MovieChat Forums > Pulp Fiction (1994) Discussion > Tarantino saying the N word...

Tarantino saying the N word...


This is why so many people regard him as racist. There's absolutely no reason for a white character who's not even a gangster or anything saying the N word to a black character. Especially a character like Jules Winfield, it doesn't even fit in the script. It's like Tarantino saw this as an opportunity to say the N word and get away with it.

He's justified the use of the word in movies like Django but there's no need for it here.

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Jimmy is taking advantage of having the upper-hand over Jules. He can say anything he wants to and Jules really can't get mad about it. I've always looked at it as character development not racism. He's just busting Jules balls because he can.

This is the end

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I have like 3 biographies on Quentin. One of the books has a quote (supposedly from Quentin) on the back cover or I think maybe in the beginning of one of the chapters in large writing saying something like "Yeah, I'm a racist" next to a picture of Quentin. The person who wrote the biography put that in but do you actually think Quentin's a racist?

I'm Batman!

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I live in the Alabama/Mississippi state line, I know all about racism. Tarantino is not a racist. His films ttend to show a great love for black culture and the race as a whole. Someone probably misquoted him. Racism has more to do with a culture clash than anything. Like I said, I know, I've spent my life in the heart of it. I've said the N word through my whole life and don't consider myself a racist at all. Some situations you find yourself having to say it, like around grandparents (who were truly racist) or bosses or teachers. You have to let them think you believe what they believe. Make them think you're in the club and then they'll open up and telll you things where you can examine the state of it. You are not going to change their minds on these things. They are set in stone much like Muslims in the Middle East. They don't know any better, it's been instilled in them and 99 percent of the people aren't smart enough to realize how stupid the stuff they believe in is. Racism is more of a tradition than anything and people in the south are obsessed with tradition. Keeping things the way they are. Making America great again. When was America great to begin with? When we had slaves? Killed the indians and stole their land? Blocked advancement of African-Americans? Dropped a nuke on Japan and scared the *beep* out of the rest of the world? Just not sure if its ever been great. True, it's better than most countries but what does that really mean.

Like I said in the post before, I don't think Jimmy's being racist when he says it in front of Jules. He's just busting his balls because he has the upper-hand. Plus we get the great "dead n- storage" line.

By the way, most white southerners don't use this word as much as a few years ago. It's been replaced with "thug." So one day, we probably won't be able to use the word thug.

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I just looked at the biography I have about him called "Shooting from the Hip" by Wensley Clarkson and it says "I am a racist, I am a killer, I don't give a f--k, alright? -Quentin Tarantino 1995-". LOL It's in like the first 3 or 4 pages.

I just think he's being dramatic just like most of his movies are.

We all know he's not a killer! LOL

I'm Batman!

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How many books did they make about quentin close to his time of having success with pulp fiction?

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There were 3 made in 1995 which was a year after Pulp Fiction was made.

On Amazon.com (about the book "The Cinema of Cool") it says it was made in 2000. But I have that book and it says in the book "Copyright 1995". Maybe the one on Amazon.com is a revised version but the picture of the book on Amazon.com's site looks exactly like the one I have.

Another one of his books made in 1995 is called "The Man and His Movies" and the other one in 1995 was the one I talked about in my previous reply. ("Shooting from the Hip")

I'm Batman!

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Black "culture" ??? You mean the fact that prior to the arrival of Dutch settlers in sub-Saharan Africa there were no: (a) paved roads; (b) written language; (c) indoor plumbing; (d) electricity; (e) reservoirs; (f) hospitals; (g) police departments; (h) canned foods; (i) schools; (j) elections -- Well, you should get the idea.

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How is Jules, one of the baddest mofos in town, even fine with some skinny white kid saying the N-word repeatedly in front of him?

