Analysis Of Pulp Fiction

The pulp fiction opening sequence starts with a large surprise to the viewer as a couple appear to be having a romantic afternoon in a cafe and suddenly both jump up declaring they are robbing the café. The scene then freezes on the man and woman pointing their guns. I think this is done to show the anger on the woman’s face and how she is determined for success. The music (pump it) then kicks in, showing the credits in a bright font which contrasts with the lack background. These title credits are simple so the viewer focuses on the busy fast music which is building up the suspense and telling the story of what is happening. The credits change position and transitions regularly, i think this is to keep the viewer interested due to the intro credits being quite long, the music also helps to achieve this. The long credits helps to build the suspense as the viewer is waiting longer and longer to find out what happens in the robbery.

The camerawork is steady and still when the man and woman are sitting at the table and as soon as the equilibrium is broken (start of robbery) the camera zooms up to follow the man who has just stood on top of the seat. However there is not much camera work at all in the opening sequence due to such a short amount of footage.

The editing is minimal because there is only one shot before the titles.

The mise-en-scene is suggestive of a usual environment, both characters are dressed like normal people, acting normal in a normal location. This makes the viewer feel comfortable and un-suspecting before the equilibrium is broken.

The sound is the main part in this sequence.