Review of Pulp Fiction: Collector`s Edition (2 Disc Set)

Introduction

Whereas Reservoir Dogs was perhaps a little too controversial to get the mainstream critical acclaim that it deserved, Quentin Tarantino`s second movie, Pulp Fiction, received seven Oscar nominations including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Actress. The film won only one award, Best Screenplay, but Tarantino had signalled his arrival in the big league.

Shot on a shoestring $8million budget (well, shoestring in movie terms anyway!), the movie took in excess of $200million worldwide, making it one of the most profitable movies in recent years.

The film itself is a masterpiece of storytelling, three intertwined stories, one of a pair of small-time thieves, the second of two hitmen and the third of an down-and-out boxer gradually merge into one leading to a memorable climax.

The film relaunched the sagging career of John Travolta and also features Uma Thurman, Samuel L Jackson, Bruce Willis, Ving Rhames, Tim Roth, Eric Stoltz, Christopher Walken and Roseanna Arquette.

Video

The video is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen and is a considerable improvement on the previous non-anamorphic widescreen release that was rather unimpressive to say the least.

The picture is vibrant and free from dirt and grain, although the movie`s length and three soundtracks have meant that the picture isn`t quite as crisp as the movie deserves. Colours and contrast are however well reproduced.

Visually, the movie is memorable, with excellent locations giving the filma very polished feel. There are too many notable scenes to mention, but Travolta and Jackson`s visit to a drug dealer`s apartment, Travolta`s night out with Thurman (and the resulting notorious adrenaline injection scene) and Willis` experience in a shop basement stand out, all of which are well presented on screen.

Audio

The soundtrack comes in a choice of Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1 and Dolby Digital 2.0 (in French). I watched the movie with the DTS 5.1 soundtrack, which was pretty good, and as with other Tarantino movies the emphasis is on the dialogue, which is very clear at all times. The film also has a memorable soundtrack, which again sounds good, as do the effects, and there is reasonable use made of the surround channels.

Features

This two-disc Collectors` Edition is laden with extra features, although like Reservoir Dogs, a commentary track from Tarantino is not included, which is a great shame.

However, the features on offer do include a trivia track; deleted scenes; a 30 minute documentary which is very interesting; behind the scenes footage; a production design featurette; film critics Siskel and Ebert debating the movie; footage from the Independent Spirit Awards; footage from the Cannes Film Festival; a 55 minute interview with Tarantino from The Charlie Rose Show, trailers; TV spots; production notes and postcards.

The disc is packaged in a slipcase with the discs housed in a fold-out cardboard insert. As pretty as it is, I`d have preferred a plastic case as the cardboard isn`t particularly durable.

Conclusion

Tarantino`s second movie proved that Reservoir Dogs wasn`t a fluke, and confirmed his status as a genius. The movie delivers on all fronts - entertainment, performances, script, soundtrack and direction, and every time you watch the film, you notice something new.

The cast is superb, with Travolta fully deserving the praise he received, and the lift his career subsequently received. Excellent performances from Jackson, Rhames, Willis and Thurman complement each other and there is no weak link anywhere. The three storylines are all told perfectly, as Tarantino switches from one to another as they all head towards a common point. This isn`t a popcorn movie by any standards, it grips you from start to finish and rewards you every step of the way.

Hollywood doesn`t make movies of this standard very often, so Pulp Fiction stands out above the crowd, and this DVD is highly recommended.