Quetin Tarantino’s film Pulp Fiction is considered by audiences, and critics to be one of the most influential and iconic films of all time. The film contains great acting from Samuel L Jackson, Bruce Willis, and John Travolta, in depth dialogue, and stomach churning violence. In the film there are many different examples, and scene of Mise en scene. For this blog I will be discussing two different screenshots from scene from the film that show off examples of Mise en scene.
I chose this scene for an example of Mise en scene because of colors seen at first hand. By this time in the film we already know that Vincent does dirty work for Marsellus Wallace. We know that Vincent and Jules are some bad dudes after the first scene of shooting up those men who owed money. Jules and Vincent always wear black suits. The black suits are to represent evil and bad. I liked this screenshot, because it shows Vincent in the black suit looking into Mia’s house which is decorated in all white. At the time the audience is to think that Vincent is just a really bad guy and Mia is innocent just by the color scheme. However we later find out that it is the opposite in some way. The audience realizes that Mia and Vincent are addicted to cocaine. This screenshot’s mise en scene colors show the good and evil or both characters.
I picked this scene because of the humor Tarantino hid for the mise en scene. Usually in films the drug dealers are backed out and goofy. This is the same for Pulp Fiction. Lance the drug dealer is wearing a Speed Racer shirt. The mise en scene of this screen shot is how crazy of a driver Vincent is being at this moment. It was done of purpose for the audience to try and find the connection. I find it funny that Tarantino included it in the film.
Although these two scenes are completely different, they do hold some similarities. The screenshot with the contrasting colors shows how it can be different, and differences can lead to chaos. This Speed Racer shirt is representing chaos in the form of Vincent driving like a mad man to save Mia. Although the two screenshots do not directly connect to each other, there are some common grounds that can be seen with them.
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