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directed by Quentin Tarantino
USA 1994

Nothing less than a cultural phenomenon” (Moviemaker Magazine), Quentin Tarantino’s PULP FICTION has been hailed by critics and audiences worldwide as a film that redefined cinema. Tarantino delivers an unforgettable cast of characters – including a pair of low-rent hit men (John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson), their boss’s sexy wife (Uma Thurman) and a desperate prizefighter (Bruce Willis) – in a wildly entertaining and exhilarating blend of crime-thriller-drama-comedy that is completely original and entirely unforgettable. Nominated for 7 Academy Awards® including Best Picture and Best Director, PULP FICTION packs the punch like an adrenaline shot to the heart.

***

Quentin Tarantino's second feature, Pulp Fiction, is at once immensely entertaining and remarkably weightless. The film's quintessential scene takes place outside the Jack Rabbit Slim's restaurant when Mia Wallace (Uma Thurman) tells Vincent Vega (John Travolta) not to be a "square." Forget the irony (after a ten year acting rut that included three Look Who's Talking films, Pulp Fiction's success made Travolta reputable again), Mia's line could be the film's mantra. Samuel L. Jackson's Jules Winnfield is still Tarantino's most fascinating creation. More than a repository of disposable trivia and smart-alecky responses, Jules embodies the film's surface concern with righteousness and redemption. Tarantino giddily incorporates countless texts (Kiss Me Deadly, Saturday Night Fever and so on) into this farcical noir Frankenstein that, not unlike Shelly's legendary monster, turns on itself by film's end. More important than the film's elegant structure is what the creation represents. Jonathan Rosenbaum summed the film up quite nicely as "a couch potato's paradise." No one in the film can access reality unless they are engaging the many ghosts of noir's past. Godard and countless others did this kind of thing way before Tarantino but Pulp Fiction had such a profound effect on older Gen Xers because it spoke to a newer generation's shared consciousness. This consciousness embodied many things: a fear of penetration (if anything, the film's infamous rape sequence is a frightening reminder of just how subconsciously afraid Tarantino and his heterosexual male fanbase are of their inner-queer) but, more specifically, an infatuation with the movies. When the Wolf (Harvey Keitel) makes Vincent and Jules change clothes, Jimmie (Tarantino) calls them dorks for wearing lame sports t-shirts. By pointing out the articles belong to Jimmie, Tarantino acknowledges his own dorkdom. In turn, it makes him "cool" (not enough though to permit his liberal use of the word "nigger") and a hero to his media-savvy generation. In the end, it's not that Tarantino has no life, it's that his life is the movies. Much like his characters, the director can only live by engaging cinema.

Excerpt from Ed Gonzales review in Slant magazine located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: October 14, 1994

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Recommended "Tarantino" Reading  (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)

Comparison:

TFI - Region 'B'-locked- Blu-ray vs. Panorama - Region FREE - Blu-ray vs. Lionsgate/Miramax - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

 

 

1) TFI - Region 'B'-locked - Blu-ray - LEFT

2) Panorama - Region FREE - Blu-ray - MIDDLE

3) Lionsgate/Miramax - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - RIGHT

 

DVD Box Covers

 

 

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Distribution TFI
Region 'B'-locked -
Blu-ray
Panorama
Region FREE -
Blu-ray
Lionsgate/Miramax
Region 'A' -
Blu-ray
Runtime 2:34:24.088 2:34:24.088 2:34:27.091
Video

1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 48,749,470,384 bytes

Feature: 38,332,047,360 bytes

Video Bitrate: 26.95 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 36,687,833,738 bytes

Feature: 36,288,460,800 bytes

Video Bitrate: 26.95 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 49,065,649,796 bytes

Feature: 33,172,525,056 bytes

Video Bitrate: 22.99 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

Bitrate:

TFI

Blu-ray

Bitrate:

Panorama

Blu-ray

Bitrate:

Lionsgate / Miramax

Blu-ray

Audio

DTS-HD Master Audio English 1985 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1985 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit) - forces French subtitles
DTS-HD Master Audio French 2169 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 2169 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit)

