Finally got a chance to see “Kill Bill.” Once again QT manages to take an agglomeration of elements from genres and other sources, run them through a blender, and come up with something that is wholly unoriginal while, at the same time, impossible to tear your eyes away from. This time around it’s everything that ever had any influence in the genre of Hong Kong action. Start with a character evocative of “The Bride With White Hair”; milk the two most potent TV influences, David Carridine (as the unseen Bill) and Bruce Lee’s Kato (in everything from Al Hirt’s Green Hornet/Flight of the Bumblebee riff to the assassins who dress in Kato masks–remember, in Japan “The Green Hornet” was known as “The Kato Show”); do a samurai-esque smackdown in black and white to raise the spirit of Kurosawa; thrown in one of Charlie’s Angels for good measure; trot out Kung Fu icon Sonny Chiba as a master swordmaker (“If in your journey, you should encounter God…God will be cut” he says of his greatest weapon); mix in an extended anime sequence; throw in a surprise ending that Kath and I saw coming ten minutes into the movie; shake well and presto, you’ve got “Kill Bill.”
None of which makes it any less riveting. The film flies by, and I would unquestionably have sat through the entire three hours in one shot if given the option. The “it’s raining blood, hallelujah” sequences aren’t for the faint-hearted, and Tarrantino’s occasional lapses in knowledge (“Revenge is a dish best served cold” slightly predates the Klingons, and muscles “atrophy”, not “entropy”) are just annoying. And, frankly, the row of kids sitting behind us who apparently thought they were in their living room until I told them to shut the hëll up, kinda pìššëd me off. Overall, though, if nothing else it’s a must-see for any fan of Hong Kong actioners.
PAD
• 
I’m fairly sure QT knew that the revenge line predated Klingons. It was a humorous reference.
I was once more impressed by the way QT used a bizarre array of music to set the mood of the film. The soundtracks are consistently what I like the best about his movies.
Except in “Kill Bill,” I didn’t like the weird high-pitched “beep” that was used to show Uma Thurman thinking about revenge. It was kinda painful.
Ah, Peter, you are the man. This is the reason I don’t go to many movies. Talking in movies is about the rudest thing anyone can do, and it seems to be becoming more prevalent. The worst is people describing the movie to someone using a cell phone, but any talking is majorly annoying.
Hey! I just finally saw “Kill Bill” tonight too! I had the same thought: Completely unoriginal, but in a good way!
How many “original” ideas are out there, anyways? Reference-paloozas like “Kill Bill” can be alot of fun when done right, and this film certainly was.
Except in “Kill Bill,” I didn’t like the weird high-pitched “beep” that was used to show Uma Thurman thinking about revenge. It was kinda painful.
Is THAT what that was for? I thought it was a glitch in the theater’s sound system.
I’m fairly sure QT knew that the revenge line predated Klingons. It was a humorous reference.
I wouldn’t bet the farm on it. Besides, it’s a matter of courtesy. If you’re going to quote the original novel, “Dangerous Liasons”, then cite it.
PAD
Clearly, Peter has never read “Dangerous Liasons” in the original Klingon.
(If you haven’t, you really should– the sex scenes are extra poignant that way.)
There was a beep everytime someone said Uma Thurman’s character’s name, if that what’s being referred to. I thought it was pretty funny that we don’t get to hear her name. Little touches like that make it a Tarantino film.
As for the Klingons thing, you’re probably right, but I guess I just took it as if someone took a famous quote and then attributed it to a Looney Toons character that said the same thing once. Just a little gag. You have a point about professional courtesy that I hadn’t considered.
QT, in a Rolling Stone interview, did note that Uma said “entropy” where he meant “atrophy,” and he thought it was Uma-esque enough to be left as it was.
As for the Klingons, anyone’s guess. Worth it for a chuckle, though.
I had wondered if you had seen “Kill Bill Vol. I” (I saw it last Sat); glad you well-enjoyed it. I did, too, very much so. It is very violent, in parts – “Pulp Fiction” has nothing on this (on the other hand, less “bad” language in this one) – and there are a couple of very dark concepts here …. But, it is ultimately so enjoyable, and so remarkable. Tarantino’s vision as a filmmaker just amazes me.
