Pulp Fiction: Greatest of All Time

[BooCocky]

Pulp Fiction

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Released in 1994, Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction grossed well over 100 million dollars at the domestic box office and earned multiple Oscar nominations, one of which ultimately provided Tarantino and Roger Avary with statues for Best Original Screenplay. Now, unlike my fellow NXT NWS competitors, I will not be using Pulp Fiction’s financial and critical successes as proof of its cinematic superiority. I only bring these up to note a rare quality that Pulp Fiction evidently possesses: an appeal to both casual moviegoers and serious film buffs alike. Ultimately, Pulp Fiction’s deft mixture of ultra-violent action with thought-provoking yet accessible dialogue not only accounts for its crossover appeal, but also serves as the reason for why I consider this film to be the greatest ever made. Can we say this about any of the films that my competitors have chosen?

 

[Cena's Little Helper]

Hmm...taking the Lee approach here? Short, sweet, and to the point? I like it, Becker.

Anyway, I think you're spot on with why Pulp Fiction is such a great film. Its excessive (and I mean that in the greatest way possible) violence could hold the attention of a 10 year-old brat with ADHD on a sugar binge, but it's its dialogue that makes it a repeated-viewing requirement. I'm really interested to see how you handle the rebuttals to your argument.

 

[Fire Marshall Bill]

It's definitely a very good movie. But there's one issue you have to bring up with any Quentin Tarantino movie: people usually love em or hate em. Now this movie isn't so over the top like many of his others that that issue doesn't raise it's head nearly as much, but it definitely has it's skeptics. I think that's the reason it was nominated for so many awards that year, but was beaten out by a more deserving movie in Forrest Gump. Not like I'm saying Forrest Gump is the greatest movie of all time by any means, but it definitely deserved it's awards. In fact, while I think Forrest Gump was the better movie, Pulp Fiction is the kind of movie that's more fun to watch repeatedly.

Side note: probably my favorite bit roles for Harvey Keitel and Quentin Tarantino.

 

[D-Man]

I'm not going to sit here and say that Pulp Fiction isn't a great movie. If I did, I'd be lying through my teeth and talking out my ass. It's got great acting, a very intriguing storyline, lots of stars, and a cinematic style that keeps you glued to the screen, thanks to Quentin Tarantino. The guy just seems to find a way to capture cinema in a way that appeals to the majority of the masses... especially men.

But to say it's the greatest movie of all time? You're smoking crack. Not because it's not a good movie... but because it's not a GOOD ENOUGH movie. Sure, it entertained the hell out of me. But the movie wasn't on levels that could ever touch films like The Godfather, Gone With the Wind, and Citizen Kane. Even though it easily appealed to the younger audiences as well as your average moviegoer, it shouldn't be placed on such a high pedestal. Sorry, but I'm just telling it like it is.

 

[gd]

Greatest movie ever, for sure. My favorite at least. I really don't see what there isn't to like about this movie. I could probably watch it a million times and not get bored with it, unless it's the shitty edited version on AMC, of course.

The scene in the creeping rapists basement is easily the highlight. The Gimp, what a guy. Like I said, don't really know how anyone could knock this movie. It's practically perfect.

 

[Ty Burna]

I'm not going to sit here and say that Pulp Fiction isn't a great movie. If I did, I'd be lying through my teeth and talking out my ass. It's got great acting, a very intriguing storyline, lots of stars, and a cinematic style that keeps you glued to the screen, thanks to Quentin Tarantino. The guy just seems to find a way to capture cinema in a way that appeals to the majority of the masses... especially men.

It's an outstanding movie, it's got a ton of lines that are quoted very often, the storylines were intriguing and it was fun figuring out where each of the three storylines fit in with the over arc of the storyline. Drugs, sex, violence, it's the perfect movie for men but gives you plenty of intellect for other looking for something deeper.

But to say it's the greatest movie of all time? You're smoking crack. Not because it's not a good movie... but because it's not a GOOD ENOUGH movie. Sure, it entertained the hell out of me. But the movie wasn't on levels that could ever touch films like The Godfather, Gone With the Wind, and Citizen Kane. Even though it easily appealed to the younger audiences as well as your average moviegoer, it shouldn't be placed on such a high pedestal. Sorry, but I'm just telling it like it is.

