Pulp Fiction is a deliberately counter-typical Gangster/Comedy film from 1994.
The plot involves 12 main characters and follows three separate story lines that intertwine at various key points throughout the film. As my task for this project is to create a film opening, for part of my research I am now going to break down and analyze what makes the opening scene of pulp fiction, a successful and effective one.
The first shot of the film is a still shot of the dictionary meaning of the word pulp. There are two meanings but it is clear to the viewer that the second is relevant and immediately gives an indication of what is to follow in the film. This shot fades in and out; I believe this is because Tarantino wanted the meaning of this word from the title to stick in the viewer’s minds throughout the film. There is no sound during this shot, which also makes the viewer concentrate more on the words on screen.
This cuts to a medium shot of a man and a woman sitting at a table in the restaurant. The two characters in the scene have conflicting characterizations, the man’s slovenly posture, and the fact that he smokes, and his foul language suggests a rebellious nature. The woman in contrast sits up straight in her seat and has a happy and bouncy character. The shot is highly lit due for authenticity, because of the restaurant setting. And the only sound used is diegetic, such as background conversation, traffic noise and quiet music from the restaurant. This sound is used to give the viewer the viewer the indication they are in a busy environment, despite for the time being only being shown this single booth of the restaurant. When we first see the couple due to the costume and the very mundane setting, they appear to be a normal everyday couple. However, this is only a reuse to cover up their true identities, as the dialogue reveals them to be professional criminals. This reuse is deliberately used by Tarantino to counteract the conventions of the Gangster/crime-thriller genre.
Despite their incriminating conversation the next shot is a close-up of the waitress who comes to serve them more coffee, to add to the element of normality the waitress seems happy to serve them. This cuts to match on action shot of the waitress pouring the coffee, and the woman on the table gratefully accepting it, acting in a polite and civil manner towards the waitress. This short exchange again counter-acts the audience’s expectations of the woman’s behavior to others, taking into account she is a criminal.
The next series of shots uses the shot-reverse shot editing technique. These shots cut between an over the shoulder shot of the man talking, and a close up of the woman who doesn’t talk, but shows an animated interest in what she is saying.
During this part of the scene the couple again further themselves from normality, as although they talk together like a normal couple, the subject matter of the conversation is a theft and armed robbery. This series of shots carries on as the man explains more about his intentions; this provokes the woman to become yet more animated. The lighting and diegetic sound remain the same, suggesting a relaxed and laid-back surrounding environment, again in complete contrast to what the couple is talking about. This relaxed atmosphere forces the viewer to a standpoint of disbelief that they aren’t actually going to carry out this plan, morbid curiosity just keeps us interested as to his methods.
Soon after the man suggests actually robbing the restaurant they are sat in. This immediately alarms the audience and disrupts the calm that the setting and sounds has created. In this shot the camera moves and zooms in simultaneously, this is done to show an increased interest in the man, as the conversation has escalated from a possible robbery, to robbing the restaurant they are currently sat in.
After this succession of shots the couple are now getting ready to rob the restaurant, the woman’s character has changed from a calm happiness to an almost sexual enjoyment of the idea of robbing the diner. There is a match on action shot of the man slamming a gun down on the table, this says to the audience that they are serious and have the means to carry out this robbery.
Before they get up to initiate the robbery the man says to the woman “I love you honey bunny” a corny and stereotypical nickname for a romantic partner, again going against the conventions of the gangster film genre, after this there is a close up of the two of them as they kiss.
Starting the robbery the man stands up on top of his chair and waves his gun in the air, the camera pans up with him as the focus of the shot as the woman turns away from the camera. At climax of this opening scene all the ideas and preconceptions the audience has of the woman are dismissed, she jumps quickly to the same position as man, and gesturing with gun start shouting and swearing at the people in there telling them that she is going to execute them. The shot used during this is a medium shot, containing both the characters waving their guns in the same direction, with the woman closer than the man, suggesting her dominant involvement in the robbery. This restaurant sequence, and opening scene ends with a freeze frame of the woman and the man pointing their guns to the left as the credits appear on the screen. At this point non-diegetic sound is heard for the first time, in the form of the theme tune of the film.
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