Pulp Fiction

I recently saw Pulp Fiction for the third time and every time I watch it I notice all kinds of new great details that make the movie even better.

Tarantino is a movie-lover who is influenced by other movies, steals from them, references them and pays homage to them. Despite all this, to me, the biggest influence on Pulp Fiction seems to be a tv-show: Seinfeld. In 1994, when Pulp Fiction came out Seinfeld was airing for 5 seasons and was probably the most popular tv-show. Watching Pulp Fiction I get the feeling that Tarantino was a fan of Seinfeld. His dialogue is completely original, but especially Jules and Vincents' dialogue could be easily used in an episode of Seinfeld. It's very easy to imagine George and Jerry talking about whether foot massages mean something or whether pigs are clean animals. This does not mean that the dialogue, besides being funny and original, is meaningless. It very often is in the service of the story and the characters. A few examples:
The fact that Vincent thinks that Marsellus has thrown someone out of the window, because he has given his wife Mia a foot massage looms the whole time over Vincents date with her. It's the reason he indulges her every whim, why when they grow to like each other he debates with himself whether he should fuck (this is a Tarantino film I am reviewing. I can use this word) her. We get the feeling that Vincent is not somebody who usually contemplates such things. And of course it's the reason why he (and we) are so concerned whether Mia will survive her OD.
The 'Royale with cheese' conversation is later again used by Vincent and Jules to taunt their victims.
Jules does not quote the bible for no reason. He really believes in God and his faith really has consequences for him. By the way, the quoting of the Bible is even more funny, because nothing that Jules says, really is written in Ezequiel 25:17. It's made up by Tarantino.
Despite the fact that Marsellus, tells Butch to fuck pride, it's partly because of Butch's pride that Marsellus is saved from the rapists.

This basement scene with the rapists is a scene I never liked. I found it too mean-spirited, ugly and very close to torture-porn. On my recent viewing I realized that it's an important scene that makes the movie even better. If the movie were told chronologically it would have been the last scene in the movie. The movie would start with the retrieving of the suitcase by Jules and Vincent (if you discount the flashback about Bucthes watch). The youngsters in the room are killed by Jules because they tried to figuratively fuck Marsellus like he was a bitch. In the basement the hillbillies literally try to fuck Marsellus like he was a bitch. When he is saved Marsellus is asked what he is gonna do to the rapist. Well Marsellus is gonna call 'coupla hard, pipe-hittin' niggers' to get 'medieval on the rapist's ass.' Obviously this is basically what Jules and Vincent were doing when we first met them. The movie has made a full circle. I recently saw Steven Spielberg's pretty good movie Munich. In the movie Spielberg argues that violence only leads to more violence and that even if you kill one of your enemies he'll simply be replaced by someone else who may even be more vicious. One could argue that Tarantino states the same thing here. After all, Vincent is now dead (not that Marsellus knows this) and Jules has quit, but they will simply be replaced by others and the violence will continue.

All of Tarantino's movies are very violent and often the violence is indeed presented in a comical way. But as I argued in the previous paragraph Tarantino does not approach violence mindlessly and I would even call him a relatively moral filmmaker. This is perhaps most obvious in Inglourious Basterds, but it can also be ssen in Pulp Fiction and not just in the example I gave in the previous paragraph. Jules for example renounces violence, Vincent does not and Vincent eventually dies. And Butch goes back to save Marsellus from the rapists. For doing the right thing, Marsellus forgives Butch the fact that he screwed up their agreement and lets him go.

A couple of other things. I can't think of any other movie which uses popular music in such a great way. A lot of scenes are accompanied by a great song and the song almost always seems a perfect fit for the scene.
The costume design is wonderful. Every room is filled with wonderful and odd details, with of course the Jackrabbit Slim's being the highlight.
If I have one small criticism about this movie, it is that Tarantino should never act. He simply can't do it, even though even that works a bit since it makes the scene even more funny and absurd.