Pulp Fiction – Big Gimpin’

Full transcript of Pulp Fiction – Big Gimpin’.

0:00KT: Welcome back to another week and another course of our 2022 Reference Degustation. If you're late to the reservation, you're nasty, but you are most welcome to join us. Our first offering of the Reference Degustation was Reservoir Dogs. We definitely felt away, and I guess we'll see how our palette expands in this episode. Let's get on with the show. Hey, friends and Fox Force Five lovers. Welcome back to the For Your Reference podcast. You got your host, KT.

0:00Oti: And Oti.

0:00KT: Roll the intro credits to a timely spiritual awakening, diner boogie, and gimp related injuries. Take

1:05KT: a bite out of the Big Kahuna with Pulp Fiction this week. Oh, Oti, I kind of hijacked the first Reservoir Dogs by talking a lot about Pulp Fiction because again, I am more embarrassed about liking Pulp Fiction as a part of my personality than my whole Twilight fandom.

1:05Oti: I know. I was there for it.

1:05KT: Well, we don't we don't need to talk about it aside from every time I talk about it and the Twilight specific episode we have. Mhmm. Let's get into general stats and information in regards to this film.

1:41KT: Director, writer, Quentin Jerome Tarantino, as well as notes from Roger Avary. It was released in November 1994. So we're not far off from Reservoir Dogs. However, we do get more of a budget. We get $8,000,000 and this will this will blow your cojones off. Worldwide gross of $213,900,000.

1:41Oti: Woah.

1:41KT: Yeah. Tarantino's word was on the street as well as the feats. He made bank bank. He did make bank. Welcome, welcome, welcome, friends and lovers. This is also a time to say spoiler spoiler spoiler, gagging, gagging, gagging. Wow. Absolutely.

2:24KT: Wow. Shout outs to all of our patrons that have contributed to the themes, recurring common sort of themes that we see throughout Tarantino's filmography. And yes, for those playing at home, there is a racism slash n word section. Before we get into that, let's talk about first impressions. We've talked generally about Tarantino in the Reservoir Dogs episode.

2:48KT: So let's just talk about Pulp Fiction generally. Did you watch it when it first came out? Did you watch it a lot? And how are you feeling now?

2:48Oti: So the first time I watched Pulp Fiction was with you.

2:48KT: Okay.

2:59Oti: You wouldn't stop talking about it. Uh-huh. It was everything you ever thought a movie should be and was. So I was like, cool. I'll give it a go. Why not? I think that was what? A few years back and

2:59KT: No. It's been at least like eight years ago.

2:59Oti: Yeah. Actually.

2:59KT: Quantify a few.

2:59Oti: Yeah. I think the first time I watched it, I was like, okay. What's the hype about? Mhmm. I think

3:29Oti: there's some good aspects of the movie the first time around, and I thought, okay, cool. I get the reference now, you know? Mhmm. I understand what people are going on about. It's quite cool, has some really cool shots. The dialogue is amazing in this. And I thought, okay, I understand where all the hype came from, but I think when we watch it I watched it the second time for this. I liked it a bit more.

3:54KT: Okay. Oti's had some time to cool down from Reservoir Dogs.

3:58Oti: I liked it a bit more. I I know I said in the previous board that I preferred Reservoir Dogs over this. Uh-huh. But I think this is slightly edged on top. Okay. Just slightly.

4:11KT: And edge on top is the perfect phrase for Tarantino Film Bro films.

4:16Oti: Just because I think I enjoy the dialogue way way more in this. Yeah. I preferred I I like, we have characters who we could connect with and we would

4:16KT: Just say they cast in more black people. Just say that. I love seeing some of Lil Jackson go now.

4:16Oti: Let's not reduce it to that though. Because I think even with Vincent Vega, we have someone who we we we care for in in his nonchalancedness, in sort of innocence charm to him.

4:16KT: No. I think it's naivety.

4:16Oti: Yes.

4:49Oti: Sort of. He can move and navigate a lot differently

4:53Oti: than Samuel Jackson's character. You know what? It feels like if Mr. Mr. Blonde in Reservoir Dogs had a better storyline. I feel like this would be Vincent Vega. Okay. You know? Because he carried himself in in in a sort of similar way to me at least. It would have been kind of cool to see him go Mr. Blonde on everyone in the diner. Yeah. Because I feel like the only thing that was holding him back is his respect for Jules. And I think with the ensemble that they had in Reservoir Dogs,

5:25Oti: Mr. Blonde didn't have any of that people that he thought, ugh, this is my equal or I need to respect this guy. It was every man.

5:31Oti: Yeah. It was every man out for themselves, definitely. So that's what I drew. And I was like, it would have been cool to see Mr. Blonde in this sort of situation because I think it would have been, phew, fire. But again, it's not just because Samuel L. Jackson is in this. I think everything was a tad better.

5:31KT: And I gotta ask my journalistic 60 Minutes questions, Oti.

5:31Oti: Yeah. Yeah. I know. I know. You you like coming for me. I get it.

5:54KT: So that's interesting. So I guess we're building a ranking as we go.

5:59KT: So you would place Pulp Fiction over Reservoir Dogs.

5:59Oti: Yeah. But we we have characters who are not only just there to make to overlook obvious things and to make shitty decisions, you know? It's it's more than that. I think every character or every sort of chapter has has a choice and it's whether or not they opt to take it or or find themselves in it. We have Jules who chooses a different path to Vega. And I think and even with Butch, you know? Mhmm. Everybody had a climatic sort of moment where they had to make a decision. They had to make a choice and it affects their resolution at the end of it.

