Textual Analysis – “Pulp Fiction”

MA Film and The Moving Image

First Semester Essay

Keith Devereux

Student Number: 10154146

Textual Analysis - “Pulp Fiction”

“Through the contents of the image and the resources of montage,the cinema has at its disposal a whole arsenal of means whereby toimpose its interpretation of an event on the spectator.”

(Bazin 158)

When Andre Bazin originally wrote these words during the

1950s, he was considering that the era of silent film

represented the peak of cinematic tradition. However, he

also wrote, “…in the silent days, montage evoked what the director wanted

to say; in the editing of 1938, it described it” (Ibid. 167) The concept of

the director as “the equal of the novelist” was developed further

by Bazin’s protégés at Cahiers du Cinema: Francios Truffaut,

Jean Luc Godard, etc., who were brought up on pulp American

movies in post-war France. Recognising staleness in

contemporary French cinema, they went on to create the

‘nouvelle vague’, or French New Wave of the 1960s and

1970s, subverting traditional cinematic values and creating

a new language of cinema.

In the following essay I will demonstrate how a

contemporary director, Quentin Tarantino, has used the

language of the French New Wave in the 1994 film Pulp Fiction.

While there is probably little to say about Pulp Fiction that

hasn’t been written already, I hope to demonstrate from a

short extract of the film how existing conventions have

been used and how film theory can explain the development

of one character, Marcellus Wallace.

Setting the Scene

The extract chosen from Pulp Fiction is where we first meet

Butch Coolidge, a boxer being paid by the gangster

Marcellus Wallace to throw a fight. The scene occurs in an

empty bar in the middle of the morning and is also the

first scene where Marcellus appears and where Butch meets

the other characters that will influence his actions,

notably Vincent Vega, one of Marcellus’ enforcers.

The scene opens with a title card announcing the

segment of the film we are about to see. The title card is

replaced by an image of Butch being told by Marcellus to

throw the fight. In one unbroken take lasting just over

two minutes, the camera is framed on Butch with Marcellus

speaking off camera. When Butch accepts the money that

Marcellus is holding out to him, we cut to a rear view of

Marcellus reassuring Butch that he has done the right thing

-for Marcellus as well as Butch. Returning briefly to a

close up of Butch acknowledging that he will throw the

fight, the scene cuts to outside the club, where two of

Marcellus’ employees: Vincent Vega and Jules Winnfield are

welcomed by the manager, Paul.

Once Butch has accepted the bribe, the scene changes

to ignore Butch and Marcellus, playing out the remainder of

their conversation out of focus in the background. We now

meet Vincent and Jules discussing with Paul the impending

date that Vincent has with Mia Wallace, Marcellus’ wife.

As the story unfolds, Paul and Jules make fun of Vincent,

who responds aggressively. When Jules excuses himself, we

see Butch and Marcellus stand and shake hands in the

background and Butch walk up to the bar next to Vincent.

Vincent and Butch stare at each other and exchange

words, before Marcellus calls Vincent over. Feeling

antagonistic towards Vincent, Butch watches him meet and

hug Marcellus, before collecting his cigarettes and leaving

the bar, when the scene fades to black.

Influences

“Throughout Reservoir Dogs and especially Pulp Fiction, Tarantinoexperimented with genre conventions just as Godard and Truffauthad in their earliest films. Unexpected plot twists, unusual dialogue,cinematic in-jokes, and unconventional characters galore becameTarantino trademarks.”

(Sleeper, La Fiction du Pulp)

In creating an alternative structure that is quite

distinctive, Tarantino has openly admitted that he has been

influenced by a range of film makers and theorists,

including Godard, Howard Hawks and Hong Kong action movies.

His debut feature, Reservoir Dogs, was a loose remake of Ringo

Lam’s City on Fire.

Although the classic Hollywood approach to film making

uses continuity or cause and effect to establish a clear

narrative structure, some film makers have chosen not to do

so. Tarantino has taken the comment by Jean Luc Godard

that: ‘a film should have a beginning, a middle and an end, but not

necessarily in that order’ (Cook and Bernink: 100) literally,

inserting scenes near the beginning of the film that

chronologically occur later than some scenes later in the

narrative.

According to Bordwell and Thompson, the scene is ‘the

common unit of classical narrative cinema… Typically marked off by editing

devices such as the dissolve, fade or wipe, each scene presents a distinct

segment of space, time, and narrative action’ (234).

Let us consider this segment of the film in greater

detail, and discuss how this influences the development of

the characters and the narrative. Tarantino uses

flashbacks and flash forwards and mixes chronology to

explain character development. Hence the sequence we are

looking at: ‘Vincent Vega and Marcellus Wallace’s Wife’ occurs well

after a later segment: ‘The Bonnie Situation.’ At this stage,

though, the character of Marcellus is one of mystery.

