I remember there being a lot of hype surrounding the release of this film in 1994. Sadly I was too young to go and see it in the cinema so I had to wait for the video to be released before I could find out what all the fuss was about. It was probably a couple of years later before I finally got to see the film but it was well worth the wait and I have been a massive fan both of the film and the director ever since.
** Storyline **
Anyone who has seen this film before will know that it is not very easy to concisely describe the basis of the storyline this film follows. The reason for the difficulty lies in what has become the most distinctive aspect of the film: the order of the scenes in the film. The film, as you watch it, is not in chronological order. In fact the opening scene of the film is not the beginning of the story. It is the beginning of the story for Honey Bunny and Pumpkin but it is not the beginning of the story in terms of the film. Confused? Well here I go at trying to explain the rest of it for you.
There are four intertwined stories running throughout this film. Each part of the story is broken into sections as I implied before these sections are mixed up in the final cut of the film so nothing should be inferred from the order I describe the story threads.
The first part of the story follows Vincent and Jules who are sent by Marcellus to retrieve a suitcase from a group of youths. The youths are reluctant to hand over the case to Vincent and Jules and require some gentle persuasion. In addition to the trails associated with retrieving the case we are given some background on Vincent and Jules and provided with some great quotes.
The second part of the story follows Honey Bunny and Pumpkin as they spontaneously hold up a diner and its guests. Beginning with a discussion between Honey Bunny and Pumpkin about the dangers of holding up banks and off licences they arrive at the conclusion that holding up a diner is a safer option as the diner and people in it are not expecting to be robbed. Having come to this conclusion it seems only right that they should put their theory to the test by robbing the diner they are currently having breakfast in.
The third part of the story follows Butch, a boxer approaching the end of his career. Marcellus “requests” that Butch throws the fight so that he can make money from the result. Butch does not have the control to do this and wins the fight comfortably. In an attempt to avoid the repercussions of this Butch attempts to run away and lie low. Problem is that his girlfriend forgets his watch when packing the bags. Butch can’t leave without his father’s watch so has to try and go back to get it.
The fourth part of the story follows Vincent as he is instructed by Marcellus to take Mia out for the evening while he is away on business. Starting simple with a meal and a drink the night becomes more and more interesting as it develops.
** Main Characters **
The cast used to make this film is really impressive. It is rare to find a film where so many household names have been recruited.
Marcellus Wallace – played by Ving Rhames (Mission Impossible) is a crime boss with interests in many areas. He employs Vincent and Jules as hit men who can get things done. He pays Butch to throw a fight with the intention of making a lot of money from gambling on the outcome of the fight.
Vincent Vega – played by John Travolta (Grease) is a hit man working for Marcellus. He plays a part in all of the storylines. He and Jules go to retrieve the suitcase from a group of youths, he takes Mia out for an evening at Marcellus’ request, he tries to track down Butch after the fight and he has dealings with Honey Bunny and Pumpkin after their robbery attempt.
Jules Winnfield – played by Samuel L Jackson (Die Hard With A Vengeance) is a hit man working for Marcellus. He partners Vincent on the mission to retrieve the case but tries to change who he is once the job is done.
Butch Coolidge – played by Bruce Willis (Die Hard) is a boxer who has been paid by Marcellus to throw a fight. He has attitude and is very attached to the watch that his father has left for him. It is his most prized possession and the only thing in the world he can’t leave behind.
Pumpkin – played by Tim Roth (Planet of the Apes) is Honey Bunny’s partner and decides to hold up the diner they are having breakfast in. He is fascinated by the prospect of being able to hold up a bank with only a mobile phone and has a general professional interest in the safest places to hold up.
Honey Bunny – played by Amanda Plummer is Pumpkin’s partner and helps him hold up the diner. She is not as much of a thinker as Pumpkin and is a lot more hotheaded.
Mia Wallace – played by Uma Thurman (Kill Bill), is the wife of Marcellus. She goes out for an evening with Vincent Vega at the request of her husband. Mia is very confident and intelligent. She takes advantage of the fact that Vincent is very nervous about their going out.
