Perspectives - Pulp Fiction (1994)

Figure 1: Pulp Fiction (1994) [Poster]

Is Pulp Fiction (1994) Postmodern?

From the beginning, Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction (1994) displays many aspects of Postmodern cinema even when introducing new characters to the audience.

When the audience is first presented to Butch the camera is set in a way in which it faces parallel to the character as a point of view angle and is one single continuous shot. For the duration of this five-minute scene, Butch does not speak a word of dialog for the entire first two minutes. This not only goes against the norms of character introductions within modern text, but this postmodern take on an introduction to the character is only further illustrated by the visuals. “This one single continuous shot is Postmodern, in itself.” In doing this, Tarantino is also subtracting any form of empathy from either character.

Tarantino also constantly reminds audiences that they are watching a film, rather than trying to immerse them within it. “Postmodern films are playful…she draws a square to ‘jolt’ the audience” (Robertclackmedia, 2014) By adding in a drawn in square to the scene, it contrasts to the somewhat ‘norms’ of the scene, allowing the audience to separate themselves from the scene and look more subjectively, understanding the narrative playfulness behind it.

In the film audiences are also shown an array of Postmodern inter-textual scenes. “Pulp Fiction is a triumph of self-conscious allusion in which innumerable elements are taken from Tarantino’s vast repository of film, television and music knowledge.” (Barber. N, 2014) This is evident in a scene including the character of Vincent played by John Travolta, who before this film had been seen in Saturday Night Fever (1977). In Saturday Night Fever he was known for dancing on a stage with a lady, and similar themes can be seen in Pulp Fiction, demonstrating Tarantino’s intentions to create an inter-textual scene in the film, that audiences can recognise.

In conclusion, Pulp Fiction is Postmodern as it includes various aspects of Postmodern cinema, using techniques such as long single continuous camera shots to emphasise the Postmodern introduction to characters, along with a lack of metanarrative and use of inter-textual scenes.

Bibliography

DeBortoli, J. (2017). Modernism and Post Modernism in Film. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2KnqUqUWK4 Last accessed 06/10/2019.

Barber, N. (2014). Pulp Fiction: 20 years on. Available: https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/pulp-fiction-20-years-on-9383705.html Last accessed 06/10/2019.

Robertclackmedia. (2014). Postmodernism: Pulp Fiction. Available: https://www.slideshare.net/robertclackmedia/pulp-fiction-30476703 Last accessed 06/10/2019.

Figure 1: Pulp Fiction (1994) [Poster] - Tarantino, Q. (1994). PULP FICTION POSTER - UMA BED. Available: https://www.nerdkungfu.com/pulp-fiction-poster-uma-bed/ Last accessed 06/10/2019.