(continued)
Man From Okinawa: When you see Sonny Chiba show up in a Tarantino movie, you cant help but be sucked in. This chapter is probably my favorite chapter after The HOBL. Why? Because Sonny Chiba had been imbedded in my mind as Terry Tsurugi, a real mean bastard. When I saw him in KB, he was so low key, older and fatherly, he just makes your heart melt. Hes such a great presence and icon. His exchanges between Uma and Kenji Ohba are so funny and great. It just played so much better than in the script. I really liked the part when Uma tells Sonny that her vermin is a former student of his. You can see the wheels turning in his head and he slowly walks over to the window and spells out Bill on the window. Perfectly done. I really thought that while I watched it take place. The Hanzo sword being given to The Bride was also very cool and executed with greatness.
Showdown at HOBL: What can I say about this chapter? I reviewed the chapter in the script way back when and I wondered what it would be like, if it would be as incredible as it was written. This chapter was like a hit of LSD. I mean I felt like I was tripping through this whole chapter. I dont know if it was from QTs direction or the violence or what, but I was just naturally high. I also was totally in awe of the way it was put together. This is my fav climax (it is a cinematic ORGASM!) in a Hollywood film ever. Period. Star Warts? Forget it. The Matrix Revolutions? FORGET IT!! Raiders of the Lost Ark? FUCKIN FORGET IT! SCARFACE? FUCKIN FORGET IT! THE WILD BUNCH? BABY SHIT! FORGET IT!!
I love the part when ORen is in the Yakuza meeting. She gets insulted and slices off Boss Tanakas head. Fuckin hilarious!! Spurt! Spurt! I was rollin on the floor. Then she holds the head up and yells. It made me like Lucy Liu so much more than before. Thats one of my fav sequences.
The Bride on her motorcycle with The Green Hornet music playing. It was so loud and when your watching it, you know some shit is going to go down soon. The Crazy 88s cruising on their bikes in black along with Lucy Liu. I love the look of when Lucys in the limo. Its just cool as hell. When The Bride sees Sofie Fatale in her car talking on the phone. You know shes gonna fuck her up good. Then the HOBL. The entrance of The Crazy 88s and Oren with Battle With Out Honor or Humanity playing gave me goosebumps. It reminded me of the beginning of Dogs for sure. Thats a great cinematic moment. The way theyre just lookin like “yeah we’re the shit and we know it, back the fuck up son”. Awesome stuff. Then Charlie Brown and Lil Old Lady start kissing their asses as they walk thru the restaraunt. Funny stuff. The 5678s are rockin out on stage, love that music! Woo Hoo! etc etc. We see The Bride at the bar and shes got one thing on her mind. She goes up and spies on Lucy and her crew. We see all of the Crazy 88s havin a good time, Orens amused and then she senses something and throws the dart and skims Umas nose! WHOA! Then deadly cutie Go Go looks for an intruder, but no sign of anyone as The Bride sticks to the ceiling above her head. Oh shit! is she gonna see her? Nope.
Close call.
The next thing that is one of the best shots in the film is the overhead tracking shot of The Bride walking thru the HOBL. That just blew me away. I loved the way it was done. It reminds you of all those great tracking shots from the past, Touch of Evil, Dressed To Kill, GoodFellas etc etc. The camera moves to Charlie Brown and lil old lady talking, then to sofie fatale as she walks into the bathroom. Then as it ends Umas inside that little room and the light shows her. She hears Sofies phone ring and she sees her and BAM! Vengeance theme plays. I love that!
to be continued…
[quote]The next thing that is one of the best shots in the film is the overhead tracking shot of The Bride walking thru the HOBL. That just blew me away. I loved the way it was done. It reminds you of all those great tracking shots from the past, Touch of Evil, Dressed To Kill, GoodFellas etc etc.[/quote]
I was definitely thinkin’ Touch of Evil right about then.
And I just watched Empire. Doesn’t touch the HOBL. Fuck, the HOBL is better than that whole movie. The MAN from Okinawa, and HOBL together is the greatest film making I’ve ever seen. Sheer fucking brilliance. It proves Quentin’s a mad genius. I just wish he woulda fixed up some of the kitchen dialogue and how the bride miraculously kills that cat by biting his lip. But from the second Buck opens the door to find him dead till the credits is perfect except for the anime style (my opinion). From the opening to the overhead tracking shot is perfect. Darryl Hannah and Michael Parks are perfect. Not seeing Bill is perfect. The vengeance/flashbacks are perfect. I guess that’s why the couple things that aren’t are so gutwrenching. Cause everything else is to a T.
Is that whole thing with Vernita Green “beseech” really an example of blaxploitation dialogue? I never watched those movies, so I don’t know. I didn’t really like it in Kill Bill, but it it was an homage, then I have no problem with it.
[quote]Is that whole thing with Vernita Green “beseech” really an example of blaxploitation dialogue? I never watched those movies, so I don’t know. I didn’t really like it in Kill Bill, but it it was an homage, then I have no problem with it.[/quote]
I love Blaxploitation films, but I think Chapter 1 is like a Blaxploitation film if QT had written it. If you get what I mean. Its like Blaxploitation filtered through QTs brain.
You know people actually have vocabularies, including middle-aged mothers living in the suburbs. I’ve heard people use “beseech” a lot of times. I don’t think the North American public needs movies to be dumbed down so much in order for people to understand.
“I beg you for both on the behalf of my daughter”, that just doesn’t sound natural.
i loved the gunshot yet thought the bang bang song was like Madonna in DIE ANOTHER DAY. The knife fight was badass and the chapel aftermath was just too gory. The coma scene was just where i walked out. what the hell is so entertaining about raping a coma patient. The script was great but he messed it up what with 4 years later flashbacks etc. For once lets see from beginning to end!
thenexttarantino,
For a movie to go in Chronological order just wouldn’t be QT. He is known for jumping back and forth in movies, and makes it great. He is the director I’ve seen being able to do that so well.
[quote]
And I just watched Empire.  Doesn’t touch the HOBL.  Fuck, the HOBL is better than that whole movie. [/quote]
;D If you say so.
[quote]The MAN from Okinawa, and HOBL together is the greatest film making I’ve ever seen.  Sheer fucking brilliance.[/quote]
Whatever floats your boat I guess. Personally, I’ve seen better.
Just opinions man. 
But I’ve never been that excited during a movie since the first time I saw Raiders or the original Star Wars.
Delfonics, you should check out Coffy, Foxy Brown, or the Rolling Thunder Releases of Switchblade Sisters, or Detroit 9000. That’s a small sampling of the blaxploitation genre but any of those will give you a good idea of what the genre’s about. Especially Coffy and Foxy Brown.