Now, I only have a cursory familiarity with kung-fu movies – and this may have actually helped, as I didn’t get that much of that “been there” feeling. (I also didn’t see the last line of the film coming, at all; kudos to the Davids.) (By the way, the ending of the movie didn’t feel at all as though it were in the middle. [When the Bride actually got to the fight with O Ren, I wondered if it would end before the battle was joined, so to speak.] I wonder if Tarantino tweaked anything when Mirimax decided to split “Kill Bill”, or if it just happened to be naturally splitable?) But I suppose there was a familiarity, and hence believeability, to such characters as Hanzo the retired swordsmith. And there was a reason other than originality for Quentin to present this story out of order; the battle against Ren, Coco (?), and the Yakuza was more compelling than that against “Copperhead”, but it was finding Ren which gave her the information she needed to track down the rest of the Viper squad.
This really is just a remarable movie. The gunshot in the first couple of minutes – I knew it was coming, but still the sound editing or something made me start in my seat as much as any movie moment I can remember. Ren’s demonstration to her Yakuza council …. I could go on (especially after I go see it again, as I probably will); but, for now I’ll just say, if you have the stomach to take it – quite a film.
(Keeping in mind it’s even later now than when I made my “Cowboy Peter” post [love the weekend] …)
I think the black and white sequence was MPAA-imposed. The scene where Uma runs up the railing of the stairs in the restaurant was in color in the trailer. I’ve seen tv shows (well, pro wrestling) go to black and white during a particularly bloody “match”. Maybe all the blood in color during the big sword fight was to much for them…
Michael Templeman: I’m fairly sure QT knew that the revenge line predated Klingons. It was a humorous reference.
Peter David: I wouldn’t bet the farm on it. Besides, it’s a matter of courtesy. If you’re going to quote the original novel, “Dangerous Liasons”, then cite it.
Luigi Novi: Actually, the saying is an old Sicilian proverb that I’ve heard predates its use by Choderlos de Laclos’ novel.
But I agree that QT’s attribution of it to Star Trek was annoying. Personally, I found this one injoke a bit too cutesy stupid for my taste. The point of the quote to set the tone of the movie’s theme. Citing it from another pop culture source dilutes that point.
Josh: Except in “Kill Bill,” I didn’t like the weird high-pitched “beep” that was used to show Uma Thurman thinking about revenge. It was kinda painful.
Luigi Novi: That piece was from the TV show Ironside. It was also used in the Friends episode The One With The Ride-Along(5.20) in the shot of Ross diving onto Joey when he thought the sound of the car backfiring was a gunshot.
Michael Templeman: There was a beep everytime someone said Uma Thurman’s character’s name, if that what’s being referred to. I thought it was pretty funny that we don’t get to hear her name. Little touches like that make it a Tarantino film.
Luigi Novi: I could’ve appreciated it more if there were a reason for it. As we will later find out, there was none for it. It was completely arbitrary, and bears no relevance to the plot. If you want to know what her name is, SPOILER WARNING: It’s Beatrix Kiddo. END SPOILER WARNING.
We saw it last night, too. My only real complaint had nothing to do with the film itself, but with the people who brought the 7-8 year old child to the movie. Every time the child asked a question or made a comment, you’d hear someone else in the theatre ask, “Why is a child in this movie?”
the black and white cuts are indeed due to the ratings board. QT was told to tone down the blood flow or the flick would get an x rating. Instead of chopping it out, he made it black and white. I guess black blood is easier to swallow then red?
Anyway, there is a Japanese cut of the movie, all in color, with additional scenes added in to make it even more violent.
There was an interview with QT talking about how he wanted to do different cuts for different parts of the world, and he was really looking forward to the Ultra violent Japanese cut. I can’t for the life of me remember where I read the article. I think it was on the Bendis board…?
Other people and the MPAA are why my wife and I have quit going to theaters almost completely and just waiting for the “directors’ cut” DVD… (although “LotR:Return of the King” WILL be an exception…)
Will I raise too many angry swords if I say that I think the last truly good film QT had anything to do with was “True Romance,” excepting some great individual scenes in “Pulp Fiction” (the clean-up, the diner throughout) and great performances from lead actors in “Reservoir Dogs” (Keitel) and “Jackie Brown” (Grier)?
I haven’t seen “Kill Bill” yet, and will probably wait for the two volume director’s cut DVD to judge, but I’ve generally found the guy’s work insufferably clever rather than challenging or truly creative. He’d have been great as a B movie auteur in the 40s and 50s (or as a TV rebel auteur in the 70s), but had the misfortune of coming of age as an artist in the ironic age. For that particular set of approaches to storytelling, I far prefer the Coen Bros’. efforts to Tarantino’s, since I think their work transcends the irony and clubbishness of postmodern detachment to create something original, whereas his too often can’t escape the specific gravity of his encylopedic and ambivalent relationships to the source materials.