5:59KT: You know what? I would say it's not even that deep bro. Like, I think Pulp Fiction

6:42KT: really upped the ante in the Tarantinoisms that we've come to know and love. He really just got very, very comfortable. He got very comfortable in his screenwriting as well as his directing. And one of the great questions we're gonna come to from our patron Jamie, like, he really doubled down in all of the great ways in a non gendered film bro way. Like, if you're in it, you're in it, and you're going to have a great time. And that's exactly what Pulp Fiction was. I think maybe perhaps Reservoir Dogs, It does obviously

7:15KT: lean towards Tarantinoism, but I think it it it definitely tried to explore a bit more of the characters and how they interplayed with each other. These guys were essentially main characters in four substories.

7:28Oti: But I think that worked better. And I think we we got to understand the characters more.

7:28KT: I know. But you're saying that they all came to like a resolution. For me, there wasn't necessarily character development, but

7:28Oti: But it was a choice effect sort of thing.

7:28KT: But at the same time, I didn't care whether Vincent Vega became a better person. I didn't care whether Jules became a better person. I was just there and I was along for the ride. So for me, I'm not here or I don't expect to have character development and I didn't necessarily get it, but that's okay because I'm not expecting get a this film.

7:28Oti: In terms of character development that I'm looking at it, I'm looking at it in terms of we have each of which subplot, we have a huge decision that has to be made by the characters. Yeah. And each decision have its effects. Mhmm. You know? So to me, I think that made more sense

8:16Oti: than having having an Ocean's 11 sort of group up in Reservoir Dogs. And I'm not really focused too much on us exploring the different characters and how what they bring to the group rather than just the dynamisms between each and everyone. You know? It felt really, I'm just gonna do this, group them in, and be done and have some hokey lines in there. At the end of it, I felt so dis jointed and disconnected from each and every character to the point where I loved Mr. Pink,

8:45Oti: but I still couldn't care less what happened to him. Yeah. And I think that's what I battled with the Reservoir Dogs, and I did find myself battling it as much with with Pulp Fiction. Even Marcellus made. I was like, fuck. Like, we saw the back of his head most of the time, but That voice. Yeah.

8:45KT: Oh, yes. Those Ving Rhames squats, I'm still not recovered from Baby Boy. Yeah. I just need Darius to woke up and act a fool, You

9:15KT: son of a bitch. I'm in. But I I guess we're essentially saying the same thing. We both enjoyed it. I'm just saying, I know I'm not going to get a salad at McDonald's. That's just not my jive. I do speak jive. Go and listen to our Airplane episode. Naked Gun probably Patreon. But what I will say, it did reaffirm my feeling that there was not really a plot in Pulp Fiction, but that's also okay. What what becomes a qualm, but what becomes a Delroy Lindo quarrel

9:47KT: is Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Right? Because and and and greatly, we're not covering it. We're covering Inglourious Basterds instead. Thanks to our patrons for voting. Because Once Upon a Time in Hollywood doesn't really it kind of follows the same format of interspersing like sub stories, but it's not interesting to me. So it kind of is the same sort of thematically, like as Pulp Fiction, but it's not fun.

10:08Oti: Yeah. And and I agree a 100% with you. I think I struggled with it just as much as you did. And I didn't like it because I don't really care about either of those characters as well. I think it was done in a less I think it just took itself more seriously.

10:08KT: It did. It did.

10:08Oti: And it didn't work out. It it really didn't know what was saying. Because the end of it, we see how everything just aligned for Pulp Fiction to create this sort of chaotic charm at the end of it. And I was like, I like this. I can sort of prefer this a tad more than what I thought I did.

10:08KT: Chaotic charm. Love that. Nice. Okay. Well, let's get into themes that are being explored

10:48KT: with our patrons. This section is general questions. So, again, I'm very excited to see the evolution, whether we change or whether we continue to reaffirm our initial questions. So this is from Jamie. What are your views on Quentin Tarantino's approach to violence? There was a lot more violence in this. I think a lot of it was played for, not necessarily slapstick, but it did lean more on funny, like incredulous, didn't see it coming sort of moments as opposed to Mr. Blonde in Reservoir Dogs. What what did you feel about the violence in this and his approach?

11:20Oti: I think it worked way more than it did, you know, in Reservoir Dogs. I think we get a little bit more violence. Yes. But I think in this case, it's more justified.

11:34Oti: It's more nuanced to some extent. And to me, I felt that every every bit of violence because we we get some really gory stuff, but it explains it. It works with the characters. It works with what they're dealing with and how they it explains everything. Yeah. So it made perfect sense and I appreciated it even more and it's weird because I don't think the first time I watched this it worked

11:58Oti: as much as it did and watching it it just shows you that sometimes the rewatchability factor comes into effect, especially when something this big when which I had, you know, we had external factors facing in on us or, well, this is the greatest thing ever. Yeah. But having my tinted glasses removed and just trying to accept all this in its gloriousness, I think I appreciated it more definitely.

12:22KT: Like given the nature of the Reference Degustation, we are going to continue to refer back and forth, you know, between Reservoir Dogs as well as Pulp Fiction. And I think so I I would say that the approach to violence is very effective. And to bring the example of Reservoir Dogs, Reservoir Dogs was kind of like a side wagon to real life. Like it wasn't necessarily too too different from what reality is. Right? Pulp Fiction world building was done very well

12:53KT: in here where you start to realize the same as like when you're watching like Suicide Squad as well. Like, you know that the rules are going to bend according to this world and we're not functioning off normal societally acceptable sort of rules. Right? So now that we know that we're in this world, the violence kind of follows suit as well. Yeah. Like, even when we have Vincent Vega accidentally shooting the guy.

