Pulp Fiction: A Shared Discomfort Zone

Undoubtedly one of the most iconic scenes in cinema, Mia and Vincent’s 3-minute impromptu dance sequence communicates more about their power dynamic and personal relationship than much of their dialogue in Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Pulp Fiction’. In her husband’s absence, hitman Vincent Vega is instructed to entertain gang boss Marsellus Wallace’s wife, Mia. Taking control, Mia insists that she and Vincent spend the evening at Jack Rabbit Slim’s restaurant. Awash with 1950s and ‘60s memorabilia and impersonators, Jack Rabbit Slim’s transports the audience and characters back in time to a selectively-remembered period of iconic American pop culture. The newly-introduced Mia and Vincent acquire a booth at the restaurant, built within a classic car and with a front-row view of the central stage. After ordering notably non-‘50s-priced drinks from their incongruously dispassionate waiter, an uncomfortably flirtatious discourse between Mia and Vincent ensues; flirtatious on Mia’s end and uncomfortably received, yet respectfully perpetuated, by Vincent. In “saved-by-the-bell" fashion, the restaurant owner, accompanied by a beaming Marilyn Monroe impersonator, announces the restaurant’s famous “Twist” contest, and asks for volunteer dancers. Without hesitation, Mia raises her hand, stubs out her cigarette, and tells Vincent to “dance good”, as he ineffectually protests their participation.

As Chuck Berry’s “You Never Can Tell” plays, Mia and Vincent break into classic ‘60s dance moves. Whilst some casual references throughout the film suggest that ‘Pulp Fiction’ is set between 1979 and 1983, this is debatable and suggests that the time period in which ‘Pulp Fiction’ is set is perhaps intentionally ambiguous. However, one thing that is very clear is the film’s minimum 15-year separation from Chuck Berry’s classic 1964 rhythm and blues record. This is exemplified by Mia’s subversion of 1960s gender roles, as she signs the two of them up for the contest, and takes control of the microphone to introduce herself and Vincent to the whole restaurant, forcing him to adopt a subservient role and follow along. This anachronistic dance sequence therefore separates Mia and Vincent from their temporal comfort zone, throwing them headfirst into a world where the “Twist”, and the “Batman” are cutting-edge. Here, through the choreography, we can infer Mia and Vincent’s power dynamic and their personal relationship by making one simple observation: do they imitate, or do they create?

There is a sense of push-and-pull throughout the scene, as Mia and Vincent mirror each other emotionally and physically. Despite performing predictable dance moves at a caricature of a venue to win a trivial contest, Mia maintains a serious expression throughout, which Vincent imitates.. As well as setting the tone of the dance scene, Mia’s confidence and creative ability establishes her power over Vincent. Vincent directly imitates the classic dance moves, adopting a comparatively timid posture, dancing on-the-spot and moving around the stage only to accommodate Mia’s movements, very conscious of the space he is taking up. Mia, on the other hand, although still doing the classic “Twist” and the “Batman” dance moves, always embellishes them, making them her own and moving freely across the stage, Most notably, as the two mirror each other in performing the “Batman”, Vincent classically imitates the two-fingers-across-the-face move, whilst Mia, though mirroring Vincent , uses her whole palm and open hand to create something subtly distinct, but significantly more confident and open. In these differences, as Vincent imitates and Mia creates, we see their power imbalance, as Mia sets the tone, and Vincent continually tries to ascertain her motivations. However, we see an amicable relationship develop. Despite Mia’s embellishments, she and Vincent always move congruously, maintain progressively stronger eye contact, and often mirror each others’ dance moves,making it clear they are building a rapport with one another.

Inserting a dance sequence into a violent crime thriller may present as a comedic choice, but this dichotomy of setting and time facilitates stronger character development, as Mia and Vincent exist as each others’ sole links to their reality, both in time and place. Whilst both characters are ultimately just cogs in a violent machine,in this scene, as they mirror each others’ innocent and dated dance moves, they exist outside of this timeline, their “later” lives a secret kept between the two of them.