartmentalisation. Appearing in films such as Pulp Fiction, Inglorious Basterds, and The Hateful Eight (2015), chapters are used to clearly define specific sections of the film. Furthermore, Tarantino’s films tend to possess an episodic flow to the narrative – particular in the case of Pulp Fiction in which three distinct yet intertwining storylines are told in a nonlinear fashion, each being signalled by chapter title cards.

Postmodernism is a term closely associated with Tarantino – he often makes romanticised references to aesthetics that fuel his creative inspirations. Within Pulp Fiction, this idea can be seen through Butch selecting a katana as his weapon of choice, harkening back to Tarantino’s obsession with the films of Akira Kurosawa. The Jack Rabbit Slim’s diner pays homage to the pop culture of the 1950s – oozing with style of the decade and displaying cultural icons such as Marilyn Monroe and Buddy Holly. Tarantino has also created a fictional brand of cigarettes (Red Apple) and burger (Big Kahuna) that appear throughout his films, perhaps it is Tarantino’s way of light-heartedly acknowledging the postmodernist culture that his filmography is associated with. Tarantino is also a very traditional filmmaker, always opting for the use of 70mm celluloid film, despite the benefits of digital filmmaking.

*The diner evocative of the 1950s – Jack Rabbit Slim’s in Pulp Fiction (1994)*

Tarantino typically recasts a particular selection of actors within his films, including the likes of Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman, Tim Roth, and recently Brad Pitt. Tarantino also likes to subvert the general associations with a particular actor, and in some cases reinvent and revitalise their careers. For example, audiences were surprised to see the return of John Travolta – an actor of the 1970s regarded as a handsome heartthrob – cast as Vincent Vega, a charismatic yet corrupt hitman, in Pulp Fiction.

Female characters are also represented in a strong and self-reliant light within Tarantino’s films, juxtaposing the submissive stereotypes associated with mainstream Hollywood films. Characters such as The Bride in Kill Bill and Daisy Domergue in The Hateful Eight are ruthless forces to be reckoned with, and are richly characterised throughout their respective films.

*Jennifer Jason Leigh as Daisy Domergue in* *The Hateful Eight (2015)*

Quentin Tarantino Contextualised

Quentin Tarantino is an American filmmaker, widely considered by many to be an auteur. Characterised by nonlinear narratives, embellished violence, long monologues, profanity, and references to pop culture, each of Tarantino’s nine films hold an important place in cinematic history.

Tarantino’s origins are unequivocally humble – one of his first jobs was working at Video Archives (a video rental shop) in California. He was well-liked among the regular customers and was regarded as highly proficient in both film knowledge and recommendations. Tarantino began his filmmaking career by writing a number of screenplays after being encouraged by producer Lawrence Bender, culminating in the incomplete short film, My Best Friend’s Birthday (1987). Despite not amounting to a finished product after much of the film was destroyed in a fire, Tarantino’s many screenplays began to gain a level of notoriety among producers. After Harvey Keitel, an actor of the 1970s, became enamoured with one of Tarantino’s screenplays, he was able to write, direct, and act in Reservoir Dogs (1992) – a low-budget crime thriller featuring a dialogue-driven narrative set in a single location. The film also starred Keitel, alongside kicking off the careers of well-respected actors such as Steve Buscemi and Tim Roth. Being screened at the Sundance festival that year, the film received immediate acclaim from audiences and critics.

Afterwards, Tarantino sold two of his previously written screenplays to studios to create True Romance and Natural Born Killers, both of which featured Tarantino’s name heavily on the respective posters. Audiences soon eagerly await Tarantino’s next film, of which he kept important details other than the title – Pulp Fiction – under wraps. Upon release, the film received immediate critical acclaim and five Oscar nominations, with Tarantino winning the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. By this point, Tarantino had established himself as a highly prominent and notable auteur, going on to create seven more films, including: Kill Bill (2003), Django Unchained (2012) and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019). Throughout Tarantino’s body of work, certain directorial tropes are ubiquitous throughout each, making the film indicative of Tarantino’s creative influence. Including nonlinearity, stylised violence, explicit language, and compiled scores featuring songs from the 1960s and 70s, many of these tropes can be traced back to the very start of his filmography.

Tarantino also chooses to reuse many familiar names to create an ensemble cast within each of these films. Including the likes of Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman, Tim Roth, and recently Brad Pitt, Tarantino’s eclectic cast of actors greatly contributes to the popularity each of his films garner.

*Tarantino pictured with Uma Thurman, who frequently stars in his films*

Component 2d: Experimental Film 1960-2000 (Narrative)

Explore how far your chosen film or films are experimental in challenging conventional approaches to narrative.
Sample Assessment Materials, 2021

Plan:

Introduction

Establish the conventions of narrative (three act structure, chronology, linearity) and introduce the theorists (Propp, Todorov etc). Contextualise the work of Tarantino (Reservoir Dogs – a low budget crime thriller set in one location etc). Pulp Fiction is an experimental and postmodernist film, considered by many to be his magnum opus. It subverts the tropes of conventional narrative structure to provide a unique and refreshing experience.