So if a movie isn't 4 and a half hours long and drags like there's no tomorrow it's not a good enough film? Now I know that's not what you were referring to, but out of the three films you just named The Godfather is the only one that I thoroughly enjoyed, but even then it can be a bit slow moving for me. Gone With The Wind....meh I don't care about that movie really. Yes I know, God forbid someone say something bad about a movie that's 71 years old, but it was a movie that I never got into. Citizen Kane puts people to sleep, enough said. But Pulp Fiction puts you on a rollercoaster ride from start to finish. Why can't a movie that's fast paced and exciting be the best movie of all time? Does a great movie have to be so deep that it requires six viewings to actually comprehend all that's going on to be considered the best?

In my opinion, no. I watch a movie to be entertained, and Pulp Fiction did that in spades whereas the usual list of "greatest movies" with the exception of The Godfather bored me to tears. Isn't the point of movies to entertain you rather than force you to try understanding just what exactly is going on in the story? I know Pulp Fiction would make you figure out how the story goes together, but it did it in a way that kept you watching. I'm not going to sit here and say I'm a movie aficionado, it's just not my thing. But if you want to think of me as a regular movie goer with a bit of a refined taste, I say Pulp Fiction is a movie I would consider one of the greatest of all time. I"m not going to go off of critical acclaim, awards, or any of the other bullshit used to prove a movie was great. If a movie is great, I should be able to sit down and be riveted by the film. It should entertain me for the duration of the film. This is my biggest key when thinking on the topic of greatest ever.

But what do I know, I count Who Framed Roger Rabbit? as one of my favorite films of all time. My two cents had to be thrown in however.

 

[BooCocky]

It's definitely a very good movie. But there's one issue you have to bring up with any Quentin Tarantino movie: people usually love em or hate em.

You can say what you want about his type of films, but I'm positive more love than hated.

Now this movie isn't so over the top like many of his others that that issue doesn't raise it's head nearly as much, but it definitely has it's skeptics. I think that's the reason it was nominated for so many awards that year, but was beaten out by a more deserving movie in Forrest Gump.

I just want to say this a movie like Forrest Gump had a different kind of appeal. Pulp Fiction was violent and was more edgy. It has like a Rated R effect to it. Forrest Gump was a movie the whole familiy could sit down and watch. You couldn't say the same for a movie like Plp Fiction. Yet, this movie is tremendous and there isn't a dull moment throughout it.

Not like I'm saying Forrest Gump is the greatest movie of all time by any means, but it definitely deserved it's awards.

Like I said it had a different appeal to it. More of a familily movie than something like Pulp Fiction.

Pulp Fiction is great because of all the stories the movie introduces. It has three separate stories, yet they connect and intersect in so many ways. The first part of the movie is based on Vincent Vega and Marsellus Wallce's wife. Then the movies changes hands and goes into the Gold Watch, which is stroy number two. Then it goes into the Bonnie Situation.

Pulp Fiction was just phenomenal movie because it brought us three stories, it made them all make sense, they all connected yet they were so different in many ways. There was never a dull moment for the two plus hours of the movie. The movie just appealed to the masses, which is why I believe it is the Greatest Film Ever made.

 

[jmt225]

And here we go, the winner for best choice in this round goes to the person who started this thread, Brian Becker.

Pulp Fiction is my favorite movie of all time, and while I'm not sure I would call it the greatest movie of all time, I would certainly say it's LOADS better than the other 7 choices in this round.

The fact of the matter is, Pulp Fiction has more rewatchable value than any other movie in this round; it has the best dialogue; it has the most suspense; it's the most surprising/unpredictable; and it's down right the most entertaining.

