All right, everybody be cool, this is a Pulp Fiction quotes round-up article!
Quentin Tarantino’s sophomore feature directorial effort became the defining movie of the ’90s, changing modern cinema forever with its nonlinear storytelling, at-once familiar and unique characters that exuded a comfortable coolness, and lines that were carved into stone and built to last. And since today is the 21st anniversary of the film’s release, we decided to take a drive down memory lane by highlighting those oh-so cool lines and characters. So, kick off your shoes, grab a $5 shake, and let’s get this party started.
“They call it a Royale with cheese.”–Vincent
You know, when this movie came out in 1994, people didn’t just have the internet at their fingertips, chatting away with random strangers from Europe online. They weren’t able to go on Wikipedia binges and find out the entire history of Lithuania in an hour. Nutella and Haribo gummy bears weren’t even regularly sold in the United States yet! So when one of your buddies went to Europe, it was a big deal. They’d give you all sorts of fun tidbits about what was going on across the pond, and you could live vicariously through them. Finding out that the Quarter Pounder was a “Royale With Cheese” in Europe was a genuine little fun fact and a great history lesson. Just the sort of delightful conversation you’d have before holding a couple of guys hostage and murdering them.
“‘What’ ain’t no country I’ve ever heard of. They speak English in What?”–Jules
We all owe Quentin Tarantino a debt of extraordinary gratitude for giving the role of Jules to Samuel L. Jackson and leaving him in our collective memory as the B.A.M.F. that he is. It’s never more obvious than in this iconic scene with Brett, played by Frank Whaley. Brett has screwed up something really badly with Jules’ ominous boss Marsellus Wallace. And Jules is there to ah, relieve the tension. His cool, talkative, yet overpowering demeanor is almost more terrifying than what you see in the typical mafia movies. Jules’ questions come at him like bullets, and Brett isn’t prepared for them at all.
“Do you wanna continue this theological discussion in the car, or at the jailhouse with the cops?”–Vincent
Vincent and Jules make an excellent pair. In the dangerous situations they have been hired to alleviate, they have each other’s backs. Jackson and John Travolta have great chemistry as actors, and it plays out with their characters as well. From the snarky back-and-forths to the genuine philosophical discussions, the conversations between Jules and Vincent are some of the best parts of the movie, and proves Tarantino’s ability as a screenwriter. While Jules is a perpetual optimist, looking at a failed attempt against their lives as a miracle, Vincent is the more cynical and snarky of the pair — a trait that comes back to bite him.
“All of my piercings, sixteen places on my body, all of them done with a needle. Five in each ear, one through the nipple on my left breast, one through my right nostril, one through my left eyebrow, one in my lip, one in my clit… and I wear a stud in my tongue.”–Jody
Jody, played by Rosanna Arquette, is a character who has only a minor role in the movie. But the way she delivers this line is masterful. One of the little quirks of a good Tarantino movie is when a character develops an unprecedented passion for something off-the-wall, like the proper way to get piercings. Real piercings, as Jody explains, are done with a needle, by a professional — never one of those old piercing guns you see at stores in the mall. And if she’s going to have “all that sh*t in her face” as Vincent so unlovingly puts it, she might as well do it the right way, huh? Anyway, like Jody says: it’s sexy.
“That’s when you know you’ve found somebody special. When you can just shut the f*ck up for a minute and comfortably enjoy the silence.”-Mia
Another iconic performer for whom we owe Quentin Tarantino thanks is Uma Thurman. Her portrayal of Mia Wallace, the wife of Marsellus Wallace, is fantastic. She’s a little flirty and a little mischievous. She’s more than just the subservient, typical wife of a mob boss. There’s something special and unspoken about her — we can see it in the movie without any sort of plot background, other than the fact that she starred in the fictional, failed television show pilot Fox Force Five. Tarantino’s professional relationship with Thurman would continue after Pulp Fiction was finished filming, and he would cast her as the lead in his Kill Bill movies later. There’s no one else we’d rather enjoy a comfortable silence with.
“Five long years, he wore this watch up his ass. Then when he died of dysentery, he gave me the watch. I hid this uncomfortable piece of metal up my ass for two years. Then, after seven years, I was sent home to my family. And now, little man, I give the watch to you.”–Captain Koons
If this isn’t the best cameo in any movie ever, I’m not sure what is. While other screenwriters might be content to toss in an easy line about how “my father gave me that watch,” oh no — that’s not Tarantino’s style. Why not do a flashback scene where Christopher Walken, in the character of Captain Koons, describe to Butch just how important the watch is? The elaborate monologue goes through several generations detailing how the watch moved through Butch’s family line. And with that little scene, the forgotten gold watch becomes so much more important as a plot device.
“I don’t give a damn what men find attractive. It’s unfortunate what we find pleasing to the touch and pleasing to the eye is seldom the same.” — Fabienne
Maria de Medeiros is a Portuguese actress and singer who plays the role of Fabienne, Butch’s girlfriend. She is a nice contrast to Bruce Willis’ portrayal of Butch, the hardened, silent boxer who wouldn’t let his fall go before his pride. Her dreamy and delightful French accent and her airy conversations underscore the roughness of Butch. It’s clear they make a good pair, even if she’s a little, ahem, forgetful. Plus, she’s completely right. Why AREN’T pot bellies on women considered attractive?
“That’s how you’re gonna beat ’em, Butch. They keep underestimating you.”–Butch
At the time of this movie’s release, Bruce Willis was the biggest star of the entire film and his co-stars were either has-beens or unknowns. This movie revitalized or kickstarted all of their careers, but it also showed that Willis was capable of more than just your typical action movie star. He could be a double-crossing boxer, a heroic samurai, or a doting boyfriend capable of pleasing French women.
“You hear me talkin’, hillbilly boy? I ain’t through with you by a damn sight. I’ma get medieval on your ass.”–Marsellus Wallace
This scene is one of the most disturbing in the entire film for a lot of reasons. Uma Thurman almost didn’t take her role because of it. But when someone messes with Marsellus Wallace, they’re done for. We’re talking about a guy who threw a friend from a four-story window for indiscernible reasons. So if you physically assault him? Well, he’s really going to let you have it. While many assume that the reason Quentin Tarantino included such a graphic sodomy scene in Pulp Fiction is for the shock factor, he stated he actually wanted to reference some of his favorite movies throughout the plot… even if that movie is Deliverance. Besides, Marsellus managed to get revenge in an unforgettable way. We don’t know how he got that bandage on the back of his head, but it can’t be good news for the peons who dare come against him.
“I’m Winston Wolfe. I solve problems.”–The Wolf
You know what doesn’t happen often enough in movies where guns play a large role? Accidents. Guns are seen as bad-ass weapons of destruction, right? In reality, guns are actually, you know, dangerous. They have unintended consequences. Like, you could be holding a loaded gun and accidentally shoot your friend in the face while you’re driving down the road. Well, that’s what happens in Pulp Fiction. So Jules and Vincent frantically head to their friend Jimmie’s house (played by the man himself, Quentin Tarantino) where they are in need of someone to fix their bloody situation. So Marsellus sends them Winston “The Wolf” Wolfe, (portrayed by Harvey Keitel) a man whose connections and quick thinking save the day. Hey, Quentin. We’re still waiting for that movie based on The Wolf.
“It’s the one that says Bad Motherf*cker.”–Jules
The wallet that said “Bad Motherf*cker” actually belonged to Quentin Tarantino in real life and a lot of other people once the film blew up. Never has a fashion accessory matched its owner so perfectly. Another tiny detail that makes Pulp Fiction feel authentic and worth our sustained love and interest.
