Pulp Fiction is a 1994 American independent black comedy crime film. Quentin Tarantino wrote and directed it, based on a story he created with Roger Avary. The film follows four connected stories about crime and violence in Los Angeles. It features actors John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, Tim Roth, Ving Rhames, and Uma Thurman. The title comes from pulp magazines and hardboiled crime novels from the mid-20th century, which were known for their graphic violence and fast-paced dialogue.

Tarantino wrote the screenplay in 1992 and 1993. He included scenes that Roger Avary originally wrote for the film True Romance (1993). The story is not told in order of events. The film begins with a title card that shows two dictionary definitions of "pulp." Many scenes focus on characters talking about different topics, showing their thoughts and feelings. The film mixes humor with intense violence. TriStar Pictures rejected the script, calling it "too extreme." However, Miramax Films co-chairman Harvey Weinstein supported the film, and Miramax fully funded it.

Pulp Fiction won the Palme d'Or at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival. It was a major success with critics and audiences. It received seven nominations at the 67th Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and won Best Original Screenplay. John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, and Uma Thurman were nominated for Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Supporting Actress, respectively. Because of the film's success, Travolta's career improved. The film's production, marketing, and financial success greatly influenced independent cinema.

Pulp Fiction is considered Quentin Tarantino's most famous work. Critics praise its writing, which includes references to other films and stories. The film's unique structure and mix of styles have made it an important example of postmodern film. It is seen as a major cultural event, inspiring other films and media to use similar styles. The actors were also highly praised, especially Travolta, Thurman, and Jackson. In 2008, Entertainment Weekly named it the best film since 1983. It has appeared on many lists of the greatest films ever made. In 2013, the Library of Congress added Pulp Fiction to the United States National Film Registry, calling it "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."

Narrative structure

Pulp Fiction uses a storytelling method that does not follow a straight order. Instead, it has several storylines that connect at different points. The film is divided into seven parts, listed below. Parts with bold titles are those named in the film's title cards.

• "Prologue – The Diner" (I)
• "Prelude to 'Vincent Vega and Marsellus Wallace's Wife'"
• "Vincent Vega and Marsellus Wallace's Wife"
• "Prelude to 'The Gold Watch'"
• "The Gold Watch"
• "The Bonnie Situation"
• "Epilogue – The Diner" (II)

If these parts were arranged in the order they happen, they would be: 4, 2, 6, 1, 7, 3, 5. Parts 1 and 7 happen at the same time but are shown from different perspectives, as are parts 2 and 6. According to Philip Parker, the story is "made up of separate stories that return to the beginning and end, allowing details from each story to be mentioned throughout." Other experts describe the structure as a "circular narrative."

Plot

A young Butch Coolidge is visited by Captain Koons, an Air Force pilot. Koons shows Butch a gold watch and explains that the watch is a family treasure and belonged to Butch's father, who served with Koons and died in a POW camp during the Vietnam War. Koons continues the tradition by giving the watch to Butch.

In Los Angeles, two hitmen, Jules Winnfield and Vincent Vega, drive to an apartment to retrieve a briefcase from Brett, a dishonest business partner for their boss, gangster Marsellus Wallace. Vincent mentions that Marsellus has instructed him to take his wife, Mia, to dinner the following night. At the apartment, they find Brett and an informant for Marsellus named Marvin. Jules recites a fictional passage from the Book of Ezekiel before he and Vincent kill Brett.

Immediately afterward, another man bursts out of the bathroom and fires at them. The two, inexplicably uninjured, kill the man and leave with the briefcase and Marvin. While Jules is driving, Vincent accidentally shoots Marvin in the head, covering the two and the car's interior in blood. They hide the car at the home of Jules' friend Jimmie, who demands they dispose of Marvin's corpse and the blood-stained car before his wife, Bonnie, comes home. Marsellus sends a cleaner, Winston Wolfe, who directs Jules and Vincent to hide the body in the trunk, clean the car, dispose of their bloody clothes, and take the car to a junkyard. When the car and clothes have been removed, Jules and Vincent eat breakfast at a diner. Jules tells Vincent that he plans to retire from his life of crime, convinced that their survival at the apartment was divine intervention. Vincent does not believe that their survival was anything more than peculiar.

