20 mark Pulp Fiction Question.

Explore how far your chosen film or films are experimental in challenging conventional approaches to narrative.





A conventional film narrative, typically stuck to by large studios, has a linear three part structure. In this, characters are faced with a problem which builds with tension to one final climax in the film in which the problem is solved. Audiences by 1994 were used to this structure. Although not being the first circular structured narrative, Pulp Fiction created confusion in the audience through the complex circular structure which managed to keep viewers intrigued. An example of this circular structure is how the opening and final scene are at the same point in time in the film. Tarantino here is keeping the audience near to clueless about the order of the events until the end of the film. Tarantino's films in his eyes were closer to conventional novels rather than films. With the short amount of time the narrative lasts and the use of chapters, Pulp Fiction is controversial as we are shown the events of a short amount of time rather than a regular story. Moreover, the repetitive action and climaxes in the film massively makes the film unconventional creating a hectic atmosphere to the american crime theme, keeping the audience excited as they see something which to them is foreign - it also highlights the dangerous and unpredictable lifestyle of crime. The structure of the narrative was very unconventional however cannot be called experimental as films such as Annie Hall had already been extremely successful without the use of a narrative structure.

Pulp Fiction also differs separates itself from a conventional movie due to the lack of a regular story line. While the majority of large films are continuously building up to one climax, Pulp Fiction has multiple smaller stories inside - each of which are consistently  in exciting and intense situations. The film stays dramatic throughout and each little problem is either solved or unsolved. An example of this random ordering of tension is when Mia overdoses on Vincent's drugs. In this scene, the problem occurs and tension builds right up the point when she is injected (amplified by the silence) and brought back . These few scenes have the story structure of an entire film in which the problem is solved by the end of the scene. At certain points in the film such as Vincent's drug trip, there is no tension or story in play at all. Tarantino is just using micro film elements such as close ups and popular music to create the effect of drugs on the audience. A scene with no purpose to the story such as this is extremely unconventional. Overall, I think it is very clear that Tarantino is unconventional in his narratives to a full extent especially Pulp Fiction and furthermore I believe it is one of the main reasons which is why the film has become as well known and individual as it still is today.