Pulp Fiction is a American independent crime film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino from a story he conceived with Roger Avary. The film stars John Travolta , Samuel L. The title refers to the pulp magazines and hardboiled crime novels popular during the midth century, known for their graphic violence and punchy dialogue.
Tarantino wrote Pulp Fiction in and , incorporating scenes that Avary originally wrote for True Romance Its plot occurs out of chronological order. The film is also self-referential from its opening moments, beginning with a title card that gives two dictionary definitions of "pulp". Considerable screen time is devoted to monologues and casual conversations with eclectic dialogue revealing each character's perspectives on several subjects, and the film features an ironic combination of humor and strong violence.
TriStar Pictures reportedly turned down the script as "too demented". Miramax Films co-chairman Harvey Weinstein was enthralled, however, and the film became the first that Miramax Films fully financed. As a result of the film's success, Travolta's career was reinvigorated. The film's development, marketing, distribution, and profitability had a sweeping effect on independent cinema. Pulp Fiction is widely regarded as Tarantino's magnum opus , with particular praise for its screenwriting.
It is often considered a cultural watershed, influencing films and other media that adopted elements of its style. The cast was also widely praised, with Travolta, Thurman, and Jackson earning high acclaim. In , Entertainment Weekly named it the best film since [ 5 ] and it has appeared on many critics' lists of the greatest films ever made.
In , Pulp Fiction was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". Pulp Fiction ' s narrative is told out of chronological order and follows three main interrelated stories that each have a different protagonist: Vincent Vega, a hitman; Butch Coolidge, a prizefighter; and Jules Winnfield, Vincent's partner in crime.