Never has a movie with so much unnecessary dialogue still capture you in the conversation like Pulp Fiction did. Seriously, think about this... the Vincent and Jules characters were able to make a conversation about cheeseburgers in Europe interesting at the very beginning of the movie. Think about that. Imagine you never seen this movie before; if someone comes up to you tomorrow at work or school or where ever and starts blabbing about what hamburgers are like in Europe... would you give the slightest bit of interest in anything he's saying? Of course you wouldn't, but with these characters... you listened, and you cared with what they had to say, right from the get-go. Just think about how incredible that fact is, and hopefully then you'll start to understand just how amazing this movie is.

But the film is so much more than just great dialogue like that. Take for instance the adrenaline shot scene. It's my favorite scene in the movie, bar none. When Vince arrives to his drug dealer's (Lance) house so he can help save Mia (his bosses wife), it was one of the funniest, most heart racing scenes I've ever had the pleasure of sitting through. Funny in the sense that everything is so chaotic with nothing but screaming and insults being thrown around at a junkie's, and intense in the sense that, well, everything was so chaotic and we knew that if Vince didn't save this girl, he would be dead. Also, I've always admired how the actors pulled off this extremely long one-shot take. Watch the scene here, and see how 3:10-4:31 is all one big long take. It's incredible.

[YOUTUBE]cfN8OrCPZvg[/YOUTUBE]​

And then of course there is the amazing dance-off between Vincent and Mia which takes place minutes before this. That very well could be the most iconic dance scene in the history of film. Seriously, what matches it? Sure it's a simple twist dance, but fuck... you see that scene as much as you'll see any other dancing scene whenever the subject of dancing in film is raised on a television broadcast. That's a fact.

On top of that you have the Jules reciting the bible passage which has since become iconic, you have the rape scene which is notoriously one of the most horrific scenes in the history of cinema, you have the Vincent shoot Marvin in the face scene which is now one of the biggest "Holy Shit" moments in the history of cinema, and you have the final scene between Jules and Ringo... which is one of the most dramatic scenes in the history of cinema.

The movie has all that, plus more. It has to be considered by all one of the greatest movies of all time, and if you want to place it at number 1, well... I can't blame you, because it's perfectly justifiable.

 

[Kenny Powers]

I have to agree that for me it is the greatest of all time as well. I'm sure people will disagree because Hollywood holds Citizen Kane, The Wizard of Oz, Casablanca, and Gone With the Wind on such a high pedestal that nothing can beat them. The Godfather is held high up there as well. I have seen the films and agree they are classics, but Pulp Fiction appeals to a wider audience. Not as wide as a movie like Wizard of Oz since it appeals to children and people of all ages.

Most of the problem with the older classics is that they have good actors but a slow and boring story. The Godfather parts 1 and 2 had probably the greatest talent you could have on a movie set. The story was classic with a great musical score, but the movie drags out too long to keep most people interested. Pulp Fiction is long too going in at 2 and a half hours, but it keeps the viewer glued to their seat.

I love Quentin Tarantino's style of movies so much not because of the violence, sex, or language, but because of the characters. Every character is vibrant and hooks you in. Pulp Fiction told 3 great stories that inter-loop together. Pulp Fiction really doesn't need any more praise then it its given since it is considered on the best movies ever made. I don't think it will ever be put up on the same scale as Gone with The Wind or Citizen Kane, because of the gratuitous violence and foul language.

Again I respect the other classics, but this a movie that I can actually watch over and over again and be thoroughly entertained without falling asleep or hitting the fast forward button.

 

[Miko]

Pulp Fiction could really qualify as the greatest movie of all time, if not then one of the greatest. Others hit the nail on the head when they said it's great because of the dialogue, it's a gift that Tarantino has, he just lets his characters talk, talk, talk and carry on talking, and it never, ever gets boring.

Couple generally fantastic dialogue with great characters that you care about and some of the most iconic scenes of all time (the toilet gun scene between travolta and willis for example) and you have the reasons why Pulp Fiction is awesome. Not to mention that is revived John Travolta's career, which is another reason to love Tarantino and this is coming from someone who quite often finds Tarantino's style, in-jokes and homages a little overbearing.

