Pulp Fiction: Collector’s Edition

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Pulp Fiction: Collector’s Edition
Distributed by
Buena Vista Home Entertainment

    Cover

  • Cert: R
  • Cat.no: 23541
  • Running time: 154 minutes
  • Year: 1994
  • Pressing: 2002
  • Region(s): 1, NTSC
  • Chapters: 26
  • Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1
  • Languages: English
  • Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
  • Widescreen: 2.35:1
  • 16:9-Enhanced: Yes
  • Macrovision: Yes
  • Disc Format: 2 * DVD 9
  • Price: $29.98
  • Extras:Trivia Track, Pulp Fiction: The Facts documentary, The CharlieRose Show- Interview with Quentin Tarantino, Production DesignFeaturette, Behind-the Scenes Montages, Siskel & Ebert at the Movies”The Tarantino Generation”, Deleted Scenes, Theatrical Trailers, TVSpots, Cannes Film Festival Acceptance Speech, Independent SpiritAwards, Still Galleries, Reviews and Articles.

    Director:

      Quentin Tarantino

Screenplay:

    Quentin Tarantino

Cast:

    Pumpkin: Tim Roth
    Honey Bunny: Amanda Plummer
    Jules Winfield: Samuel L. Jackson
    Vincent Vega: John Travolta
    Brett: Frank Whaley
    Paul: Paul Calderon
    Butch Coolidge: Bruce Willis
    Marsellus Wallace: Ving Rhames
    Mia Wallace: Uma Thurman
    Lance: Eric Stolz
    Jody: Rosanna Arquette
    Winston Wolf: Harvey Keitel

Pulp Fiction.Two immediately recognizable words that mean too much fortwo words. Edgy, violent, smart, hip, and most of all cool. Mention thismovie to anyone and they’ll either tell you two opinions: love it orhate it. I like to look at Quentin Tarantino films as the flicks madeby a movie buff for the movie buffs. His films are for the true purists,the people who live and breathe film, the people who get the in-jokesand appreciate good cinema when they see it. Show this orReservoir Dogsto the typicalAmerican Piegeneration junkie and they’ll turn it off inten minutes. Quentin Tarantino, Spike Lee, Kevin Smith and a few othersare the directors who understand this. For them it’s not about themoney, it’s about telling a story and doing it the best way they can.

Telling the plot of Pulp Fiction is like trying to tell a person thedifference between widescreen and full frame (I know I’m beating thishorse to death but just one more anecdote and I’m finished I promise).You either get it or you don’t. Split into three chapters. Each telldifferent arcs but they’re of the same characters in the same place,just told in different time frames.

The first starts off with somedifferent scenes then focuses on John Travolta‘s character Vincent Vega(related to Mr. Blonde himself, Vic Vega from Reservoir Dogs?) and UmaThurman‘s character Mia. After that we get the Gold Watch featuringBruce Willis‘ character Butch Coolidge and Ving Rhames‘ characterMarsellus Wallace. Then comes the last segment andquite possibly the best: It focuses on Vincent and Jules’ (Samuel L.Jackson) little assignment from the beginning. Vincent leans to the backseat and talks to a guy named Marvin. All of a sudden the gun goes offand the car is splattered with blood.

        Vincent: “I shot Marvin in the face.”
        Jules: “What do you mean you shot him in the face?”
        Vincent: “I don’t know….it was an accident.”

Twists and turns like this are what make Pulp Fiction stand out (BruceWillis with a samurai sword in a pawn shop – how’s that for unexpected?).

Even though it’s a great film it has one problem that sticks out, to meat least. For instance, the Jack Rabbit Slim’s scene is a little toolong, I often skip right over the entire segment. I have nothing at allagainst Uma Thurman, she’s a very good actress, but I just think her andJohn Travolta’s segment is the weakest of the three. I’m probably theonly one who thinks this but it doesn’t ruin the film in any way.

Buena Vista has finally revisited one of their most lackluster discs.This new disc features an anamorphic 2.35:1 transfer. Colors are wellbalanced and fleshtones are significantly better. Blacks are very deep.There is some very minor grain noticed in some scenes but this wasunavoidable given the gritty nature of the film. Pixelization and edgeenhancement are thankfully gone. This is easily the best transfer I’veseen from the usually average quality titles from Buena Vista.