At the same time, a pair of thieves, Pumpkin and Honey Bunny, are seated nearby and preparing to rob the diner. When Vincent is in the bathroom, they begin the robbery and demand Marsellus' briefcase from Jules. Jules overpowers Pumpkin and holds him at gunpoint, causing Honey Bunny to become hysterical. She points her gun at Jules and Vincent returns and points his gun at her. Jules defuses the situation, allowing the two to keep the money from only his wallet and letting them leave. Jules and Vincent leave and meet Marsellus at a bar, where Marsellus is bribing an aging Butch to intentionally lose in his upcoming boxing match. The following night, Vincent purchases heroin from his drug dealer, Lance. He shoots up and drives to meet Mia at her house. They eat at a 1950s-themed restaurant and participate in a twist contest, then return home. While Vincent is in the bathroom, Mia finds his heroin, mistakes it for cocaine, and snorts it. She passes out from an overdose, and Vincent rushes her to Lance's house, where they revive her by injecting her heart with adrenaline. Vincent and Mia agree never to tell Marsellus about the incident.

Butch double-crosses Marsellus by killing his opponent. He plans to flee with his girlfriend, Fabienne, but discovers that she has forgotten to pack the gold watch. Returning to his apartment to retrieve it, he notices a MAC-10 submachine gun on the kitchen counter and hears the toilet flush. Vincent, who had been staking out Butch's apartment, emerges from the bathroom. Butch kills him with the gun and leaves. While returning to the motel, he sees Marsellus crossing the road. Marsellus chases Butch into a pawnshop. Maynard, the shop owner, captures them at gunpoint and gags them in the basement. Maynard and his accomplice, Zed, take Marsellus into another room and rape him. Butch breaks free from his restraints and kills Maynard with a katana, freeing Marsellus. Marsellus tells Butch that he has been forgiven and instructs him to tell no one about the incident and to depart Los Angeles forever. Butch picks up Fabienne on Zed's chopper and they ride off.

Cast

• John Travolta as Vincent Vega: Jules' criminal partner, working for Marsellus Wallace. Tarantino cast Travolta in Pulp Fiction because Michael Madsen, who had played Vic Vega in Reservoir Dogs (1992), chose to appear in Wyatt Earp instead. Madsen later said he regretted this choice. Harvey Weinstein wanted Daniel Day-Lewis for the role. Travolta agreed to a lower pay, either $100,000 or $140,000. The film’s success and his Academy Award nomination helped restart his career. Vincent is the brother of Vic Vega, also known as Mr. Blonde in Reservoir Dogs. In 2004, Tarantino talked about making a movie with Travolta and Madsen as the "Vega Brothers," but the idea never happened.

• Samuel L. Jackson as Jules Winnfield: Vincent's criminal partner, working for Marsellus Wallace. Jackson’s first audition was overshadowed by Paul Calderón, who he thought was only doing a reading. Weinstein convinced him to audition again, and his performance in the diner scene won over Tarantino. Jules was originally planned to have a giant afro, but Tarantino’s assistant accidentally bought a Jheri curl wig. Tarantino was upset, but Jackson persuaded him to keep it because the hairstyle was popular through the rap group N.W.A. Film critic Owen Gleiberman saw the wig as a "tacit comic statement about how Black people are portrayed in movies." Jackson received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Calderón appears in the film as Paul, a bartender and Marsellus’s assistant. Tarantino wrote the role for Laurence Fishburne, who turned it down. Fishburne said he refused because he felt the film glorified heroin. Eddie Murphy was also considered for the role.

• Uma Thurman as Mia Wallace: Marsellus Wallace’s wife and an aspiring actress. Miramax wanted Holly Hunter or Meg Ryan for the role. Robin Wright, Jennifer Beals, Debra Winger, Marisa Tomei, Alfre Woodard, and Meg Tilly were also considered, but Tarantino chose Thurman after meeting her. She became the face of the film’s promotion, appearing on a bed with a cigarette and a pulp novel. She was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. Despite becoming a celebrity, Thurman avoided big-budget films until Batman & Robin (1997).

• Bruce Willis as Butch Coolidge: An aging boxer who runs from Marsellus after betraying him. The role was first written for Matt Dillon, who turned it down. Mickey Rourke also refused. Willis was a star, but his recent films had not been successful. Participating in Pulp Fiction meant lowering his salary and risking his fame, but it worked well for him. The film helped restore his reputation and earned him millions. Tarantino wanted Willis because of his 1950s-style look, inspired by Aldo Ray in Nightfall and Ralph Meeker’s portrayal of Mike Hammer in Kiss Me Deadly. Chandler Lindauer plays a younger version of Butch.