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It was established that they were old friends, so it was probably an accepted thing that he used the word. Keep in mind that in the '80s and '90s there wasn't the same insane stigma around the word that there is today. It was not uncommon then for whites to use the term in the same endearing/friendly way that blacks use it with each other. Also, realize that Jules is in no position to say anything to Jimmie, because he needs his help. If Jimmie says leave, Jules and Vincent are in deep trouble.

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"Keep in mind that in the '80s and '90s there wasn't the same insane stigma around the word that there is today. It was not uncommon then for whites to use the term in the same endearing/friendly way that blacks use it with each other."

First of all, it wasn't used in an endearing/friendly way. Secondly, white people were not going around saying 'wassup ma nigga' in the 90's without getting their ass beat. You're living in dream world.

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No, I lived in the '80s and '90s, and things were different back then.

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So did I. You're wrong. And again, it wasn't used in an endearing way in the movie.

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Maybe it has to do with where you lived/ who you ran with? Having different life experiences doesn't make either of us right or wrong. I will say that I'm from Hawthorne, where much of Pulp Fiction was shot, and saw there, and in Oakland, where I later lived, plenty of first-hand examples of what you are claiming I'm wrong about having seen. And, I did not say Jimmie was saying it in an endearing way in the film. He was upset, and saying it because he knew he had carte blanche to say it in that moment. Jules and Vince had nowhere else to turn. That said, Jimmie and Jules are clearly long-time friends, and it's clearly a word he's said to Jules before, which, in that era, wasn't perceived the way it is today.

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White people said the "N" word all the time back then. I really never did, but lots of people I knew did and they did it in front of black people. Definitely not the best thing to do but they did it anyway.

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1994 was still before the world went insane with PC nuttery. He probably thought he was being edgy or something.

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Anyone who brings up race in a movie clearly is too sensitive to live in the world and probably should become a shut in. How stupid to say that only blacks & "gangsters" can say that stupid word. Newsflash: it's a movie, ya know....pretend?!

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Exactly

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Hey dumbass, I didn't say only blacks & gangsters can used the word. I'm saying in the context of the scene, it made no damn sense. Julies Winfield is meant to be the baddest mofo on the planet, his character takes no nonsense off anybody, and he's certainly not going to let some nerdy looking white boy throw the N-word around in his face.

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He never says it about Jules, just around Jules. No big deal.

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He's a Democrat, so he could be racist. He grew up with blaxploitation like Shaft, Super Fly, and Slaughter to influence him. He deals a lot with black and white relations in his movies, and racism plays a part. He addresses it and part of it is the N-word. However, I can't remember the H-word being used, so he could be a closet racist due to his background. If this sounds like a stereotype, then it is because I haven't really studied him and just going by his cover. I've seen some of his movies and liked them like Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, Reservoir Dogs, Jackie Brown, but not all.

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Oh sure, let’s bring politics into this. The party that supports rights for minorities are the racist ones. The KKK don’t vote Democrat...

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The KKK are Democrats and the party of slavery even to this day. You have been brainwashed by the MSM just like the poor blacks and Hispanics. Georgia had to suspend the KKK mask law in order to allow masks for COVID-19. Read and learn -- http://factmyth.com/factoids/the-democrats-were-the-party-of-the-ku-klux-klan-and-slavery/

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Imagine being this brainwashed...

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I don't see him any more or less racist than any other white or black person who says the magical """" N WORD """"""".

BUT, it really depends on WHO says the magic word. That's when the SJW media decides who deserves or doesn't deserve to be punished.

HRC made a joke about all black people looking alike, RECENTLY and no one said a word. NO ONE.

Double standards are awesome.

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The answer is NO. The reason is simple: he thought it would make the dialogue better. And it did.

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You can use the word if it makes sense within the context of the script. It simply made no sense here. It's not set in slavery times and Tarantino's character is not established as a tough guy, he's just some nerdy looking white boy. Sam Jackson on the other hand is a mass murdering gangster. He's the last person you'd use the N word infront of especially while screaming and shouting at him.

I'm not saying Tarantino is racist but he clearly has a childish infatuation with the N word.

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