Buena Vista presents Pulp Fiction’s loud soundtrack perfectly in twooptions. A Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1. Both tracks do a great job ofrendering every minute sound in this film. I never noticed any signs offading or dialouge interlacing. My only complaint with the sound, andthis isn’t for the film, is that the menus are way too loud. Eventurning the volume down you’re still messing with it when the moviecomes on. But that complaint is with the menus and not the movie.

Buena Vista tosses the bare bones platter from the previous release andgives us a full fledged special editon worthy of the banner. There werenumerous laserdisc releases here in the US alone so all the extras werefinally pulled together and put on the same format. Here’s how theplethora stacks up:

Disc 1:

  • Trivia Subtitle Track: Since a Quentin Tarantino commentary is absentthis is the next to best thing. Many, many interesting facts arerevealed in the subtitles and worth a glance.
  • DVD ROM Materials: Open mic commentary, script viewer and more. Nice to see some sort of DVD ROM extras at all.

Disc 2:

  • Pulp Fiction: The Facts Documentary: A well produced documentary.Pulled from numerous interviews (they actually tell you where each wasfilmmed and when on a bar on the side at the start of each). Each offersinsightful info and worth a look. Runs 30 minutes and is presented infull frame.
  • Deleted Scenes: 5 in all, including a Quentin Tarantino introductionon the meaning of deleted scenes (he even says so himself that he issick of the laserdiscs that have numerous releases, something that ringstrue to this day on DVD but this rerelease is a good thing). Tarantinoalso offers some notes before each scene except for the last. All areshown in non-anamorphic 2.35:1 widescreen.
  • Behind-the-Scenes Montages: Two segments are show. One for the Jack Rabbit Slims scene and the other forwhen Butch hits Marsellus. Both are shot on camcorder.
  • Production Design Featurette: Runs 6 minutes and is full frame. An interesting segment that examines certain sets.
  • Siskel & Ebert At The Movies: The Tarantino Generation: How cool would it be to all the episodes of that cool show on DVD? Probably notpossible with all the legal rights and all. Anyway, this is an episodefrom that show that features Tarantino’s rise to fame. Made in 1994right after Pulp Fiction (a mere five years before Gene Siskel passedaway during surgery). The two offer good analogies and they really likedthis movie. They mention how they don’t like Reservoir Dogs….how canyou not like that movie?! It’s great! Runs 16 minutes total and is init’s original full frame TV presentation.
  • Independent Spirit Awards: Runs 11 minutes and is full frame. A prettystandard interview with Tarantino after the awards.
  • Cannes Film Festival- Palm d’or Acceptance Speech: This was in France, Tarantino accepts the best picture award announced by Clint Eastwood.This is kind of funny because someone seems to be cussing Quentin out inFrench, and the ever cool Tarantino simply flips them off. This mighthave been a joke but it’s funny nonetheless.
  • Charlie Rose Show: Interview with Quentin Tarantino: An entire episode from this show and runs a whopping 55 minutes long.
  • Theatrical Trailers:Now these are cool. This is something that shouldbe included on all DVDs. Not only is the US trailer here but we gettrailers from around the world. US, UK, France, Germany, and Japan. Eachis different (the US and UK trailers are pretty much the same though)and welcome. Studios should consider including trailes from othercountries more often.
  • TV Spots: There are 13 spots offered here. I don’t remember seeingthis many when the film came out, does anyone else. At least there’smore than three, the standard number of TV spots for many DVDs.
  • Still Galleries: 8 sections in all. Posters, sets, memorabillia, Campaigns, and more.
  • Reviews and Articles: 8 in all and offer random praising of the film.

Pretty stuffed little package huh? Do you want to replace your old DVDnow?

Pulp Fiction is packaged in a cool cardboard case. Pull out the slipsleeve for the two discs. On the insert we get a collectible book andthe Jack Rabbit Slim’s menu. You also get some rebates including onethat gives you 5 dollars back if you previously owned the old DVD. Themenus are animated and, like I said above, very loud. The film offers 26chapters total.

Overall, Buena Vista has produced an excellent pakage here. Isn’t itfunny how the months of August and September have seen 4 QuentinTarantino films released in two disc special editions? Pick up all four:Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, the awesome Reservoir Dogs, and theTarantino penned True Romance (which I will pick up as well soon).That’s eight discs and some great films.

FILM CONTENT
PICTURE QUALITY
SOUND QUALITY
EXTRAS


OVERALL
Review copyright © Traveta, 2002.

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