Quentin Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction” , which is one of the most iconic movies in the world, features several food-related moments that contribute to the film’s distinct style, character development, and storytelling. Here are some notable instances of food appearing in the movie:
1. Breakfast, the most important meal of the day, is where their destinies collide
The opening scene of Pulp fiction is a captivating and iconic introduction to the film’s unique style and narrative structure. Set in a diner named “Hawthorne Grill,” the scene features a conversation between the characters Pumpkin (played by Tim Roth) and Honey Bunny (played by Amanda Plummer), who are a couple of small-time criminals. They drink coffee and discuss robbing the restaurant. We leave the thieves for the rest of the film, until the very end, when Pulp Fiction loops back to the beginning. Now the robbers have been joined at the diner by Vincent Vega (John Travolta) and Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson), who are seated at a table adjacent to the conspiring duo. Vincent eats pancakes with a side of bacon, while Jules picks delicately at a large corn muffin, until Pumpkin and Honey Bunny pull their guns and distract him from his meal.
2. Pulp fiction coffee scene
Jules and Vincent often engage in discussions over cups of coffee and breakfast. These conversations provide insights into their personalities, worldviews, and their positions in the criminal underworld. The mundane act of sipping coffee becomes a backdrop for their philosophical exchanges.
3. Muffin
Jules’ reflection on leaving the criminal life after surviving a close encounter with bullets includes a contemplation on muffin. He questions why he never realized the simple pleasure of eating muffin before. This moment adds a touch of humor and depth to his character.
4. Travolta’s Dance Scene
In a lighthearted scene, prepares a bowl of cereal before breaking into an impromptu dance. The act of eating and dancing together adds a humanizing element to his character.
5. Fabienne favourite breakfast
Butch Coolidge (Bruce Willis) is another man on the Marsellus Wallace payroll. A boxer hired to throw an upcoming fight, Butch double-crosses Wallace, wins the fight, and runs with the money and plans to flee the country with his wife, Fabienne (Maria de Medeiros). Butch calls Fabienne sweet-sounding pet names like “Lemon Pie” and “Sugar Pop,” and in one scene, Fabienne has a poetic and wistful monologue. She recounts a scene from her memory in which she enjoyed a croissant and coffee while sitting at a café in Paris. She describes how the croissant was warm and flaky, and the coffee was served in a bowl.
Fabienne tells her husband about the breakfast she yearns for that morning: a big plate of blueberry pancakes, eggs over easy, and five sausages, topped off with a slice of blueberry pie.
Iconic movies and Breakfast moments
The use of food in “Pulp Fiction” goes beyond just nourishment; it becomes a means to characterize, develop relationships, and infuse moments of humor and tension. Tarantino’s attention to these seemingly mundane details contributes to the film’s distinctive storytelling style and immersive world-building.
Are you a movie buff? You’ll also like our article on The Bear: Debunking the Brunch Myth: Do Chefs Really Despise Brunch, Like Carmy and Syd from ‘The Bear’?