✎ Editor’s notes on 14 facts

FILM · 1994 · USA

Pulp Fiction

Directed by: Quentin Tarantino
Runtime: 154 min
Studio: Miramax, A Band Apart, Jersey Films

14 archived facts 5 topics 1 source Last reviewed Oct 2026

A burger-loving hit man, his philosophical partner, a drug-addled gangster's moll and a washed-up boxer converge in this sprawling, comedic crime caper. Their adventures unfurl in three stories that ingeniously trip back and forth in time.

14 Interesting Facts About Pulp Fiction

Name: Pulp Fiction
Released: 1994

Interesting Facts (1)

#001
The word "fuck" is used 265 times.
Editor’s noteArka Evren
They say it's said about 250 times in Scarface too.
As for a series, on Breaking Bad AMC allowed the word fuck once per season.
sufferwithme / Founder / Editor
Pulp Fiction (1994): John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson togetherImage: Wikimedia Commons · RON RAFFETY, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Production Story (7)

#002
The movie cost only $8 million to make. The initial budget was reportedly even lower until Bruce Willis was added to the cast (he had a recent string of domestic flops but was still a box-office draw overseas). Five million dollars went to pay the actors' and actresses' salaries. The film was already profitable when its worldwide rights were sold for $11 million (again, mainly on the strength of Willis' presence). It went on to gross over $200 million at the box office.
Editor’s noteArka Evren
Making a film like this for a figure like 8 million dollars is admirable. The film's box office success is good, but low for a cult film like this. I suppose there were some who didn't get the film at first, but Pulp Fiction is the best example of absurd comedy in the film world. There's art in it too. I mean, there's aesthetic feeling and beauty as well.
sufferwithme / Founder / Editor
Pulp Fiction (1994): Bruce Willis at the bar in Pulp FictionImage: IMDb
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#003
Uma Thurman did not actually like the song that was played in the Jack Rabbit Slim's Twist Contest (Chuck Berry's "You Never Can Tell"), and she told Quentin Tarantino about this, saying it just did not sound right. Tarantino simply replied, "Trust me, it's perfect."
Editor’s noteArka Evren
A mutual exchange of ideas. A good production team is one that's open with each other and voices their ideas. The director is at least half of a film, but an idea an actor brings can take the film to a better place. Everyone on the team can say their piece, the director makes the final call; I say this as a director. For instance, a director can change a third of the screenwriter's script and take it somewhere different from its original form. That's up to the director's discretion.
sufferwithme / Founder / Editor
Pulp Fiction (1994): Tarantino and Thurman at CannesImage: Wikimedia Commons · Georges Biard, CC BY-SA 3.0
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#004
Tarantino wrote the character Winston Wolfe specifically for Harvey Keitel.
Editor’s noteArka Evren
Tarantino did a lot of things right in this film. The info above says as much. In terms of actor-character fit, Harvey Keitel and Winston Wolfe are great. Also, Wolfe is one of the most original characters in the film world. Tarantino generally put out very original work in this film.
sufferwithme / Founder / Editor
Pulp Fiction (1994): Harvey Keitel portraitImage: Wikimedia Commons · David Shankbone from USA, CC BY 2.0
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#005
Tarantino wrote Jules specifically for Samuel L. Jackson, but the role almost went to Paul Calderon.
Editor’s noteArka Evren
Writing the character specifically for the actors. Samuel L. Jackson is a good actor; this man acted out the "I am the danger" scene from Breaking Bad himself in front of the camera. Actually, how would it have been if Samuel L. Jackson had played a character on that series on the level of Gus, Mike or Saul?
sufferwithme / Founder / Editor
Pulp Fiction (1994): Samuel L. JacksonImage: Wikimedia Commons · RON RAFFETY, CC BY 2.0
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#006
The parts of "Honey Bunny" and "Pumpkin" were written specifically for Amanda Plummer and Tim Roth.
Editor’s noteArka Evren
So Tarantino ended up with 4 characters written for at least 4 different actors.
sufferwithme / Founder / Editor
Pulp Fiction (1994): Tim Roth and Amanda Plummer in the restaurantImage: IMDb
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#007
This was one of the first movies to use the Internet for advertising.
Editor’s noteArka Evren
A visionary move.
sufferwithme / Founder / Editor
Pulp Fiction (1994): Quentin Tarantino and Bruce Willis on setImage: IMDb
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#008
The largest chunk of the budget, $150,000, went to creating the Jack Rabbit Slim's set.
Editor’s noteArka Evren
The fact that the biggest chunk of the budget went here, and that this money came to $150,000, shows that Quentin Tarantino was a real value-for-money director on this film.
sufferwithme / Founder / Editor
Pulp Fiction (1994): Quentin Tarantino on the Jack Rabbit Slim's setImage: IMDb
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Behind the Scenes (3)

