Problem
I'd like for the class to guide the discussion. As a starting point, read what Cousins says about Pulp Fiction in The Story of Film. We are considering Tarantino and Anderson (next week) as models for an "auteur" analysis. An auteur's unique aesthetic/style, filming techniques, stories, and characters distinguish their work from the work of others. Pulp Fiction launched Tarantino's career, and you can perceive the elements of his unique style in films that followed. For your first post, discuss any aspect of the film that is "Tarantino-esque"--editing, framing, mise-en-scene, character, point of view, narrative technique, dialogue, acting, etc. Support your views by reference to a specific scene or scenes.
For example, the image above is taken from a flashback scene in which we learn why Butch risks everything to recover his grandfather's watch from his apartment. It's a great example of a Tarantino moment. Christopher Walken (portraying a USAF Captain who served with Butch's father) delivers a poignant speech to a young Butch--explaining how he came to be in possession of his grandfather's watch and how he perceives it as his high duty to deliver it to his grandson. This is one of many scenes in which Tarantino is drawing attention to the language of film; the audience is used to seeing this type of serious/poignant moment in film, and scenes like this are designed to manipulate the viewer's emotions. Tarantino leads the audience to expect one thing, and then abruptly shifts direction. The use of camera angles, alternating deep staging/shallow focus, and extreme close ups are all part of the gag in this scene.