Pulp Fiction/Fridge

• I didn't like the non-linear narrative in Pulp Fiction. Until some time later when I realized that the proper dramatic climax of the film was Jules's conversion and talking down the two thieves in the diner (rather than simply killing them). And just because the climax occurred around the chronological middle of the story, that didn't mean it shouldn't have its usual placement near the end of the film. -- Devil's Advocate
  • On the topic of Pulp Fiction, think about the basic characters' storylines: Marsellus and Butch both learn to appreciate honor and respect over personal gain or desires (to kill Butch and get his money/ to leave Marsellus to die) and both end up just fine (minus the rape). Jules realizes that crime isn't the path he wants to go by, and chooses religion instead. Only Vincent chooses his criminal ways over learning anything, only holding his moral of loyalty to said crime. That said, he is not only the only one of these characters to die, but he dies in a fashion completely devoid of romance, a rare feat for the crime genre, seeing that he's a protagonist. This shows the whole point Tarantino was trying to make about the closet morality in crime, and how you must choose the angel on your shoulder in order to truly understand the way you should live your life. That's why Vincent died! Oh my God! It's an even better movie! - Hitchcock
• Vincent monologuing that "being loyal is very important," convincing himself not to sleep with his boss's wife. It's actually an important maxim for him: Vincent's brother served four years in prison by refusing to give the cops his boss's (or rather, business partner's) name.
• The reason Vincent is such an incompetent Load throughout the movie? He's, probably unknown to his colleagues and boss, a drug addict. Drug addicts aren't exactly known for their competence and reliability.
• Butch's choice of weapon for going back to rescue Marsellus. He discards the hammer, chainsaw, and bat, and picks the katana. Now, in-universe, the logic could be that Butch likes the sword better, or thinks it's the most effective. However, story-wise, it also is the weapon of a samurai, and Butch has just made a decision to do the honorable thing. He made a transition personally from self-serving and willing to betray someone's trust for money, to sparing an enemy from almost certain death by torture (or a Fate Worse Than Death). He chooses a weapon more fitting of his new found honor.
  • Also, more Fridge Brilliance: the hammer doesn't have enough range to dispatch both Zed and Maynard, the chainsaw is too loud, and the bat would most likely take several strikes to kill with. Plus the katana looks so much more badass.
• Jules on Marsellus Wallace, "Does he look like a bitch?" "No." "Then, why did you try to fuck him like a bitch?"
  • Later on, Marsellus Wallace gets raped and fucked in the ass like a bitch.
  • Zed and Maynard find out the hard way that Marsellus Wallace does not like to be fucked by anyone but Missus Wallace
• Koons's words to Butch: "Hopefully, you'll never have to experience this yourself, but... When two men are in a situation like me and your dad were, for as long as we were, you take on certain responsibilities of the other." This is probably one of the reasons Butch chose to return and come to Marsellus's aid.
• Had Jules never had his religious epiphany, Vincent may have lived. Since they worked as a team, Jules would have had Vincent's back when Vincent was on the toilet and prevented his death at the hands of Butch. -Exthe Uber One
• Little recuring theme here that I caught on the drive home after watching it: take note of bathrooms. Every time a character (Particularly Vincent - I can think of three times off the top of my head, plus one with another character) goes to the bathroom, shit goes down. I'm not sure if this was obvious to people or a unique revelation.
  • Well, nothing bad happens when Mia goes to the bathroom in Jack Rabbit Slim's to, ahem, powder her nose.
    • This could be amended to times when Vincent goes to the bathroom, since whenever he does, bad things end up happening. Although one could argue that Mia's 'bad thing' was merely postponed longer than the others; her bathroom trip foreshadows her accidental overdose by revealing her addiction to cocaine.
    • Following on from the above, if we're going with the pun the OP made, IIRC pretty much every time Vincent goes to the bathroom it (at least partly) involves him taking a dump, during which trouble happens in his absence; hence, 'shit goes down'. Mia, on the other hand, just goes to the bathroom to snort up some cocaine, not to actually use the facilities. Hence, no 'shit goes down' (at least, as noted above, not immediately). It's a Stealth Visual Pun.
• A while ago, I was listening to a podcast in which Jason Mewes was describing his time as a heroin addict and he mentioned that he and the dope fiends he knew all suffered from constipation. Vincent Vega, heroin addict, sits on the toilet so damn much and for so long on each visit that he carries a book to read even when he's on the job. Huh.
  • Also why Vincent would take a moment to shit while on a stakeout for Butch - people suffering chronic constipation feel an almost constant urge to crap, and typically try to defecate frequently to relieve the sensation.
• Judging from how casually they go about it, just how many people have Zed and Maynard raped and murdered under the pawn shop?
• Related to the first point on this page, in a way: In his first appearances in "Vincent Vega and Marcellus Wallace's Wife" and the beginning of "The Gold Watch", we only ever see Marcellus Wallace from behind. This distances us from him, and dehumanizes him; he's an unknowable, almost inhumanly threatening presence, in constant command and control. Pretty much the first time we see his face is when Butch runs him over, and then during his experiences in the pawn shop. This 'humanizes' him, brings him down from his pedestal of all-powerful crime lord to vulnerable human being. Fittingly, when we see him in "The Bonnie Situation", although the segment is set before these experiences we see him from the front, demonstrating the humanity he dev

eloped in the earlier segment. Character Development -- it doesn't have to happen in linear order.

• Fabienne talking about wanting a pot belly might be her way of hinting to Butch that she wants to have a baby with him.