Pulp Fiction has many memorable characters, scenes, and lines, and includes the Pulp Fiction adrenaline shot involving Mia Wallace and Vincent Vega. But, how scientifically accurate is that specific moment? Quentin Tarantino is one of the biggest names in the film industry, as his peculiar narrative and visual style have earned him the praise of critics and viewers, but his graphic and generous doses of violence have drawn backlash. Tarantino went for a non-linear narrative for Pulp Fiction, following different characters in different segments that together form a cohesive story
Pulp Fiction focused mostly on Vincent, Jules, and Mia. Vincent and Mia specifically are front and center of some of the most memorable scenes, including one that was extremely controversial. Vincent took Mia out after her husband and his boss Marsellus asked him to. Later that night, Mia found heroin in his jacket and mistook it for cocaine. She snorted it and suffered an overdose. Vincent rushed to his drug dealer's house, where they decided to give her an adrenaline shot directly to the heart, which immediately brought her back. The Pulp Fiction overdose scene is as graphic, but is it scientifically accurate? Would Mia Wallace have died in real life?
Pulp Fiction's Adrenaline Shot Scene Is Mostly Accurate - But Takes Liberties
According to then-general surgery resident Annie Onishi (via Wired), the Pulp Fiction adrenaline shot isn't too far-fetched but still a bit of a stretch. She explained that for certain arrhythmias (which is when the heart beats in an uncoordinated fashion) a milligram of adrenaline or epinephrine would kickstart the heart. However, in this specific scene from Pulp Fiction, she points out that Vincent and Lance spent too much time talking before giving Mia the shot. They probably should have given her chest compressions while they discussed who was going to inject her. Finally, they could have easily accessed the heart “through one of the intercostal spaces” instead of straight through the sternum.
However, others have pointed out on have sat right up like Mia Wallace, they usually slowly wake up over the course of 30 seconds. Scenes like the Pulp Fiction adrenaline shot can be tricky, and while the way Quentin Tarantino wrote and filmed the scene, along with the cast’s performances, made it an unforgettable one, it’s not exactly scientifically accurate.
How Tarantino Filmed The Pulp Fiction Overdose Scene
So, how did Quentin Tarantino film the Pulp Fiction adrenaline shot? In a breakdown in Paul Woods' book, King Pulp: The Wild World of Quentin Tarantino, the director talked about shooting the scene. He said that one producer friend told him they could show how Mia Wallace OD's in Pulp Fiction to school kids, and it would be a successful anti-drug campaign. Tarantino also said that he felt this was the moment in Pulp Fiction where the audience either dove under their seats or laughed.
When it came to how he filmed the Pulp Fiction adrenaline shot, he ed on using a fake chest plate and instead used a technique where he filmed the scene backward. He had John Travolta start off with the needle on Thurman's chest, and then he pulled it upward and away from her. In editing, they then reversed the footage and made it look like he slammed it into her chest. Using the sound effects of the thump, the Pulp Fiction adrenaline shot was enough to shake up the audiences and is a big part of why it remains a cult favorite over two decades later.