• Harvey Keitel as Winston Wolfe: A "cleaner" who helps Jules and Vincent. Tarantino wrote the role for Keitel, who had starred in Reservoir Dogs and helped produce it. Tarantino said, "Harvey had been my favorite actor since I was 16 years old." Keitel played a similar role in Point of No Return (1993).

• Tim Roth as Ringo/"Pumpkin": A robber and Yolanda’s boyfriend. Roth had worked with Keitel in Reservoir Dogs. He used a London accent in Pulp Fiction, unlike his American accent in Reservoir Dogs. Tarantino originally planned to cast Roth as Vincent and Gary Oldman as Jules, rewriting them as "two English guys."

• Amanda Plummer as Yolanda/"Honey Bunny": Ringo’s girlfriend and criminal partner. Tarantino wrote the role for Plummer to pair with Roth. Roth introduced Tarantino to Plummer, saying, "I want to work with Amanda in one of your films but she has to have a really big gun."

• Maria de Medeiros as Fabienne: Butch’s girlfriend. Tarantino met de Medeiros, a Portuguese actress, while traveling with Reservoir Dogs in Europe.

• Ving Rhames as Marsellus Wallace: A crime boss who employs Jules and Vincent. Before Rhames was cast, the role was offered to Max Julien and Sid Haig, who both refused. Rhames gave "one of the best auditions I've ever seen," according to Bender. His performance led to roles in Mission Impossible (1996), Con Air (1997), and Out of Sight (1998).

• Eric Stoltz as Lance: Vincent’s drug dealer. Tarantino originally wrote the role for John Cusack. TriStar executives preferred Gary Oldman, based on his role as a drug dealer in True Romance (1993).

• Rosanna Arquette as Jody: Lance’s wife. Pam Grier auditioned, but Tarantino thought it was unlikely for Lance to yell at her. He later cast Grier as the lead in Jackie Brown. Ellen DeGeneres also auditioned. Rosanna’s sister, Alexis (then known as Robert Arquette), appears in the film as a man who shoots at Vincent and Jules.

• Christopher Walken as Captain Koons: A USAF veteran who gives Butch his father’s gold watch. During Koons’ monologue, he mentions a soldier named "Winocki," a character from the 1943 film Air Force, one of Tarantino’s favorite movies. Tarantino played a character named Desmond Winocki in a guest appearance on All-American Girl.

• Bronagh Gallagher plays Trudi, Jody’s friend, who smokes a bong during the scene where Vincent revives Mia. Author Jason Bailey said Quentin Tarantino thought it was funny to have a casual observer present during the scene.

• Phil LaMarr portrays Marvin, an associate of Jules and Vincent. LaMarr auditioned for Tarantino after both worked together in an improv group. He read for the roles of Jules Winnfield and Brett before being cast as Marvin.

• Tarantino appears as Jimmie, Jules’ friend, in whose house they clean up a murder. Tarantino was unsure whether to play Jimmie or Lance, choosing Jimmie so he could stay behind the camera during Mia’s overdose scene.

• Frank Whaley portrays Brett, who carries a briefcase requested by Marsellus. Whaley met Tarantino while filming Reservoir Dogs at a lab in Sundance Institute. He said, "we ended up meeting and spending time together, and I liked him, so I was really happy when he asked me to be in this movie."

• Burr Steers appears as Roger, a friend of Brett’s nicknamed "Flock of Seagulls" by Jules

Production

The origins of Pulp Fiction can be traced to the late 1980s, when Quentin Tarantino and Roger Avary worked together at Video Archives, a video store in Southern California. Avary said their first idea was to create three short films with three different filmmakers: himself, Tarantino, and a friend named Adam Rifkin. Avary wrote the first part of what would become the film’s screenplay in the fall of 1990. This part was called “Pandemonium Reigns” and later expanded into a full-length script. Tarantino’s short film also became a complete script, but Rifkin never finished his part, leaving the project uncertain at first. The idea for the film was inspired by Black Sabbath (1963), a three-part horror movie directed by Mario Bava. The project was temporarily named Black Mask, after a famous crime fiction magazine. Tarantino’s script became Reservoir Dogs, his first film as a director. Avary’s work formed the basis for the “Gold Watch” storyline in Pulp Fiction.

