I chose the Movie Pulp Fiction because it definitely represents a style that I enjoy. I'm a theatre major. Therefore, sometimes I enjoy a more theatrical approach. The lighting in this movie amazes me sometimes and the framing is pretty close to perfect as well. (Cinematographer-Andrzej Sekuła)
The scene starts in a strip joint during the the slow hours of the day. Aging prizefighter Butch Coolidge (Bruce Willis) accepts a large sum of money from Marsellus Wallace (Ving Rhames), agreeing to take a dive in the 5th round of his upcoming match. I like this scene because it takes you into the world of the mob leader and gives you an idea of what they might be up to during the day. We see an over the shoulder shot, not yet seeing Marsellus' face, of Butch's face. He is in the left 3rd of the frame and we can see easily, but slightly out of focus, the environment around him. I like the red gel being used. Not only is this the feel of the place, Red, Hot, Exotic Dancers, but also with the dirty blood work involved in what you might call the mob bosses "day job." I like that the blue lights along the stage and the light above the bar counter the red and almost frame Butch within the frame. He is in high contrast lighting, showing an almost mysterious side of his face. Because of this, we know that he may not do everything that he is told.
Next we cut to a further away over the shoulder shot as Butch stuffs the money into his jacket. This is the first time we see Marsellus, but still remain to see his face. Notice that all you really see in this this long dialogue filled shot is that DAMN band-aid!!!!! It's almost like the ear rings frame it. It also jumps to the left third of the screen exactly where butch's face was located in the last shot. Our eyes jump to it immediately. Butch's face is well framed over his shoulder as well and for the first time we actually see a stripper pole in the back ground and even more color comes into the scene.
We jump back to Butch's face as he is required to repeat out loud that he will "go down in the 5th." This is a very emotional close up with that low level lighting assuring us that he may not "go down in the 5th." After all, he doesn't think he's getting old. He thinks he's a bad ass that can beat anyone anyway. I mean come on, its Bruce Willis!
This is a little unimportant, but I think it might be there for establishing the fact that it is daylight outside and that the bartender knows these two guys entering the joint.
We then go to a full dolly shot, sideways, and follow Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson) and Vincent Vega (John Travolta) into the bar wearing their ridiculous cloths. As the dolly stops the two sit perfectly in frame at the bar staring back across towards Marsellus.
The briefcase that the movie is so abstractly centered around is sitting in plain sight but the light below the bar has been flagged so that the case almost disappears into the floor. Both are identically and equally framed, as done in several other scenes maybe as a racial message. These two are friends, and though they may disagree on certain things quite a bit, they never cease to find something novel or inspiring to tell the other or talk about.
Next we cut back to that Boss' world with the really rich red tone as we get a perspective shot of what Vincent and Jules are looking at across the lounge. Butch and Marsellus are framed within the columns and the shot goes on forever behind them because of the mirror.
And so we bring Vincent and Jules into this world. The concentration in the framing draw our eyes to Vincent and Marsellus behind him.
The Bartender gives Vincent shit about having to take Marsellus' wife out for the night and the scene goes to show Vincent's frustration knowing what The Boss had done to the last person that gave his wife a foot massage. Jules goes to the bathroom laughing leaving Vincent alone.
As the "bad ass" (butch) walks up to the bar he challenges the look that Vincent, an unknown hit man for Marsellus, gives him. After all, the light looks much cooler on Bruce Willis because of the color in the jacket that he's wearing rather than looking almost like he's in a pink t-shirt, Travolta. Not only that, but now Butch has taken the place of Jules at the bar and suddenly the energy changes. There's only one guy, from Butches perspective, in goofy cloths, not two. We know this because of the last shot where Butch's back was to them when Vincent and Jules walked in. Marsellus is perfectly framed between the two, blurry, almost blending with the background. WE HAVE YET TO SEE HIS FACE, even though we are looking right at him!
Marsellus calls Vincent out at Trovolta delivers the line "You heard me, Punchy," (I love it! hahaha) secretly he knows he has no problem shooting him right there. Butch realizes the familiar tone as his face turns and fills into the light. Then, as Vincent walks away, the camera does this nice follow circle around Butch as he turns his head to follow Vincent, with his eyes, across the room. I do not have that shot but it does turn to this perspective shot from Butch as he watches Vincent and Marsellus hug:
It almost shows Marsellus' face here when they pull away from the hug but just as you think your getting a glimpse, a well place flag cuts light and cast a shadow over his face. We can also now see the whole room and now have a good idea, spatially, how it's set up. It makes it feel a little more comfortable to the viewers eye rather than blurring the back ground a lot before and only being able to slightly make out what kind of furniture was in the room.
The scene finishes, before Butch's character walks out the door, with a close up and the reaction that "billy bad ass here" has about the obvious realized friendship between the guy that just tried to pick a fight with him and the guy that's basically bending him over by convincing him to throw the fight. It's seems so just when Butch gets off Marsellus' hit list (Butch doesn't throw the fight, wins, and skips town with the money.) by saving him, with a samurai sword, from getting bent over himself by a good ol' man named Zed. Well, almost in time. Ha
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