Pulp Fiction: Key Scenes

It is important that you refer in detail to key scenes from Pulp Fiction in any answer you write in the exam, relating these scenes to the focus topic found in the question (for example cinematography, aesthetics, cultural context, narrative or auteur). I would suggest learning at least TWO scenes from the movie we have studied and committing them to memory in detail, so that you can recall them clearly in the exam.

You will be expected to mention at least two scenes in any answer - though I would suggest discussing THREE different scenes just to be on the safe side. This means that you would have at least one example for each of the paragraphs you write (if, as I've suggested throughout, you try and split your essay into three different points). Realistically, you should try to mention many more moments from the film, however briefly, to reinforce the points you are making.

One approach, when revising, is to try to pick scenes from the film which cover a number of topics, for example scenes that may be useful to use in an essay on cinematography but also in other essays on mise-en-scene, aesthetics, contexts or even the Specialist Study Areas - narrative and auteur. This may take a little longer during revision BUT should mean fewer scenes to remember overall. You should find that certain scenes are applicable to almost all of the questions that you could be asked.

To re-familiarise yourself with some of the key scenes in Pulp Fiction, click on the clips below.

Opening and closing scenes are always useful to know in detail - though remember that this is slightly complicated by the fact that much of Pulp Fiction is told out of chronological order (so, you may consider Captain Coons' Gold Watch monologue to be the opening moment of the story, whilst the diner scene with Honey Bunny and Pumpkin is the opening scene as presented in the plot). Try, also, to memorise at least one other key scene - and make sure that you are able to make brief passing references to a number of other moments in Pulp Fiction.