After Reservoir Dogs was completed, Tarantino returned to the idea of making a trilogy. He said he wanted to tell three separate stories, like how novelists write, with characters appearing in different stories. He explained that the stories were based on old crime tales, such as the one about a man who must go out with a powerful person’s wife without touching her. Tarantino said he used old storytelling methods but made them unexpected by mixing them with real-life situations. For example, the character Butch Coolidge was inspired by Ralph Meeker’s role in Kiss Me Deadly (1955), where Meeker played a tough, rude character.

Tarantino worked on the Pulp Fiction script in Amsterdam in March 1992, possibly at the Winston Hotel in the Red Light District. Avary joined him there and helped rewrite the script and develop new storylines. Two scenes originally written by Avary for True Romance were added to the beginning of “The Bonnie Situation” in Pulp Fiction. These scenes included a hidden gunman missing shots and a car crash. The idea of a “cleaner” in the story came from a short film called Curdled, which Tarantino saw at a film festival. He cast Angela Jones in Pulp Fiction and later supported the production of a full-length version of Curdled. The script also included fake brand names, such as “Big Kahuna burgers” and “Red Apple cigarettes,” which later appeared in other Tarantino films. While working on the script, Tarantino traveled with Reservoir Dogs to European film festivals. Pulp Fiction was released in the United States in October 1992 and became a critical and commercial success. The script was completed in January 1993.

The adrenaline scene in Pulp Fiction was inspired by a documentary called American Boy: A Profile of Steven Prince, directed by Martin Scorsese. The film focused on Steven Prince, who played a character named Easy Andy in Taxi Driver. Prince described a real-life event where he injected adrenaline into a woman who had overdosed, using a medical dictionary and a marker.

Tarantino and his producer, Lawrence Bender, brought the Pulp Fiction script to Jersey Films. Before seeing Reservoir Dogs, Jersey Films had tried to sign Tarantino for his next project. A deal worth about $1 million was made: A Band Apart, Bender and Tarantino’s new production company, received funding and office space, while Jersey Films got a share of the project and the right to shop the script to a studio. Jersey Films had a deal with Columbia TriStar, which paid Tarantino for the right to consider making the film. In February 1993, Pulp Fiction appeared on a Variety list of films in pre-production at TriStar. However, in June, the studio put the script into turnaround, meaning it was no longer being considered. A studio executive said TriStar’s chief, Mike Medavoy, found the script “too demented.” Some suggested the studio was uncomfortable with the film’s content, such as its portrayal of drug use, and thought it was too low-budget for its image. Avary said TriStar’s objections were broad, including the script’s structure. He quoted a studio executive saying, “This is the worst thing ever written. It makes no sense. Someone’s dead and then they’re alive. It’s too long, violent, and unfilmable.”

Bender then brought the script to Miramax Films, a studio that had recently been acquired by Disney. Harvey Weinstein, co-chairman of Miramax, was immediately interested in the script, and the company agreed to produce the film. Michael Shamberg, an executive producer, said only Weinstein placed a bid for the film, even though Weinstein thought he was in a bidding war. Bob Shaye, a former Miramax executive, later said he regretted turning down the project. Tarantino had initially wanted to work with Mike Medavoy, who had produced successful films for Orion Pictures, but Medavoy rejected the script as too violent. Pulp Fiction became the first Miramax project approved after Disney’s acquisition. The film had a budget of $8.5 million, but $500,000 was returned, bringing the final cost to $8 million. A lower budget allowed the producers to keep more control over the film. Miramax fully financed the project. To keep costs low, Bender arranged for all main actors to be paid the same amount per week, regardless of their fame. The New York Times reported that most actors received small salaries and a share of the profits. Bruce Willis, a major star, signed on to the film. Though he had recently had some box office failures, he was still popular overseas. Miramax sold the film’s worldwide rights for $11 million, ensuring its profitability.

Danny DeVito, one of the film’s executive producers, said Weinstein suggested casting Daniel Day-Lewis, who had just won an Academy Award for My Left Foot. DeVito reminded Weinstein that Tarantino wanted John Travolta and that Weinstein had no final say on casting. He later said Weinstein called him many names, but Tarantino got his way, and the decision proved correct.

During casting, Samuel L. Jackson’s first audition was strong, but another actor later gave a performance that “blew them away.” Bender told Jackson’s agent they might need to consider the other actor. The agent refused, saying, “No, no, no, you can’t do that. Sam will come back.” Bender was hesitant to ask Jackson for another audition but eventually did.

