Pulp Fiction was released at a time.
Pulp Fiction is a 1994 American black comedy neo-noir crime film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino , from a story by Tarantino and Roger Avary . Pulp Fiction won the Palme d'Or at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival , and was a major critical and commercial success upon its U.S. release . Since its release , Pulp Fiction has been widely regarded as Tarantino 's masterpiece , with particular praise singled out for its screenwriting . It is often considered a cultural watershed , with a strong influence felt not only in later movies that adopted various elements of its style , but in several other media as well . A 2008 Entertainment Weekly poll named it the best film since 1983 , and the work has appeared on many critics ' lists of the greatest films ever made .