Until the opening of the sequence, we know that Marcellus

is ‘black’ and ‘bald’ as in a scene immediately prior to

the chosen sequence Brett, a young hoodlum who has betrayed

Marcellus, is terrorised into giving this description. We

also know that he is a crime lord, described by his

enforcers, Vincent and Jules, as ‘the Big Man’ and able to

mete out violent justice to those who offend him, notably

‘Tony Rocky Horror’ who we never meet but whose name

reoccurs as a victim of Marcellus’ wrath.

While eschewing the conventional narrative structure

of opening, exposition and closure, Tarantino has retained

linear character development, and nowhere is this more

clearly seen than in the character of Marcellus Wallace.

Marcellus is first introduced by his voice, telling

Butch, the washed up boxer, to throw the fight. Butch is

intently listening to this voice, as are we, though at this

stage we do not know whose voice it is, while Butch clearly

would. When Butch accepts the bribe, and accepts

Marcellus’ conditions (‘You my nigger? Marcellus says.

‘Certainly appears so,’ responds Butch) the frame cuts to a rear

view of a bald black man, suggesting to the audience that

this is the ‘big man’ Marcellus Wallace. However, even

after this sequence, Marcellus is still a mystery: he is

black and he is bald, but what else? All of his actions

are filmed from behind or out of focus, so we never see his

face.

Once Butch has accepted the bribe, the action cuts to

consider Vincent and Jules and their discussion with the

bar manager, Paul, about Vincent’s dinner date with Mia,

Marcellus’ wife. In an earlier scene it is explained that

Marcellus is going out of town and Vincent has been asked

to keep her company.

Paul: So I hear your taking Mia out tomorrow.

Vincent: At Marcellus’ request.

Although they talk about Marcellus and Mia in familiar

terms, there is still respect in their tone, and their

conversation consolidates his position of power:

Vincent: Look, I’m not a fuckin’ idiot. She’s the big man’s wife. I’m gonna sit across from her, chew my food with my mouth closed, laugh at her fuckin’ jokes and that’s it.

Throughout this exchange the conversation between Marcellus

and Butch is reduced to the background, with Marcellus

facing us but in shadow. Hence we still know little more

about him than at the start of the scene. Even after Butch

and Vincent square off, we see Marcellus out of focus in

the background; a stationary, somehow regal figure.

Within this one scene we meet all of the major

characters, with the exception of Marcellus’ wife, Mia. In

‘New Vocabularies,’ Stam et al. Discuss the Proppian Model

of plot analysis (79-83), where they consider the seven

standard figures or ‘tale roles:’ the villain, the donor,

the helper, the princess and her father, the dispatcher,

the hero and the false hero. They describe these roles as:

“The functions and tale roles together constitute the spheres ofaction, with each of the seven tale roles commanding a specificsphere of action. Propp defined the tale roles as distinct from theactual characters in a story, showing that one character mayperform several different tale roles.” (81)

In Pulp Fiction, Tarantino has subverted these roles so

that no character, with the possible exception of Mia as

‘the princess’ is heroic or villainous. While Marcellus is

clearly a gangster, the whole moral structure of the film

is skewed to make his actions acceptable. On the one hand

he is able to hand down pearls of wisdom to Butch, while on

the other hand he is able to mete out swift justice to

people who have hurt or offended him:

Marcellus: Night of the fight, you may feel a slight sting.That’s pride fuckin’ wit ya. Fuck pride! Pride only hurts, it never helps. You fight through that shit. ‘Cause a year from now, when you’re kickin’ it in the Caribbean you’re gonna say to yourself, ‘Marcellus Wallace was right.’

Marcellus’ position as a wise, benevolent leader is also

expressed later in the narrative when one of Jules’

friends, Jimmie, is voicing reservations that he shouldn’t

be using a wedding gift to help dispose of a body, the

response is:

The Wolf: Were your Uncle Conrad and Aunt Ginny millionaires?

Jimmie: No

The Wolf: Well your Uncle Marcellus is. And I’m positive if Uncle Conrad and Aunt Ginny were millionaires, theywould’ve furnished you with a whole bedroom set, whichyour Uncle Marcellus is more than happy to do.

Although the function of the scene is to advance the

narrative action, at the conclusion while this is true for

Vincent, Jules and Butch, for Marcellus we know little more

about him than at the start. This sense of mystery is

maintained throughout the film until about mid-way, once

Butch has betrayed Marcellus, stolen his money and killed

Vincent. By this stage, the power held by the characters

has shifted in Butch’s favour.

