Sonny Chiba directed the Japanese sword fights.
Kill Bill
I found it very enjoyable in a guy flick sort of way. If CTHD was the oscar-winning kung fu chick flick, then Kill Bill was the beer-swilling guy flick. Come on, what red-blooded male can’t appreciate hollywood hotties doing martial arts, even if it’s not the greatest martial arts display. It was very grounding.
I agree with TWS in that the choreography was medicore overall. It was yards better than most Hollywood films, but if you’re going to compare it to vintage Shaw, Chan, Li or Lee, you should really think twice about the standard you are setting for those hotties. I mean really, those great classics of the martial arts - those actors were martial artists first. They had some training, serious training, and there’s just no substitute for that. But the cinematography of KB v.1 covered a multitude of sins. We here on this forum have much higher standards than most filmgoers, so I’ll be interested to see how the general public perceives it.
I really wasn’t expecting anything major martial arts-wise from that cast, except for Gordon Liu, who I felt was terrible under-used. I’ve never really liked Sonny Chiba as a martial artist. But I’ll admit I really enjoyed his performance in KB v.1, maybe because he didn’t do any martial arts himself.
I thought of Ricky O too with the gore, but I think it was more inspired by the Lone Wolf and Cub series. Actually, the film really worked as an homage for me since scene-for-scene, I could see so many other movies. The whole anime sequence was a take on Golgol 13, right down to the sniper bullet eyeview and the x-ray vision of broken bones.
What can I say? Tarantino hooked me with that opening SB logo and the coming attractions. That took me right back to the Great Star theater in Chinatown and my teenage years spent on pilgrimages to SF for dim sum and the latest kung fu flick. I tell you my heartbeat quickens whenever I see that SB shield on the big screen.
As for that **** water fountain, remember what I said about beer swilling earlier? I had prepared by reliveing myself just before the movie, but something about the combo of Guinness and Fosters (my brand and my buddy’s brand) cut through my bladder like a dragon well kwan do and by the final fight, I was struggling with all my retention kungs. After the final kill I made a dash, but if I had remembered that v.2 was coming, I could have probably held out to the end. That water fountain is what pushed me over. Nothing like the sound of a japanese water fountain after you’ve let a half dozen brewskis percolate in your belly.
Anyway, I’m down for the sequel. Maybe even for opening night. KB v.1 was fun, an I’m eager to see how it will affect future Hollywood attempts on the martial arts movie.
Well, Gene, you’ve talked me into it: I’ll be wearing Depends when I see it!
That’s funny Gene, the same thing happened to me. After Uma was sitting down after her fight with Lucy Liu, I had to make a dash to the bathroom. Too much fargin beer. I basically missed the end. Then I came back and caught the part about the daughter and then I stayed to watch the credits. I thought there would have been a preview for the next one at the end, but no dice.
Peace 
Originally posted by MasterKiller
Sonny Chiba directed the Japanese sword fights.
Oh yeah? That makes a little more sense.
I’m not 100% on that tidbit, but I know he trained them on how to use the swords.
Donnie Yen ,Jet Li, Jacky CHan and sammo hung!
These guys can do a REAL KUNG FU MOVIE. Because they are good enough and have what it takes.
i dont see the point in making a martial arts flick with actors who dont know kung fu or any other martial art for that matter.The way the fight scenes are shot indeed to cover up the fact that the actors have no skills. Donnie Yen made this point quite well in an interview he did about Iron Monkey.His famous kicking scene in Iron Monkey showed quite well that he is able to kick to a high standard.so i dont think Kill bill will surprise me at all.
Jet Li has made some disastrous attempts in Hollywood, i say donnie yen all the way!
I don’t go to movies to see high-kicking demonstrations.
Jeez-louise, if that was all there was to movies, why would ANYONE watch them?
That said, hell yeah! Jackie Chan! Sammo Hung! Yuen Biao! Ya-Kar Leung! Gordon Liu! That’s what I call kungfu movies!
we’re busted illustionfist…
…I guess all these guys crying in their beers about “real kung fu movies” well, they don’t know the estatic relief of a pee break at the end of Kill Bill. Aaaaaahhhh…
Beer and martial arts movies. Two great tastes that go great together!
When Kill Bill comes out on DVD, I’m going to buy a copy to keep on hand in case there’s an emergency and I need to induce vomiting.
Finally saw it. Liked the gushing blood, loved the soundtrack, but I really wish there had been some character development to go with the (surprisingly good, I thought) action sequences.
Oh, and the long meandering steadicam shot when Bleeep was infiltrating the House of Blue Leaves was to die for.