Music

The film Pulp Fiction did not have a film score composed specifically for it. Instead, director Quentin Tarantino used a variety of music styles, including surf music, rock and roll, soul, and pop songs. The song "Misirlou" by Dick Dale plays during the film’s opening credits. Tarantino selected surf music as the main musical style, but he explained that he did not choose it because of its connection to surfing. He said, "To me, it just sounds like rock and roll, even Morricone music. It sounds like rock and roll spaghetti Western music." Tarantino originally planned to use the power pop song "My Sharona" by The Knack during a scene, but he later decided against it.

Some of the songs used in the film were suggested by Tarantino’s friends, Chuck Kelley and Laura Lovelace, who were listed as music consultants. Laura Lovelace also appeared in the film as a character named Laura, a waitress; she later played the same role in the movie Jackie Brown. The soundtrack album was released with the film in 1994. It reached number 21 on the Billboard 200 chart. A single from the album, Urge Overkill’s cover of Neil Diamond’s song "Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon," reached number 59 on the charts.

Estella Tincknell explains that the mix of well-known and less-known songs in the soundtrack helps make the film feel intentionally stylish. She notes that the use of music with a strong beat and simple recording style from the early 1960s, combined with classic ballads like Dusty Springfield’s "Son of a Preacher Man," is important to the film’s approach to showing different cultural influences. She contrasts the Pulp Fiction soundtrack with that of Forrest Gump, the highest-grossing film of 1994, which also used music from the 1960s. Tincknell says Pulp Fiction presents a version of the 1960s that focuses on subcultures, such as surfing and casual hanging out, rather than the more widely recognized counterculture shown in Forrest Gump. She adds that the soundtrack is important in connecting the film to viewers who are familiar with movie culture.

Release and reception

Pulp Fiction had its first showing in May 1994 at the Cannes Film Festival. The Weinsteins brought the entire cast to France, and the film was shown at midnight. It created a big reaction and won the Palme d'Or, the festival's top prize, which increased its popularity.

The first U.S. review of the film appeared in Variety magazine on May 23. Todd McCarthy described Pulp Fiction as a "very entertaining pop culture movie" and called it a "huge success." After Cannes, Quentin Tarantino traveled around the world to promote the film. It was shown at smaller festivals in Europe, including Nottingham, Munich, Taormina, Locarno, Norway, and San Sebastián. Tarantino later said that the film's non-linear structure made audiences pay close attention, which he found exciting. In late September, the film opened the New York Film Festival. The New York Times published its review on the same day. Janet Maslin called the film a "clever, exciting journey" that showed Tarantino's creativity and originality.

On October 14, 1994, Pulp Fiction was released in the United States. It opened in 1,100 theaters at once, unlike most independent films that start in a few theaters and expand later. Some critics had previously criticized Tarantino's earlier film, Reservoir Dogs, for showing too much violence. Miramax, the film's distributor, used this in its marketing with a slogan: "You won't know the facts till you've seen the fiction."

Pulp Fiction earned the most money in its first weekend, making $9,311,882. It beat Sylvester Stallone's movie, The Specialist, which was playing in more theaters. However, Miramax and Warner Bros. disagreed about the exact numbers. Variety estimated Pulp Fiction made between $8.6 million and $9 million for the weekend.

Pulp Fiction cost about $18.5 million to make and market. It earned $107.93 million in the U.S. and Canada, making it the first Miramax film to surpass $100 million in those regions. Worldwide, it earned nearly $213 million. Even though it played on fewer screens than other top films in 1994, it was the tenth highest-grossing movie of the year. Fans often discussed the film's mysterious briefcase, showing how popular it became. MovieMaker called it a "national cultural phenomenon." In the U.K., the film was a hit, and its screenplay became the most successful book in publishing history.

On Rotten Tomatoes, 92% of 185 critics gave Pulp Fiction positive reviews, with an average score of 9.3/10. The site said the film is "a cinematic shot of adrenaline" that proves Tarantino's talent. On Metacritic, the film has a score of 95 out of 100, meaning it received "universal acclaim." Audiences gave it a "B+" rating on average.

Major U.S. critics praised the film. Roger Ebert called it a "comedy about violence, drugs, and strange characters" with a screenplay that felt "scruffy" and exciting. Richard Corliss of Time said the film "towers over other movies" and challenged Hollywood to be smarter. David Ansen of Newsweek wrote that the film "gleams like something new" despite using old ideas. Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly said the film made him feel "high on the rediscovery of how pleasurable a movie can be." Peter Travers of Rolling Stone called it "thrillingly alive" and "indisputably great."

