Pulp Fiction-Pierzchala
Today’s reading, titled “Pulp fiction” by author Alan A. Stone, is about one of Hollywood’s most famous directors, Quinton Tarantino. Tarantino is known mostly for his action films which are known to have, as some argue, excessive gore. The interesting thing here is the idea behind this gore. As with every given age, people tend to like gore and violence so long as it does not involve them. This runs true back with Shakespeare in his violent plays “Hamlet” and “King Lear.” While these films/plays do not necessarily propone the concept of violence, they merely take advantage of a slightly sadistic enjoyment of the topic from the general public. Tarantino takes this to the next level with films such as “Pulp Fiction” and “Kill Bill.” The truly interesting thing about Tarantino’s films is their satirical interpretation of the intense violence. The author has two simultaneous goals when dealing with this “excessive” gore; one is appeasement of a slightly sadistic audience and the other is a slight poke aimed at these audiences. While the concept behind some of his gorier scenes are morbid and are entirely not comical, the way he directs them puts a certain satirical spin on them.
I think the way Tarantino writs and direct is quite interesting due to his deeper look into the way people think. He recognizes that it is a slightly messed concept that people find enjoyment in violence, but he is able to find a healthy relationship between appeasing this notion and poking fun at it. It is always interesting when directors are successful in pulling off notions like this, just as it is comical when musical artists do the same to audiences. One such prime example is the band “Green Day” with their hit song, “American Idiot.” While the entire goal of this song is to bash the typical mindset behind a common American, they love it!