12:53Oti: Marvin.

12:53KT: Yes. Thank you for our fallen brother. Thank you for acknowledging him.

13:23KT: And that was played off as very ridiculous. Even though it was a very violent thing that just happened, he the motherfucker through the head. Right? Not through the ankle, not through the vagincal. He shot him through the head. Yeah. So a a lot of the violence is played to the ridiculousness of this world, but that's what makes it so delicious. So I would say his approach to violence was played very well in this film.

13:23Oti: That's a 100% agree.

13:23KT: Nice. Let's move on to Rob, and he

13:49KT: wants to know our thoughts on the QT-verse theory. So films within films, films that overlap with films. You kind of already alluded to

13:57Oti: The Vega Connection.

13:59KT: Mhmm. I guess you can also mention Fox Force Five Yeah. As well. Kill Bill. Kill Bill on its way. I'm very excited. So are you, Lucy Liu, your number one.

13:59Oti: Yep.

13:59KT: Friends and lovers, I know Oti loves me, but I know my place. You know, again, we we did have a bit of a discussion about it in Res Dogs. Just like, it's cool, I guess, but go outside, feel some fresh air, watch another fucking movie.

14:30KT: Like it's it's cool if you happen to notice it while you're watching, but I don't know. Like sometimes it's a lot. We can all go down the rabbit hole of forums, friends and lovers. Yeah.

14:30Oti: I think that's what fandom generally is.

14:43Oti: People are entrenched in the world and they want to get every morsel they can out of it.

14:48KT: Yeah. Absolutely. Speaking of another tasty general question morsel, is Quentin Tarantino the best contemporary director to match visuals and music? How did you how did you traverse here?

14:59Oti: Oh, I think I even appreciated more in Pulp Fiction than I did in Reservoir Dogs.

14:59KT: Oti's entered the Tarantino feet chat.

14:59Oti: I found myself all bubbling along with each and every music and enjoying the scene even more. It elevated everything. Al Green. Yeah. Yeah. Which was weird because I thought they did, he did quite well in Reservoir Dogs but wow, I think it went up a notch in this. Yeah. It just made everything that much better,

15:32Oti: it played to the comedic sort of charm as well. Yeah. The ridiculousness, it heightened the emotions or made made it feel not as serious as well, to lighten the mood and to make it feel as if, yeah, I shot this girl in the head, but it's alright. You know, it's amazing. Texturally, there were more layers Yeah. In this film. Yeah. Yeah. And I think that's why I wanted to love Reservoir Dogs, but I had my reservations because when you watch something like Pulp Fiction

16:03Oti: and you see that it can be done in this quacky sort of way that he has Yeah. And still come out of it feeling as if, hey, I I cared a bit about the characters. I loved a bit. I enjoyed my you're allowed to feel a bit more despite all the other sort of shortcomings you may have with the director or whatnot, but you still get more out of it. Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely.

16:27KT: And I I guess in regards to matching the visuals of music, there is a point where Butch decides to help Marcellus Wallace, which did you think he was going to help? I didn't think he was going to help. I thought he'd walk out. But then once you hear the perpetrator yelling, yeehaw. You need like like, that is too much fun. You're having too much fun sodomizing

16:53KT: Apple Marcellus Wallace. But in any case, there does like you say, there's a decision that needs to be made, and it's here with Butch. And when he's deciding to choose the weapon, you can hear the lead up. The music is simmering. It's like some fucking violence is going to ensue and it's going to be delicious. And he's trying to decide which weapon to choose. And obviously, this white man goes for the sword. Yep.

17:19KT: Is he like the Ra's al Ghul for a Kill Bill? Yeah. Actually, no. I think they do have a Ra's al Ghul in Kill Bill. It'll be like a Spider Man meme, them pointing at each other. But, yeah, it it's so beautifully, masterfully matches the visual and music. I would still agree with myself because I'm a fucking wanker. Wow. That Tarantino is the best out there at the moment to match visuals and music to inform the tonality.

17:50Oti: Yeah. I don't know if I would say he's the best to do it right now at the moment, but for the sake of matching tonality, bringing us into the world, letting us know what's what we're going to get into, absolutely tick tick tick. A 100%.

17:50KT: Feet, feet, feet. Mhmm. Toe, toe, toe. The next section we're going to get into is direction slash stylistic choices, and this is coming from Ben. At what point does Quentin Tarantino's stylized hyper aware of itself dialogue become a hindrance to the film rather than part of its magic slash charm?

18:18Oti: Funny enough, I don't think any I had any dialogue issues with Pulp Fiction. I think it all worked quite well. I know that we picked a bit in Reservoir Dogs, but for Pulp Fiction, think, not necessarily. I didn't think that there was any twattery that was happening in terms of

18:42KT: Twattery. If it's not in the Webster dictionary, it's definitely in the For Your Reference dictionary.

18:47Oti: I don't think there's an aspect of, you know, self indulgence in its dialogue at all. I think to this, be it Jules, Vega, Butch, It all worked quite seamlessly and well. It'll be very hard. It'll be very nitpicky trying to pinpoint anything in this because I think overall as as as a script and as a plot, it worked.

18:47KT: Well, let me clear my throat because I have an example.

18:47Oti: Oh.

19:15KT: I'm not going to say the character's name. You're not going to catch me in the sound bite friends and lovers. Christopher Walken's character, when he was talking about the bummed out watch, that kind of, it's like we get it. We understand. It's butt stuff. Whatever.