But Uma’s dámņ cool, that’s for sure.
Remember, one of the reasons Raging Bull was in black and white because of how graphic all the blood would have looked in color.
Regarding the “shock end” of the movie, there are various theories about the shocking fact, including about whether or not Vivica’s Fox daughter is actually Uma’s daughter, which also casts doubt on whether the father is really Bill or not.
I think “Old Klingon Proverb” is a funnier reference than “Dangerous Liasons”. Quentin actually digs Star Trek II a lot. The guy practically did all of Khan’s lines in Ricardo Montalban’s voice while introducing the movie at one of his QT fests in Austin two years ago. The music they played whenever Uma sees one of her enemies and has a brief flashback is the theme to the show “Ironside” according to the soundtrack.
“…If you’re going to quote the original novel, “Dangerous Liasons”, then cite it. -PAD”
I first remember hearing that line on “Cheers,” of all places, when I was still a teen. Diane says it on one episode. She didn’t cite the source, though.
Ditko’s SPIDER-MAN! KANE’s GREEN LANTERN! WESTERNS! WAR! DUCKS! & MORE!
The “revenge” quote and saying it was a Klingon proverb made me chuckle and, for me, helped me enjoy the movie. Since, I’m not a HUGHE QT movie fan, I understood it as a nod to pop-culture ala the “McConversation” from Pulp Fiction.
To cite it properly is being a little too PC and missing (what I personally believed) a point.
To each his own.
To George Grattan – this movie needs to be seen in the theater.
Its scope is beyond the reach of a television screen.
Like many people, I am fed up with “audience participation night”. I only go out to the movies once or twice a year because of the morons.
I wish I had seen The Matrix in the theater.
How many “original” ideas are out there, anyways?
To paraphrase Snapper Carr in Young Justice:
“Besides casting Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwarzenegger as twins, there hasn’t been an original idea for thousands of years.”
Kill Bill is no exception. But, 3 viewings later, I’m willing to forgive lack of originality for an hour and a half of bloody fun…
and an assasian dressed as an Japanese schoolgirl. Woo-hoo!
-eD
The “Klingon” quote even plays as a joke – we see the line, and THEN the attribution pops up. (Unless I’m misremembering.) It’s clearly a joke, one that set’s the tone for the movie: “Don’t take this too seriously. Let’s have some fun.”
He’s doing more than just wokring through his Hong Kong fixation, by the way. He’s hitting Japanese movies too – hence the presence of anime, Sonny Chiba and Chiaki Kuriyama (who was in the late Kinji Fûkášákû’s “Battle Royale”, and is appropriately dressed in a school uniform).
What the Revenge quote did for me, by attributing it to an old Klingon proverb, was I realized that the main character in this story is no Heroine. We are watching the exploits of Kahn, not Kirk, this time.
Not that I’m saying that she doesn’t deserve her revenge, far from it.
But, she was one of the Viper Gang and probably just as bad as the rest of them before they did her in.
I think the attribution of the quote was good. Revenge may be nessecary at times (according to the film), but it’s never pretty, and rarely beneficial to the person doing the revenge.
an assasian dressed as an Japanese schoolgirl. Woo-hoo!
Which made me think: SpyGirl!
Corey
I finally got around to seeing this last week, and was blown away. This was the type of fun I expected and didn’t get from “Once Upon A Time In Mexico”. QT gleefully steals from all sorts of old kung-fu films, and while it may lack in originality, it is full of fun and excitement. Can’t wait for part 2!
Oh, and annoying people in theaters are one of my old annoyances. As are people that take small children to films like this. I remember a child of about 8 or so being at Pulp Fiction. Certainly not a children’s film, and certainly not something that you could confuse before seeing as “ok” for kids. Stupid people are really irritating…
Matrix Revolutions this week!
dt
I wish I had seen The Matrix in the theater.
When the first Matrix came out, a friend and I went to the theatre, torn between it and The Mummy. Well, the next showing of The Matrix was going to hit first, so we saw it.
About six months later, I finally saw The Mummy on DVD.
I realized then that we made the wrong choice way back in May.
To date, neither my wife nor I have seen The Matrix Reloaded, and plan on seeing it only when we borrow a friend’s DVD. That is to say, we’re slightly curious, and realize that all the eye candy requires widescreen presentation, but we’re not curious enough to even drop the three bucks for a rental.
