As Samuel L. Jackson breaks down his most iconic characters, he reveals that the ending of Pulp Fiction initially had more bloodshed. The actor has lent his talent to many Quentin Tarantino movies, becoming a staple in the director’s filmography, but his most iconic Tarantino character is possibly his first, Jules in Pulp Fiction. There, he played a seasoned henchman who gains aspirations of a tranquil life and, throughout the film, delivers some of the movie’s best lines. His character was so engaging that Jackson was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.
In a new video from GQ, Jackson breaks down his most iconic characters and shares some details about the initial script for Pulp Fiction. He reveals the ending originally had more violence. The scene in the diner, in which Pumpkin (Tim Roth) and Honey Bunny (Amanda Plummer) rob the place, initially included a brief extra sequence. Jackson says:
In Pulp Fiction, in the original script, in the diner, when Tim [Roth] first comes over and he asks about the briefcase, he opens it up, and when he opens it I shoot Honey Bunny off the bar. And I shoot his a** and kill him. They do a cut and I open my eyes, and it’s what I would’ve done before I got the vision in the house of ‘don’t kill anybody.’ He’s still standing there. So that’s not there.
What This Means For Pulp Fiction
Pulp Fiction Managed Just Fine Without The Alternate Sequence
Pulp Fiction was an instant success when it came out in theaters and has become one of the most iconic movies of all time. In addition to financial and critical success, it received seven Oscar nominations, and it won the award for Best Original Screenplay. Due to all of this, it’s hard to imagine the movie looking even a little bit different, as anyone can argue that it is perfect just the way it is. Additionally, the change Jackson mentions is ultimately a small one, and it might not have had much of an impact on the overall story.
Pulp Fiction was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (John Travolta), Best Supporting Actress (Uma Thurman), and Best Film Editing.
Pulp Fiction has remained popular over the years, as it has all the trademarks audiences have come to know and love from Tarantino. This includes the graphic violence and gore apparent throughout his filmography. Because of that, this alternate ending would definitely have fit into the movie, as outrageous bloodshed is a staple in Tarantino’s films just as much as Jackson is as a cast member. It might have made the scene even more entertaining, and it would have added more complexity to one of Pulp Fiction‘s best characters.
Our Take On This Alternate Ending
Pulp Fiction Didn’t Need Jules’ Vision
Nevertheless, Pulp Fiction is better off without this vision from Jules. For one, characters having visions of something they would do can be a cliché, and can be seen as lazy. Secondly, the vision would have suggested that Jules still has conflicting emotions about killing despite claiming to want a more low-key life. While his character may very well have been feeling conflicted, the true Pulp Fiction ending expresses this perfectly by only using Tarantino’s famously punchy, memorable dialogue. While the vision may have been fitting, it would have been unnecessary.
Source: GQ