19:15Oti: I'd actually forgotten about that.

19:15KT: And it continued it continued lingering. It's like, hey, I'm writing a thing. I'm going to make Christopher Walken say a thing and you're going to sit there and ingest whatever he's saying to you. I was like, okay, fine. They had to say it a couple of times over and that got a bit annoying.

19:15Oti: I had completely blocked that scene out of my mind.

19:51Oti: Yeah. That that's a good shout. I think it felt, you know, it felt like they wanted quick cheap laughs in this. Uh-huh. And I know if we were watching this in the theater, we'd get that annoying sort of opera laugh and I'm like, fuck off. Yeah. We struggle in cinemas now. It's not that funny. It's really isn't. But yeah, a 100%, I think that was a bit low brow, especially in its repetitiveness.

20:16Oti: Yeah. They had to see how much they put it up their bum every single time without without a miss of the beat. And to that point, I just felt, even in the recaps and Butch was dreaming, they'd still bring it up again. I'm like, May, we get it. The watch was up his bum. What the fuck?

20:36KT: Kind of like Neil's dad.

20:39Oti: Yeah. Again, we had a scene with Tarantino at the end where Jules and Vega go to meet the Wolf. Yep. And we have Tarantino as Jules' best friend, apparently.

20:53KT: Well, we do have we do have a related question and it is actually from Ben, so we can wait to answer that. Okay. But like I said in the Res Dogs, I like how we say Res Dogs.

20:53Oti: You're the only one saying it.

20:53KT: Go and check out Reservation Dogs, friends and lovers, Sterlin Harjo, Taika Waititi. Go and check out the fucking show. I still don't understand what the connection is aside from wearing cool suits, but go and check out the show. It's fucking brilliant. Okay. Again,

21:18KT: I don't think his dialogue is the problem aside from the fact when he brings unwarranted and we're we're we have a whole section on the n word, but they were also talking about Asian people and Mexican people, particularly in regards to the diner with Tim Roth. You're still besmirching Tim Roth for separate the character from the actor. How dare you? Like, there was some dialogue there and I think a bit of it is, yeah, of course, you know, people talk like that, like in Succession,

21:47KT: for example. But then also it's like, how much of it is you you spilling your seed on the page? Like, you know what I mean? Like, you're the one getting something out of writing this. We're not getting something out. We're just sitting waiting for the racist part to finish so we can continue the rest of the movie and try to ignore it so we can continue to enjoy the movie. The next sort of theme that isn't necessarily relevant here, but it's from our beloved Julio, rewriting history.

22:12KT: Not not so much here. Well, if I may be so magical, if I may be so Willy Wonka, I would say that this is rewriting Oti's history.

22:12Oti: It is. It is.

22:12KT: Or maybe just the weight of the world has worn you down, mate.

22:26Oti: Or maybe the pressure of of of toeing the line, mate.

22:31KT: Oh, if you'll pardon the pun. If you're nasty. The next theme we're moving on to is from Rob California slash Hollywood slash film slash genre. He's a slave to pulp and grindhouse styles, which shows in his sound effects and camera move. I'm sorry. I know this is a cop out, Rob, but tick tick tick. I don't know how to discuss something without literally saying what Rob just said. He said it so perfectly. We've we've already mentioned that this film works on a lot of layers. There's a lot of grittiness. There's a lot of playfulness

23:05KT: through violence in this film. And obviously, the styling and the direction of that just follows suit as well. Yeah. I think even if you decide not to care about the characters or you're not sure whether you're gonna care about the characters, you can literally just throw away the world and sink yourself into two and a half hours of frivolity.

23:24Oti: Yeah. But we we we're completely different sort of movie watchers because the minute I stop caring or I don't buy in on any of the characters, I'm checked out.

23:24KT: No, I agree. But this was fun.

23:24Oti: It's a role It was it was fun. Yeah. It was fun. If caring about characters is is not what you need, maybe a Hype Williams production is what you you can go for, mate.

23:45KT: Are you? Are you coming for my Belly?

23:49Oti: Ridiculous,

23:50KT: man. Friends and lovers, we do have an episode of Belly, and it is however do you want it, and it is however do you need me. So go and check out that episode. But I don't know. The the I do have a quarrel with you, Oti, because you don't go on a roller coaster ride and say, what sort of literary text is this roller coaster based on? Fuck off. What?

24:14KT: You just get on the roller coaster and you have fun. That's it.

24:14Oti: But if you get on the roller coaster and you don't care whether or not you're enjoying it, what's the point?

24:14KT: But are you already on it, bro?

24:14Oti: You can jump off.

24:14KT: Oh, kids, you can fly. You can literally fly.

24:30KT: We have a Key and Peele episode and that is one of our favorite sketches from Key and Peele. Literally.

24:30Oti: I'm one for roller coasters. I need to know if if I'm I'm buying in.

24:30KT: Pull your finger out and stick your toe in Oti and have a good time.

24:52Oti: Seem to advice me.

24:54KT: I I hope you enjoyed that answer for you specifically, Rob. Let's move on. Let's move on with Julio. Pop culture references. And we we are partial to some references in the For Your Reference household.

25:03Oti: Oh, I think the one that most resonated with me was when Jules was at the time explaining to Vega that he wants to stop being stop all the violence and and start just walking around and you know, getting experiences along the way like Caine and Kung Fu. I grew up on bloody Kung Fu.

25:03KT: Oh, is this like a I thought he meant just the Kung Fu genre in general.

25:03Oti: No. No. No. Because we had Caine played by David Carradine.