It seems we’re not alone, either. When we saw Kill Bill on Saturday, the trailer for The Matrix Revolutions ran. There were several comments throughout the theatre along the lines of, “Well, at least it’s the last one.”
*lol* Nytwyng, pal, it’s scary how you & I don’t seem to agree on a dámņ thing other than Peter David’s writing.
I was in the US around the time that both The Matrix and The Mummy came out too (on a business conference) and one evening a group of us went out to catch a movie. We too were torn about which of those two to see.
Ultimately we saw both, one after the other, but unaminously seeing The Matrix first totally ruined The Mummy, which just couldn’t compare.
Personally, I cannot wait for Revolutions to open here on Wednesday.
from my personal Blog – linked on my name…
this dated Oct 12, 2003
Just got home from a dinner and a movie all by myself. It was quite wonderful actually – spending time with myself after the past couple of weeks was a welcomed treat. But that is another story for another topic.
Warning – even though I don’t give away the plot, there may be places in my commentary that might give away a certain something you might want to experience at the theater. If that is the case – come back and read this post after you have seen the movie. Proceed with caution.
This was a very simple film about revenge, compounded exponentially.
After an exploding beginning sequence, we are propelled back into the film world of Quentin Tarantino. In Kill Bill, Tarantino uses the same “disjunct time” style of story telling to weave the viewer back and forth from present to past and hinting toward the future much like he did in Pulp Fiction. Starting in the middle of the story and stitching the plot together by piece by mis-timed piece, Tarantino does give parts of the plot away before it is seen but makes up for it by doubling, tripling, and quadrupling the action to unbelievable proportions. But if you go by the current theme in the film where the UBER action is taking place(Japanese Samurai sequences) the action it is totally believable along with fantastical jumps from all the henchmen.
The jump to black and white during the big fight sequence was masterful as it served two purposes. First it toned down the bloodbath for the audience that was rapidly rising and, second, it was a defense mechanism for our protagonist to keep the matters at hand (survival) in full focus.
The cinematography was beautiful as was the use of silence to emphasize the severity of some situations.
The anime sequences which were very powerful, allowing the already extreme violence to be taken up to the next level. This was another audience saving technique as extreme anime violence is a more accepted format and the film’s violence level was already over most other films standards.
Kill Bill vol 1 is a must see. Most of the movie is void of realism and if you are expecting to see things that could really happen, you will be disappointed. So going into this movie check your realism at the door and enjoy the ride. 5/5.
You’re taking the film too serious Peter he made it for geeks. And just like the grindhouse films he’s mimicking he deliberately left in continuity and spelling errors. Luigi the Ironside sound effect when Uma goes beserk is prominant because its the sound effect used in “Five Fingers of Death” whenever the hero is about to go apeshit and kill a lot of people.
There were a ton of Kung Fu, Hentai, Grindhouse and Japanese Chambara references in the flick only the Geek Elite got them.
There are websites dedicated to dissecting the references.
http://www.hkflix.com/coupons/hkflix_03-10-10/xq/asp/aid.007782/qx/default.htm
A) We had 8 year olds down the row from us when my wife and I saw it. WTF?
B) My take on the Revenge quote was just kind of a fun way of saying “Look, I know this is tuff from a lot of different movies that I’ve put together in an entertaning way, and this is my way of winking at it.” Might have gone over better if he had quoted Hamlet in the original Klingon.
Khamlet: taH pagh taHbe’. DaH mu’tlheghvam vIqelnIS.
quv’a’, yabDaq San vaQ cha, pu’ je SIQDI’?
pagh, Seng bIQ’a’Hey SuvmeH nuHmey SuqDI’,
‘ej, Suvmo’, rInmoHDI’? Hegh. Qong — Qong neH —
‘ej QongDI’, tIq ‘oy’, wa’SanID Daw”e’ je
cho’nISbogh porghDaj rInmoHlaH net Har.
Translated by Nick Nicholas & Andrew Strader. KLI, 199
`Saw the movie, loved it.
But no one yet has mentioned QT’s reference to a ’70s cereal and the spin he put on it. Heh. “Kaboom!”, indeed!
And I leaned into my date and started to whisper: “Look at that guy’s shirt” about two seconds before the ‘Charlie Brown’ jokes began!
Hooper
It sounds pretty interesting. And hey, if they were to show Thurman slapping any of the male criminals around with her hands, that could be very entertaining too!