'Pulp Fiction' puts Echo Park in the 909

Director Quentin Tarantino has exhibited brilliance when depicting stories set on the streets of Los Angeles.

It appears, however, that the folks who produced the collector's edition DVD of his most-celebrated film, "Pulp Fiction," still have a few things to learn about our fair city.

This became apparent after the DVD found its way into my Christmas stocking last month. Since then, I have delighted in exploring all the features included on the disc, and was particularly amused by the trivia subtitles, which can be played throughout the film.

Some of the trivia is educational. Some of it is effusive self-admiration. And at least one bit of it is flat out wrong.

I'm referring specifically to a kernel of LA ignorance regarding Echo Park (see inset). This trivial tidbit states during a scene set in Echo Park that the community is "a suburb of Los Angeles."

It's not a new mistake. Errors like this have appeared in news stories before. Even Starbucks expressed a lack of understanding recently about what communities are in LA. But the fact remains that it's not that complicated to differentiate communities like Silverlake Silver Lake from suburbs like Simi Valley.

A quick glance at Wikipedia would have revealed, had anyone bothered to look, that Echo Park is not a suburb of LA. Indeed, Echo Park is part of LA, and a very historic part at that. In fact, Echo Park is one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city with a rich history in film.

Of course, I don't doubt a film buff like Tarantino knows the 909 from Edendale, but that's of little consolation to his partners in 213, who have now been forever branded with the "S" word in finer DVD collections worldwide. And that's about as wrong as giving another man's wife a foot massage.

January 3, 2007 05:41 PM • Email LA Observed
© 2003-2009   •  About LA Observed  •  Email the editor
LA Observed blogs
News & Chatter
LA Biz Observed
CBS and ABC have far bigger fish to fry - namely whether their stations can get back the auto and retail advertising that fell off a cliff in 2009.
More From Mark Lacter:
Native Intelligence
Jenny Price / Green Me Up, JJ
Recycling!
Veronique de Turenne / Today is The Great L.A. Walk
And there's still time to take part!
Searching for answers after a third loss this year.
SoCal Sports Observed
After 22 years of loyalty, Baylor is unceremoniously shown the door.
Bill Boyarsky
Echo Park blog
Jenny Burman
Thinking more about buying less.
Malibu blog
Here in Malibu
Seriously -- turn out the lights.
We get email

Sponsors
Jewish Journal logo
The California Wellness Foundation
Playa Vista ad
Blogads

Blogads Los Angeles network