Pulp Fiction - Collector's Edition DVD Review
Posted by Yabba Dabba on 10.14.2002
The movie that made Quentin Tarantino a star gets the Collector's Edition DVD treatment.
Pulp Fiction - Collector's Edition
Release Date: August 20th, 2002
The Film
Pulp Fiction is regarded as one of the best movies ever made and is most likely the most influential movie of the last 10 years. The film literally made the career of director Quentin Tarantino, giving him the chance to show off his unique style. Tarantino films are all about the characters being very realistic and connecting with the audience through casual dialogue. In Pulp Fiction, despite the main characters being drug addicts and hired hitmen, we watch them discuss common things such as TV shows, dating and fast food.
Pulp Fiction is a collection of several stories linked together in slight ways. The stories are actually not very original; they are typical crime stories. One deals with a boxer who agrees to purposely lose a boxing match for money, but ends up knocking the guy out and running off with the money. Another deal with a hitman having to take his boss’ wife out to a casual dinner. The thing that makes Pulp Fiction such a great film is the life Tarantino injects into the characters and story. The plot isn’t the main focus of the movie, it is the way the characters live and react in the world of the plot. The plot is revealed in a non-linear order, forcing the audience to focus on the characters even more.
For a then unknown independent movie, the film has a near all-star cast. Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta (who got a career restart due to his role) are crime partners, Uma Thurman plays the boss’ wife, Bruce Willis is the boxer, Harvey Keitel is an intelligent crime boss, Christopher Walken is the boxer’s father and Quentin Tarantino himself plays the role of a friend of the crime partners.
Video Quality
The film is presented in widescreen letter box (2:35:1 ratio). The video quality is much better in this collector’s edition than in the previously released DVD version. A few small artifacts can be seen in the background once in awhile, but overall the video looks superb.
Audio Quality
The sound is presented in 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound (English), 5.1 Digital Surround Sound (English) as well as DD 2.0 (French). As with the video quality, the sound quality is greatly improved in this new version. Although the surround sound isn’t as amazing as it can be in newer films, it is still very good. Cars drive in the background and bullets whiz by your head nicely.
Special Features
This two-disc set is just loaded with extras. The packaging itself is a treat as this new edition has a new outside sleeve. It contains new linear notes and copies of several reviews of the film. The set also comes with a plastic menu from Jack Rabbit Slim’s, the 1950s diner from the film. All of the menus contain video collages of scenes from the film and memorable lines. The first disc contains a trivia track similar to pop-up video. Along the bottom of the screen, trivia will appear relating to the scenes of the movie being shown. A promo video for the latest Tarantino movie on DVD, “Jackie Brown,” as well as a promo video for the Pulp Fiction soundtrack are included. If you view the disc in your computer’s DVD drive you get access to several other features including being able to view the entire script in written format which follows along with the movie as it progresses. Disc one also has a music menu allowing you to jump to points in the movie where specific songs are heard.
Disc two is nothing but extras! It includes a documentary on the film called “Pulp Fiction: The Facts,” five deleted scenes from the movie including commentary by Tarantino, several behind the scenes movies, the entire “Siskel and Ebert at the Movies: The Tarantino Generation” special, numerous footage of Tarantino and the cast at various interviews and award acceptances and a very long interview with Tarantino from the “Charlie Rose Show.” The disc also contains 5 trailers for the film from different countries, 13 TV commercials for the film, 8 sets of pictures and numerous reviews and articles on the film.
Film: 10.0
Video: 9.0
Audio: 8.0
Special Features: 10.0
The 411: One of the best films finally transferred to DVD in great quality and just packed with extras!
