The 1994 movie, Pulp Fiction directed by Quentin Tarantino, is a thriller that follows multiple different storylines that end up crossing paths. The story is focused around violence and drugs. It stars many famous actors and actresses, including John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, and Uma Thurman.
The movie poster for Pulp Fiction is one of the most iconic posters of all time. This poster was designed to reflect the title of the movie – as it was made to look like a piece of pulp fiction. Pulp fiction was a term coined in the early 1900s to reflect fiction books that were produced in mass quantities at low prices, since they were printed on cheap paper. These books were usually only 10 cents. These books were often creative short stories that could cater to the lower classes, since they were so cheap.
The movie poster shows this by having creased edges, folded corners, and even havingthe price marked at ten cents. The poster looks like it is the cover of a cheap book. It looks as if it has been read and worn down.
The top of the poster is bright red, which draws the eyes towards the title. The title is in bright yellow, which is contrasted against the red. The rest of the poster has a darker tone. Uma Thurman, who is one of the main cast members, is the only person on the poster. She is seen laying on a bed, smoking a cigarette, and has a gun in front of her. Her eyes are staring straight at the viewer, drawing them in with her gaze. Her lips also stand out since she is wearing red lipstick, which contrasts her black hair and all black clothes.
The cast has their names listed in yellow on the left side of the poster. The bright yellow helps to draw attention to them and the color and font matches the title, helping it be consistent.
The dark tones of the poster and the darker items on the bed, like the gun and cigarettes, help to set the tone of the movie. The movie is very dark and violent, and this helps to give it that appeal. Even the closed blinds in the back and the tilted lampshade in the back left corner helps to create the darker tone of the movie.
Overall, the poster does a great job reflecting what the movie is about. It uses dark tones and items associated with violence and darker images to establish the setting of the movie. Thurman’s gaze also helps to bring the viewer in and have them really look at the poster. The consistent font and coloring also help make the title and cast stand out. The cast list also frames Thurman, which helps bring attention to her as well. Finally, using the visual metaphor of a pulp fiction book to illustrate the poster of the movie ties in with the name of the movie. The illusion of a worn book cover helps to bring everything together.
Visual Literacy Blog 