25:31Oti: I know I'm pretty sure he passed away. Uh-huh. Rest in peace. But grew up on that shit. It was one of the best shows in my childhood.

25:31KT: Is it kinda like Walker, Texas Ranger but for kung fu?

25:44Oti: Pretty much.

25:44KT: Okay. Who would win in the fight while we're here?

25:44Oti: Oh, man. Caine was next level.

25:44KT: Seriously?

25:44Oti: Yeah. Okay.

25:53Oti: He'd gotten all his secrets, mate.

25:59KT: I think, like, I feel like we'd be here, like, till the next six films if we were talking about all of the pop culture references. I think the biggest one is the diner. And it was interesting when Vincent Vega corrected Mia saying that they weren't two Marilyn Monroes, because I assumed there were two Marilyn Monroes. Pardon my ignorance on blondies of the time. We also see Al Bashemi as well as Buddy Holly in the diner as well. It really kind of, you know, it created an atmosphere.

26:32KT: It obviously slotted in quite well. It was a it was a compatible insertion into Pulp Fiction, having the diners being in the car.

26:42Oti: It was great. Yeah. Would would the Macca's quarter pounder thing be a pop culture reference? I would say. I would say because capitalism,

26:50KT: because globalization. Yeah. That was odd as well. There was also the mentioning of the metric system as if the rest of the world aside from like The US and two other countries as if the rest of the world is the fucking problem about the metric system. Mhmm. Okay. Let's move on to casting slash characters. And I did cheekily add one in, and I'm just going to throw it out every time we cover a film now. Do you think Tarantino just hires more good looking people that he thinks looks like him?

27:23KT: I don't I don't know why he he thought Bruce Willis looked like him, but, you know?

27:23Oti: Well, I think it would be more John Travolta in this case.

27:23KT: Would it? I don't see it, mate.

27:23Oti: More than Bruce Willis.

27:23KT: True.

27:23Oti: I don't see you questioning our patrons themes. Why are you coming for me, bro?

27:23KT: Okay. The first very fitting very fitting theme is Feet by Julio and Brent. And then I also wanna put an extra subcategory. Brent specified women feet. So

28:01KT: how how how was the feet in Pulp Fiction? Did you get some feet action in this? Yeah. Mia Wallace. Oh. When she when it was like, you'll be a woman.

28:11Oti: Oh. Oh, yeah. Man, I think I block out any feet. If it's not there, I seen it. Yeah.

28:21KT: We we can't guarantee the quality, but we can guarantee that Oti screenplays and his directorial debut will be very distinct.

28:31Oti: How problematic.

28:34KT: His his short lived career as a director will be undeniable. Oh. You got, like, some double triple NDAs at that point. Yeah. Feet feet feet. Yeah. I think, you know, Uma Thurman in general, I think she equates to a 100 mediocre feet. So that kind of ticks the box. Right?

28:34Oti: I think the biggest feet thing as well was

29:01Oti: when there was a rumor that Marcellus threw someone out the window Yeah. Because he they massaged Mia's feet.

29:07KT: Oh my god. Yes. Oh my god. Yes. That's kind of the cornerstone. Actually, there is a plot to Pulp Fiction and it has to do with feet. This is the origin, mate. It is absolutely the origin.

29:21KT: Look at you, Oti.

29:21Oti: Yeah. It started here, man. Indeed. We need to examine. I think maybe he got into the feet thing because Uma Thurman has the best feet he's seen. I was like, oh, man. You're on that feet. This is my thing now.

29:37KT: You sound like you're on the feet wiki as well, Oti. Mhmm. Okay. Well, we'll absolutely tick right there then. Yeah. Let's move on from Rob. We have the reluctant hero. So we didn't necessarily agree that there was one in Res Dogs. How about here?

29:37Oti: I would kind of argue that it will be Jules. It would be Jules because at the diner,

29:58Oti: we we have Vega say, I would shoot them just in principle. And you know, if it was if it was it if it was anyone other than Jules there, those people don't walk out of that diner alive. Yeah. And that's just a fact.

30:14KT: But don't you think Jules is kind of like light spoiler. But don't you think Jules is kind of like Cyborg in Doom Patrol? It's like you are very useful and you decided to remove what was most useful about you.

30:14Oti: No, I appreciate people learning from this shit.

30:14KT: Okay.

30:14Oti: If if if someone

30:14KT: It was a very inconvenient time for him to have a spiritual awakening is my point.

30:14Oti: No. Look, he someone unloaded

30:35Oti: on them Uh-huh. Pretty closely and missed spectacularly. You know, it wasn't even suppressing fire because Cyril would have gotten a leg or some shit at least. Archer reference. But nah, just completely all around his bloody head. If that doesn't make you reevaluate what you're what you're doing in life, then you've got a problem, mate.

30:35KT: I cry all the time at dogs getting adopted videos,

31:04KT: but I also don't allow myself to be driven by emotion.

31:04Oti: There are magic tricks that we don't understand. It doesn't mean they can't be explained. If we if we only lived in a way that we understood, none of none of us motherfuckers would have electricity. Come on now.

31:18Oti: The unexplainable can be explained even if it is unbelievable. Some people wanna take deeper meaning and stuff and not live life like a robot.

31:28KT: Well, live in live in your Tarantino world then. Oh, no. Did I just Joe Swanson the podcast? You sure did. Okay. Okay. So so do we both agree that Jules is the reluctant hero? Yeah. Okay. Is there could could we have any sort of anyone else that we think is the reluctant hero?

31:28Oti: Tarantino's character at the end. He was not reluctant. There was nothing reluctant. With the with the mavericks of acting, he should not have been standing in shot. I've I know we'll get to this probably later.

