Saturday, July 03, 2004

"What's on my mind right now ISN'T the coffee in my kitchen!"

I watched Pulp Fiction the other night, and as always, I marvel at the film's tight construction, but a couple of things struck me:

1. After Butch rescues Marcellus Wallace from the hillbilly pawn shop guys, Marcellus basically "cleans the slate" with Butch, albeit telling him he's to leave LA and never return. But I want to know if Marcellus rethought that deal hours later, when he inevitably learned that Butch had already killed Vincent Vega. I'm thinking, probably not, but you never know. Surely Marcellus would be annoyed at losing two of his best "enforcers" in one week. (Remember, when that happens in the film, the events of the last scene -- with Jules deciding to retire -- have already occurred.)

2. I still love the "black humor" storyline, when Vincent inadvertently blows an associate's head off, and then he and Jules have to get their blood-soaked car off the road. Ultimately, they end up at the home of a friend ("Jimmie"), but they have to then get cleaned up and get away from there before Jimmie's wife gets home in ninety minutes and discovers "a bunch of gangsters doin' a bunch of gangster shit". They succeed and all, but I want to know how Jimmie later explains to his wife the disappearance of their best linens and the subsequent arrival of an oak bedroom set.

3. Really nice visual touch: the first time Jules recites his version of Ezekiel 25:17, we see a shot of doomed criminal wannabe Brett, with Vincent Vega in the background. Vincent pulls out his gun and holds it in both hands, barrel down, while shrugging his shoulders in that way that guys do when they stand for prayers in church services.

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