Pulp Fiction - what made him choose Ving Rhames?
#1
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Thread Starter
Pulp Fiction - what made him choose Ving Rhames?
Mere curiousity, as Rhames was quite the unknown when "Pulp Fiction" was released in 1994. With only the back of his head shown during the first half of the film, you could only guess as to who that big black guy was talking to Bruce Willis. You'd think: Shaft? Is that Issac Hayes?
But when you finally saw Marcellus get hit by Butch's car, you were thinking, "that ain't Issac Hayes! He's a nobody!"
Of course, by the time "Con Air" came out, Ving Rhames was a household name.
But who decided to hire Ving for the role? Quentin, or the casting director?
But when you finally saw Marcellus get hit by Butch's car, you were thinking, "that ain't Issac Hayes! He's a nobody!"
Of course, by the time "Con Air" came out, Ving Rhames was a household name.
But who decided to hire Ving for the role? Quentin, or the casting director?
#2
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Twin Cities, Minnesota
Posts: 3,807
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Maybe it's been a while, but I could have sworn you see his face before he gets hit by Bruce Willis' car. Am I wrong in remembering that?
As for why he picked him...I would guess because he was bad ass in the role.
As for why he picked him...I would guess because he was bad ass in the role.
#3
DVD Talk Special Edition
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Hollywood
Posts: 1,310
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Prior to Pulp Fiction he was in Wes Craven's The People Under The Stairs. Since Tarantino is a big B-movie fan he might have made a note to use him, but obviously I'm guessing.
#5
Re: Pulp Fiction - what made him choose Ving Rhames?
I could be mistaken, but I thought it was Casualties of War that introduced him to Tarantino.
#7
DVD Talk Legend
Originally posted by Goat3001
I'm also pretty sure that you see his face before he gets hit by Butch.
I'm also pretty sure that you see his face before he gets hit by Butch.
You pretty much see it when he is speaking to Travolta about how to find Butch when he tells one of his cronies to take the manager to the kennel and "sick the dogs on his a$$". He has on sunglasses, but he is visible enough that the audience knows what he looks like when he makes his first full appearance. Interesting thing is that it didn't matter whether or not he was a major name as the character had such a powerful presence on his own.
On a side note, after seeing DareDevil, I think that Rhames would have been a much better Kingpin. Duncan was good, but Rhames' character in Fiction is very close to the comic version of Kingpin IMO.
#9
DVD Talk Legend
Originally posted by sherm42
Wasn't he also already on ER as the husband of Benton's sister too?
Wasn't he also already on ER as the husband of Benton's sister too?
#10
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Thread Starter
Originally posted by Dr. DVD
You pretty much see it when he is speaking to Travolta about how to find Butch when he tells one of his cronies to take the manager to the kennel and "sick the dogs on his a$$". He has on sunglasses, but he is visible enough that the audience knows what he looks like when he makes his first full appearance.
You pretty much see it when he is speaking to Travolta about how to find Butch when he tells one of his cronies to take the manager to the kennel and "sick the dogs on his a$$". He has on sunglasses, but he is visible enough that the audience knows what he looks like when he makes his first full appearance.
#13
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Thread Starter
Originally posted by lesterlong
I thought this thread was gonna be about why Zed chose Marcellus instead of Butch. Nevermind.
I thought this thread was gonna be about why Zed chose Marcellus instead of Butch. Nevermind.
You know, I find it funny that for all of Quentin Tarantino's movies, he always had known actors and actresses, but he'd throw in a new face and make them known, in the end.
1992: "Reservoir Dogs"
THE KNOWN:
-Harvey Keitel (very well known)
-Christopher Penn (known in the 1980's as Kevin Bacon's pal in "Footloose")
-Michael Madsen (known from a year earlier as Susan Sarandon's beau in "Thelma & Louise")
THE UNKNOWN:
-Tim Roth
-Steve Buchemi
1994: "Pulp Fiction"
THE KNOWN:
-John Travolta (very well known)
-Samuel L. Jackson (known for Spike Lee's "Jungle Fever")
-Uma Thurman (see in earlier films, but nothing really stand-out until this film)
-Bruce Willis ("Moonlighting" & "DieHard," to name just two)
-Christopher Walken, Rosanna Arquette, Tim Roth (thanks to "Dogs")
-even Zed was known, as he was the villain in "The Mask" with Jim Carrey
THE UNKNOWN:
-Ving Rhames
-Butch's girlfriend Fabianne
-Zed's friend, the owner of the shop of horrors
1997: "Jackie Brown"
Hell, this film had all famous and well known people.
But, here's my point (drum-roll, please)... in the upcoming "Kill Bill," there aren't any known people in this film at all (at least I don't know them). Won't this hurt the film's potential at the box office, despite all the Tarantino fans out there?
#14
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Originally posted by Buttmunker
But, here's my point (drum-roll, please)... in the upcoming "Kill Bill," there aren't any known people in this film at all (at least I don't know them). Won't this hurt the film's potential at the box office, despite all the Tarantino fans out there?
But, here's my point (drum-roll, please)... in the upcoming "Kill Bill," there aren't any known people in this film at all (at least I don't know them). Won't this hurt the film's potential at the box office, despite all the Tarantino fans out there?
Not all household names, but certainly not unknowns...
#15
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Thread Starter
Originally posted by bralph
Uma Thurman, Daryl Hannah (Splash), Michael Madsen, Vivica Fox (Soul Food, ID 4), David (Kung Fu) Carradine, Samuel L. Jackson, Lucy Lui (Charlie's Angels)
Not all household names, but certainly not unknowns...
Uma Thurman, Daryl Hannah (Splash), Michael Madsen, Vivica Fox (Soul Food, ID 4), David (Kung Fu) Carradine, Samuel L. Jackson, Lucy Lui (Charlie's Angels)
Not all household names, but certainly not unknowns...
But, God. I loath Darryl Hannah.