** DVD Features **
There is a collector’s version of this DVD that has numerous special features on it including: Deleted Scenes Theatrical Trailer TV Spots Production Design Featurette Stills Gallery Siskel and Ebert at the movies with Tarantino Independent Spirit Awards Michael Moore Interviews Tarantino Cannes Film Festival Palme d or Award Ceremony Acceptance Speech Charlie Rose Show Original Documentary Tarantino Fiction Behind the Scenes Montage
These features are taken from the collector’s edition available on Amazon. I do not have the collector’s edition so can’t comment on the quality of these features. They have been included here for completion.
** Opinion **
The most striking thing about this film is the way the storyline, or rather many storylines, have been mashed together to make a single film. While an obvious link can be seen between the four stories and the same characters feature in many of the stories there is no single plot to follow as a viewer. This makes the film quite difficult and taxing to watch the first time you see it, but also makes the film more enjoyable when watched again. I enjoy watching films that force you to follow the story and pay attention and this film certainly falls into that category. If you tried to watch this film while doing something else I suspect you would quickly lose the plot and give up so if you are going to watch it, unplug the phone, leave the ironing and ignore anything else that may distract you from this film. If you can stay with it, it is a great film to watch.
Aside from the storyline the other thing that makes this film stand out for me is the use of music. I am not sure if it is because you have to concentrate so closely when you watch this film, but the use of music is really striking and also very well done. The choice of songs is good and compliments the story well. The songs themselves are nearly all well known and if not well known them they are catchy and memorable. The use of music means that the soundtrack becomes an integral part of the film.
The dialogue in the film is clever and funny. There are numerous parts of the film that are instantly memorable and quotable. The importance of this dialogue is reflected by its inclusion in the soundtrack where the dialogue from some of the most recognisable parts of the film is repeated.
The general standard of the acting in this film is superb. This is of course to be expected given a cast list that includes the likes of Travolta, Jackson, Thurman and Willis, but it is not only the well known names who put in good performances in this film. The supporting cast are very good and play their parts with realism and enthusiasm. Writing this review now I can’t think of a single poor performance.
Sticking with the headline cast members, I would say that this is one of Travolta’s best performances. He has been known, certainly in more recent years, to either make very poor films or to under perform in roles with potential. I don’t think anyone could make a case for this being a poor film, and in my opinion Travolta performs well in his role. Involved in some way in all four of the stories covered in the film, Travolta has to play a wide variety of roles in the film. Predominantly a hit man, he performs the heartless killer well showing little emotion towards the target. Other parts of the film see him in different roles most notably during his conversations with Jules (Jackson), where he is more humorous and human, and his date with Mia (Thurman), where he does well at the “nervous hit man taking his bosses wife out for dinner” role. Overall I was very impressed with his performance in this film having been disappointed with him in other films.
Jackson is superb too. Playing along side Travolta for much of the film, Jackson’s character is more human and witty than Travolta’s. This allows Jackson to put his natural character into the role, making Jules almost a lovable character in the film despite being a hitman.
The character development throughout the film is very good. It could have been very difficult to develop the characters fully with the format of the film but I think Tarantino has done a good job of it, particularly with the characters that appear in multiple threads in the film.
This was the first film Tarantino film I saw and as far as I am concerned is still his best work. His films since have been reasonable but have never reached the levels set by this film. For me Kill Bill Part I is probably the film that comes closest to this but is not in the same league really.
This is one of my favourite films and certainly a film that I would recommend everyone to watch once. It will not be to everyone’s taste because of the primary subject matter (drugs, gangsters and violence) but it is certainly something different and well worth a look. There are some scenes that are not for the faint hearted and this film is rightly classified as an 18. If you are easily offended or upset then you should probably give this film a miss. If you can stomach something a little different then give this film a couple of hours of your time.
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Good
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Outstanding
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