pulp fiction

American  

noun

1. fiction dealing with lurid or sensational subjects, often printed on rough, low-quality paper manufactured from wood pulp.

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Usage

What is pulp fiction? Pulp fiction refers to a genre of racy, action-based stories published in cheaply printed magazines from around 1900 to the 1950s, mostly in the United States.Pulp fiction gets its name from the paper it was printed on. Magazines featuring such stories were typically published using cheap, ragged-edged paper made from wood pulp. These magazines were sometimes called pulps.Pulp fiction created a breeding ground for new and exciting genres. Though the heyday of pulp fiction magazines has passed, their eye-catching covers and dramatic, fast-paced, and simple stories have left behind a legacy that can be seen in today’s movies, TV, books, and comics featuring action heroes and over-the-top villains.

Etymology

Origin of pulp fiction

An Americanism dating back to 1950–55

Example Sentences

“Pulp Fiction,” “Blood In Blood Out,” “Set It Off,” “Reservoir Dogs,” “Jackie Brown,” “L.A. Confidential,” “Devil in a Blue Dress” and so many more.

From Los Angeles Times

Both 20-somethings at the time, López Mari and Pérez, recruited a “dream team” to execute it — including Andrzej Sekula, cinematographer for “Pulp Fiction” and “Reservoir Dogs,” as well as Brigitte Broch, Oscar-winning production designer and art director for “Amores Perros” and “Romeo + Juliet.”

From Los Angeles Times

“She reminded me of Uma Thurman in ‘Pulp Fiction’ because of the haircut.”

From Los Angeles Times

The influence of “Rashomon,” however, proved more long-lasting, in productions like Quentin Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction” and notably Bryan Singer’s thriller “The Usual Suspects.”

From The Wall Street Journal

But the most important lessons were cultural—what Vincent Vega describes as “the little things” in “Pulp Fiction.”

From The Wall Street Journal