The Los Angeles Times was one of the few major outlets to publish a negative review. Kenneth Turan said some scenes felt "uncomfortable" and "creative desperation." Stanley Kauffmann of The New Republic criticized the film's popularity as "cultural slumming." Some critics disagreed with the film's comparisons to French New Wave director Jean-Luc Godard, arguing that Pulp Fiction's success showed a preference for existing cultural references.

Debates about the film's violence and use of the word "nigger" (used 18 times) also appeared in reviews. Some critics, like Todd Boyd of the Chicago Tribune, questioned the film's frequent use of the word. Others, like Donna Britt of The Washington Post, avoided the film to avoid discussing its violent scenes.

Legacy and influence

Pulp Fiction became one of the most important movies of its time. In 1995, during a special episode of Siskel & Ebert focused on director Quentin Tarantino, Gene Siskel said the film challenged the way American movies had become stuck in unchanging patterns. He believed the film’s style—both similar to and different from its earlier work, Reservoir Dogs—was unique.

In 1995, Bob Dole, who was the Senate Majority Leader and a Republican presidential candidate in 1996, criticized the entertainment industry for promoting violent and extreme content. Though he did not mention Pulp Fiction directly, he pointed to other movies based on Tarantino’s scripts, such as Natural Born Killers and True Romance. Later in 1996, Dole accused Pulp Fiction—without having seen it—of encouraging people to romanticize heroin use.

Critics and film experts have described Pulp Fiction as a movie that brought back the popularity of actor John Travolta and the style of film noir. Others said it inspired a trend of action movies featuring men with guns. Some called it a black comedy or a "neo-noir" film, but others disagreed. Geoffrey O'Brien said the movie did not fit the neo-noir genre because it lacked the serious, dark tone of classic noir films. Nicholas Christopher called it more like "gangland camp," and Foster Hirsch said its strange, dreamlike quality made it hard to label with a single genre.

Soon after its release, Pulp Fiction influenced many filmmakers. In 1995, British critic Jon Ronson noticed that students at a film school were copying its style, including violent scenes set to 70s music and characters shooting each other at the same time. Movies like Destiny Turns on the Radio, Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead, and 2 Days in the Valley were among the first Hollywood films inspired by Pulp Fiction.

The film also changed how independent movies were made. It helped Miramax become a leading independent film company and showed that independent films could be very successful at the box office. In 2001, Variety magazine said that John Willis’s decision to appear in Pulp Fiction marked a turning point for actors who worked in both big studio films and low-budget projects.

In 2024, Variety noted that Pulp Fiction revived John Travolta’s career, made Samuel L. Jackson a star, and inspired many similar films. The movie influenced not only film but also television, music, literature, and advertising. It became a major cultural event and was widely discussed online soon after its release.

Roger Ebert called Pulp Fiction "the most influential film of the decade" in 2001, and Time magazine’s Corliss said it was "the most influential American movie of the 90s." Many scenes from the film became famous, such as the "Royale with Cheese" dialogue and the moment when Mia Wallace receives an adrenaline shot. The dance scene between Travolta and Uma Thurman was copied in later films, and the image of Travolta and Jackson standing together with guns has become widely recognized.

In 2008, Entertainment Weekly named Pulp Fiction the best film of the past 25 years. It was also ranked highly in other lists, including the American Film Institute’s "Ten Top Ten" poll, where it placed seventh in the gangster film genre. In 2007, it was listed as the 94th greatest film of all time on the AFI’s 100 Years … 100 Movies list.

In April 2026, Pete Hegseth gave a prayer that used words similar to the famous “Ezekiel 25:17” speech from Pulp Fiction, delivered by Samuel L. Jackson.

Critical analysis

Quentin Tarantino has said he originally wanted to make a movie based on Black Mask, a magazine that helped popularize hardboiled detective stories. He explained that the movie ended up going in a different direction. Geoffrey O'Brien believes the film is strongly connected to a type of storytelling that includes tales of fear and the strange, like those written by Cornell Woolrich and Fredric Brown. Both authors often used unlikely events and cruel jokes in their stories, which Tarantino also uses in Pulp Fiction. O'Brien notes that the complex plot twists in Fredric Brown’s books are similar to the way the stories in Pulp Fiction are connected and repeat.

