AI Created A 1950s Pulp Fiction Trailer & Quentin Tarantino Needs To See It

"Pulp Fiction" is one of the most memorable films from the '90s thanks to its brand of unique violence and interesting world-building. While "Pulp Fiction 2" will probably never happen, the pic has carved itself a unique legacy and is widely referenced to this day. Despite how culturally prominent the project is, it's difficult to imagine writer and director Quentin Tarantino signing off on a remake of his arguably most popular film. However, artificial intelligence has an interesting idea on how to rebrand the movie for a new generation. With the help of generative AI, YouTube user Yellow Medusa has imagined what "Pulp Fiction" would look like if it was set in the 1950s. 

The fan-made trailer uses era-accurate voice over to transport audiences to that era, painting visuals of a classic, much simpler America. Of course, the city of Los Angeles still has dark evils lurking in the shadows, with the trailer establishing that this version of "Pulp Fiction" essentially has the same plot as the original. In fact, some of the sequences in the video are directly lifted from the '90s classic, like the scenes where Marsellus Wallace (Ving Rhames) finds himself getting kidnapped. 

The AI-generated trailer does 1:1 reinterpretations of iconic shots, failing to bring any new visuals or ideas to the table, which is rather disappointing. Then again, seeing as "Pulp Fiction" is one of the best movies ever made, it's hard to imagine AI ever topping anything Tarantino has done. 

The trailer particularly succeeds in recreating the look and feel of 1950s Los Angeles, effectively capturing the time period's vibe thanks to era-accurate clothing, architecture, and vehicles. We see a less-developed Los Angeles, taking us back to a simpler time. And while the time period is definitely one we fondly look back on, setting "Pulp Fiction" in the '50s doesn't necessarily add much to the film's legacy. Though one shouldn't expect AI-generated videos to come up with new story beats and themes, the fan-made trailer doesn't have a lot of interesting things to add other than its gimmicky time period. 

Setting the film four decades earlier should lead to something different. Instead, it just seems like the film got a throwback coat of paint. And even that isn't particularly inspiring, as "Pulp Fiction" already has an old-school, throwback vibe to it, thanks to iconic locations like the diner that bookends the picture, or the sequence where Mia (Uma Thurman) and Vincent (John Travolta) head to a '50s-themed restaurant. The film's soundtrack is also nostalgic, featuring tunes from the '50s, '60s, and '70s. Ultimately, this AI-generated trailer for "Pulp Fiction" plays it too safe and doesn't add much to the picture's existing framework.

Obviously, we won't be getting a "Pulp Fiction" set in the '50s anytime soon. Even though "Pulp Fiction" has scenes that went too far, writer and director Quentin Tarantino isn't one to go back and tweak his missteps, and he certainly wouldn't allow a remake of his most popular film.