The development of Marcellus, from mythical figure to

victim to ‘king’ is presented in a linear manner even

though the narrative of the whole film is anything but

linear. The equilibrium that Marcellus enjoys is portrayed

sense of mystery and menace at the start of the film. This

is disturbed by Butch’s betrayal, when he becomes a

slightly ridiculous figure and we see the whole character

for the first time. Marcellus is first glimpsed in full

frame through the windscreen of a Honda Civic (a slightly

ridiculous car for a gangster thriller) holding a tray of

burgers and coffee. With his new found confidence, Butch

is able to run him over, an action he could not have

contemplated before. In his attempt to regain his

equilibrium, and sense of power, Marcellus chases Butch,

but Tarantino increases the pressure by having Marcellus

captured and raped by rednecks. After his rescue by Butch

(his own act of redemption), Marcellus’ equilibrium is

restored, promising retribution on the redneck who raped

him. When we next see Marcellus, even though

chronologically this is before the events in the cellar, we

find him ‘magisterial’ once more, dispensing wisdom and aid

to his subjects.

Conclusions

Calweti (499) argued that one of the central themes of the

hard-boiled detective thriller is “the ambiguity between

institutionalised law enforcement and true justice.” Like

many other influences, Tarantino has exploited this

ambiguity in his on gangster films, and of the characters

within them, subverting the use of justice towards a code

of honour between criminals rather than (as one of the

characters in Reservoir Dogs was heard to say) ‘real

people.’ While Marcellus is clearly a crime lord,

established by Vincent and Jules’ killing of Brett and his

gang on his instructions, the whole structure of the film

is skewed so that action that would be considered

unacceptable in conventional society are perfectly moral.

It is through the subversion of stereotypes,

especially the coupling of humour and extreme violence,

that Tarantino has rewritten the American gangster myth.

Tarantino’s world is “deeper and more catastrophic, more

enigmatic in its evil, more sudden and inexplicable in its

outbreaks of violent chance” (Cawelti, p. 503), and nowhere

is this better seen than in the character of Marcellus

Wallace.

Bibliography

Bordwell, David, and Thompson, Kristin, Film Art: An Introduction (Addison-Wesley, Second Edition, 1980)

Bazin, A, ‘The Evolution of the Language of Cinema,’ in Film theory and Criticism, edited by Mast, Gerald, Cohen,Marshall and Braudy, Leo (Oxford University Press, 1992).

Cawelti, John G., ‘Chinatown and Generic Transformation in Recent American Films,’ in Film theory and Criticism, edited by Mast, Gerald, Cohen, Marshall and Braudy, Leo (Oxford University Press, 1992).

Cook, Pam and Bernink, Mieke, The Cinema Book (BFI Publishing, 1999).

Stam, Robert, Birgoyne, Robert and Flitterman-Lewis, Sandy, New Vocabularies in Film Semiotics (Routledge, 1992).

Tarantino, Quentin, Pulp Fiction (Faber and Faber, 1994)

Tarantino, Quentin, Reservoir dogs (Faber and Faber, 1994)

Internet Bibliography

Sleeper, Mick, La Fiction du Pulp, (http://www.imagesjournal.com/issue03/features/tarantino1.htm)

Films Cited

Pulp Fiction (Quentin Tarantino, 1994)

Transcript: “Pulp Fiction”: The bar scene

Actions Dialogue SoundTitle Card (9

sec):

Vincent VegaAnd MarcellusWallace’s Wife

Music:

Al Green ‘Let’s Stay Together.’

Cut (2 min 3 sec):

Mid shot -Butch Coolidge

We fade up on Butch Coolidge, a white, middle-aged prizefighter. Butch sits at a table wearing a red T-shirt and a brown leather jacket. Talking to him off screen is everybody’s boss Marcellus Wallace. The black man sounds like a

Marcellus (off):I think you’re gonna find -when all this shit

is over and done- I think you’re gonna find yourself one smilin’ motherfucker. Thing is, Butch, right now you got ability. But painful as it may be, ability don’t last. And your days are just about over. Now that’s a hard motherfuckin’ fact of life, but that’s a fact of life your ass isgonna hafta git realistic about. See, this business is filled to the brim with unrealistic motherfuckers. Motherfuckers who though their ass would age like wine. If you mean it turns to vinegar, it does. If you mean it gets better with age, it don’t.

Besides, Butch, how many fights do you think

cross between a gangster and a king

you got in you anyway? Two? Boxers don’t have an old timers debt. You came close but you never madeit, and it you’re gonna make it you would’ve made it before now.

