Blu-Ray Review: Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Pulp Fiction,’ ‘Jackie Brown’

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CHICAGO – I’m old enough dear readers to vividly remember Quentin Tarantino’s premiere with “Reservoir Dogs” and then how much he took the world by storm with “Pulp Fiction,” a common choice for the best film of the ’90s. At the time, “Jackie Brown” seemed like a disappointment by comparison (how could it not?), but it is now widely respected and even beloved. These aren’t just good movies — they’re classics of their time. What more do you want from a pair of Blu-rays?

The fact that Lionsgate bought out the library of Miramax for Blu-ray release has led to an onslaught of some of the best movies of their day in the last few months including “Amelie,” “Trainspotting,” “Swingers,” and more. Perhaps the best pair of releases of this entire collection came last week with the one-two punch of “Pulp Fiction” and “Jackie Brown,” two five-star films from one of the best living directors.

“Jackie Brown” has not been given any new special features, but “Pulp Fiction” has, which should be reason alone for the legion of fans to pick it up (a very-low MSRP that has it below $13 at some online outlets REALLY seals the deal). As for transfers, “Pulp” looks good but the HD transfer on “Brown” looks grainier and more poorly-mixed than it should. But it’s a minor complaint. The movies are so perfect that you need to upgrade and add them to your Blu-ray collection. Especially if you’re close to my age.

Pulp Fiction
Photo credit: Lionsgate

“Pulp Fiction”

Blu-Ray Rating: 5.0/5.0

Synopsis:
Critics and audiences worldwide hailed Pulp Fiction as the star-studded motion picture that redefined cinema in the 20th Century! The 7-time Academy Award-nominated film (including Best Picture, 1994) is considered one of AFI’s “100 Greatest American Movies of All Time” and is listed on Time magazine’s “All-Time 100 Best Films.” It has been called “quite simply, the most exhilarating piece of filmmaking to come along in the decade” (Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly) and “(unquestionably) the most influential American movie of the 1990’s” (Richard Corliss, Time). Writer/Director Quentin Tarantino (Academy Award® Winner - Best Original Screenplay, 1994) delivers an unforgettable cast of characters - including a pair of low-rent hit men (John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson), their boss’s sexy wife (Uma Thurman) and a desperate prizefighter (Bruce Willis) - in a wildly entertaining and exhilarating motion picture adventure that both thrills and amuses!

Special Features:
o New Interviews with Cast
o New Critics’ Retrospective on the Movie’s Place in Film History
o Behind-the-Scenes Footage
o Pulp Fiction: The Facts Featurette
o Production Design Featurette
o Siskel & Ebert At The Movies - The Tarantino Generation
o Independent Spirit Awards Footage
o Cannes Film Festival Footage
o The Charlie Rose Show Tarantino Interview
o Still Galleries
o Trivia Track
o Deleted Scenes

“Jackie Brown”

Blu-Ray Rating: 5.0/5.0

Synopsis:
Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction) scores with an explosive mix of intense action and edgy humor in his “twisty crime yarn” (Entertainment Weekly). What do a sexy stewardess (Pam Grier), a street-tough gun runner (Samuel L. Jackson), a lonely bail bondsman (Robert Forster), a shifty ex-con (Robert De Niro), an earnest federal agent (Michael Keaton) and a stoned-out beach bunny (Bridget Fonda) have in common? They’re six players on the trail of a half million dollars in cash! The only questions are… who’s going to get played… and who’s going to make the big score?

Academy Award nominee for Best Supporting Actor (Forster), Jackie Brown is now presented for the first time in eye-popping High-Definition Blu-ray with a stunning new transfer overseen by Tarantino and new lossless 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio.

Special Features:
o Breaking Down Jackie Brown
o Jackie Brown: How It Went Down Retrospective Featuring Interviews with Quentin Tarantino, Pam Grief, Robert Forster, Samuel L. Jackson, Robert De Niro, Bridget Fonda, Michael Keaton, Elmore Leonard and Crew
o A Look Back At Jackie Brown Interview with Quentin Tarantino
o Chicks With Guns Video
o Siskel & Ebert At The Movies - Jackie Brown Review
o Jackie Brown on MTV
o Marketing Gallery
o Still Galleries
o Trivia Track
o Deleted and Alternate Scenes

By BRIAN TALLERICO Content Director HollywoodChicago.com [email protected]