Philip French describes the film’s story as a loop, like a Möbius strip, a shape that never ends, which filmmakers like Alain Resnais and Alain Robbe-Grillet might admire. James Mottram says the movie is heavily influenced by crime writer Elmore Leonard, whose work Tarantino has praised. He points out that Leonard’s sharp, humorous dialogue is reflected in Tarantino’s characters’ speech, and that Leonard’s dark sense of humor about violence inspired the film.

Film expert Robert Kolker says the movie’s witty dialogue and unusual way of showing time are a mix of two films Tarantino admires: Mean Streets (1973) by Martin Scorsese and The Killing (1956) by Stanley Kubrick. He contrasts Pulp Fiction with other 1990s films like Hudson Hawk and Last Action Hero, which tried too hard to be funny and failed. Film critic Todd McCarthy says the movie’s wide-screen visuals, which often show close-up details and strong contrasts, remind viewers of the work of director Sergio Leone, a hero of Tarantino’s. Martin Rubin says the bright, colorful visuals also bring to mind comedy directors like Frank Tashlin and Blake Edwards.

The movie’s many references to pop culture, such as the image of Marilyn Monroe’s dress flying up in a subway or a character calling someone “Flock of Seagulls” because of his haircut, have led critics to discuss the film in the context of postmodernism. David Walker, writing in 2005, called Pulp Fiction Tarantino’s “postmodern masterpiece” and noted its playful respect for the 1950s and its many references to other films. He describes the film’s complicated storytelling as “postmodern tricksiness.” Foster Hirsch calls the movie a “terminally hip postmodern collage” but argues it is not a masterpiece, saying it is “authoritative, influential, and meaningless.” He describes it as a “guilty pleasure” for movie lovers.

Geoffrey O'Brien says the film is not film noir, a style of storytelling that focuses on crime and darkness. Instead, he sees it as a tour of a world filled with cultural references, such as music from the 1950s, blaxploitation films, and other pop culture elements. Catherine Constable points to a scene where a needle filled with adrenaline is used to revive a character, calling it a mix of a resurrection and a mockery of the vampire’s stake, a symbol from Gothic stories. She says this shows the film uses past styles in a creative way, not just as a copy.

Mark T. Conard asks what the film is about and answers “American nihilism,” the belief that life has no meaning. Foster Hirsch suggests the film is more about its own cleverness than any deeper message, arguing that it focuses on the idea that hit men are part of the human family. Richard Alleva says the film has little to do with real crime or violence, comparing it to stories that are not about their real-life settings. He sees the film as a type of romance centered on characters who speak in a witty, media-savvy way. Alan Stone says the film’s strange dialogue, like a scene where a character accidentally kills someone, makes violent clichés seem silly and challenges the idea of heroism in standard Hollywood movies. He calls the film “politically correct,” noting it avoids violence against women and celebrates diversity.

However, Robert Kolker sees the film as empty, saying it accepts violence, homophobia, and racism because it doesn’t pretend to be serious. He calls it the best example of 1990s postmodern filmmaking, where everything is about surface-level style and characters are just pop culture figures. Henry A. Giroux argues that the film makes violence seem meaningless, offering viewers only shock, humor, and irony without deeper insight.

Pamela Demory compares the film’s violence and nihilism to the short stories of Flannery O’Connor, who also used religious themes, banality, and grotesque humor. She says O’Connor’s stories aim to show the power of evil and the need for grace, while Tarantino’s film suggests that despite the film’s violence and darkness, grace is still possible.

Pulp Fiction is full of references to other movies. Gary Groth says Tarantino’s characters live in a world made up entirely of Hollywood films, calling him a “cinematic kleptomaniac” who can’t help borrowing from others. Two scenes in particular have drawn attention: the dance at Jack Rabbit Slim’s, which many thought was inspired by John Travolta’s role in Saturday Night Fever (1977). Tarantino says the scene was actually inspired by a dance in Jean-Luc Godard’s Bande à part (1964). He explains that the scene was written before Travolta was cast, but once Travolta joined the film, he embraced the chance to showcase his dancing, inspired by Godard’s unpredictable and warm musical sequences.

Accolades

Pulp Fiction received eight major awards out of twenty-six nominations. It won the Best Original Screenplay award at the 67th Academy Awards. In voting by the National Society of Film Critics, Samuel L. Jackson was the runner-up for both Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor. In 2006, the Writers Guild of America ranked the screenplay 16th on its list of the 101 Greatest Screenplays.