A hand holds out an envelope full of money.Butch reaches out but the envelope is snatched back.

Marcellus:You my nigger?

The envelope is held out again and Butch takes it (Marcellus holds onto it for a second beforeletting go).

Butch:Certainly appears so.

Cut (37 sec):

The back of a man’s head (Marcellus Wallace). We see a bald black man with pierced ears. Butch is out of focusin the background.

Marcellus:Night of the fight, you may feel a slight

sting. That’s pride fuckin’ wit ya. Fuck pride! Pride only hurts, it never helps. You fight through that shit. ‘Cause a year from now, when you’re kickin’ it in the Caribbean you’re gonna sayto yourself, ‘Marcellus Wallace was right.’

Cut (22 sec): Butch:

Close up of Butch.

Butch nods his head: ‘Yes.’

I got no problems with that, Mr Wallace.

Marcellus (off):In the fifth, your ass goes down.

Marcellus:Say it!

Butch:In the fifth, my ass goes down.

Cut (13 sec):

Exterior of bar, the front entrance is unlocked, revealing the bar manager Paul on the inside.

Vincent and Jules, wearing shorts and T-shirts, step inside.

Paul slams the door in our faces.

Paul:Vincent Vega, our man in Amsterdam, Jules

Winnfield, our man in Inglewood. Git your asses inhere.

Goddam, nigger, what’s up with them clothes?

Jules:You don’t even want to know.

Music fades into background, but is still there. Outdoor sounds, traffic passing, predominates.

Cut to (10 sec):

Interior of empty bar. Vincent crosses to the bar and Jules and Paulfollow.

Vincent:Where’s the big man?

Paul:Big man’s right over there, taking care of

some business.

Why don’t you hang back for a second or two...

Background music continues unbroken.

Cut (2 sec):

Mid shot of Jules and Vincent facing Paul behind the bar.

Paul:…When you see the white boy leave, go on over.

Cut (4 sec):

Long POV shot of Butch and Marcellus sitting at a table talking. Marcellus is facing us, in shadow, and Butch has his back to us.

Vince (off):How ya been?

Cut (8 sec): Paul:

Mid shot of Jules and Vincent facing Paul behind the bar. Paul fixeseach a drink.

I’ve been doing pretty good, how about yourself?

Vincent:Alright.

Paul:So I hear your taking Mia out tomorrow.

Cut (5 sec):

Mid shot of Vincentand Jules.

Vincent:At Marcellus’ request.

Cut (12 sec):

Mid shot of Jules and Vincent facing Paul behind the bar.

Paul:Have you met Mia?

Paul smiles to himself. Jules chuckles.

Vincent:Not yet.

What’s so funny?

Paul:Not a goddam thing.

Jules:I gotta piss.

Cut (7 sec):

Mid shot of Vincent.

In the background we see Butch and Marcellus stand up and shake hands. A deal has been struck.

Vincent:Look, I’m not a fuckin’ idiot. She’s the big

man’s wife. I’m gonna sit across from her, chew myfood with my mouth closed, laugh at her fuckin’ jokes and that’s it.

Cut (4 sec):

Mid shot of Vincentfacing Paul behind the bar.

Paul:Hey, my name’s Paul, and this is between

y’all.

Cut (36 sec):

Mid shot of Vincent.

Butch bellies up to

Vincent:Then what’d you fuckin’ ask me about it for?

Asshole.

Butch (To Paul):

the bar, sharing the framewith Vincent.

While Butch waits for his smokes, Vincent just sips his coffee, staring at him. Butch looks over at him.

Butch turns slowly toward Vincent.

Can I get a pack’a red Apples?

Paul:Filters?

Butch:Non.

Butch:Lookin’ at somethin’, friend?

Vincent:I ain’t your friend, palooka.

Butch:What was that?

Vincent:I think ya heard me just fine, punchy.

Butch and Vincent face each other, when…

Marcellus (off):

Taking one last long look at Butch, Vincent walks out of frame

Vincent Vega in the house? My nigger, git your ass over here!

Cut (6 sec):

Close up of Butch, the camera following his head as he follows Vincentwith his eyes.

Cut (5 sec):

Butch’s P.O.V.: Vincent hugging and kissing the obscured figure that is Marcellus.

Paul (off):Pack of Red Apples, dollar-forty.

Cut (13 sec):

Close up of Butch with Paul out of focus in the background. Butch looks down as he reaches in his pockets for some cash. Butch:

Butch pays for and collects his cigarettes. As he packs his stuff away and takes one last look over at Vincent and Marcellus (off screen), the camera focuses on Paul.

Butch walks out of frame, fade to black.

And some matches.