Body

Narrative structure: Takes elements from linear, circular, and episodic narrative structures to tell three interconnected stories in a vastly nonlinear fashion. Three act structure present in each chapter.

Dialogue – seemingly trivial monologues, pop culture references. Flowing rhythm facilitated by dialogue. Link to the film’s pacing.

Narrative viewpoint – fluidly shifts focus onto different characters and frames them as the protagonist at different points (Pumpkin and Honey Bunny in the prologue, Jules and Vincent during the epilogue. Shifts to Mia during overdose scene)

Narrative devices: title cards, chaptering, audience positioning (enjoying being in the company of immoral characters, characterises initially archetypal and cliched characters. Zed and Maynard framed as antagonists)

Briefly references theories and theorists throughout.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Tarantino challenges the typical approaches to narrative in a wide variety of ways throughout Pulp Fiction. Taking elements of the three types of narrative structure, Tarantino presents three distinct chapters to us in a nonlinear fashion. This, alongside other experimental narrative techniques such as narrative viewpoint, audience positioning, and ellipsis, the film is a wholly unique viewing experience, providing a refreshing pastiche of pulpy crime stories, ultimately garnering a revered status among all of cinema.

Essay – Version 1

A vital keystone of filmmaking is the overarching concept of narrative – the general flow of story information constructed by the plot. The vast majority of films typically conform to an array of preconceived narrative conventions, including: a rigid three act structure, a chronological plot, as well as the use of narrative techniques such as prolepsis, analepsis, and ellipsis. Many literary theorists, such as Vladimir Propp (who theorised the seven types of character) and Tzvetan Todorov (who formulated the Equilibrium Theory) also support these ideas, fervently stating that a narrative should be constructed in a particular way. Pulp Fiction (Quentin Tarantino, 1994) was released as the follow-up to Reservoir Dogs, a low-budget crime thriller that plays with the conventions of a typical narrative. Tarantino’s second film is widely considered by many to be his magnum opus, being classified as both postmodernist and experimental in nature, particularly in a narrative sense. Throughout the film, Tarantino subverts the traditional conventions of narrative created by the aforementioned theorists, by utilising the pre-established narrative techniques in a variety of unorthodox ways, ultimately creating a refreshing and unique experience.

One way in which Tarantino challenges the conventions of narrative is within the structure of the film. The events that occur throughout the film are a pastiche of pulpy stories of the crime genre. Tarantino immediately informs us of this through the use of a title card, which displays the two definitions of “pulp”. The first meaning is “a soft, moist, shapeless mass of matter”, perhaps hinting at the shapeless and nonlinear narrative structure of the film. The second definition, “a magazine or book containing lurid subject matter and being characteristically printed on rough, unfinished paper” on the other hand, is suggestive of the titular ‘pulp fiction’ that exudes throughout. The events and characters are both highly archetypal and cliched, and this idea is immediately suggested to the viewer through the utilisation of this unconventional title card.

The story of the film is relatively simple, with the film containing four episodic chapters with interconnected characters and events. On the other hand, the plot of the film is constructed in a highly nonlinear and convoluted manner. Although each chapter itself has a linear structure, the order in which it is shown to the viewer is non-chronological. This fragmentation of the plot creates an underlying sense of anticipation, with the viewer awaiting the repercussions of the non-chronological events due to the fact that they witness the events out of order. The narrative structure of the film could also be classed as circular, due to the film being bookended by the diner robbery sequence. Through this, Tarantino has taken elements from all three types of narrative (linear, circular, and episodic) in order to create a wholly unique and experimental narrative structure.

Each chapter of the film is signalled by an intertitle, and also loosely follows the aforementioned three act structure. For example, during The Gold Watch chapter, Act 1 displays Butch being paid by Marsellus to throw his next fight, Act 2 begins with the sequence in which Butch returns to his apartment, finally concluding with Act 3 in which Butch saves Marsellus and returns to Fabienne. By only displaying fragmented acts of the multiple storylines in a jumbled succession, Tarantino subverts the viewer’s preconceived expectations of what a typical narrative structure entails, ultimately forging a unique and satisfying viewing experience in the process.

Another way in which Tarantino challenges the conventions of a typical narrative is through his use of dialogue and pacing, facilitating audience positioning in different ways throughout Pulp Fiction. The dialogue throughout the film is densely packed, containing lots more than the average film. The characters engage in seemingly trivial monologues, concerning frivolous topics such as burgers, TV pilots, and foot massages. The dialogue is also with peppered with pop culture references to branded items such as the Big Mac, bands like Kool and the Gang, and TV shows such as Green Acres. The dialogue is entertaining and enjoyable to listen to, despite the fact that it does not drive the plot forward in any way. Through this, each of the characters that initially appear to be one-noted and archetypal are thus humanised and are presented in a more charismatic light.