31:28KT: We will.

31:28Oti: Yeah. But what

31:58Oti: in the world do you think that it's a good idea to be in a room acting next to Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta.

32:02KT: Yeah. Oh, bloody hell. It's like the equivalent of giving a kid a wooden spoon to make them pretend they're cooking along with you. Like, you're not on the same level, bro. Yeah. That's why acting is very important. The words might be cool, but the acting transcends.

32:23KT: But I guess while we're talking about Jules and obviously we're talking about Samuel L. Jackson, I'm gonna say it now. As much as I love Pulp Fiction, Samuel Jackson is the best part of this film. And it also has Ving Rhames. So that's saying a lot with my Ving Rhames tax. Samuel Jackson is to Pulp Fiction as Rosie Perez is to White Men Can't Jump. Oh, I'm thirsty. I do know what it is like to thirst.

32:49Oti: The

32:51KT: best moment in our movie, hands down. Best moment, best thing about the movie was Rosie Perez. But let's go back to The Reluctant Hero because like you said, coming back to your foundational statement about this film, each character is is at a crossroads where they need to make a decision. And this is Jules. Yeah. Yeah. You know,

33:10Oti: he's Bone Thugs-n-Harmony there. See you at the crossroads sort of level. Nice. And he feels like this is the perfect opportunity to actually change how I'd actually handle things. Yeah. You know? Prior to the incident, he he fully shoots those people without thinking twice. Yeah. But he calmly

33:29Oti: sets himself aside, tells Pumpkin, you know, calm down, Mia. Tell her it's all good. And from then on, it's all about what's the best way. He he he still can get his and not leave that cafe feeling like they've lost. Mhmm. You know? You're just not taking my suitcase, but I'm keeping my wallet, but you can take the cash. Yeah. If character development had a face, it'll be Jules saying, what? Nice. Mhmm. Nice. Mhmm.

33:29KT: Don't know. There's a part of me that just wanted to have Jules in all of his scripture reciting glory.

33:58KT: Like, for for Jules to become a reborn man is kind of like if Denzel Washington's Alonzo became a reborn man in Training Day. Like, good for Ethan Hawke's character, but like not good for the rest of the movie. Maybe if if Jules were only shot in the ass, things would change. Oh, friends and lovers, when we get some time, we need to have a separate podcast about black men getting shot in the ass in movies. It's a thing. And also TV because Wayne Brady got shot in the ass in 30 Rock. Mhmm. Talk.

34:30KT: Worry about us friends and lovers. We have references. You might not want them, but we're going to cash them in. Yeah. So tick tick tick on Reluctant Hero. I think I think it played very well to the story. I I don't I'm not saying that the writing was bad and the acting was bad. I just personally wanted to see him go on a rampage.

34:30Oti: Another reluctant hero would be Butch.

34:30KT: Okay.

34:30Oti: Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Because again,

34:53Oti: not could of us make that decision because I walk out and leave. You could have ignored

34:53KT: oh, wow. Okay. We're learning a lot today. Even

35:00KT: if you heard yeehaw.

35:06Oti: It's good to know yourself.

35:10KT: Well, I guess it's good to know who to rely on in an emergency, and apparently Oti is not one of them.

35:20Oti: No. I'd be the equivalent of Peacemaker if you're being tortured. That'd be like, okay.

35:24KT: Oh, thanks for taking one for the team.

35:27Oti: Pretty much.

35:30KT: Nice. Okay. Let's move on. From Julio, we have casting old favorites and reviving their careers. So we saw Harvey Keitel. Yeah.

35:38Oti: Yeah. He was in this. We also We did Marvel Complete.

35:42KT: Yeah. Right? What else do you need to say, really? Also, Christopher Walken is a big get as well. Yeah.

35:50Oti: I don't think he was reviving Christopher Walken's anything.

35:53KT: Because I remember Christopher Walken in Hairspray and I felt bad for him. But now watching him in Pulp Fiction, I also feel bad for him as well. Which do you think was more cringey or unfortunate for his career?

36:09Oti: I actually think he likes both. You know what? There's this sort of cult aura around Christopher Walken, like, people love love him.

36:09KT: Hey. You already came for Tim Rothenberg.

36:09Oti: I'm not coming for you. I'm just saying there's a level of love for Christopher Walken. Like, we were in the cinema. I think there was an ad that Christopher Walken was in. And the minute he just showed his face, the cheer I was like, what? Are you saying barely said anything.

36:09KT: Are you saying undeserved?

36:38KT: Is that what you're saying?

36:38Oti: No. No. No. Like, it's just maybe people just love him more than I do.

36:38KT: Okay. Well, I'm going to pull you on your ass now. Because when I say shit about John David Washington, you have to come for me. So it's allowed I don't come for you because it's undeserved.

36:52Oti: I see the difference. I see the articles you write out there.

36:58KT: I have a different pen name.

37:01KT: Okay. So you don't get the big whoop is what you're saying?

37:01Oti: Yeah. I just don't get the big whoop. Okay. He's good and all, but I don't know Carlstadt or Symbol level.

37:01KT: Okay. It's alright. I see your articles too, Oti.

37:15KT: Tearing down the titans one by one.

37:19Oti: It's like, you know, when you you get Liam Neeson, you just know it's Liam Neeson. Okay. I I feel the same way with everything that I've watched Christopher Walken in. It is it's just Christopher Walken. Maybe I'm missing something.

37:19KT: Well, do do what you do, Oti. But the way you do, the way you move is in very pointed way.

