Quentin Tarantino
Pulp Fiction

In 1992, a newcomer, fresh from working at a video store, enters the world he has loved and watched with interest since he was a young boy, sharing a great passion that became part of his life. His name is Quentin Tarantino, one of the most original directors of our times: a great enthusiast and fan of the spaghetti westerns by Sergio Leone and Franco Nero, Italian cinema (the old kind, obviously), but also other genres, like the oriental genre (which later inspired him for his future film that would be "Kill Bill"), his films are filled to the brim with homages and tributes to the best-known directors of the genre: references to composer Ennio Morricone, Sergio Corbucci, and many others. They are films that, when you watch them for the first time, immediately make you say: "this is a Tarantino film," because they also have original characteristics: always stellar casts with great actors, incredible roles and amazing characters from every point of view, but above all... the dialogues: exceptional, full of sharp irony, which make even the most dramatic scenes spectacular and stunning: just think of the rape scene in "Pulp Fiction"...

Exactly, now I would like to talk about this film, absolutely one of my favorites, being a great fan of the director (here's the mystery unveiled behind my nickname). In Pulp Fiction, the second feature film after the stunning "Reservoir Dogs", many different stories are depicted that intertwine with each other: the situations that occur around them and around their characters are surreal, grotesque, almost unreal (see the scene of the "miracle" of the two gangsters). The cast is the best ever seen in a Quentin film, along with Reservoir Dogs itself. The two mafia protagonists, namely Vincent and Jules, are played by John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson: the former returns to the scene after starring in mediocre films that overshadowed him for a long time, while the latter, who had already dealt with important directors such as Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, and Spike Lee, reaches the peak of his interpretations especially thanks to the unforgettable "Ezekiel 25:17" monologue. Note especially the similarity, or rather "homage", to the two lead killers of "A Better Tomorrow" by director John Woo, better known for "Face/Off", also with Travolta. The female lead is played by Uma Thurman (along with the two, nominated for an Oscar). Her role, although lasting less than half an hour, manages to hold the viewer in its grip thanks to her charm and character, which make her one of the most interesting and incredible characters in the whole film. Other protagonists are the robbers Pumpkin and Honey Bunny, played respectively by Tim Roth and Amanda Plummer. The former, already appeared in the film "Reservoir Dogs", and the latter is the daughter of the famous and great actor Christopher Plummer. Their story opens and closes the film, and although they are not of great importance, they have created a wonderful ending, which probably wouldn't have worked without them. Finally, the last character intertwined with these stories is the boxer Butch, played by Bruce Willis. His episode, appearing in the second part of the film, before the pre-finale, manages to connect perfectly, and is also the most "violent" chapter due to the presence of fairly "strong" content.

Other actors also appear in the film in magnificent, perfect, and sensational roles, starting with Mr. Wolf, played by Harvey Keitel, another great Tarantino fetish actor, to the boss Marcellus Wallace played by Ving Rhames (famous for the "Mission Impossible" films) and a cameo by Colonel Koons, masterfully played by the Oscar winner for "The Deer Hunter," Christopher Walken, as grandiose as always, even if for just a few minutes. The main plot can therefore be broken down as follows: two gangsters have to deliver a mysterious briefcase to their boss, the husband of a cocaine-addicted wife, until something stirs up their day; two robbers have decided to pull off the "heist of the century" in a simple restaurant; a boxer runs away from the mafia after a betrayal, but first, he must complete a mission. And I'll stop here so as not to give too many details. It's the film that made me fall in love with this director, a true cult that marked my life. Then already from the amazing soundtrack by Dick Dale it's a must-see.