Pulp Fiction - Revisted.

[Dr Markus]

I watched it again last night as there was nothing else on. I liked it at the time, but watching it again makes me appreciate it a bit more. The interweaving of the stories among the stylish shots, soundtracks etc is still the spine and best thing about the movie in terms of writing. Watching it also made me feel like Tarantino almost promised every major enough character, "here, you're gonna get your own scene to shine, it's up to you to make it work". Nearly every major character gets a chance to show some deep thinking and just lay it all out on the table. I think it's been imitated but never matched for the refreshing change it brought to US cinema at the time. I'm sure the more informed film buff will be able to tell us that what he did was nothing new, however to the likes of me and millions of others, it was new at the time.

Thoughts on Pulp Fiction today?

[naughty boy]

The last time I saw it I felt it was kind of a mess. That 'post-modern' thing where there's a collision of ideas, more attention paid to entertainment than form, loads of references. It's entertaining enough but I don't think it's a great film really. Those two who rob the diner are fucking awful actors.

[Goat Boy]

I thought it was entertaining as hell when it came out and I still do. Like Withnail or Lebowski the pleasure is in the script and performances.

The whole postmodern angle doesn't really interest me. I think it looks great, the use of music is inspired at times and it fair rattles breathlessly along.

Great? Well it's no Godfather, it's slight, superficial perhaps but there's something pure about it I really love. It's the kind of movie that reminds me why I love the cinema.

That's enough for me. Which is maybe my roundabout way of saying, yeah, it is great.

[The Modernist]

I wouldn't say most of the characters show "deep thinking", quite the opposite in fact. I still like the film though. Here's what I wrote about it in Algroth's recent film poll:
I've been up and down with this one. Liked it when it came out, then spent many years feeling it was overrated. I've come back round to it again. Whilst it has flaws, it's very cleverly put together and I get huge pleasure from the performances of Travolta and Jackson. Generally I think Tarantino is a lot more original than people give him credit for. He's a frustrating figure in many ways because if you followed him from the beginning there was a feeling of my generation has discovered it's own Scorsese or Godard. It's pretty clear to me that he hasn't gone on to become one of the greats as I hoped. But these days I tend to appreciate him for what he is, rather than what I want him to be

[Matt Wilson]

Proving once again, as if there were any doubt, that there is ALWAYS naysayers!

For anything.

Any type of art. It's impossible to please everybody.

No exceptions.

[Davey the Fat Boy]

Sometimes I think I sense the presence of an allegory in it. Other times I think it plays at looking like it has one.

Any thoughts on this?

[Brickyard Jack]

A brilliant film that bears watching over and over again.

[naughty boy]

Proving once again, as if there were any doubt, that there is ALWAYS naysayers!

For anything.

Any type of art. It's impossible to please everybody.

No exceptions.

Right.

And?

Sometimes I think I sense the presence of an allegory in it. Other times I think it plays at looking like it has one.

Any thoughts on this?

Almost definitely the latter. Tarantino hasn't got enough brain power to create a film with genuine allegorical content. He's more interested in showing off (and, in the process, entertaining us).

[Goat Boy]

Proving once again, as if there were any doubt, that there is ALWAYS naysayers!

For anything.

Any type of art. It's impossible to please everybody.

No exceptions.

Right.

And?

Sometimes I think I sense the presence of an allegory in it. Other times I think it plays at looking like it has one.

Any thoughts on this?

Almost definitely the latter. Tarantino hasn't got enough brain power to create a film with genuine allegorical content. He's more interested in showing off (and, in the process, entertaining us).

He has an IQ of 160 apparently. I don’t think it’s down to intelligence rather he’s just not interested

[naughty boy]

I wouldn't disagree with either of you.

I like the film. It's just a bit too long and (consequently?) there are too many flaws for me to think of it as a real classic.

[Goat Boy]

I wouldn't say most of the characters show "deep thinking", quite the opposite in fact. I still like the film though. Here's what I wrote about it in Algroth's recent film poll:
I've been up and down with this one. Liked it when it came out, then spent many years feeling it was overrated. I've come back round to it again. Whilst it has flaws, it's very cleverly put together and I get huge pleasure from the performances of Travolta and Jackson. Generally I think Tarantino is a lot more original than people give him credit for. He's a frustrating figure in many ways because if you followed him from the beginning there was a feeling of my generation has discovered it's own Scorsese or Godard. It's pretty clear to me that he hasn't gone on to become one of the greats as I hoped. But these days I tend to appreciate him for what he is, rather than what I want him to be

I think something similar. He started off very brightly but regressed after Jackie Brown which I think is a great, underrated film and one that showed that Tarantino was capable of much more than his naysayers have claimed over the years.

[The Modernist]

He can still write sparkling dialogue and has a great knack for confrontational scenes that have you on the edge of your seat. He's the kind of guy who can put two guys in a room and have you gripped. In a funny way his talents seem more suited to theatre.

[Goat Boy]

I really enjoyed Kill Bill but jackie Brown showed there was potential for something more, I dunno, mature I guess but he seemed to not be interested in following that particular route.

It's a shame but I also kinda appreciate him for what he is rather than bemoaning the fact he didn't become what I believed he could, you know?

That opening trio of movies is still some of the most exciting and singular cinema of the last 30 years though imo

[Matt Wilson]

Jackie Brown also has a higher pedigree as it was an Elmore Leonard novel. Tarantino changed the ethnicity of the character and the locale and made it his own. Kill Bill is entirely his own creation and as such, works just fine.

What he need is an editor. His dialogue scenes have become increasingly longer for years now. He's in love with own words. Some of those moments in his last three movies go on forever.

[Penk!]

What about his two Westerns? Any cop?

Asking as someone who rates the first three (four stars each I guess) thinks Inglorious Basterds was one of the worst films he’s ever seen.

[Davey the Fat Boy]

Strange how so many of his last several films have all been extreme revenge fantasies. He seems to enjoy implicating the audience for how easily they can be made to root for atrocity.

It’s an interesting point...but he keeps making it. It’s like he’s down to his last idea.

[Matt Wilson]

I couldn't stand the ending of Inglorious Basterds. And he set up each of those guys on the team as if they were going to be major players in the film, then gave them all about one decent scene after that. All build up with no follow-through.

I really liked Django, but it was a tad long, same with Hateful Eight - which had too much dialogue.

[Goat Boy]

Reservoir Dog is a great film though. Kill Bill was clearly superior to any rubbish old kung fu movie. I don't mind thefts if they improve on things.

[Davey the Fat Boy]

Ultimately his movies are about movies. There’s nothing wrong with that. He’s got great style and understands how to toy with audience expectations. Any one of his films on its own can feel like a master class of sorts.

But I think his work becomes harder to swallow the more you see of it. After a while you become aware of the empty calories.

[Jimbly]

I haven't liked anything since the Kill Bill movies. Death Proof was terrible and everything since has been too long and over wordy. The Hateful Eight was bloated, over written, over long and quite boring.