The viewer is encouraged to enjoy being in the company of Vincent and Jules, who in actuality, are two highly repugnant gangsters who kill people for money. Through the use of dialogue, Tarantino presents the pair as a witty and charismatic duo. The viewer is prompted to sympathise with an array of despicable characters who we initially wouldn’t. Conversely, characters such as Zed and Maynard are positioned as antagonistic forces during Butch’s story, despite perhaps being no worse than the protagonists that we root for.

Another unconventional narrative technique employed by Tarantino also involves fluidly shifting focus onto specific characters at specific times, briefly framing them as the ‘protagonist’, if only for a moment. For example, we subconsciously root for Pumpkin and Honey Bunny during the prologue, as they are the only characters we are aware of at the very start of the film. Conversely, the viewer is encouraged to support Jules and Vincent during the epilogue, as the couple are now subtly framed as the antagonists of the scene. It could be argued that Claude Levi-Strauss’ theory of binary opposition is now present within the reprise of the scene, creating a sense of suspense and tension. The focus often shifts seamlessly without the viewer noticing, an example being when the shift focuses from Vincent onto Mia when they return to the apartment, initiating the sequence in which she overdoses on heroin. This technique of narrative viewpoint also creates for some highly shocking and subversive moments, including Vincent’s sudden death at the hands of Butch. At this point, the viewer is so engrossed within Butch’s chapter in the film, that the idea of Vincent being behind the bathroom door doesn’t even cross the mind of the viewer – making his untimely death all the more unexpected.

In conclusion, Tarantino challenges the typical approaches to narrative in a wide variety of ways throughout Pulp Fiction. Taking elements from all three types of narrative, Tarantino presents three distinct chapters to us in a nonlinear fashion. This, alongside other aforementioned experimental narrative techniques such as narrative viewpoint, audience positioning, and pacing, the film’s narrative offers a truly unique viewing experience. Tarantino provides a refreshing pastiche of pulpy crime stories, ultimately garnering Pulp Fiction’s revered status among all of cinema.

Pulp Fiction: Narrative Drive

Quentin Tarantino utilises a variety of narrative techniques in order to propel the plot forward in enthralling and captivating ways.

Dialogue

Throughout Tarantino’s filmography, densely-packed dialogue is a keystone of Tarantino’s body of work. The characters often monologue about seemingly trivial topics, including: burgers, divine intervention, and foot massages. Tarantino’s dialogue is also peppered with pop culture references to brands such as Big Mac, bands like Kool and the Gang (who also feature in the compiled score), and TV shows such as “Green Acres”. The dialogue is entertaining and enjoyable to listen to, despite the fact that it does not drive the plot forward in any way. The viewer receives entertainment from listening in on these everyday conversations, especially from characters that you wouldn’t expect to discuss such trivial matters.

Through this, the rhythm of the film flows in a refreshing manner. Since Vincent and Jules’ journey to the apartment takes up a similar amount of screen time to the events that unfold within the flat itself, the viewer’s perception of time is shifted. The characters, which initially appear to be hollow and one-noted, are also fleshed out through these seemingly mundane conversation topics.

Character Motivations

Character motivations are defined as the driving force behind a character’s actions. These are fundamental to the viewer’s understanding of and engagement with the meanings behind the events that occur throughout the film. During Pulp Fiction, Tarantino’s aforementioned dialogue facilitates the characters’ motivations and thus, the overall narrative drive of the film.

For example, after we learn about the seemingly trivial foot massage incident, in which Tony Rocky Horror was thrown out of a window, we are able to understand and empathise with Vincent’s apprehensiveness towards taking out Mia for the night. This motivation helps drastically increase the tension during Mia’s overdose, as the viewer is left to ponder the consequences of Marsellus discovering the truth. Another example of motivations aiding the narrative drive of the film is Captain Koons’ monologue to a young Butch about the gold watch, prompting Butch to return to his apartment to reclaim it.

Cause and Effect

This idea is defined as “something that triggers an event or action (cause) and its consequences (effect)”. All films are constructed around this fundamental idea, beginning with an inciting incident and thus enacting a chain of events to be set in motion. For example, Vincent and Jules are assigned by Marsellus Wallace to collect a mysterious briefcase from an apartment. This inciting incident ultimately leads to each of the events that occur during their storyline to take place. The vividly realised and nuanced characters present within Pulp Fiction allow the cause and effect to be highly specific and esoteric throughout.

Pacing

Pacing is defined as “the rhythm at which the plot unfolds”. Being widely overlooked by many, pacing can effect the foundations of a film’s rhythm in drastic ways. An action film is typically very fast-paced, as it attempts to keep the viewer engaged with an array of high-octane sequences. Conversely, a mystery film might be more paced in a slower, more deliberate manner in order to try and keep the viewer in anticipation for as long as possible.

