as i write this i'm taking a break from the freelance job i'm working on, and watching Kill Bill
on TNT. i was surprised at how well the foul-mouthed ultra-violence of this two-piece Tarantino value meal works on teevee... but i guess it IS cable teevee, right? anyways, let me just state up-front that Tarantino is over-rated, and that characters in his movies are often racist (resulting in many people calling him racist), but yo... that dude sure knows how to film a freakin' GIRLFIGHT!
my friends know (and soon you will too) that i'm not a big fan of the "one movie in two parts" thing QT employs here (also the Wachowski defense to the Matrix sequels). while i understand the desire to create a story larger than the acceptable confines for a standard film's length, i just think there are too many outlets available modern filmmakers (cable miniseries, for example). i think that assuming your movie's performance will justify a sequel can backfire (Golden Compass
, anyone?), and ending a movie without satisfying the audience is a risk i wouldn't recommend in the Twitter age. people don't wanna waste their hard-earned (and increasingly rare) entertainment budget and not get a complete story for it.
so anyways, TNT smartly ran both Kill Bill volumes back to back ("with limited commercial interruption"), because they have more respect for me than mr. Tarantino did! The Kill Bill joints are CLASSIC, weaving together Tarantino's much-celebrated dialogue and a nice variety of action/battle sequences. The movies marked the return of the action scene from the CGI wonderland of a million Matrix wannabes, instantly transforming Uma Thurman (via her role as Beatrix Kiddo aka The Bride) into a first-rate onscreen bad ass. Kill Bill is the definition of the revenge story. as much as i object to it, the two-movie format gives Tarantino room to make sure that we really get a chance to become invested in the Bride's blood-soaked quest for vengeance at the end of her hanzo sword's blade. the lag-time between the release of volume 1 and 2 ultimately meant that Tarantino could improve the second film by it's release (note the lack of spraying wounds in part two...), and i applaud that receptiveness. the score and soundtrack for the movie (supplied by the Rza) is perfect, and QT gets good performances from all the actors. if you're among those who hasn't seen Kill Bill Vol 1 and 2, you should really consider giving them a shot if you like a good revenge story.holla
-samax
p.s. here's the Anime Sequence from Volume 1, just so you know i care!
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5 comments:
Just want to point out that Tarantino actually intended to release Kill Bill as one film but Miramax decided to cut it into two parts because of the length.
KILL BILL is a mass mixtape of several revenge films, from THEY CALL HER ONE EYE to LADY SNOWBLOOD to the Bruce Lee one piece, etc. Miramax cut this one no different than GRINDHOUSE simply cuz' they wanted to milk the films for all they were worth! As far as absolute payback flix are concerned, this one definitely ranks high!
oh yeah?
figures... it seemed like a corporate money grab. i hate that...
I just got around to reading David Carradine's onset diary of the making of Kill Bill and it has created alot more respect for QT's body of work than I originally had. I have friends who just downright despise Quentin, but in an era in which everything seems PG-13 and every plot seems cookie-cutter, it's alot of fun to watch a film by Tarantino (and my personal hero, Robert Rodriguez) in which the familiarity comes from appreciation and the themes seem not concerned with pandering. Kill Bill actually ranks as one my all-time favorites...on a short list.
i'm always surprised when i talk to someone who hates Tarantino, but they are definitely out there... and they're not shy about it.
i always enjoy his work for the reasons you mentioned, and was heartbroken when he said he wasn't interested in doing superhero flicks... but if i was him, i wouldn't do it either.
Pulp Fiction is still my favorite QT flick, but Kill Bill grows on me each time I watch it. Wolverine and Daredevil suffered for not being directed like this.
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