25 Things You Didn’t Know About "Pulp Fiction"
Here are 25 things you probably didn't know about Quentin Tarantino's 'Pulp Fiction' in honor of the film's 20th anniversary. Learn more about the classic film.
Image via Miramax
Twenty years ago today, Quentin Tarantino released the “Quentinsential” Tarantino film, Pulp Fiction. Full of snappy comebacks and nonlinear dark humor, the film upped the ante for mainstream cinema and became a cult classic that can't go a day without someone in the world referencing it. That said, it’s time to celebrate the 20th anniversary of iconic movie. All you bad motherfuckers better listen up, because here are 25 things you didn’t know about Pulp Fiction.
Adrenaline!
The scene where Vince (John Travolta) stabs Mia (Uma Thurman) with the adrenaline shot was actually filmed in reverse by having Travolta pull out the needle instead of stabbing it in.
Source:IMDB
The New New Testament
Jules’ (Samuel L. Jackson) monologue, supposedly from Ezekiel 25:17, was largely made up. Only the final two lines are actually from the verse.
Source: CNN
Cursed Out
Though the exact number is up for debate, it’s fair to say the "F-word" and all of its derivatives were used over 260 times throughout the film.
Source: Wikipedia
Shafted
Jules' wallet emblazoned with “Bad Motherfucker” actually belonged to Tarantino. It was a reference to the Shaft theme song. A few years later Jackson would go on to play the lead role in the 2000 remake.
Source: IMDB
Miss American Pie
Fabienne’s line “Any time of day is a good time for pie,” is also said by Alabama in True Romance, another film by Tarantino.
Source: Everything Tarantino
Car Trouble
Vincent Vega’s 1964 Chevy Malibu was Tarantino’s real car and it was stolen during production. Police recovered it in 2013, 19 years after the incident.
Source: NPR
Do the Twist
Mia and Vincent look like they won the dance contest at Jack Rabbit Slims’ since they have the trophy in the next scene. But, later in the film, a radio or television announcement can be heard that announces that the trophy was stolen.
If they didn’t win, then those other contestants must have had some pretty stellar dance moves.
Source: ShortList
My My Comanche
Tarantino initially wanted the song “My Sharona” by The Knack to be played in the infamous anal rape scene. Unfortunately, Reality Bites, the film about post-grad anguish, also wanted the rights. Tarantino instead chose "Comanche" by The Revels.
Source: Rolling Stone
Coffee Shop
The actor who played the manager in the diner is credited as “Coffee Shop” because he gets cut off before he can finish his line, “I’m not a hero, I'm just a coffee shop—"
Source: IMDB
Repeat Offender
Butch’s Honda Civic is the same car that’s used in Kill Bill: Vol. 2 and Jackie Brown.
Source: wiki.Tarantino
Prenatal Beats
Karyn Rachtman, the film’s music supervisor, said that Tarantino’s mom used to listen to Chuck Berry’s “You Can Never Tell” all the time when she was pregnant with him. It’s also the song playing during the dance contest at Jack Rabbit Slim's.
Source: Flavorwire
Diamonds Are Forever
Ask what’s in the briefcase? Ask it again, I dare you. No, but really, no one knows. Tarantino says it’s whatever the viewer wants it to be, but we want it to be something decisive, Tarantino! The closest to an answer we’ve come to is when Roger Avary, who wrote the story, said he and Tarantino initially wanted it to be a briefcase full of diamonds, but that was too close to the plot of Reservoir Dogs. Instead, they opted for a MacGuffin, and the contents are never to be found out.
Source: Secrets of Pulp Fiction
Band of Brothers
Michael Madsen who played Vic Vega in Reservoir Dogs was supposed to play Vincent… Vega. The similar character names have led many to believe the two characters are supposed to be brothers, or at the very least, related.
Source: Flavorwire
Many Mias
Meg Ryan, Joan Cusack, Michelle Pfeiffer, and quite a few other notable ladies were all up for the role of Mia Wallace.
Source: IMDB
Director's Director
The scenes when Tarantino plays Jimmie Dimmick are directed by uncredited Robert Rodriguez.
Source: IMDB
Heroine
Tarantino's recovering addict friend helped Travolta feign a heroin high by instructing him to get drunk on tequila and take a hot bath.
Source: Total Film
Fox Force Five
Mia’s pilot show, Fox Force Five, has a very familiar premise. The five women she describes are likely the beginnings of the five women found in Kill Bill.
Source: Reddit
Poster Recall
The original teaser poster was recalled by Miramax because the rights to use the Lucky Strike cigarettes and the book The Harlot and the Heart were not secured.
Source: Total Film
Well-Timed
Though it’s often thought that all the clocks in the film are set to 4:20, only all but one of the clocks in the pawn shop are set to that time.
Source: Comic Book Resources
The Apartment
In a sheer bit of coincidence, when Travolta went to Tarantino's Los Angeles apartment to look at the script, he realized he used to live in that exact same apartment.
Source: Vanity Fair
Vroom Vroom
Chronologically, Fabienne and Butch riding away on the motorcycle is the film's final scene. The sound of the motorcycle is actually the first sound in the film.
Source: IMDB
Cameos
Steve Buscemi and Kathy Griffin both have small cameos: Buscemi as the Buddy Holly waiter and Griffin as a witness to Butch's hit-and-run of Marsellus Wallace.
Source: IMBD
Keyed Up
No answer is given in the film, but Tarantino revealed that Butch is the one who keyed Vincent's car. Looks like Butch didn't take getting called a "palooka" easy.
Source: IMDB
Homicidal Cabbie
Tarantino was a fan of the 1991 short film Curdled, in which the lead woman's job is cleaning up crime scenes. Tarantino incorporated the same actress as Butch's homicidally-intrigued cab driver, Esmeralda.
Source: IMDB
Scripted
With the promise of a deal from TriStar Pictures, Tarantino flew all the way to Amsterdam to write the script.
Source: Vanity Fair