Santa Cruz Sentinel from Santa Cruz, California • Page 40

movies TuId tission Quentin Tarantino's fiction' blows away film formulas Review fcZf Jht I WHAT: 'Pulp Fiction' WHO: John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, Uma Thurman, Eric Stoltz WHERE: Del Mar Theater, 1124 Pacific Santa Cruz INFORMATION: 425-0616 HOW A tin Tarantino never makes another film in his life, he will have made his mark forever in cinema with this one. "Pulp Fiction" builds on the momentum of the three previous films Tarantino has been involved with the wild, existential blood-drenched play "Reservoir Dogs," which he wrote and directed; the madcap, bullet-ridden modern fairy tale of "True Romance," which he wrote; and this year's "Natural Born Killers," which he provided the storyline for and which director Oliver Stone blew into a celebration of sociopathic excess. All took violence to the edge of satire, all carved sharp images out of characters with no real background, all were mythic in their approach to the modern condition. But "Pulp" brings Tarantino out of the warehouse of "Dogs" and past the straight-line plots of "Romance" and "Killers." This time out he's dealing with a series of distinct stories they even have chapter titles featuring two hit men in Los Angeles: the somewhat dim and somewhat sweet junkie Vincent Vega (John Travolta) and the rhapsodic while terrifying Jules (Samuel L.

Jackson). Vincent and Jules, dressed initially in black suits, black ties and white shirts, are a far cry from your standard Hollywood hit men. They spend the first 15 minutes of the movie discussing the sexual implications of foot massages. Then Jules says "Come on, let's get into character," before busting in a door and blowing away some unsuspecting victims. As with all Tarantino characters, they show more consciousness than you'd expect while both playing and reviewing their roles in life.

The adventures of Jules and Vin- Samuel Jackson as Jules, John Travolta as Vincent Do you believe in miracles? cent are then wrapped around what is essentially a Bruce Willis adventure yarn starring who better? Bruce Willis, as an aging prize fighter named Butch who takes money to take a dive but then kills his opponent in the ring and runs off with the dough. The story of Butch is in the center of this two-and-a-half hour film, but is actually the end of its storyline. Somehow Tarantino makes this not only work, but crafts the movie so that time is irrelevant, and when the movie's opening scene which also takes place halfway through the timeline blends into its finale, the effect is both breathtaking and logical. As impressive as the plot structure is, Tarantino's most amazing gifts have to do with scene structure and dialogue. Virtually every scene in this film is memorable, as is virtually every character, no matter how minor.

Eric Stoltz is wonderful as a heroin dealer trying to figure out how to inject adrenaline into the heart of an overdosed Uma Thurman, the wife of Vincent's boss, while having a spat with his wife (Rosan-na Arquette). Frank Whaley is perfect in the small part of a young hustler caught trying to rip off said boss. Tarantino himself is comfortably upset as a suburban friend who suddenly finds Vincent and Jules in his house covered in brain matter while a headless body lies in their car in his garage. Willis shines, having suddenly been put in an action piece worthy of his talents. And Travolta is magnificent as Vincent, reminding the By TOM LONG Sentinel entertainment editor THERE IS A fine madness to writerdirectoractor Quentin Tarantino's latest wonderwork, "Pulp Fiction," which is certainly one of the most exciting! films of the past 20 years and easily the most important film of 1994.

It is a madness built on youth and innovation and pop culture obsession, filtered through a talent of genius proportions, and inspired by the very medium it controls. It is a madness that lets Tarantino present his story out of time sequence while still having the middle section of the plot serve perfectly as the end of the movie. It is a madness that keeps the dialogue in each scene snapping like firecrackers, that finds the most commonplace problems in extraordinary events and the most extraordinary problems in common places. (Anyone who sees "Pulp" will never view a pawn shop again without thinking of this movie.) It is, most importantly, a madness that completely breaks free of the Hollywood or even the European convention of moviemaking, while at the same time embracing the power of film. It is the madness of greatness, and if Quen- 3TANIMATI0N" ADULTS ONLY! SEPARATE ADMISSION FINAL WEEK! ONCE NIGHTLY AT 10:15, CINEMA 4JM711 FINAL NIGHT! A RUM BY ROBERT ALTMAN indie MtcOoweH.

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The larger question is whether Tarantino will be able to build a lifelong career on his unique blend of existential tough guy dialogue and mean street scenery, or if he'll be able to move beyond his initial trademarks. But those questions have nothing to do with this movie, which is a momentous achievement and shows better than any other in memory that the formula that defines Hollywood product can, and should, be broken. The point of "Pulp Fiction" may be that the best and worst things in life can be found in the most unexpected places in the midst of a hit, at the back of a pawnshop. This film is completely unexpected. And it's the best thing to come down the pike in years.

audience just how good he was in "Blow Out" and erasing all memory of the garbage since then. He even has a wild dance number with Thurman in which her long gangly limbs and his sharp steps celebrate every '60s mating movement in memory. The true center of this film, however, is Jackson: when all is said and done, this is the story of Jules, who comes to believe in miracles and finds redemption by killing one less person. The intelligence and power that inform Jackson's portrayal of a hit man who is constantly mulling life over while apparently bearing a heart made of ice is nothing less than awesome. If Jackson doesn't win the Oscar for this fierce role it will be criminal.

But wait! What about Pumpkin and Honey Bunny? Or Butch's beautifully atypical girlfriend Fa-bienne and her blueberry pancakes? Or the Buddy Holly waiter? The $5 milkshake the size of that needle the reason for tongue piercing and what is Harvey Kei- "PASSIONATE AND DEVASTATING" -Roiim, "COMPELLING AND BEAUTIFULLY ACTED" if Mi -Lo Angle Time JESSICA LANCE TOMMY LEE JONES i BLUE SKY NIGHTLY AT 7:20 9:20 riftcM Bargain Show Daily 5:20 Sat, Sun 3:00 NIGHTLY AT 7:00 8:55 Bargain Show Daily 5:00 Sat, Sun 2:50 I 310 Unroln StfWt 4 Spotlight Sentine Friday, Oct. 21, 1994.