#009
The 1964 Chevelle Malibu convertible driven by Vincent Vega (John Travolta) belonged to writer and director Quentin Tarantino, and was stolen during production of the film. In 2013, a police officer saw two kids stripping an older car. He arrested them, and while looking up the owner of the vehicle he found the VIN had been altered. It turned out that it was Tarantino's stolen car. The owner had recently purchased it and had no idea it was stolen.
Editor’s noteArka Evren
Interesting story. That kind of thing doesn't happen much in the art world. But for example, the Breaking Bad team also wanted to park their vehicles in a church parking lot, but the church wouldn't allow it because the series was about drugs.
sufferwithme / Founder / Editor
Pulp Fiction (1994): In-car scene in Pulp FictionImage: IMDb
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#010
Jules flipping the table over in the beginning was improvised by Samuel L. Jackson, and Frank Whaley's reaction was genuine, but they continued with the scene, and that particular shot was done in one take.
Editor’s noteArka Evren
This scene came to mind while I was entering the info about Samuel L. Jackson above. That scene really is a work of art in its own right. The fact that it's improvised is one thing, and that it was shot in a single take is another.
sufferwithme / Founder / Editor
Pulp Fiction (1994): Pulp Fiction restaurant sceneImage: IMDb
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#011
In the scene where Captain Koons (Christopher Walken) is giving young Butch (Chandler Lindauer) the gold watch, Walken appeared to pause during the end of his explanation for the story behind the golden watch. This is because Christopher Walken had forgotten his next lines before recovering in time to make it look as though he paused on purpose. It was decided to leave this error in the film, due to how authentic it appeared.
Editor’s noteArka Evren
I said this for Breaking Bad too — everything came together to make Pulp Fiction better.
sufferwithme / Founder / Editor
Pulp Fiction (1994): Christopher Walken explaining the gold watchImage: IMDb
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Easter Eggs & References (2)

#012
Jules' "Bad Mother Fucker" wallet belongs to Quentin Tarantino. The inscription on the wallet is a reference to the theme song of Shaft (1971). Samuel L. Jackson (Jules) played the title character in Shaft (2000) and Shaft (2019).
Editor’s noteArka Evren
Quentin Tarantino worked this film like fine needlepoint. Writing the characters for the actors, using his own car and wallet in the film — it shows he put a lot of effort into this film.
sufferwithme / Founder / Editor
Pulp Fiction (1994): Tarantino, Thurman and Travolta at CannesImage: Wikimedia Commons · Georges Biard, CC BY-SA 3.0
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#013
The cab driver, Esmarelda Villalobos (Angela Jones), appeared in a 30-minute short called Curdled (1991), in which she played a character who cleaned up after murders. This makes her fascinated by the idea of murder. Quentin Tarantino saw that film and decided to include the character in this movie, but as a cabdriver.
Editor’s noteArka Evren
Also, Esmeralda drove the taxi barefoot in the film. Tarantino has a barefoot fetish.
sufferwithme / Founder / Editor
Pulp Fiction (1994): Taxi driver Angela Jones and Bruce WillisImage: IMDb
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Deeper Meaning (1)

#014
The screenplay says that Zed and Maynard are brothers.
Editor’s noteArka Evren
But we don't know that.
sufferwithme / Founder / Editor
Pulp Fiction (1994): The bloody scene and TarantinoImage: IMDb
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Reality Bites — Pulp Fiction comes up in the facts on that page
John Wick — Pulp Fiction comes up in the facts on that page
The Bad Guys — Pulp Fiction comes up in the facts on that page

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Sources & editorial notes

Reference databases

Wikipedia English Wikipedia article
IMDb IMDb title page (trivia)

Information from external sources is independently selected, consolidated and edited by Arka Evren. Sources are listed for verification and further reading. Encyclopedia text is used under its licence (CC BY-SA). How we work