Let us all agree that Quentin Tarantino’s 1994 crime film Pulp Fiction is a cinematic masterpiece and, of course, a cultural phenomenon. We have been enthralled by the story for decades due to its endearing dialogue, appealing characters, and unpredictable story turns. Among many others, the scene in Samuel L. Jackson’s starrer film featuring the never-forgotten ‘Divine Intervention’ is one of the most memorable. But is it possible that even the most ardent Pulp Fiction fans missed a critical error in this classic scene?
In case you missed it, the ‘Divine Intervention’ scene occurs in the middle of the movie. The film stars Jackson as Jules and John Travolta as Vincent. The two hitmen get into a heated argument with three college students who have made the stupid decision to steal their boss’ briefcase.
So, in the second rendition of the Hamburger scene, right after Jules shoots Brett (Frank Whaley), he talks to Marvin (Phil LaMarr), cowering in the corner. The two bullet holes in the wall behind Jules’ shoulders are clearly visible in this picture. However, the guy hiding in the bathroom has not shot at them yet; that happens in the very next scene, which accounts for the remaining holes in the wall.
The Hidden Blunder of ‘Divine Intervention’ in Samuel L. Jackson’s Pulp Fiction
The gunshot holes behind Jules and Vincent in Brett’s apartment are the famous Samuel L. Jackson‘s Pulp Fiction mistake, claims ScreenRant. These are not the ones from when the other man shoots at them; these are from before he even leaps out of the restroom.
There have been claims that this was a mistake in set design, but some fans think it was intentional and they were not even mistakes. According to a theory, Brett’s associate may have been carrying a fake gun without realizing it, which would account for the fact that he “missed” every shot and the revolver on the gun stayed still when he fired.
Furthermore, he could not fully ignore Jules and Vincent because he was too close to them. While some fans believe the bullet holes were placed there to further complicate the scene and have nothing to do with the specific shooting, others add that they are there to show that he shot blanks.
This portion of Pulp Fiction is made even more confusing by Brett’s associate brandishing a phony gun and the bullet holes resulting from something other than the divine intervention that Jules believed to have occurred. While it is true that the bullet holes were an error in set design, they have led to some intriguing interpretations that you might want to consider the next time you see the film.
Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction Contains a Few More Stains?
Pulp Fiction has its share of errors, just like any other film. Since this masterpiece has been viewed countless times by viewers worldwide, small mistakes have been noticed over time. It is impossible to make a perfect film.
The list of minor mistakes that appeared in the 1994 film has been steadily growing over on Movie Mistakes. One such oversight, which not many noticed, is a continuity error:
“When Vincent [John Travolta] is shooting up, we see him taking out and assembling his special chrome-plated syringe. In the following close-up of the actual shooting-up, the syringe is a standard disposable plastic one.”
Unbelievably, there was another instance where some cast members were visible:
“When Vincent enters Mia’s [Uma Thurman] home for the first time, a camera and a camera operator are visible in a reflection on the windows in front of them. They have a black blanket or tarp covering them to make them harder to see. Also, a crew member on the far right sneaks in at the very last second.”
Remember that this is a movie that has been watched countless times, so some minor issues are to be expected. Nevertheless, the majority of us think that Quentin Tarantino‘s Pulp Fiction is his greatest work, and the screenplay has gotten particular praise.
Although the entire cast received great appreciation, Samuel L. Jackson, Travolta, and Thurman received special recognition. It has been on many critics’ lists of the best movies ever made, and in 2008, EW named it the best movie since 1983.
Keep an eye out for those unexpected bullet holes the next time you watch Pulp Fiction, which is streaming on Max.