37:38KT: I wonder I wonder which actor you will tear down in our next film. But yeah. I didn't care for the role that he was in. I don't like, if you if you want me to rant about Ryan Reynolds and Chris Pratt, I will. Like, this is the level of ranting that you're doing now, but I don't even know what's

37:56Oti: I just raised a question that you didn't even answer. You just came at me. So

38:03KT: I don't I don't block, motherfucker. I don't block and I don't dodge. I just keep punching till I die. Alright. Let's move on. So this last section is it's essentially the n word, friends and lovers. So from Brent, we have, every time I show one of his movies to someone that hasn't seen them, I always wait for the moment he or someone else drops the n word to see how they react.

38:29Oti: Oh.

38:31KT: And then because they're all kind of related, I'm going to mention two more. So we have Paul, are Quentin Tarantino's race related quips justified

38:39KT: in this film? And then Julio mentions racial slurs. So they're these all kind of roll into one. We've got some nonsensical n words thrown in here as well. I think the biggest one for me was

38:50KT: Tarantino's character. He's the he's the best part of the film because he created it, but he's also the worst because why did you need to be in here, sir? And it was such a big part like me. Yeah. Like, you think just because you put it at the end, we don't notice how much screen time you're taking? Yeah. Was such a huge part. I'm like, mate, you should have cussed in someone for this. Yeah. Shouldn't your mouth be on toes somewhere? Why are you why are you on the screen, bro? I don't know. And his use of the n word, he was using the e r. Like, keep us

39:20Oti: And supposedly, his friends his good friends with Jules, and it throws out words as if it's Yeah. Jules doesn't seem like the Yeah. Type of doesn't seem like the type to tolerate that shit. Yeah. And he was there sitting all meekly. I'm like, mate, what was that energy? What's the energy he had for Brett

39:20KT: If in the this was a linear timeline, I think this was after he was a change man.

39:20Oti: I don't think so because he decided to change at the diner. He had his Chrisette Michele's Epiphany at the diner.

39:20KT: Wow, Oti.

39:48Oti: You think I can't bring some some R and B, some soulless into this?

39:55KT: No. Because the cogs started turning for his spiritual awakening when all the bullets missed them.

39:59Oti: No. He just took it. He was like fucking super meek. And I didn't understand the whole that sort of plot at the end because it didn't make any sense. It made sense when you know it's Tarantino and he wants to say that shit. Well, cool. But you get Jules and Vega. They're pretty badasses. They come to this bloody dweeby guy who can't even talk properly as if oh my god. His acting was atrocious.

40:24Oti: I think he has like It was even distracting. You know how bad it would have to be to be distracting from the actual fucking story? Yeah. It was insane anyway.

40:33KT: But like even when he was saying, do I have dead n word storage at the front, like sign at the front of my ass? And then I was like, who is this for? Is this just for you? I don't Like, yeah. And he said it like six times. It's like, we heard you the first time. You know, like,

40:50Oti: part of me thinks this guy just writes this stuff so he can see. So he he can he he oh, it's in the art and just put it off as that because I'm pretty sure he also says that in his house because you can't convince me otherwise. Yeah. He just bloody nonchalantly says it all the fucking time. I'll be surprised

41:09KT: if he isn't because a fuck. Okay. So I guess for Paul specifically, are the race related quips justified?

41:09Oti: No. No. No.

41:17Oti: No. But I don't think they'll ever be justified unless we talk about Django later on. Think I that the usage of the n word was when The e r. Yeah. Was when Butch was about to shoot Marcellus. And they're in the store with the confederate flag Yeah. Next to the American flag. Yeah. And I'm like, okay. I think that sort of I I saw that kind of buzzer. Was like, yeah. Confederate flag. Tick tick tick. He'd probably say it anyway in real life. So that that seemed to be justified.

41:43KT: Yeah. But Oh, I see I see what you're saying. I get it. It felt in in the story. Authentic. It felt authentic. It was authentically racist.

41:51Oti: Yeah. But man,

41:55KT: Tarantino's character was wild. I guess while we're here, while we're talking about the use of the n word, did it soften the blow because we had not only just black actors, but we had brilliant cursing from Samuel L. Jackson, just cursing in general. Do you think it softened the blow because it wasn't just the hard ER?

41:55Oti: It made me feel more uncomfortable him saying it in front of Samuel L. Jackson, to be honest.

41:55KT: No. I get that. But I'm saying in the film in general,

42:20KT: because it was such a it was such an immediate rejection for you watching Reservoir Dogs with the use of it. But now we also have black characters that are saying it.

42:20Oti: No. I don't think that played a part because

42:20KT: It made it even worse is what you're saying.

42:20Oti: It made it made it even worse because

42:34Oti: it felt out of place. Yeah. It felt like this fucking idiot would have gotten a bullet in his head ages ago. Which is why you're The way he was talking to Jules even even forget the n one. The way he was talking to Jules and Vega. I'm like, these two people don't tolerate that shit. Yeah. Despite the fact that they need for help. And I think the biggest qualm for me in that plot subplot Uh-huh. Was they waited for apparently this wolf guy to come and tell them the most basic of shit?

43:02KT: You are still mad over

43:02Oti: Anyone with fucking 2¢

43:05Oti: would be able to would be able to walk up. I'll clean the fucking car. Yeah. I'll put the body in the trunk. Yeah. Put some blankets on there. Yeah. Yeah. And then the next step will be, how do I dispose of the body? Then you can be like, hey, Marcellus, do you have a guy? Not, oh, I need someone to tell me how to wash myself, how to shower, change my clothes, clean the car with general kitchen supplies.