Tarantino deliberately paces his films in a highly unorthodox and unique manner, subverting the viewer’s expectations in the process. To elaborate, seemingly unimportant and self-indulgent scenes take up a large chunk of screen time. These include the likes of Jules and Vincent’s drive to the apartment, Captain Koons’ watch monologue, as well as Mia and Vincent’s conversation in the diner. Conversely, crucially important plot events are over in a matter of seconds – examples including Vincent shooting Marvin in the face and Vincent’s sudden death. Additionally, the viewer is subjected to Pumpkin and Honey Bunny’s meandering conversation about armed robberies at the beginning of the film, which ultimately builds up to the diner robbery. However, Tarantino teases the viewer by not showing us the aftermath of the couple holding up the restaurant until the very end of the film. In effect, this keeps the audience engaged in this plot thread up until the very end of the film, during which the robbery is finally displayed to us.

Chronological Flow

This idea is defined as “the arrangement of things following one after another in time”. The narrative of the Pulp Fiction is relatively simple, with the film containing four episodic chapters with interconnected characters and events. On the other hand, the plot of the film is constructed in a highly nonlinear and convoluted manner. Although each chapter itself has a linear structure, the order in which it is shown to the viewer is non-chronological. This fragmentation of the plot creates an underlying sense of anticipation. Due to the fact that the viewer is witnessing events out of order, we expect to see the repercussions of these events later in the film.

Pulp Fiction: Narrative Nonconformity

The concept of narrative involves the discussion of a variety of collective ideas that link to how the story of a film is presented to the viewer, alongiside how the story is internalised. This blog will explain the key narrative functions, as well as how Pulp Fiction (Quentin Tarantino, 1994), in many cases, does not conform to these narrative conventions.

Story, plot, and narrative

The overall concept of narrative can be subdivided into three ideas: story, plot, and narrative.

Story is defined as “everything that happens in the fictional world between the beginning and the end, including events that viewers infer or presume to have happened”. In essence, this means that story is the collection of narrative events that both occur and are implied throughout the film.

Plot is defined as “what viewers see on screen and hear on the soundtrack to allow them to construct a story in their heads. Plots can begin anywhere on the chain of story events and can leap backwards and forwards in time and space.” Plot expands upon the initial concept of ‘story’ by introducing the idea of the viewer’s internal contextualisation of narrative events. Plot also hints at the idea of nonlinearity, which suggests that not all stories must be told in a rigidly chronological order.

Narrative is defined as “the flow of story information constructed by the plot at any given moment. Narrative implies a point of view, which may be that of one of the characters or of an omniscient, all-seeing narrator.” Narrative introduces the idea of using different character perspectives in order to enrich the meaning of a film. Switching perspectives often gives the viewer new insight into the characters’ motivations, as well as the meaning behind the events occurring onscreen.

In the case of Pulp Fiction, Tarantino utilises each of these narrative elements in order to create a unique and satisfying experience. The story of the film is relatively simple, with the film containing four episodic chapters with intertwining characters and events. On the other hand, the plot of the film is constructed in a highly nonlinear and convoluted manner. Although each chapter itself has a linear structure, the order in which it is shown to the viewer is non-chronological. This fragmentation of the plot creates an underlying sense of anticipation. Due to the fact that the viewer is witnessing events out of order, we expect to see the repercussions of these events later in the film.

Pulp Fiction also uses the aforementioned multi-character perspective idea, affecting the narrative of the film. For example, the restaurant robbery scene is displayed to us initially from the perspectives of Pumpkin and Honey Bunny, thus diverting our attention towards the pair as characters. We are engaged by their conversation suggesting a potential robbery and are subsequently teased by the very start of it. Tarantino provides closure on this event at the very end of the film, during which Jules and Vincent are the central focus. We now root for them, as the narrative focus has been shifted, affecting the viewer’s perception of events. On the surface, Pulp Fiction’s multiple storylines could be considered ‘clichéd’ or archetypal, due to each event that occurs being nothing that is wholly original. The predominant pleasure that the film provides is ultimately the meticulously crafted narrative structure.

The Three Act Structure

Another touchstone of storytelling is the three act structure – a model widely utilised throughout fiction. Dividing a narrative into three clear-cut sections, the typical structure involves three acts (setup, confrontation, resolution). In the case of Pulp Fiction, each chapter of the film loosely follows this structure. For example, during Butch’s story: Act 1 displays Butch being paid by Marsellus to throw his next fight, Act 2 is the sequence in which Butch returns to his apartment through to the pawn shop scene, finally concluding with Act 3 in which Butch saves Marsellus and returns to Fabienne.

By only displaying fragmented acts of the multiple storylines in quick succession, Tarantino subverts the viewer’s preconceived expectations of what a typical narrative structure entails.

Types of Narrative

There are three main types of narrative, being: linear, circular, and episodic.

Linear narrative “starts at the beginning, and continues in the order that events happen up to the end.” This is the most conventional and simple narrative structure, displaying events in a straight forward and chronological order.

