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Monday, August 27, 2012

The Best Movies I Have Ever Seen: Kill Bill Vols. I & II

I recently listed 50 (well more like twice that) of my favorite movies. I could not include all of them as they would fill the volumes of the Encyclopedia Brittannica from  A to L. Besides, a list doesn't convey passion or feeling. So every now and then, I'm going to share with you all some of my  faves through the occasional review here. First up, two films that are really one continuous tale, Quentin Tarantino's masterpiece vision, Kill Bill Vols. 1 & 2. This review is also part of my friend M's QT Blogathon in celebration of Tarantino's upcoming December release Django Unchained

There are not enough words in the English language to adequately describe my love for Tarantino and his strong female characters. Like the god himself, Joss Whedon, Q's ladies are unique. They are in-your-face, intelligent and more often than not, deadly. Especially in the Kill Bill flicks. For those not familiar, the Kill Bill movies center on The Bride, a former member of the Deadly Vipers assassination squad. She seeks revenge on her former boss and teammates after they tried to kill her and slaughtered members of her wedding party. The attempt cost The Bride  not only years of her life, but her child as well. Then to add to her pain, while she has been in a coma, one of the orderlies has been raping her and letting others pay for the same sick action.

This is one of the finest revenge films ever crafted in my opinion. The character of The Bride is a warrior woman who seeks her own vengeance. In complete contrast to the nauseating soft, passive aggressive females and damsels in distress Hollywood is forever cramming down our throats, The Bride is that rare breath of pure, dizzying oxygen. Uma Thurman owns this role to her pinkie toes. Favorite scene is when she takes down O-Ren's Crazy 88 gang samurai style, slashing, hacking and stabbing, getting coated with blood.

And  it's not just The Bride who stands out here, oh no. Check the coterie of female villains. You have the sociopath Elle Driver, the sadistic O-Ren Ishii and the badass Vernita Green. They don't rely on poison to kill. (Can I get an Amen?) They are combat trained, weapons experts with a passion for the kill, just like any male assassin. They don't mind blood on their hands or their clothes. Darryl Hannah, Lucy Liu and Vivica Fox are outstanding, delivering career performances. These are four of the best roles ever written for women.

Now, lest you think I have forgotten the men in here, let me tell you David Carradine and Michael Madsen turn in two of their finest performances, ever. There could be no other actors in these roles as far as I'm concerned. David Carradine is absolutely perfect as the sadistic Deadly Viper leader, Bill. He brings the exploitation film sensibility along with that spaghetti western cool. Michael Madsen is pure deadly bastard while Sonny Chiba is epic as Hattori Hanzo, swordmaster extraordinaire, who agrees to create a sword especially for The Bride when she tells him who she is hunting.

The f/x and story are simply outstanding. I love the wire work, the fight scenes and the anime. The story is a kaleidoscopic mix of current action and flashback, a potpourri of film genres that include chanbara, girls with guns, martial arts, action, spaghetti westerns as well as rape and revenge. Q literally created a love letter to his favorite kinds of films and he takes us along for the mad ride. His passion shines through every frame of stylized violence, every bar of strange, trippy music and every syllable of brilliant dialogue.

One final compliment has to go to the soundtrack. Tarantino scores will never, ever be mistaken for another. They are as unique to his films as fingerprints to human beings. You get Motown, Johnny Cash, Japanese rockabilly and a whistled ditty that will burn itself into your brain and leave a scar. The RZA reins in this symphonic rodeo and makes it work.

Kill Bill is a sheer, unadulterated cinematic orgy. It is also a sucker punch to Hollywood, who has labored under the misapprehension that women can only survive childbirth and bad relationships. That we draw strength only by bonding with our sisters over handbags, shoes and martinis. You want a 50,000 kilowatt charge of female empowerment? A bloody, high octane good time? See these movies.

A brief note: If you want the full effect of Kill Bill, check out  Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair. It's very hard to find, but should be well worth it as it is supposedly the entire Cannes screening plus extended anime not released in the States.

36 comments:

  1. Tarantino just kicks ass! And messing with the Bride was not a good idea. Tough chick times a hundred.
    Think as far as his films go, it's between Inglorious Basterds, Reservoir Dogs, and Pulp Fiction. Yeah, hard to chose!

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    1. Yes he does, Alex! I have a hard time choosing between his work there are so many great ones. Tough chicks times hundred...hell to the yeah!

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  2. I really did enjoy both of these movies a lot. I'm wondering what's added in the version you mentioned: The Whole Bloody Affair?

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    1. Hey Craig! I do love these films. I have a great time each and every time I watch. The Whole Bloody Affair is the entire Kill Bill saga as originally screened in Cannes with subtitles, an extended ultra violent anime scene that was left out of the American release plus other material. I don't know whether it has been released. Some sources say yes it has, but Amazon has nothing. I know someone with a Cannes screener so i assume this is the cut they are talking about. Of course, others say it nay, that Q has not released anything as yet. Who knows?

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    2. Not I - but I have been waiting for a release of the whole thing on Blu-Ray - but I can make do just fine with the two volume B-R set too! Thanks for the additional info!

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  3. I'm a fan of Tarantino's movies, but I didn't like the Kill Bill movies at all for some reason. I may have to rewatch them to make sure it's not a fluke :)

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    1. Q is great isn't he? And while I hope it was a fluke, if you didn't like Kill Bill, we're still cool. :)

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  4. I think you get Tarantino or you don't. I'm afraid I don't. I respect his creativity, but I just can't sit through his movies. I've tried.

