Quentin Tarantino Had To Cut One Gross Pulp Fiction Scene To Avoid An NC-17 Rating

An NC-17 rating can spell doom for a movie's financial prospects and the chances of the project being seen by the general public. As such, many films have to cut down on violent or sexual content to bring them down to a mere R-rating. Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill Vol. 1," for example, had to change several scenes to avoid an NC-17 rating, and it wasn't the first time the director had to get creative to make one of his movies more marketable. Tarantino's days of wrangling an R-rating out of the Motion Picture Association date back to at least "Pulp Fiction." 

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the movie was originally hit with a more extreme rating due to a scene where Vincent Vega (John Travolta) accidentally shoots Marvin (Phil LaMaar), exploding the hapless criminal's head all over the interior of the car. Apparently, that scene was originally far more graphic in depicting the head explosion, garnering "Pulp Fiction" an NC-17.

In the end, the moment was toned down to the point where viewers simply see blood splatter all over the place. That, combined with additional violent scenes, drug use, and sexual content, meant "Pulp Fiction" was ultimately rated R when it was released. It would then go on to become one of the great '90s movies that still holds up today. 

There are many ways for movies and TV shows to get around censors, from using slightly different curse words to utilizing implied violence, which is the approach "Pulp Fiction" took to get it down to an R-rating. While director Quentin Tarantino seems fine with toning down violence, he'll defend to the death his right to get as bloody and gory as possible in his projects.

Tarantino appeared on "Who's Talking to Chris Wallace" in 2022, where he was asked about the violence and language in his films. He said concretely (in a statement republished by Variety): "See something else. If you have a problem with my movies then they aren't the movies to go see. Apparently, I'm not making them for you." With a far more gleeful tone, Tarantino infamously debated San Francisco-based movie critic Jan Wahl in 2003, where she asked him why he must include so much gruesome violence in his movies. Tarantino's response: "Because it's so much fun, Jan!"

Tarantino's penchant for blood landed "Kill Bill Vol. 1" in NC-17 territory before changes were made. Tarantino's double feature with Robert Rodriguez, "Grindhouse," was also heading for an NC-17 rating unless significant cuts were made. Up until this point, Tarantino has remained within the R-rating range, but perhaps he'll make the jump to an NC-17 before he retires.