The Drug Chapter: Tarantino’s high in Pulp Fiction

“She goes from one addiction to another. All are ways for her not to feel her feelings.”  –Ellen Burstyn

I am a lost woman. I went through an overwhelming journey that put me where I am today. In my younger years I wanted to pursue my dream as an actress, and when I finally landed a role on the pilot of Fox Force Five I knew I had made it. As a performer I put my heart and soul into my character, it is only understandable to fully put yourself into that character’s mindset and not merely act as she would, but become that person. I was to be the deadliest of all the girls; specializing in knives I could kill any enemy with a single swipe of my blade. I was attractive, skilled, and funny as ever. Sadly, as quickly as this role came to me it disappeared, taking along my dream and self-worth. Who was I? Where was I to go from here?

Mia Wallace is depicted as a dangerous woman from the very first time we hear here name in Pulp Fiction. When first meeting the infamous Mrs. Wallace, her face is constantly shielded from us, we are then captivated solely by her actions. We are greeted at the door by a clipped note that Mia writes to Vincent Vega, ushering him to come inside and make himself a drink. The note does not give us any indication that Mia is a unique individual, but it is interesting to note that Mia is not at the door to greet Vincent into her home as a normal housewife would. Mia not being at the door and using a note in order to welcome Vincent inside symbolizes that Mia is distant from people, she is dependable enough to let someone through the door into her life and make them feel comfortable, but she is not willing to lead someone through her sacred threshold and allow them to see who she truly is.[1]

We hear Mia’s voice over the intercom, creating an aura that she is an ethereal creature, almost as if she is a figment of our imagination, or a spirit speaking to us and controlling our thoughts and in a way our actions as well. She is intimidating because she is in control, seeing everything from her security cameras in the safety of her bedroom, and we are weak, not knowing where she is or that she is secretly snorting a line of cocain before her grand entrance. Mia Wallace’s mystery appeal is enticing and draws us in, making us want more from her, just as cocaine is alluring to a dependent drug user.

The Effects

The cocaine high is known for three distinct symptoms that can cause a user to become reliant on its effects: euphoria, self-confidence, and sociability (1). The euphoria stage is known as an immense amount of pleasure in activities a user participates in; the dopamine receptors in the brain that are stimulated by real accomplishments are also stimulated by cocaine (2). A person under the influence of cocaine may feel superior to others and will emit more self-confidence than when sober. Using cocaine causes a person to feel as if everything is moving quickly, and with a high self-esteem and feeling as if a person has nothing to lose, cocaine causes a user to feel more social and to interact more with the people that are surrounding them. These symptoms are very intense, but only last for a short period of time.

The journey of the high

Having already had a taste of the Mia Wallace drug at the beginning of the scene, we are now hooked and want more of the mysterious rush Mia gives us when we are in her presence. Once in the car with Vincent and Mia on the way to the restaurant, we are experiencing the same feelings as the characters in Pulp Fiction – tension, excitement, and a bit wary. Tarantino provides us with an equal drug experience as Vincent and Mia at this time by having us directly face the two characters in the shot onscreen. We are eye-to-eye with our craving and it does not quite have a hold over us yet. Tarantino is able to make us see our addiction head on by not having the camera angle be from above where we would view our addiction as inferior, or below where we would seem meek and helpless to our Mia Wallace high.[2]

Quentin Tarantino provides us with the perfect location to experience our sensory overload: Jack Rabbit Slim’s. When we first walk through the doors of Jack Rabbit Slim’s, we begin to feel the euphoria as the drug’s effects on our brain begin. There is no need for dialogue as we enter the restaurant because the walk to Mia’s table is all about taking in surroundings and attempting to understand what is going on in our head; talking would only cause a distraction to what is happening to our bodies and Tarantino does not want the audience to focus on sound but on vision. The longshot camera angle Tarantino uses to reveal Jack Rabbit Slim’s and its entirety is overwhelming at first because our eyes do not know what to focus on. Should we look at the bright lights, the cars, the performer, or the other diners and their dressed-up waiters? There is so much going on that after a couple of seconds of observation we are almost at the point of sensory overload and we cannot take in the bewilderment anymore, and Mia, the medication, comes to our rescue when she calls us out of our trance and leads us to our table. [3]