Circular narrative “starts at the end, then goes back in time to return to this point later on.” This is an interesting story structure, creating an immediate narrative hook to reel in the viewer’s attention. Over the course of the film, this memory of this event will linger in the viewer’s mind and a sense of satisfaction will be provided when the event is finally reprised. A example of this can be seen in Pan’s Labyrinth (Guillermo del Toro, 2006). Ofelia’s death is initially displayed to the viewer in reverse at the very start of the film, and is later returned to at the end, by which point we understand the context surrounding the previously shocking and unexpected event.

Episodic narrative “has clearly separated sections, often broken up by a title, date, or a cutback to a narrator.” This allows a film to tell more than one story, perhaps in a portmanteau style. An example of this can be seen in Wild Tales (Damián Szifron, 2014) in which five stories are told, each connected by the theme of revenge.

In the case of Pulp Fiction, Tarantino utilises elements of all three modes of narrative throughout the film. For example, large chunks of the film are displayed in a wholly linear fashion, such as Vincent and Mia’s date, during which Tarantino employs techniques such as continuity editing. The narrative of the film could also be considered circular, due to the fact that the the robbery scene in the diner acts as both a prologue and epilogue section. Pulp Fiction could also be considered episodic too, seeing as the film is broken down into chapters that are signalled by intertitles.

Prolepsis (flash-forward) and Analepsis (flashback)

A pair of techniques that are often utilised within storytelling are prolepsis and analepsis.

Prolepsis (often referred to as a flash-forward) is a “temporal edit to a later point in time”. This dramatic device can be used to foreshadow and tease future events to the viewer.

Conversely, analepsis (often referred to as a flashback) is a “temporal edit to an earlier point in time”. Analepsis can be utilised to perhaps provide contextual information, displaying past events that will become relevant to the current narrative at a later point.

Tarantino uses both prolepsis and analepsis at specific points throughout Pulp Fiction. Namely, a flash-forward sequence occurs during The Bonnie Situation. This hypothetical sequence displays Bonnie returning home from work to find the gangsters handling a body in the living room. A flashback is used as a preface to Butch’s story – Captain Koons monologues to a young Butch, explaining the importance of the titular gold watch. This later contextualises Butch’s return to the apartment in order to reclaim this watch.

Ellipsis

This narrative device is defined as “the emission of a section of the story that is either obvious enough for the audience to fill in, or concealed for a narrative purpose, such as suspense or mystery”. Ellipsis is widely used throughout film, leaving the viewer to frequently assume that events have occurred. For example, unless it possesses significant importance, a character’s physical journey from point A to point B is not usually displayed to the viewer due to the fact that we can safely assume how they reached this destination. Ellipsis is also used for much more dramatic purposes, such as in 2001: A Space Odyssey (Stanley Kubrick, 1968) in which Kubrick famously match cuts from a spinning bone to a spaceship, effectively fast-forwarding the entire evolution of humankind.

Pulp Fiction uses ellipses to withhold important information from the viewer at specific points in the film, ultimately providing a sense of gratification when the viewer pieces the events together. A clear example of this is during the shared prologue and epilogue of the film – the diner scene. During the prologue, we are only aware of Pumpkin and Honey Bunny’s presence and only later learn during the epilogue that Jules and Vincent are in fact sitting in the same location.

*Kubrick’s famous bone-to-spaceship match cut*

Narrative Viewpoint

Narrative viewpoint is the lens through which we view the plot. There are three main types of narrative, being: restricted, unrestricted/omniscient, and voiceover/narrative.

A restricted narrative viewpoint is when “the audience only know as much as the main character.” This viewpoint is often used to create a sense of mystery; due to the viewer only having the knowledge of the protagonist they are also encouraged to connect with them on a deeper level.

An unrestricted/omniscient viewpoint is when “the audience sees aspects of the narrative that the main character does not.” This type of viewpoint often creates dramatic irony – a useful narrative device that creates tension and suspense.

Voiceover/narration is “an omniscient or subjective non diegetic verbal commentary.” Narration is often used in films such as Fight Club (David Fincher, 1999) and GoodFellas (Martin Scorsese, 1990) to provide a direct line of communication between the characters and the viewer. However, voiceover often provides a biased perspective on events. Despite this, the two aforementioned films utilise this to their advantage.

Tarantino combines both restricted and unrestricted viewpoints throughout Pulp Fiction, providing a sense of satisfaction for the viewer in both cases. An example of a restricted viewpoint in the film is during the scene where Jules and Vincent collect the briefcase from the apartment. During this scene, the viewer is unaware that there is a man in the bathroom with a gun and we only learn this fact once we return to the scene later in the film.

An unrestricted viewpoint used in the film is the scene where Mia overdoses on heroin. Earlier in the film, Vincent is displayed buying powered heroin from Lance. At Mia’s apartment, Vincent leaves this heroin on the table, prompting Mia to snort a line after getting back from Jack Rabbit Slim’s, as she assumes that it is cocaine. With the use of an omnipotent narrative viewpoint, Tarantino creates dramatic irony during this scene, establishing suspense and drama.

Narrative Devices

These are an assortment of techniques used frequently throughout storytelling for a variety of intended effects. These include title cards, intertitles, chaptering, and audience positioning.