DTS-HD Master Audio English 1985 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1985 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit)
Dolby Digital Audio English 640 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 640 kbps / DN -4dB
DTS-HD Master Audio English 3898 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 3898 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)

Subtitles

French (mandatory for English dialogue), None English, Traditional Chinese, None English (SDH), English, Spanish, None
Features Release Information:
Studio: TF1

k

1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 48,749,470,384 bytes

Feature: 38,332,047,360 bytes

Video Bitrate: 26.95 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:
• Charlie Rose Interview (55:25)

• Pulp Fiction: The Facts (30:29)

• Siskel and Ebert (15:59)
 

Blu-ray Release Date: March 19th, 2009
Custom Tin
Blu-ray Case

Chapters 24

Release Information:
Studio:
Panorama

k

1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 36,687,833,738 bytes

Feature: 36,288,460,800 bytes

Video Bitrate: 26.95 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:
• None

 

Blu-ray Release Date: February 12th, 2010
Standard
Blu-ray Case inside cardboard box

Chapters 12

Release Information:
Studio: Lionsgate/Miramax

k

1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 49,065,649,796 bytes

Feature: 33,172,525,056 bytes

Video Bitrate: 22.99 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:
• 'Not the Usual Mindless Boring Getting to Know You Chat' - NEW Interviews with Cast including: John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Rosanna Arquette, Eric Stoltz, Tim Roth and more (43:01 in 1080P)
• NEW Critics’ Retrospective on the Movie’s Place in Film History (20:37 in 1080P)
• Behind-the-Scenes Montages (Jack Rabbit Slims - 4:44 in 480i + Butch Hits Marselus - 6:02 in 480i)
• “Pulp Fiction: The Facts” Documentary (30:31 in 1080P)
• Production Design Featurette (6:22 in 480i)
• Siskel & Ebert “At the Movies” – “The Tarantino Generation” (16:01 in 480i)
• Independent Spirit Awards Footage (11:29 in 480i)
• Cannes Film Festival Footage (5:20)
• “The Charlie Rose Show” Tarantino Interview (55:27 in 480i)
• Still Galleries
• Trivia Track

Soundtrack Chapters
• 6 Deleted Scenes (24:39 in 480i)

Tarantino Introduction (1:47 in 480i)

The Drug Deal Monologue (2:38 in 480i)

Mia Interviewing Vincent (5:30) etc.

Bookmarkable
 

Blu-ray Release Date: October 4th, 2011
Standard
Blu-ray Case inside cardboard box

Chapters 16

 

 

Comments

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Lionsgate/Miramax Region 'A' Blu-ray September 11':  I am going to do some further side-by-side tests on my system to see if I can state that the, now unavailable, Panorama may be slightly vertically stretched. But the bigger difference may be in the contrast. The technical stats show parity between the releases (dual-layered - similar files sizes and bitrates) - colors vary to small degrees - but the new Lionsgate/Miramax may be a bit bolder and darker.

Where I did notice a significant difference/superiority is the audio. The DTS-HD Master 5.1 at 3898 kbps has some notable strength. Bass packs a punch and it just resonates with more depth. I can state that this is a major area of advancement between the three Blu-rays. It also offers optional subtitles.

Also surpassing the previous 1080P packages is the supplements. Most pleasingly is, over an hour's worth of NEW extras via 2 segments, - namely the 45-minute 'Not the Usual Mindless Boring Getting to Know You Chat' - containing interviews with John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Rosanna Arquette, Eric Stoltz, Tim Roth and more. This is in 1080P and there is also a 20-minute critics’ retrospective on Pulp Fiction's Place in Film History that may tickle some fans fancies. This is also in HD. Tack on most (all?) the supplements from the previous digital editions and we have about 6-hours, in total, of extras.

I will continue to investigate the image differences but this Lionsgate/Miramax Blu-ray gave me a super presentation. Along with the stellar audio and extensive supplements - it's hard no to give this package a rousing endorsement - especially at the offered price.     