43:28Oti: Oh oh, I don't know what I would have done without the Wolf. He did shit fucking all, mate. Well,

43:34KT: you know, for for us that are currently in jobs or we have work jobs where the manager does fuck all, well, there you go. These are two people that left a slew of bodies Yeah. In an apartment. And now they're they're all up in air because there's a car with some fucking blood on it.

43:43KT: To be fair, they didn't clean up their mess either. They just left.

43:43Oti: Yeah. Exactly. They left. With this car, they're like, oh, this is so bad now. I didn't buy that shit at all.

43:43KT: But you got blood sprayed all over the car. You're not going to get very far, Oti.

43:43Oti: I'm I'm not saying that they shouldn't have fucking cleaned it. I'm saying they didn't need fucking Wolf to tell them to fucking clean it.

43:43KT: Oh, right.

43:43Oti: It's just fucking basic.

44:12KT: Why do but why are you getting so you were so worked up watching it Tarantino's and you still

44:17Oti: fucking face was there. It's just annoying. It's, I don't know. They should have put a mask on him or some shit.

44:17KT: Like a gimp mask?

44:17Oti: You know how Sacha Baron Cohen does different disguises? Yeah. They should they should have done it with his face. Maybe it would have been less annoying.

44:35KT: Wow. And it's like, I think I think Oti is also going through inner conflict because he actually does like the films, but then you realize who's making it. You're doing some Paul Bettany lashes there.

44:42Oti: Like, you told me you if I picture the person saying the n word, it'll be that fucking face. And to have that fucking face say it as well? Oh, come on. Come on now.

45:01KT: We friends and lovers, donate to our GoFundMe. We are building a For Your Reference dictionary as approved by Oti. We have twattery and we have the n word with Tarantino's face on it.

45:18Oti: Oh, what?

45:19KT: Let's move on. We're still in we're still in the n word territory, but it is a bit lighter. This is from Ben. Why does and this is this is possibly going to help Oti just alleviate all of the pain. Why does Quentin Tarantino insist on including himself, usually as a racist, when he can't act? Why? Why do you think he does it Oti? In Rise of What Dogs, we say because maybe ego.

45:44Oti: I think generally, he fucking thinks he can because he put himself in such a big role in this Yeah. That I felt that ego aside, he actually believes this shit. Yeah. Which is even worse. Maybe he's like that was he like a manager

45:59Oti: in

46:00Oti: the Chicago Bulls where he thought that he was as big and he should have as much attention as Michael Jordan? Yeah. Why are you giving all the attention to why are you giving all the plaudits to Michael Jordan? I'm the one. It is I who recruited him. It is I who assembled this team. And I will lay down the grindhouse.

46:17KT: Yep. I actually believe he thinks this. He thinks this. Because there's no other reason why. No. To be fair, even in Reservoir Dogs, he wasn't that big of a part. It was just the by the way sort of thing.

46:28Oti: And then I guess he he he just It grew in confidence. He sniffed his own smug George Clooney fart. Yeah. It's like how we had a problem with M. Night Shyamalan and the party he he put himself in Old because I also think he can't fucking act. I think we also had a problem with Old in general, but yes. Yeah. From that, it just felt it takes away from it. It's like we get it, mate. You made this. We wrote this. We get it, mate. Just just sit off. Calm down.

46:56KT: DJ Tarantino.

46:58Oti: I think anytime he thinks that he wants to put himself in a movie, they should give him they should give him some some pair of ankles and feet to just hold while he shoots the bloody scene because bloody hell. We should make

47:11KT: you know how you have like those vibrating eggs? We should invent like vibrating toes. And I wouldn't be surprised to be honest if they exist already. Otherwise, we're trademarking it on the For Your Reference podcast in 2022. We should make vibrating

47:26Oti: toes so he can shove it up. Yeah. That or you know how you distract cats with lasers? Just come with some some some store bought ankles and just throw them at him when he thinks that he he thinks he wants to put himself in a movie. Hey, Tarantino, while you're dangling some feet.

47:44KT: We're going to make bank Oti.

47:48Oti: You know how, like, people sells, like, used panties, soiled panties? We'll sell them socks. You know what? We'll do an f NFT of feet and sell it to him. We'll we'll have to

47:57KT: we'll be rolling it back, mate. Yeah. Oh, I love this. We are going to be rich, friends and lovers. Remember this time. But he can't act.

47:57Oti: No. He can't. He should stop it.

47:57KT: He should, but he's not going to because we know doesn't he play like an Australian in Django Unchained?

47:57Oti: Oh, dear heavens.

47:57KT: Yeah. There's a lot to look forward to, Oti. Thank you, friends and lovers. What a delicious, albeit for your first time, confusing time in the Reference podcast.

48:34KT: This is usually where we finish off in a segment called For Your Reference, where we reference stuff you should be watching. As a part of this footlong celebration of Tarantino debauchery, we will recommend Reservoir Dogs, we also have a lot of films coming up as well, which is Jackie Brown is our next one. And I haven't watched it, so I'm very excited.

48:34Oti: Me too.

48:34KT: Pam Grier of it all. Woo hoo. Woo. If you wanna yeehaw on Twitter, can you let me do it?

49:08KT: Literally, the Tarantino woodland creatures. Yep. That's a South Park reference, friends and lovers. Let me try again. If you'd like to, yeehaw on our asses on Twitter and Instagram, we're at foryourfbon. Write us an email at hello@fyrpodcast.com. We're also on GoFundMe for our dictionary and also GoFundMe for our vibrating toes podcast if you like to leave a rating and review. And we'll see you guys in the next course. See you. Bye.