Once Vincent sits down on his date with Mia is when the social aspect of the high kicks in, we are already elated to be in Jack Rabbit Slim’s with its bright lights and entertainment, but we have yet to speak a word since arriving in the restaurant. Mia did not have anything to say in the beginning of the scene but short concise sentences because the drug’s effects were still kicking in, but now everyone is feeling the thrill of the high. We get to learn more about Mia Wallace and her past, how she was an actress that was hardly famous, the character she was supposed to portray, even that she is embarrassed to tell her silly joke. By having Mia admit her embarrassment and not tell us and Vincent the joke, Tarantino is able to bring her down from the ethereal image she portrayed herself to be when we had our first encounter; we begin to realize that she is only human and is not some supernatural creature.

The summit of our high takes place during the dance contest, this is when we experience the euphoric high and self confidence the drug can bring.Tarantino represents that we are at the apex of our high and that this is the best we are going to feel by having us look up to Mia and Vincent as they step onto the dance floor to win the dance competition. They are our high and by looking up to them in the film Tarantino is representing that they have a greater hold over us than we expected before. At first we were at eye level with them, now we are looking up to them and they have no idea of our existence. They are in their own world and we realize that we have been looking up to them this entire time.

Sadly, now that we have hit the highest peak we can only travel down, and as we begin our decent our fall becomes faster and faster until we cannot control ourselves anymore. We had a fun time with our Mia Wallace high, but now the effects are beginning to fade, leaving us to crave more.

Just as we put all of our trust in the high is when our drug is the most disappointing: the OD scene. In a split second Mia Wallace goes from a figure we celebrated to a person that we are panicked about. Tarantino uses a close-up camera shot on Mia as she is dying to create a shock value for us. All we can focus on is the blood, vomit, and the high quickly taking away the life o our drug. This close-up angle is Tarantino’s way of showing the negative effects of addiction and by being this close with Mia; he is not providing us with any positive outlook to divert our attention to. We must see our drug in its true form and understand that nothing positive comes out of our high in the end.

Mia is the lowest of the drug low when she overdoses on Vincent’s heroine. This scene is the last ultimate rush that makes us realize that drugs may not be the best recreational activity for us…or Mia.

Ultimately Tarantino uses the OD scene to prove that Mia Wallace a wrecking ball that can (and will) take out anyone out in her path. She endangered Vincent’s life by overdosing and in the process was also stripped of all of her pride and dignity. Mia is humbled by this experience but leaves a lasting impression. Through the ups and downs, the euphoria and the desperation, Quentin Tarantino has created the role of Mia Wallace to mimic the cycle of a cocain high that draws the viewers into its addictive web. Nobody will ever forget the experience of the Mia Wallace high.

Works Cited

1.) Hartney, Elizabeth. “What Does Cocaine High Feel Like?” About.com. N.p., 31 Oct. 2012. Web. 14 Mar. 2013.

2.) Morton, Alexander W. “Cocaine and Psychiatric Symptoms.” The Primary Care Companion. PMC, 4 Aug. 1999. Web. 14 Mar. 2013.

[1]When viewers see this note, Mia’s voice goes along with the words as a viewer reads her handwriting. Mia’s voice begins monotone, but it becomes more upbeat as she goes along.

[2]Fun Fact: Uma Thurman originally turned down the role for Mia Wallace.

[3]In one of the first shots of the restaurant, the scene is almost blurry because there is so much to take in that a viewer’s eyes cannot focus on any particular detail.

[4]Fun Fact: Mia’s dance was modeled after Duchess in the Aristocats.

[5]This frame shocks the audience and makes them realize the harmful effects of what too much of a substance can do to a person. The picture causes a viewer to wonder if the high is worth it.