***

ADDITION: Panorama Region FREE Blu-ray March 10': Region 'A' again seems to be dragging it's heels on this title in HD. This Hong Kong disc seems to be, a direct port of the French Blu-ray BUT it is region FREE and does not have forced subtitles. It has the exact same video bitrate and exact same kilo bits per second on the DTS-HD track. This can hardly be a coincidence. The feature size differs slightly probably due to the different subtitle options. There are no extras on this Hong Kong Blu-ray but IS region FREE, progressive and looks quite strong but the image appears to be vertically stretched as compared to other editions.

NOTE: Despite the time - many have reported - and I agree- that the audio sounds a semi-tone higher as if it is running with PAL speed-up.

NOTE: There is an Australian Blu-ray available but it is interlaced.   

***

ADDITION: TF1 Blu-ray June 09': I'll be brief - great image, great audio, great case - but mandatory French subtitles when English language is chosen. It rules this Blu-ray out for anyone but French people who can't, or don't want to, follow the original English track without the impediment of subtitles.

NOTE: Those with some form of macro-blocking device or those who use HTPC may very well be able to avoid the forced French subs.

There are some good English extras though with a lot on Tarantino - including an hour of Charlie Rose, a featurette: Pulp Fiction - The Facts and Siskel and Ebert spending 15 minutes on the director and his achievements. I love this case - it's tin that opens like a book but is the same size as a standard Blu-ray case.

When my Momitsu couldn't play this when set to region A (meaning it is not region FREE) - I got some hope that it, possibly, wouldn't have forced French subtitles. Unfortunately, not only is it region 'B'-locked - it's also English-unfriendly. There are some other European editions but at present I don't know there language or region code status. Let's just hope that the AV-transfer (dual-layered with the feature taking up almost 40 Gig) is this strong when it finally arrived in Region 'A' (what's the delay?)

Gary W. Tooze       

 

 


 Menus

(Wild Side Video (France) - Region 2- PAL LEFT vs. UFA (Germany) - Region 2- PAL MIDDLE vs. Miramax (Collector's Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC - LEFT)

 

 


 

CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

Subtitle Sample

 

Apologies - couldn't nab a subtitle screen in the Wild Side or Blu-ray edition!

 

 

1) TFI - Region 'B'-locked - Blu-ray - TOP

2) Panorama - Region FREE - Blu-ray - MIDDLE

3) Lionsgate/Miramax - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

 


Screen Captures

 

1) TFI - Region 'B'-locked - Blu-ray - TOP

2) Panorama - Region FREE - Blu-ray - MIDDLE

3) Lionsgate/Miramax - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

 


 

1) TFI - Region 'B'-locked - Blu-ray - TOP

2) Panorama - Region FREE - Blu-ray - MIDDLE

3) Lionsgate/Miramax - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

 


 

1) TFI - Region 'B'-locked - Blu-ray - TOP

2) Panorama - Region FREE - Blu-ray - MIDDLE

3) Lionsgate/Miramax - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

 


 

1) TFI - Region 'B'-locked - Blu-ray - TOP

2) Panorama - Region FREE - Blu-ray - MIDDLE

3) Lionsgate/Miramax - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

 

 

1) Panorama - Region FREE - Blu-ray - TOP

2) Lionsgate/Miramax - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

 

1) Panorama - Region FREE - Blu-ray - TOP

2) Lionsgate/Miramax - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

 

1) Panorama - Region FREE - Blu-ray - TOP

2) Lionsgate/Miramax - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

 

1) Panorama - Region FREE - Blu-ray - TOP

2) Lionsgate/Miramax - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

 

1) Panorama - Region FREE - Blu-ray - TOP

2) Lionsgate/Miramax - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

 

1) Panorama - Region FREE - Blu-ray - TOP

2) Lionsgate/Miramax - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 


Hit Counter


Report Card:

 

Image:

Blu-ray

Sound:

Lionsgate/Miramax Blu-ray

Extras: Lionsgate/Miramax Blu-ray

 

DVD Box Covers

 

 

Thinking of buying from YesAsia? CLICK HERE and use THIS UPDATED BEAVER PAGE to source their very best...

Distribution TFI
Region 'B'-locked -
Blu-ray
Panorama
Region FREE -
Blu-ray
Lionsgate/Miramax
Region 'A' -
Blu-ray

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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