American Film Institute Lists

• AFI's 100 Years … 100 Movies – Number 95
• AFI's 100 Years … 100 Laughs – Nominated
• AFI's 100 Years … 100 Thrills – Number 53
• AFI's 100 Years … 100 Heroes & Villains: Vincent Vega and Jules Winnfield – Nominated Villains
• AFI's 100 Years … 100 Movie Quotes: "Bring out the Gimp" – Nominated Quote; "They call it a Royale with Cheese" – Nominated Quote
• AFI's 100 Years … 100 Movies (10th Anniversary Edition) – Number 94
• AFI's 10 Top 10 – Number 7 gangster film

Home media and ownership

The first home video version of the film was released on VHS on September 12, 1995. After Miramax was sold to The Walt Disney Company in June 1993, Disney’s Buena Vista Home Entertainment handled all of Miramax’s home video releases. However, the releases were still labeled as Miramax Home Entertainment rather than Disney/Buena Vista, because Miramax produced content that was often aimed at older audiences. In 1996, Miramax released a Special Collector’s Edition VHS that included deleted scenes introduced by the film’s director, Quentin Tarantino. In Australia, this version was released in late 1997 by Village Roadshow, which had a distribution agreement with Miramax at the time. The film’s first US LaserDisc release was on October 4, 1995, followed by a special Criterion Collection LaserDisc on June 19, 1996. Additional LaserDisc releases occurred in France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Spain, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom between 1995 and 1997. On August 20, 2002, Miramax Home Entertainment released a two-disc Collector’s Edition DVD. This version included DTS sound and extra features such as documentaries, interviews with cast and crew, and trailers.

In December 2010, The Walt Disney Company sold Miramax to a private equity firm called Filmyard Holdings. Filmyard had multiple investors, including Tutor-Saliba Corporation and Colony Capital, which made their first entertainment-related investment. Filmyard gave the home media rights for most of Miramax’s popular films to Lionsgate Films, while less well-known titles were licensed to Echo Bridge Entertainment. Lionsgate Home Entertainment reissued Pulp Fiction on DVD on April 26, 2011, and released a Blu-ray version on October 1, 2011. The UK version of the Blu-ray was released on November 26, 2012. In 2011, Filmyard licensed Miramax’s film library to Netflix for streaming. This deal included Pulp Fiction and lasted for five years, ending on June 1, 2016.

In March 2016, Filmyard sold Miramax to beIN Media Group, a Qatari state-owned company. In April 2020, ViacomCBS (now Paramount Skydance) acquired the rights to Miramax’s film library after purchasing a 49% stake in the studio from beIN. Pulp Fiction was one of the 700 titles acquired, and since April 2020, the film has been distributed by Paramount Pictures. This deal also included a first-look agreement with beIN/Miramax, allowing Paramount to release future projects based on Miramax properties.

In late 2020, Paramount Home Entertainment began reissuing many of the Miramax titles it had acquired. On September 22, 2020, Paramount released Pulp Fiction on DVD and Blu-ray. Most of these reissues used artwork from previous releases but added the Paramount mountain logo to the packaging. On December 6, 2022, Paramount Home Entertainment released Pulp Fiction on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray. This version included special features from the 2011 Lionsgate Blu-ray. To celebrate the film’s 30th anniversary, Paramount Home Entertainment released a 4K Ultra HD Collector’s Edition on December 3, 2024, as an Amazon-exclusive set (also available in Australia through Zavvi). This edition used the same 2160p transfer with HDR-10 and Dolby Vision from the 2022 release and included the same legacy special features. It also featured a new slipcover with pop-up artwork of the Jack Rabbit Slim’s dance scene between John Travolta and Uma Thurman. Additional collectibles included reproductions of lobby cards, a photography contact sheet, and collectible stickers/decals with film imagery, all presented in a protective folder with custom artwork.

Pulp Fiction was not among the first films available on Paramount’s streaming service, Paramount+, which launched on March 4, 2021. However, the film was later added to the service. It has also been made available on Paramount’s free streaming service, Pluto TV.

NFT dispute

In November 2021, Miramax brought a legal case against Quentin Tarantino after he released seven NFTs that showed scenes from Pulp Fiction that had never been seen before and included the original handwritten script, which contained information about the movie and its creator. Miramax stated that they own the rights to the film. Tarantino argued that he had the right to use the film's script in written form. Later, the situation was resolved when Miramax's lawyers submitted a short statement to the court: "The companies agreed to move past this disagreement and look forward to working together on future projects, including possible NFTs."