Title cards are “printed contextual text at the start of the film”. Pulp Fiction opens with a dictionary definition of “pulp”, displaying the two meanings to the viewer. The first meaning is “a soft, moist, shapeless mass of matter” which perhaps hints at the overall narrative structure of the film. The second definition, “a magazine or book containing lurid subject matter and being characteristically printed on rough, unfinished paper” is suggestive of the “Pulp Fiction” present throughout. The events and characters are both highly archetypal and cliched, and this idea is immediately suggested by the dictionary title card.

The second narrative devices is intertiles, which are instances of “printed text or narration shown between scenes”. Popularised by silent filmmakers such as Buster Keaton, this technique was to convey expositional information that could not be told through silent action. As such, intertiles are not present throughout Pulp Fiction.

Chaptering is the “division of a narrative into distinct, labelled units.” Linking to the aforementioned episodic narrative structure, this narrative device allows filmmakers to present multiple, clear-cut storylines. Tarantino employs chaptering to divide the three interconnected storylines into distinct episodes of the film. These chapters include “Vincent Vega and Marcellus Wallace’s Wife”, “The Gold Watch”, and “The Bonnie Situation”.

Audience positioning is a nuanced and engaging narrative device that involves “how the narrative encourages or discourages audience sympathies and reactions.” In Pulp Fiction, this causes the viewer to empathise with different characters in different ways at different times. The characters, who we initially view as mere archetypes of the crime genre, are thus humanised by how Tarantino positions the audience. We enjoy being in the company of Vincent and Jules, two highly repugnant gangsters who kill people for money are presented as a charismatic and comedic duo. The viewer is encouraged to sympathise with an array of despicable characters who we initially wouldn’t.

Conversely, characters such as Zed and Maynard are positioned as antagonistic forces during Butch’s story, despite perhaps being no worse than the protagonists that we root for. The audience is also positioned to view different characters as the ‘protagonist’ during certain section of the film. For example, we subconsciously root for Pumpkin and Honey Bunny during the prologue, but support Jules and Vincent during the epilogue as the couple are framed as the antagonists within the reprise of the scene. The focus often shifts fluidly without the viewer noticing, an example being when the shift focuses from Vincent onto Mia when they return to the apartment.

*The ‘pulp’ dictionary definition title card*

Narrative Theories and Theorists

A number of narrative theorists formulated specific theories concerning storytelling, characters and structure. These include Vladimir Propp, Tzvetan Todorov, Roland Barthes, and Claude Levi-Strauss. Taking these theories into account, it becomes clear that Pulp Fiction does not conform to typical narrative conventions.

Vladimir Propp was a Soviet literary theorist who studied Russian folklore and created two narrative theories. He first theorised the concept of the seven character archetypes that all characters in fiction must conform to. These include the Hero, Villain, Princess, Donor, Dispatcher, Helper, and the False Hero. Each of these character types supposedly serve a specific purpose in each narrative. In Pulp Fiction’s case, Tarantino does not conform to the idea of the seven character types due to the fact that we do not follow a single journey, and each character in the film fulfils multiple roles at particular times.

Propp’s second theory involved the idea of 31 narrative functions that every story would contain at least some of, in a particular pre-conceived order. Again, this theory does not apply to Pulp Fiction seeing as the theory only applies to stories told in a chronological order.

Tzvetan Todorov was a Bulgarian-French historian who created the ‘Equilibrium Theory’, stating that every story is made up five stages. These include equilibrium, disruption of equilibrium, recognition of disruption, resolution, and new equilibrium. Once again, this theory does not apply to Pulp Fiction – its fragmented narrative subverts both this theory alongside the viewer’s prior knowledge of narrative structure.

Roland Barthes was a French essayist who created the ‘Narrative Codes Theory’, stating that all stories are made up of two types of codes. Firstly, the ‘action code’ involves a physical event that is displayed, prompting the viewer to ponder the consequences of it. An example of an action code in Pulp Fiction is the scene where Vincent accidentally shoots Marvin in the face. The viewer is left in awe of this shocking event, causing them to possess an intrigue as to what the consequences might be.

The second type of code created by Barthes is the ‘enigma code’. This idea depicts an intriguing event that creates a sense of mystery, and prompts the viewer to acquire an interest in unravelling the mystery. Tarantino employs this idea in Pulp Fiction by using the elusive briefcase to create a sense of intrigue. Furthermore, the viewer never actually finds out what is in the briefcase, letting the mystery remain unsolved forever.

Claude Lévi-Strauss was a French anthropologist who created the theory of ‘Binary Opposition’. He argued that audience engagement is driven by tension between binary opposites, such as: good vs evil, race, and social rankings. Whilst binary opposites are not a prominent theme featured throughout Pulp Fiction, certain predicaments do arise from opposing views – an example being when Mia wishes to dance, but Vincent does not. Instead, Tarantino paints characters who possess morally grey compasses and exist between the binary idea of good vs evil.

