Pulp Fiction II:
Last time, I
talked about “paying homage to.” I showed the driving from A Clockwork Orange. I
said “paying homage to” is when a director deliberately copies a scene from a
famous movie to show respect to another director.
I think he
uses the upcoming dance scene to pay homage to the directors of John Travolta’s
1970s dance movies Grease and Saturday Night Fever. Travolta became famous for
dance movies
Remember he
bought the heroin called madman? She thinks it is cocaine.
I heard that
Tarantino when he wrote Pulp Fiction based the Eric Stoltz character on Kurt
Cobain, and Cobain was going to play him in the movie.
But Cobain
committed suicide.
Remember I
said the movie was not in chronological / sequential order. First, then, next,
after, finally. 1,2,3,4,5.
I want you
to put the scenes into order. This is the first scene. It is called a
“flashback.” Flashback is a memory in the movie. Something from a long time
ago. You can tell it is the early seventies. Vietnam War (ended 1975).
I think the
watch is important to Butch, the boxer, for two reasons.
1.
It
is a family heirloom.
2.
Notice
the movie is not in order. Why does the director do this? I think he trying to
say life is a mess. Not everything is in order. Life is sometimes chaotic.
A watch keeps time, which is in order. So it represents the opposite of
chaotic to the boxer / fighter.
3.
He
never met his father. His father died in the war. The watch is his connection
to his father.
The watch is
on the kangaroo.
Tracking
shot is when the camera follows the actor.
This is an
old song about an old, children’s TV show called “Captain Kangaroo.”