KB v.1 as a rorshach test
It’s been getting fascinating reviews. Most film critics love it because Tarantino’s vision is so refereshing. Most guys love it because it’s a guy film. It goes especially good with beer, except for the last scene. Most martial arts film fans who lived through the '70’s love it because it’s such witty satire. But for many, it’s too shocking or they take it too seriously. Either a love or hate type of movie.
http://www.culturevulture.net/Movies7/KillBillI.htm
Interesting. Here’s my buddy Scott’s review of it, and Rotten Tomatoes puts it in the fresh bin. This despite the phrase “ultimately … Kill Bill: Volume 1 (is) a less than satisfying night at the movies” and other passages even less kind.
I’m with Scott - I think it’s really less than half a movie, and am pretty dissappointed in Tarantino’s regression. “Jackie Brown” was his most mature work yet, and it looks like “Kill Bill” will be his most immature.
Still, it’s plenty of fun, and heck, most classic kungfu extravaganzas aren’t really quite half a movie themselves. The action in KB1 is far inferior to the better Shaw Brothers and their various imitators’ stuff, but the quality of filmmaking is much superior - like that orgasma-tastic steadicam shot I mentioned in my last post.
I agree with a lot of this stuff. I just saw it myself.
The steady cam shot was awesome. Loved the soundtrack, loved all the homage - so much crammed in there. I just kept being reminded of so many other films and/or filmmakers and actors.
Tarantino said that this movie was for himself, it was his tip of the hat to everything he loved growing up with movies, so it’s kinda destined to be immature in that sense. But I think it’s his most mature to date with the technique used to make it. The sound right across the movie was awesome, not just the soundtrack. The colours, the cinematography, the sequences, all great.
I was a little disappointed with some of the close-up and cut sequence fights, but, like has been said, they’re to cover up the actors lack of skills. Although I did really dig the silhouette fight with the gang and Uma - that was beautiful. And a great touch when she finished by spanking the young lad. Classic stuff!
Can’t wait for Vol.2 and the subsequent double DVD box!
I saw this last night and it was just okay. I found the sword stuff boring. Who would do swordfighting in this day and age anyway (I mean in the real world)? Alot of it felt like a student film. It was like a big budget ad for an asian film festival, curated by a campy gay guy.
Blech
I have to say I was thoroughly dissapointed in this film…
All style no substance. Sure there where some nice tips of the hat, but the “jokes” got old.
This totally reminded me of Dusk 'till Dawn with its solid edgy begining that quickly faded into self indulgance.
The Anime sequence was great… but the MATRIX beat him to it with the Animatrix… If he had turned the whole movie into Anime the moment the story left Okinawa and landed in Japan, then I would have been inpress… the action would have been much more believable and then he could have saved the pretty faces for talking head shots.
The B/W spatter gore was boring and inconsistant. If he was going to go there then why not go there to the minute detail choreographing each cut and blood splatter. Too many time the sword fights resorted to the same old swing the sword and the guy falls over and rolls down the steps leaving no trail of blood. Why weren’t people slipping and sliding on their companions’ guts!!!?
The blue sihoulette scene was pretty but Uma looked like a Man!!! They might as well have treated it like they treated the fight scene in I’m Gonna get you Sucka.
Yeah, we KNOW Quentin loves this stuff.. and yeah nice use of sounds and the Shaw scope bit… but c’mooooon. It was to much like Jackie Brown when it should’ve been more like Pulp Fiction!!!
Dull Dull Dull . .. I’m just glad I went to see a matinee, and maybe I’ll sneak in to see part 2.
The BUCK scenes, where classic Tarintino… but it could’ve been in any of his flicks. The closest the movie came towards any semblance of humanity was that sequence with whats-her-face’s daughter in the kitchen…
Y A W N . . .
Kill BILL: Violence as Therapy
interesting read… [SIZE=1]Rated R Language[/SIZE]
metaphilm.com totally RAWKS! Be sure to read their commentary on Fight Club.
Metaphilm IS the BOMB… the Fightclub piece was actually the very first piece I read… there’s a ton of great stuff…
the Monster balls piece is great,
The Matrix Bits of course
Training Day,
Wizard of Oz…
soooooo many.
Originally posted by SanSoo Student
I think that tarentino should’ve used more creativity in the weapons, and that bar fight was so influenced by old school kung fu flicks..except that it never showed any real martial art style, you now something you can relate to and recognize some moves. And the film kept losing the kung-fu feel everytime another limb would get chopped off.
I do agree some fight scenes got boring because you can never really appreciate the martial art styling they put on the film because there wasn’t any style.
The style was not chinese at all… look at it - it was Japanese. I really enjoyed the more Japanese use of the sword. It was refreshing - all you see typically is wushu. Blah. This was a good break from the norm.