'Pulp Fiction' (part 1)
The Ringer's Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey are tryin' real hard to be the shepherd after rewatching Quentin Tarantino's 1994 masterpiece 'Pulp Fiction,' starring Samuel L. Jackson, John Travolta, Bruce Willis, and Uma Thurman. In Part 1, the guys break down why they love the movie, discuss the story of how the movie was made, and dive deep into the iconic characters.
Cast
Samuel L. Jackson as Jules Winnfield
John Travolta as Vincent Vega
Bruce Willis as Butch Coolidge
Uma Thurman as Mia Wallace
Harvey Keitel as Winston Wolfe
Ving Rhames as Marsellus Wallace
Tim Roth as Pumpkin / Ringo
Amanda Plummer as Honey Bunny / Yolanda
Christopher Walken as Captain Koons
Eric Stoltz as Lance
Rosanna Arquette as Jody
Frank Whaley as Brett
Phil LaMarr as Marvin
Peter Greene as Zed
Steve Buscemi as Buddy Holly
Directed by: Quentin Tarantino
Written by: Quentin Tarantino, Roger Avery
Notes
- The episode ran over 4 hours and 20 minutes total across both parts, making it the longest Rewatchables episode ever.
- The movie's central theme is redemption – 'anyone can become a good person.' Those who choose righteousness survive (Jules, Butch); those who don't (Vincent, Zed, Brett) die.
- Fishburne turning down Jules is a top-5 movie 'what if' – if he gets Jules plus 'Die Hard' 3 plus The Matrix, he arguably becomes one of the three biggest stars of the 90s.
- Tarantino wrote the entire script longhand in Amsterdam in school notebooks over three months – Chris calls it 'the most valuable piece of luggage in the history of movies.'
- Sam Jackson's legendary re-audition: after learning Paul Calderon nearly got the role, Jackson came back furious and ate a burger during the reading of the Ezekiel speech.
- All three hosts say 'Pulp Fiction' should have won Best Picture over 'Forrest Gump', and Sam Jackson losing Supporting Actor to Martin Landau is Bill's '#1 biggest Oscars outrage of my lifetime.'
Categories
Quote from Rog's review:
“The screenplay by Tarantino and Roger Avery is so well written in a scruffy, fanzine way you want to rub noses in it.”
Ebert later named it 'the most influential film of the decade'
- Laurence Fishburne was written for Jules but turned it down on his agents' advice
- Michael Madsen was Vincent Vega but chose Wyatt Earp instead
- Miramax pushed Daniel Day-Lewis for Vincent; didn't want Travolta
- Matt Dillon was Butch but asked for 24 hours; Bruce Willis said yes immediately
- Virginia Madsen was initial choice for Mia; Miramax wanted Meg Ryan
- John Leguizamo considered for Marcellus; Max Julian refused the role