Representations:
Gender:
Scene- Vincent's first meeting with Mia:
- Mia's identity is revealed later, which portrays her as mysterious and elusive. the first shots of her are shots of her red lips convey her as lustful and seductive.
- the scene is carried by dietetic music and Mia's voice. this creates a seductive feeling and therefore portrays women as having sexual power due to their mysterious and assertive nature. Mia directs the scene by telling Vincent what to do and where to go. Tarantino often uses music to juxtapose the scene, which creates confusion for viewers.
- Vincent's movement and performance contrasts with Mia's. she is sat in-front of security cameras while smoking, showing her power and seduction, whereas he is shown to be sheepish and almost confused. he is directed by her, showing that he is submissive to her, and she is more dominant.
- Mia directs Vincent during the scene, conveying her control over the scene. Tarantino often gives women power in his films, often through their sexuality.
- Vincent is shown taking heroin before his date with Mia, which shows his nerves. this presents men as being less confident when around women, and contrasts with the way he is presented when killing people.when he is committing crimes he is shown to be calm and collected, whereas in this scene we can he is is hunched over, and looks around the room as if disorientated. this shows the contrast between his real character and the act he puts on when doing his job. it also shows how submissive men can become when in the presence of women.
-Mia is literally watching over Vincent, which provides a visual representation of her power and control over him.
Race:
Scene- final scene:
- Jules, who is a black character plays the act of the hero. this contrasts with stereo types of black people, depicted in film history. previously, black people were portrayed as incompetent or depraved, however Jules is portrayed as wise and thoughtful, and survives by the end of the film, unlike many white characters.
- black and white people are both shown to hold power, and are shown as partners and friends. This demonstrates the context of the film, and society was becoming increasingly integrated and minority groups were beginning to gain higher status positions in society an work.
