Travis Simpkins: Lucy Liu

Saturday, February 20, 2021

Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003): Quentin Tarantino, Uma Thurman, Lucy Liu and Martial Arts

Kill Bill. Volume 1. 2003. Quentin Tarantino. Uma Thurman. Lucy Liu

Written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003) was an instant hit and was followed about a year later by Kill Bill: Volume 2. The studio had decided to split the epic film into two installments, otherwise the overall length would have clocked in at 4 hours. The film is an artful masterpiece, paying homage to both the Martial Arts and Spaghetti Western genres.

The plot is summarized: A former assassin, known simply as The Bride (Uma Thurman), wakes from a coma four years after her jealous ex-lover Bill (David Carradine) attempts to murder her on her wedding day. Fueled by an insatiable desire for revenge, she vows to get even with every person who contributed to the loss of her unborn child, her entire wedding party, and four years of her life. After devising a hit list, The Bride sets off on her quest, enduring unspeakable injury and unscrupulous enemies.

The cast is great all around, including Uma Thurman, David Carradine, Michael Madsen, Lucy Liu, Vivica A. Fox and Daryl Hannah.

Kill Bill. Volume 1. 2003. Quentin Tarantino

Kill Bill. Volume 1. 2003. Quentin Tarantino. Daryl Hannah

Kill Bill. Volume 1. 2003. Quentin Tarantino. Uma Thurman. Daryl Hannah

Kill Bill. Volume 1. 2003. Quentin Tarantino. Daryl Hannah

Kill Bill. Volume 1. 2003. Quentin Tarantino. Uma Thurman

Kill Bill. Volume 1. 2003. Quentin Tarantino. Uma Thurman. Vivica A. Fox

Kill Bill. Volume 1. 2003. Quentin Tarantino. Vivica A. Fox

Kill Bill. Volume 1. 2003. Quentin Tarantino. Lucy Liu

Kill Bill. Volume 1. 2003. Quentin Tarantino. Uma Thurman

Kill Bill. Volume 1. 2003. Quentin Tarantino. Lucy Liu

Kill Bill. Volume 1. 2003. Quentin Tarantino. Uma Thurman

Kill Bill. Volume 1. 2003. Quentin Tarantino. Uma Thurman. Gogo

Kill Bill. Volume 1. 2003. Quentin Tarantino. Gogo

Kill Bill. Volume 1. 2003. Quentin Tarantino. Uma Thurman

Kill Bill. Volume 1. 2003. Quentin Tarantino. Gogo

Kill Bill. Volume 1. 2003. Quentin Tarantino. Uma Thurman

Kill Bill. Volume 1. 2003. Quentin Tarantino. Gogo

Kill Bill. Volume 1. 2003. Quentin Tarantino. Uma Thurman

Kill Bill. Volume 1. 2003. Quentin Tarantino. Uma Thurman. Gogo

Kill Bill. Volume 1. 2003. Quentin Tarantino. Uma Thurman

Kill Bill. Volume 1. 2003. Quentin Tarantino. Lucy Liu

Kill Bill. Volume 1. 2003. Quentin Tarantino. Uma Thurman

Kill Bill. Volume 1. 2003. Quentin Tarantino. Uma Thurman. Lucy Liu

Kill Bill. Volume 1. 2003. Quentin Tarantino. Lucy Liu

Kill Bill. Volume 1. 2003. Quentin Tarantino. Uma Thurman. Lucy Liu

Saturday, June 20, 2015

Kill Bill Volume 2 (2004): Quentin Tarantino, Uma Thurman and Artful Revenge

Written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, Kill Bill Volume 2 (2004) was the second entry in a two-part film… with Volume 1 having been released one year prior. Originally, Tarantino intended Kill Bill to be one epic film but, clocking in at over 4 hours, the producers felt it would be better presented if split in two parts. The martial arts saga concerns a bride, who seeks revenge on an assassination squad led by Bill, after they try to kill her and her unborn child during her wedding rehearsal. One of the most stylish and violent films to come out in the past few decades, the cinematography is superb and the editing is artful… switching from black & white to vibrant color, from animation sequence to stark silhouette with smooth ease. From ancient monasteries to hip dance halls, the sets are intriguing and lively. Uma Thurman is fiercely badass as the bride, taking on over a hundred opponents. David Carradine is great as Bill, delivering a great speech about Superman's critique of the human race. The rest of the cast is wonderful as well, including Lucy Liu as O-Ren Ishii, Vivica A. Fox as Vernita Green, Michael Madsen as Bud, Daryl Hannah as Elle Driver, Michael Parks, Julie Dreyfus, Sonny Chiba, Chiaki Kuriyama and Gordon Liu.