Revisiting Quentin Tarantino’s incredible ‘Pulp Fiction’ soundtrack
In 1994, Quentin Tarantino brought us Pulp Fiction. A film so well received and so highly praised, it enabled the director to achieve the task of exceeding his debut film, Reservoir Dogs — something many thought was impossible.
To be honest, it’s hard to know where to begin with a film of this calibre – the script, the plot, the cast, the music, the director. Pulp Fiction is a work of art that swept the world, cementing the credit Tarantino gets as a director whose multiple storylines keep the viewer intrigued, captured and on edge whilst ensuring their interest doesn’t flag at any time.
Pulp Fiction begins in a downtown coffee shop, with ‘Honey Bunny’ and ‘Pumpkin’ discussing their plans to rob liquor stores and restaurants – a particular plot that is not returned to until the end but is fully explained by the film’s final line. Tarantino then cuts to a car being driven by good friends Vincent and Jules. Unsuspectingly, on their way to a job as local gangsters, they innocently begin to talk about Vincent’s recent stay in Europe, how a cheeseburger is so elegantly called a “royale with cheese” – due to the metric system, of course.
Tarantino’s tasteful style of directing portrays these gangsters as ‘normal’, everyday men. In fact, we, the audience, also believe them to be innocent until Jules’ key yet relaxed script, “Come on, let’s get in character”, prepares them for the killing spree they are about to embark on.
The highly stylised violence and the moral decadence of Los Angeles are beautifully complemented by a perfectly assembled soundtrack, turning the entire cinematic spectacle into a rock and roll spaghetti western. In fact, in many ways, it’s the protagonist of the film alongside the city, acting as a grubby mirror that does its best to reflect the tiny shards of light that filter through the depraved murkiness.
Consisting of innumerable cinematic moments that have been immortalised by tracks like Chuck Berry’s ‘You Never Can Tell’ and Urge Overkill’s ‘Girl You’ll Be A Woman Soon’, Pulp Fiction is the perfect example of a movie that is constantly elevated by the musical choices. Throughout his trailblazing career, Tarantino has consistently demonstrated an impeccable ability to select magical scores, even evident in his debut feature, Reservoir Dogs.
However, this 1994 masterpiece is him at the apotheosis of his powers. Not only does the film remain his most well-known work because of its complex narrative threads and its postmodern philosophical foundations, Pulp Fiction’s soundtrack continues to serve as a guide for aspiring filmmakers who want to learn a thing or two about scoring music for their art.
Check out the soundtrack below.
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