Blu-ray Review: PULP FICTION is as fresh as a pack of red apple cigarettes

Pulp Fiction arrived on Blu-ray on October 4th and I have been mesmerized by the disc ever since. This is my second favorite film by Quentin Tarantino ( my favorite being Inglorious Basterds) and the Blu-ray looks amazing.  This movie has impacted the way I watch movies. I remember seeing this movie on the late showing on a school night, which was not the best thing to do because I spent the rest of the night discussing it with friend and smoking cigarettes. My high school mind was not prepared for Tarantino’s dialogue or non-linear storytelling. My mind was simply blown.

Synospsis:

Called “one of the most wanted Blu-ray titles of all time” (IGN) and ranked as such on numerous critics’ lists, Pulp Fiction is “nothing less than a cultural phenomenon” (Moviemaker Magazine).  The film was honored with an Academy Award® for Best Original Screenplay (1994) and earned seven total nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director for Quentin Tarantino. It has also been listed as one of the best films of all-time by TIME and Entertainment Weekly.

A pair of low-rent hit men, Vincent Vega (John Travolta) and Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson), are sent out to collect a stolen briefcase for their mob boss employer, Marsellus Wallace (Ving Rhames).  Having proven himself worthy, Wallace then entrusts Vincent to entertain his wife, Mia (Uma Thurman), while he is out of town.  Meanwhile, Wallace has paid off aging boxer Butch Coolidge (Bruce Willis) to throw his next fight. The lives of these wildly entertaining characters intertwine with unexpected and violent consequences.

Directors have attempted to copy Tarantino’s style so many times since Pulp Fiction’s release, but can never quite get it right. There is something so real to Tarantino’s use of long scenes in which Jules and Vincent Vega are talking about life before and after going out on a mission for their boss Marcellus Wallace.

The manner in which the camera is so close up with them in the car and how it follows them int he hallway as they have their conversation about Mia Wallace (Thurman) is one of my favorite scenes. Let’s face it, Pulp Fiction is full of scene after memorable scene. This dilsc is a must-own for any Tarantino fan.

Pulp Fiction not only sent Tarantino’s career into overdrive, it revived John Travolta’s career completely and brought a new dimension to Bruce Willis’ career. Every character was perfectly cast in this film. I especially loved the bookend sequences with Tim Roth and Amanda Plummer.

My love of Uma Thurman and her feet were solidified in this film. Tarantino is one of the few directors who is fabulous at casting women and at the same time gives them their fare share of screen-time.

This movie deserved a Blu-ray release the most out of any of his films in my opinion. The disc has an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.35:1 which was personally supervised and approved by Tarantino so you know it is going to look and sound amazing, which it does.

One of my favorite aspects about this disc is it’ wonderful special features. I felt like I was watching a disc from the Criterion Collection. There are literally over three hours of bonus material not including the commentary, which I plan on watching again soon. The best feature is the new material specific to this disc release. I loved the “Not the Usual Mindless Boring Getting to Know You Chit Chat” featuring new cast interviews. It is so cool to see the cast talk about the film, especially Travolta.

Then you have the “Here Are Some Facts on the Fiction” that takes you inside the minds of critcs and their relationship with this film. As a critic this feature may be more interesting to me than others, but it is still a big bonus to this disc.

The remainder of the special features are really cool as well:

•     “Pulp Fiction: The Facts” documentary
•     Deleted Scenes
•     Behind-the-Scenes Montages
•     Production Design featurette
•     Siskel and Ebert “At the Movies” – The Tarantino Generation
•     Independent Spirit Awards – interviews
•     Cannes Film Festival – Palm d’Or Acceptance Speech
•     Charlie Rose Show – Interview with Quentin Tarantino
•     Theatrical Trailers and TV Spots
•     Enhanced Trivia Track
•     Stills Gallery
•     Soundtrack Chapters

In Conclusion:

Pulp Fiction caused a big stir when it was released, the ripples of which are still felt today. You may not love Pulp Fiction, I have actually ran into people that did not, but you have to at least respect the impact it has had on the culture of movies. Pulp Ficton has impacted the way we watch movies but the way movies are made.