https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIvUGUzR9N0
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http://www.dailyscript.com/scripts/pulp_fiction.html
Script
Pulp Fiction: Burger scene
0:14-0:21
Pulp Fiction is a 1994 crime film what has
the themes of debt, gangs and luck. It had been written and Directed by Quentin
Tarantino and produced by Lawrence Bender. The film was funded by Miramax with
a budget of $8,000,000 and made $108,000,000 gross. The key members of the cast
are John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman, Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth,
Amanda Pulmmer, Maria de Medeiros, Ving Rhames, Eric Stoltz, Rosanna Arquette,
Christopher Walken and Bruce Willis. The film follows the story of two gang
hitmen, a boxer, mob kings wife and a pair of dinner thieves and how their
stories intertwine with violence and redemption. Films similar to this would be
Reservoir Dogs also directed by Tarantino and Kiss Me Deadly. In this
scene Jules (Samuel L. Jackson) and Vincent (John Travolta) have been sent out
by their boss to go and retrieve a briefcase from some thieves who have stolen
it.
When Jules and Vincent walk in the first
thing that happens is Roger starting to get up however Jules tells him to get
back down by lowering his hand in his direction calmly, this part of Samuel L
Jackson's performance is called a nuance it is a small action what used properly
can say allot about a character to the audience. The audience would be thinking
at that point Jules is currently being very friendly to them. To back this up
while he does this he asks how they are and tells Roger to chill. All of this
is done with a slow and calm voice with no sign of threat. Seconds after Jules
goes over and signifies to Roger to get his foot up off the floor without
speaking by again using a nuance. This gives the audience the idea that Jules
is now controlling the room moreover the people in side all with little action.
To support this the look of Roger's face is showing some concern as he knows
what type of people Jules and Vincent are and why they are there.
Just after that Jules goes over to Brett
and apologizes for coming in during breakfast. When he says this he does it
with a voice that is more upbeat and positive like he is some sort of friend. Making
the audience think that he'll be kind. When he asks what they are having to eat
Brett replies miserable saying hamburgers with then having Jules replied full
of energy. This would be a large contrast which the audience would be able to
tell that Brett and Jules are viewing this in different lights also they would
be two very different people. After asking what type of burger and where from
he then talks to him with some small talk. In which the audience would assume
he is trying to get Brett to trust him and put his faith in him even though
Brett seems very cautious. When Jules does have a bite of his burger he tells
Vincent that it is a tasty burger he does it so that everyone in the room is
reminded that Vincent is still there covering the entire room. The audience can
see that they had forgotten they were surrounded as Brett looks behind himself
this would tell the audience that the criminals here clearly aren't very smart
also they aren’t observe as well. When he faces the camera after looking behind
himself there's a look of panic which communicates to the audience that he is
scared of what is going to happen to him adding to the tension.
Jules then to talk in a condescending manner asking questions what
he knows the answer to "We're associates of your business partner
Marsellus Wallace. You do remember your business partner don't you?” When this
is being said Brett has a regretting look on his face this would be telling the
audience that he knows who he is and that he knows something and that he
is guiltily. This makes the audience excited as they want to see where it'll go
and what shall happen including what he knows or has done.
Shortly after Jules asks if Brett a
unrelated question it would be a method of trying to get Brett to drop his
guard. When Brett answers correctly Jules again has a sudden out burst of
energy. This would be putting the audience off as it would be rather strange
him doing this creating the idea that Jules may be a bit unstable. After he
complements him he throws his burger down as if he doesn't care showing that
Jules still knows what he is there to do meaning the audience won't forget that
Jules is still there to kill Brett and his friends.
After that Jules takes a drink from Brett's drink and nearly finishes it. It
would be symbolising that Brett's time is nearly up that he doesn't have
that much life left like his drink. While he does that he looks him right in
the eyes these being dead looking eyes. This would be showing that Jules is a
cold person who is trying to tell Brett that he is going to kill him. After
that he asks Roger "Where you got the shit hid?" However Marvin
answers creating a burst of furious anger. This would shock the audience as
they wouldn't have seen Jules that aggressive in the film at that point in
addition it would increase the tension of the scene making the audience excited
as well. When Vincent is looking the case you can see the look on Brett's face
where he is trying to calm down and appears trying to get the sweat of his
brow. Meaning that he is increasingly getting more and more nervous worried of
the situation he is in. When Vincent gets the case he opens it with the
combination of 666. This is referencing the devil's number meaning
that Marsellus Wallace (Who we haven't met yet) is either as evil the
devil or worse letting the audience know that Marsellus Wallace
is dangerous while being feared as well. When Vincent opens it there is a
bright yellow light being shined onto him creating a sense of mystery as the
audience can't see the contents however we know it must be grand as Vincent is
clearly shocked by what he finds. The yellow light could be representative of
Marsellus Wallace's personal hell as Vincent would of just unlocked the gates
to hell or the shine of gold
After that Brett attempts to talk himself out of this. However Jules
makes the same nuance as earlier meaning that Jules is still in control furthermore
in unaffected by what’s happened. He then responds to him calmly while Brett
had been talking very nervously being a bit more contrast. Shortly after Jules
shoots Roger. Having this done Jules shows no emotional change while shooting
him. This is a rapid change in pacing as in had been practically turned on its head.
It now creates a large amount of contrast between Jules and the audience as the
audience would be shocked wondering what happened while Jules remains calm as
always making the audience slightly worried. We can clearly see that Brett is
terrified not only by his facial expression but that he's moving away
from Jules trying to escape. This causes Brett to be only able to say
“What?” which proceeds to Jules flipping over the table that shows the
audience that everything is out of control. This greatly increases the tension of
the scene is being at that point this would cause the audience to be highly
excited as it'd be hard to say what would happen next as it 'd be showing the
unpredictability of the scene that nobody would know what's going to happen
next making edge of the seat exciting. As
the interrogation goes on Jules constantly changes from aggression to
being kind presenting to the audience that anything could happen
making it very tense nobody knows what is going to happen. To make this more
apparent Jules now has wide mad eyes still letting the audience feel uneasy as well
as scarred.
Closer to the end Jules asks Brett a question. When Brett answers as it you can
see Vincent begin to get out his weapon. It shows the audience that
Brett's time is coming towards an end and that this is a routine thing for
the pair. When Jules says his bible passage he shows such great variety and
build in it. The point of doing this is that it grips
the audience allot more and that Brett doesn't expect what is
going to happen. When he raises his voice the audience know
climatic moment of the scene is here, in addition he becomes wide and
dead eyed. This would be demonstrating that Jules is again telling Brett that
he is going to die. To support this just before Bret is shot he tenses up
preparing himself for what is about to happen to him. When the two start to
shoot there is very clearly no emotion in either of the pairs faces showing
that all they are doing is just completing a job.