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    1. Tarantino is definitely not for everyone that's for sure. That's what makes movies and all art forms so much fun, our differing tastes. :)

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  5. ah, sister Melsy, you know I have the exact opposite opinion of Tarantino. But I won't say anything, lest you kill me with a machete, I know you want to :PPPP

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    1. Aww.. I would never kill you. Who would I talk Karl with? And who else shares my loathing of Keira? We are opposites, but we are in sync when it counts. :)

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  6. Talk about kick-ass characters. I might have seen a bit of one of these movies.

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    1. They are the best, J.L. I do love the strong, ass-kicking women that is for sure. :)

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  7. Fantastic double-pack from Maestro Tarantino. Love them both, though I definitely prefer the over-the-top insanity of the first part :)

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    1. These are some of Q's best that is for sure. I do love the insanity that is part one. I mean that Crazy 88 take down is pure joy to watch.

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  8. I'm too wimpy for Tarantino's work, but I agree he's a creative guru. Your posts always energize me, Melissa. This, like all the others, is very well written.

    Here's to bad ass women on, and off, the big screen.

    xoRobyn

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    1. Thank you so much, Robyn. I'm so happy you always enjoy my posts. That means a lot to me to hear that. :)

      And I join you in a toast to badass women everywhere. Hugs!

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  9. I'm too wimpy for Tarantino, too. But maybe after watching Spartacus, I'd no longer find it so violent.

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    1. Hi Mary! Yes, Spartacus is definitely great prep for the stylized violence of Tarantino. I hope you do get to see Kill Bill. I really think the women in here are just amazing. It's a rush of power to watch them.

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  10. If someone had told me about the "Kill Bill" premise and who was starring in it, I never would have expected it to be so good. It really had a great combination of a mythic-archetype plot and brilliant action. It was awesome! :-)

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    1. I know when I first heard about Kill Bill, I said "Wait, what?" And I forever grateful to my friend Tony for taking me to see these in the theater. Q really did turn the archetype revenge plot on its ear. And I agree wholeheartedly, the action is brilliant! :)

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  11. And here it comes....AMEN! Good god, woman - you just chilled me to the bones.
    First - I own both I and II and now I will hunt down The Whole Bloody Affair.

    Dare I say...you hit your review on the mark - machete style! (sorry dear Dezzie - but I gotta got with Mel on this one!!) :)

    Man...now I gotta watch them again!
    Jenny @ PEARSON REPORT

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    1. Thank you! I am so sick of women who kill by poison and hearing the big strong man say dismissively "Poison. A woman's weapon." Yeah, we can stab you, hack you, shoot you, club you just like a man. And Tarantino gets this, thank you very much. :) Your comment rocks, my friend!

      Now you got me wanting to pull them out and watch them for the 800th time LOL

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    2. Gosh...you're still in the triple digits - dare I say, there was a time when on my living room TV I had #1 and on my bedroom TV I had #2 so which ever room I was in that was what I watched - this went on for (are you ready...) months! Hmm...might do it again!

      I'm a bit weird like that...over "Kill" wouldn't you say! :P

      PS - I did the same with Pride and Prejudice (the BBC two disc version).

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    3. LOL I love it! The way you say triple digits. ;) I'm definitely going to have to catch up. Vol.1 in one room while Vol. 2 blasts away in another is epic. And I approve wholeheartedly with the BBC's Pride & Prejudice. Colin Firth is Mr. Darcy.

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  12. I have not seen the whole flick, but I want to. mmh, why is the question?! I do agree Tarantino has broken new ground with his flicks! Great review....I saw most of it, but not the beginning. Was I making the popcorn? Was I putting a child to bed? Yes, cheers to bad ass women! I'm off to netflix to rent it ;D Thanks Melissa, your post was fun to read! You exude enthusiasm for this film! :D

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    1. Thank you, Ella! I love that Tarantino and Whedon have done so much for female characters. You are going to love these movies. Heck yeah, cheers to badass women. We rule!

      I'm happy you enjoyed my post. It was fun to write because of my love for these films. The words just poured out. :)

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  13. Agreed, Mel, and great write up! I also view both films as one movie. They're hard to beat for pure revenge fun!

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    1. Thanks, Brent! KB is pure gleeful fun and very hard to top as a revenge flick.

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  14. Mel, I couldn't agree more with you on this one. Kill Bill (as a whole) is one of the best movies ever made and Tarantino's sheer masterpiece in my book. It's No.3 on my list of 12 all time favorite movies and rightly so.
    I've seen the Whole Bloody Affair, and it's even better than both films put together, because it features some unseen footage, an extended anime sequence and last but not least, an uncensored version of the "House of Blue Leaves" massacre. Awesome post!

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    1. I am so jealous you got to see The Whole Bloody Affair! That is epic. I would love, love to see those features, heck OWN that version. It is a masterpiece that just does wonders for female characters. Tarantino's vision is one of the finest films I've ever seen. And I love tht we are completely in sync here. I'm so happy you enjoyed my post. I wrote it partly because I just indulged in another viewing and all because I caught your graphic on your Cinemarvellous.

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  15. Brilliant post! I have to give a couple lines extra credit:

    "These are four of the best roles ever written for women." Damn straight. Tarantino and Joss know how to write badass women!

    "t is also a sucker punch to Hollywood, who has labored under the misapprehension that women can only survive childbirth and bad relationships." YES. SO TRUE. Really, why can't everyone else write awesome female characters like this? Is it really so hard?

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    1. Thank you, my home girl! I do not know why it is so hard to give a sister a tough role like these. Women are just as badass as the boys. I think I'm going to have to take over H-wood with my werewolves and shake this shit up.

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  16. Great review, going to have to seek out The Whole Bloody Affair.

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    1. Thank you! I'm right with you on finding The Whole Bloody Affair. I am dying to see it.

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  17. These two films are on my favorites list, absolutely--for every reason you've listed here. Have I mentioned you have great taste, Mel?

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