In conclusion, Tarantino subverts both the audience’s and theorists’ preconceived notions of what a conventional narrative is made up of. Instead, he chooses to present the film in a refreshing and unique manner, utilising an array of narrative devices at his disposal whilst maintaining a sense of underlying individuality.

Pulp Fiction Contextualised

Pulp Fiction (Quentin Tarantino, 1994) holds a highly influential place in the history of cinema. Winning the Palme d’Or at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival, the film was both a critical and commercial success. The film also revitalised the careers of both John Travolta and Bruce Willis, and its self-reflexivity and pastiche impacted the legacy of independent cinema forever.

To delve into Pulp Fiction’s cultural impact on cinema, we must first establish an understanding of the creative auteur behind it all: Quentin Tarantino.

While working in a video rental shop, Tarantino began his career by writing a number of screenplays after being encouraged by Lawrence Bender. Despite not amounting to a final product, this led to Tarantino gaining notoriety among producers. Because of this, he was able to write, direct, and act in Reservoir Dogs (1992) – a low-budget crime thriller featuring a dialogue-driven narrative set in a single location. Being screened at the Sundance festival that year, the film received immediate acclaim from critics.

Afterwards, Tarantino sold two of his previously written screenplays to studios to create both True Romance and Natural Born Killers, both of which featured Tarantino’s name heavily on the respective posters. Audiences soon eagerly await Tarantino’s next film, of which he kept important details other than the title – Pulp Fiction – under wraps. Upon release, the film received immediate critical acclaim and five Oscar nominations, with Tarantino winning the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. By this point, Tarantino had established himself as a highly prominent and notable auteur, going on to create seven more films, including: Kill Bill (2003), Django Unchained (2012) and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019). Throughout Tarantino’s body of work, certain directorial tropes are ubiquitous throughout each, making the film indicative of Tarantino’s creative influence. Including nonlinearity, stylised violence, explicit language, and compiled scores featuring songs from the 1960s and 70s, many of these tropes can be traced back to the very start of his filmography.

With this in mind, Pulp Fiction can be defined as an experimental and postmodernist film. Featuring the majority of Tarantino’s directorial tropes, it acts as a prime exemplar of Tarantino’s body of work, establishing him as an auteur.

The film displays several interconnected storylines to the viewer in a nonlinear fashion now typical of Tarantino’s oeuvre. Cleverly building upon pre-conceived cliches of the crime genre, Pulp Fiction presents archetypal characters – such as a charismatic hitmen duo, a washed-up boxer, alongside a a stoic mob boss and his self-aware wife – in a fresh and unique narrative format.

A large portion of the dialogue featured throughout the film initially appears to be superfluous, as it doesn’t seem to drive the narrative forward in any meaningful direction. Considerable amounts of the film are dedicated to monologues centring around seemingly ‘mundane’ conversation topics, including: burgers, bible verses, and foot massages. In actuality, this dialogue richly characterises the archetypal characters of the crime genre presented to us. The dialogue has a snappy yet naturalistic style to it, through which the viewer is able to relate to and empathise with each of the characters on a deeper, parasocial level. This distinctive style of dialogue also further portrays Tarantino as an auteur, being present throughout his entire filmography.

The film additionally features very strong and graphic violence, a taboo that was seldom seen within the mainstream of cinema at the time. Being another common trope of Tarantino’s body of work, the extreme violence is presented in a humorous and exaggerated manner, creating a sense of irony.

Pulp Fiction’s status as a touchstone of postmodern cinema is due to a variety of factors – namely its extensive use of homage and pastiche to older works. Throughout the film, Tarantino makes subtle reference to many of his filmmaking inspirations – such as Hitchcock’s Psycho. The scene when Marcellus turns his head to see Butch in the car directly mirrors a similar scene from the 1960 classic. Similarly, the shot of the taxi licence when Butch is paying Esmeralda mirrors a similar shot in Taxi Driver (Martin Scorsese, 1976). Butch also uses katana to kill Maynard, a samurai sword seen throughout many Japanese films that inspired Tarantino, such as Seven Samurai (Akira Kurosawa, 1954).

The film’s score is also entirely compiled, being made up of an eclectic soundtrack predominantly from the 1960s and 70s. For example, Dick Dale’s rendition of Misirlou is famously used during the opening credits of the film, with Tarantino stating that “it sounds like rock and roll spaghetti Western music”. Each and every song used by Tarantino throughout the film garnered a renewed surge in popularity, such as Urge Overkill’s cover of Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon. This further demonstrates Tarantino’s influence as an auteur.

Tarantino’s use of pastiche throughout the film also contributes to Pulp Fiction’s postmodern status. A famous scene in the film displays Mia and Vincent dancing the twist to Chuck Berry’s You Never Can Tell. The cinematography and choreography of the scene parodies a scene in Bande à part (Jean-Luc Goddard, 1964) in which the three main characters decide to spontaneously dance in a crowded cafe. Another example is Christopher Walken’s monologue to a young Butch about his time in a POW camp, pastiching his role in The Deer Hunter (Michael Camino, 1978).

