Quentin Tarantino’s PULP FICTION Screening

Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction, a 1994 Best Picture nominee (and, in my view, one of the most overrated movies of all time), will be screened in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' "Great To Be Nominated" series on Monday, April 28, at 7:30 p.m. at the Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.

Following the screening, costume designer Betsy Heimann, casting directors Ronnie Yeskel and Gary Zuckerbrod, cast member Julia Sweeney, editor Sally Menke, production designer David Wasco, set decorator Sandy Reynolds-Wasco, and executive producers Stacey Sher, Michael Shamberg and Richard N. Gladstein will participate in a panel discussion about the film.

After its 1994 release, Pulp Fiction accomplished a number of feats: It resurrected John Travolta's zombiefied career; it turned its "film geek" writer-director Quentin Tarantino into a major star; and, worst of all, it inspired countless imitators to recreate the mix of arrogance, violence, and obnoxiousness found in Tarantino's films.

On the positive side, Pulp Fiction offers two excellent performances — Uma Thurman (right) as a gangster's drugged-out wife and Samuel L. Jackson as a Bible-versed hitman — and a bit of social commentary about the blood-thirsty world in which we live. Needless to say, the "social commentary" is thoroughly nullified by the filmmaker's portrayal of violence and weaponry as the acme of cool.

In addition to its Palme d'Or win at the Cannes Film Festival, Pulp Fiction received a total of seven Academy Award nominations, winning an Oscar for Writing — Screenplay written directly for the screen (Quentin Tarantino; stories by Tarantino & Roger Avary).

The film also received nominations for Best Picture (Lawrence Bender, producer), Actor in a Leading Role (John Travolta), Actor in a Supporting Role (Samuel L. Jackson), Actress in a Supporting Role (Uma Thurman), Directing (Quentin Tarantino) and Film Editing (Sally Menke).

Forrest Gump, a highly popular paean to idiocy and conformism, was the big winner at the Oscars that year.

Also in 1994, Krzysztof Kieslowski's masterpiece Three Colors: Red failed to win a single Academy Award out of its three nominations — and failed to take home the Palme d'Or as well. Too intelligent, too profound, and much too uncool, I presume.

David Stoten and Tim Watts' Oscar-nominated animated short The Big Story, an homage to Kirk Douglas' career, will be screened prior to the feature.

Passes for part five of "Great To Be Nominated" are $30 for the general public and $25 for Academy members and students with a valid ID. Including Pulp Fiction, 16 films remain in the series. A $5 discount is available for those who wish to renew their passes from parts one, two, three or four of the series. Individual tickets are $5 for the general public and $3 for Academy members and students with a valid ID. Passes and tickets may be purchased online at www.oscars.org, by mail, in person at the Academy during regular business hours or, depending on availability, on the night of the screening when the doors open at 6:30 p.m.

Curtain time for all features is 7:30 p.m., and pre-show elements will begin at 7 p.m. The Academy is located at 8949 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills. For more information, call (310) 247-3600.

Photos: Courtesy of the Margaret Herrick Library