Opening Sequence Of Pulp Fiction

The Opening Scene of Pulp Fiction is set inside a coffee shop/restaurant, this gives the audience a sense of security where you would normally expect a peaceful environment where people can interact with each other and socialise. However tension between both sets of people is caused when the two characters the camera is concentrating on decide to hold up the coffee shop and this completely disrupts the calm and friendly atmosphere and causes a dis-equilibrium. In the early stages of becoming a “Gangster“, their behaviour is certainly pointing them in the That direction, the repeated use of swear words and the pointing of guns give us the opinion of their intentions of the crime they are about to commit. The background which is used is just focussed on the two main characters and a window. The audience is given a clear view and are able to spot the trees which suggest a sense of calmness and tranquillity this helps to hide the characters from their true intentions by showing a neutral background. The use of weapons in the first scene shows the two characters as violent and using excessive force to get what they want, this indicates that they are tough mentally and will cause injury to the other people if they were to resist instructions and refuse to hand over the money.The opening camera shots and angles are used to create different effects on the audience and emphasises what is happening to create excitement and tension and the dis-equilibrium. The camera is positioned at a Medium Shot for most of the opening sequence, it captures both the main characters facial expressions and is easy to see which person is talking and the way they shape their body to emphasise intent or anger. The overall opening sequence is not fast paced edited, it is dialogued driven between the two characters and used continuity editing. The camera then switches to the waitress’s face with a Big Close Up; the denotations of her face make her out to look friendly and helpful. She has a smile upon her face to emphasise the friendly atmosphere around the coffee shop and helps trick the audience into thinking that something bad is going to happen. The bright friendly smile also connotes innocence to herself and perhaps to the other people positioned inside the shop. The use of a point of view shot helps the audience relate to what one of the main characters is seeing and helps the audience relate more to what is going on. There is only a small amount of various camera shots during the opening sequence of Pulp fiction. Most of the way through it just stays on one steady medium shot of the two stock characters and listens to their conversation, this is used to signify the importance of these characters alone. The use of sound is used to create a sense of peace in the restaurant, a peaceful atmosphere is helped created by the use of a piano in the background, you can hear people talking around the restaurant, this continues to show an innocent social atmosphere around the main two characters that are essentially plotting the reasons why they should partake in an armed robbery. There are no backing tracks in this opening sequence of the film right up until the couple stand up and begin to point their guns at people, the opening sequence then stops and you have a freeze frame and then music begins to play. This suggests that when there is action taking place for example holding up the coffee shop, music is essential to shape the audiences view of these two characters and inevitably it creates an enigma. At the end of the opening sequence both of the characters stand up and begin using excessive swear words (particularly the woman character) this continues to show them as looking tough and efficient at what they are trying to achieve and they will inflict damage on other people and even go as far as killing them. Before they stand up they use non verbal dialogue as a way to show the audience that they are a couple passionately kissing each other. This implies a sense of a relationship between the two of them and they have each other covered at any given time because they feel strongly about each other.