Summary
- Pulp Fiction takes place in the present day of its release, but intentionally blends elements of the past into the story.
- The non-linear timeline of Pulp Fiction forces audiences to piece the scattered scenes together, keeping them engaged and intrigued.
- Despite the 1990s setting, the film is filled with 1950s references, creating a unique blend of past and present in its atmosphere.
Of Quentin Tarantino's movies, What's in Pulp Fiction's briefcase? Though fans have analyzed every aspect of the movie, its time period isn't so obvious.
Several of Quentin Tarantino's movies are tied to definite time periods. For example, Inglourious Basterds takes place specifically in 1941, during the first year of Nazi occupation in . Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is set in 1969 to reflect the "summer of love" in which Charles Manson and his followers murdered Sharon Tate. However, not all of Tarantino's movies have such a strong sense of time. Pulp Fiction, for example, seems to bend time more than stick to it. More specifically, it blends elements of the modern era with nostalgic glimpses of the past.
Pulp Fiction Ending Explained (In Detail)
Pulp Fiction may be considered Quentin Tarantino's best film, but its non-linear story makes its ending a little more complicated to puzzle out.
Pulp Fiction Is Set In The 1990s (When The Movie Was Released)
Pulp Fiction Premiered In 1994
Although Pulp Fiction often feels as though it is set in a specific historical era, one at a distance from modern times, the movie actually takes place in the present day, or at least, the present day of the movie's release. Pulp Fiction came out in 1994, and the events of the movie are set in or around that same year. Notably, Tarantino has never confirmed any specific year or date. There may not be any Easter eggs within the film hinting at a specific year, but the general surroundings, including technology, hint that it's the 1990s.
Pulp Fiction's exact date is not the only strange element of time related to the movie, however. The non-linear plot of Pulp Fiction is not in chronological order but is all scrambled up, forcing audiences to put the scattered scenes together like a puzzle. By telling the story out of order, Pulp Fiction also adds to the ambiguity of its era for viewers. Ultimately, this is what makes Pulp Fiction great. It forces audiences to think and keeps them on their toes.
Pulp Fiction is also notable for its timeline, which is portrayed non-chronologically.
Why Pulp Fiction Feels Like It's Set Decades Earlier
Pulp Fiction Is Full Of 1950s References
If Pulp Fiction is set in the time period it was released in, the 1990s, then there should be no doubt about what period in which the movie is set. It should simply appear to be the present day. Still, the confusion is understandable. Pulp Fiction, despite being set in the 1990s, is full of references to the 1950s. Not only does the dialogue denote certain pop culture points of the 1950s, but the visuals are also reminiscent of a time forty years before the movie is set, with Tarantino blending the past and present.
There are countless ways Pulp Fiction references the 1950s, but one of the most obvious is the diner, Jack Rabbit Slim's, which Mia and Vincent visit together in the movie. The restaurant's tables are built inside classic pastel-colored 1950s cars, and the iconic burgers and milkshakes menu is reminiscent of the soda shops and diners of the 1950s. Furthermore, the diner is staffed by actors portraying 1950s icons, including James Dean wearing his memorable red jacket, and Marilyn Monroe with her curly blonde hair. Mia and Vincent's participation in the "twist" contest is the cherry on top of the 1950s ambiance.
Tarantino Leaves Pulp Fiction's Exact Year Ambiguous
Pulp Fiction Takes Place In No Specific Year
Pulp Fiction may be set in the 1990s with various 1950s references, but in the end, there is no exact year that the movie can be linked to. Quentin Tarantino has never confirmed a specific year for the movie, and there are no mentions of certain historical events or products to give audiences a sense of the year. In this way, Pulp Fiction presents itself as taking place in an ambiguous time, perhaps outside of time. This would parallel the ways in which Tarantino inserts his own brands into the movie. To him, everything is fiction.
Pulp Fiction is the second feature film Quentin Tarantino directed.
Luckily, it doesn't truly matter in what year Pulp Fiction is set. As shown by the deep dive into the 1950s via Jack Rabbit Slim's, Pulp Fiction is more concerned with atmosphere than history or timelines. It is a movie that takes audiences on a journey meant to confuse, elude, and be put back together again. In this way, the unclear time period works. It helps jumble the story even more, and steep audiences into this movie that, for all intents and purposes, is far away from the reality audiences are familiar with.