 

[Cookie]

I only bring these up to note a rare quality that Pulp Fiction evidently possesses: an appeal to both casual moviegoers and serious film buffs alike. Ultimately, Pulp Fiction’s deft mixture of ultra-violent action with thought-provoking yet accessible dialogue not only accounts for its crossover appeal, but also serves as the reason for why I consider this film to be the greatest ever made.

Great OP. Probably the most convincing of the bunch as well. I didn't necessarily agree when I clicked on the thread but I find myself agreeing more and more after reading the OP and responses in this one. It's hard to make a point against this choice, really.

I like the fact that you aren't going by numbers because that would mean things like Avatar and Transformers 2 are the greatest movies of all-time, which makes me simultaneously sob and shudder.

It's so hard to define what really IS the greatest film of all-time because so much factors into it and there's no way to really measure a film's "greatness," which is why I guess so many turn to listing box office numbers. There's a lot more to it than popular appeal. I think it's a movie that really will stand the test of time and continue to impact generation after generation because of the crossover appeal you mentioned... it's going to find an audience no matter what. I don't think it'll lose its magic with age like some other classics (Star Wars is an example of that) either but I guess time will tell regarding that point.

 

[BooCocky]

So, I thought I’d make a closing post for Pulp Fiction, elaborating on why I think its mixture of violence and great dialogue make it the greatest film ever made.

Violence

Yeah, I don’t like to engage in violent acts, but I’ll be damned if I don’t like to watch them on the big screen and on television. Compared to two of the genres that likely inspired it (poliziotteschi films and Hong Kong crime thrillers), Pulp Fiction only contains a moderate amount of violence. But, although moderate, it’s pleasingly graphic, and also astutely used. Whenever violence does occur in Pulp Fiction, it’s built up to quite nicely (e.g., the fiery and passionate Biblical speech Jules Winnfield gives to Brett before he and Vincent Vega execute him). Honestly, could you ask for anything more than extremely effective, top-notch violence? I don’t think so.

The Dialogue

I’m actually laughing my ass off at Jeffue right now; he claims Pulp Fiction to be his favorite film of all time, but he then claims that it has “unnecessary dialogue.” Fool, you of all people should now that there’s not a superfluous line in Pulp Fiction’s script. Let’s just take a short look at all the talky parts of the film:

The initial conversation between Vincent Vega and Jules Winnfield: Everything within this conversation sets up all that follows. The “Royale with Cheese” spiel? It’s necessary to set up the rapport Jules Winnfield cagily builds up with the man he’s about to execute (the fact that he actually has the nerve to ask for a bite out of the guy’s kahuna burger not only speaks volumes about Winnfield’s character, but is also funny and clever as hell). The story about Marcellus Wallace defenestrating someone for giving his wife a massage? It’s necessary to set up the tension between Vega and Mia on their night out.

The date between Vincent Vega and Mia Wallace: Of course they’re going to just talk, Jeffue. Vega doesn’t want to get thrown out of a window (well, he might have taken that chance had Mia not overdosed). I bet you would’ve preferred to watch them fuck instead of talk, you nasty-ass pervert.

Christopher Walken’s speech to a young Butch Coolidge: Uh, without this monologue, we would have no fucking clue why Bruce Willis cared so fucking much about a watch.

Butch Coolidge’s conversation with his girlfriend: This wasn’t necessary to the plot, but the dialogue wasn’t itself worthless. What’s that line again, about Bruce Willis’s girlfriend wanting to have a pot belly, but then contemplating over the fact that what’s pleasing to the touch isn’t necessarily pleasing to the eyes? That’s a classic fucking Tarantino aphorism there, Jeffue. You should know how to appreciate these things; I am disappoint.

Harvey Keitel’s character in The Bonnie Situation: Well, if you’re going to clean up a huge mess, then you got to listen very carefully to someone who knows how to do so. Also, the more detailed they are, the better.

Jules Winnfield’s Diner Speech: After his initial speech, who the hell wouldn’t want to hear him again?

Well, folks, there you have my final post before the judges convene. I hope I have made a compelling case. I will be more than happy to entertain any objections that you may have. Until then, have a great night.