*Comparing Pulp Fiction and Bande à part*

Pulp Fiction (Quentin Tarantino, 1994)

Pulp Fiction (Quentin Tarantino, 1994) is the second film in Tarantino’s filmography, and is heralded by many as his magnum opus. The film is a hybrid of many genres, namely crime and comedy, and features an eclectic cast including the likes of Samuel L. Jackson, John Travolta, Bruce Willis, and Uma Thurman.

The film displays several storylines in a nonlinear fashion now typical of Tarantino’s oeuvre. Cleverly building upon pre-conceived cliches of the crime genre, Pulp Fiction presents archetypal characters – such as charismatic hitmen, a prideful boxer, and a stoic mob boss – in a new and unique narrative format.

A large portion of the dialogue featured throughout the film appears to be superfluous, as it doesn’t seem to drive the narrative forward in any meaningful direction. Considerable amounts of the film are dedicated to monologues centring around seemingly ‘mundane’ conversational topics, including: burgers, bible verses, and foot massages. In actuality, this dialogue richly characterises the caricatures being portrayed – implying subtextual ideas throughout. Through this dialogue, the viewer is able to relate to each of the characters on a deeper, parasocial level. This distinctive style of dialogue also reinforces Tarantino as an auteur, being a cornerstone of his filmography.

The film additionally features very strong and graphic violence, a taboo that was seldom seen within the mainstream of cinema at the time. Being another common feature of Tarantino’s body of work, the extreme violence is presented in a humorous manner, creating a sense of irony. An example of this can be seen during the infamous “I shot Marvin in the face!” scene, during which an intensely gruesome event is portrayed through a light-hearted lens.

Personally, Pulp Fiction is one of my all-time favourite films. The enchanting characters in tandem with the jumbled narrative structure creates a wholly unique experience. I love the intricately crafted dialogue and the sense of enthralment every scene produces, but if I had to pick a favourite it would be Vincent’s untimely death halfway through the film.

Overall, I would rate Pulp Fiction ★★★★★.

Component 2d: Experimental Film 1960-2000

The fourth component we are studying is Component 2d: Experimental Film. This section of the course entails one film of study, Pulp Fiction (Quentin Tarantino, 1994). Throughout this component, the areas of study are the core study areas (including the key elements, contexts, aesthetics and representation) as well as two specialist study areas – Auteurship and Narrative.

Being the french word for ‘author’, the concept of auteurship suggests the that each work of art is produced by a single artist alone. In concept, this auteur possesses full creative and artistic control over the film and thus, their ‘style’ becomes highly distinctive. Auteurs are often defined by specific reoccurring traits and techniques that appear throughout their body of work, placing their name above the film itself.

The second specialist study area, narrative, is centred around the discussion of how the story (the events that occur) is told through the plot (how the events are displayed to the viewer). Narrative is meticulously crafted by filmmakers, with techniques such as flashbacks, time skips and nonlinearity being employed. In effect, a nuanced narrative provides an intriguing and enthralling experience for the viewer.

Little Green Bag

My recreated Reservoir Dogs opening

We were tasked to recreate the opening sequence from Reservoir Dogs (Quentin Tarantino, 1992). The scene consists of the characters walking in slow motion to a car. It focuses in on each character individuallywith accompanying title cards. The scene contains no diegetic sound and is accompanied by the non-diegetic song Little Green Bag by George Baker Selection.

In groups of eight, we spent a lesson planning the logistics of filming. The discussion included costumes, props, filming locations and shots. The two chosen filming locations were the canteen and school entrance.

After overcoming a few small hurdles such as creative disputes, the filming process progressed smoothly and we captured all the necessary footage after one lesson.

Making use of transitions, key frames, overlay titles and slow motion I edited the film together using LumaFusion and produced a final product as accurate to the original as possible.

Auteur or Not?

An auteur is defined as a film director who influences their films so much that they rank as their author. Some classic auteurs include Alfred Hitchcock, Quentin Tarantino and Christopher Nolan; due to their extremely characteristic directorial traits.

My chosen auteur candidate is Susanne Bier. She is a director, screenwriter and producer from Denmark, who is best known for films such as Bird Box, Brothers, After the Wedding and In a Better World. She is also the director of the HBO minseries The Undoing and the AMC miniseries The Night Manager.

Her typical genres includes dramas, romance, thrillers and occasionally horror and war. Films such as Bird Box (2018) use tension to build atmosphere, as well as interwoven storylines of past and present to create a thrilling mystery. Bier’s visual flair in other films such as Brothers uses a combination of stylistic choices such as Dogme light and various small montages and extreme close-ups.

However, in my opinion, I think that Susanne Bier cannot be considered an auteur due to the fact that her films do not particularly make use of unique and creative cinematography and her stylistic choices do not particularly stand out from the crowd. Additionally, she is not the writer for many of her films, such as Bird Box which was based upon a novel of the same name written by Josh Malerman.