Kill Bill Vol. 2

MOVIE DESCRIPTION:

The vengeful Bride returns to cross a few more names off of her rapidly shortening list in Miramax Home Entertainment's release of Kill Bill Vol. 2, and though it feels like only a precursor to the inevitable feature-packed release that will follow soon after, this release does offer a few choice gems in addition to a solid presentation of the feature attraction. Presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen, the image offers even skin tones, solid blacks, and vivid colors. Though the occasional intrusion of edge-enhancement may prove somewhat distracting to some viewers, the overall commendable visual presentation is generally solid. Audiophiles will be happy to note the inclusion of both an English-language Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1 track, both of which are accompanied by closed captioning and provide a rich, full-bodied listening experience without any notable distortion or hiss. In addition to an alternate French-language audio track, Miramax has also seen fit to include optional Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish subtitles. Of course, fans of both Kill Bill films are no doubt aware of Miramax's plans to release them at first separately and then with a super deluxe combo package following at some point in the near future, and though the extra materials provided on this disc are indeed satisfying, they do seem more like an appetizer than a hearty meal. A three-and-a-half-minute deleted scene in which Bill faces off against a vengeful gang of thugs whose boss he previously killed finds Tarantino's Shaw Brothers fanaticism in full effect. A 25-minute behind-the-scenes segment offers interviews with Tarantino, Uma Thurman, Daryl Hannah, and David Carradine in which they discuss the appeal of the characters and the manner in which Kill Bill Vol. 1 and Kill Bill Vol. 2 compliment one another. Though those looking for in-depth details regarding the production may walk away with a slight pang of disappointment, viewers simply looking for a little fun will surely enjoy the featurette. Rounding things out is a solid performance by Chingon at the Kill Bill Vol. 2 premiere, in which the band (featuring director Robert Rodriguez on guitar) strums one of the tunes from the film's soundtrack. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

DVD FEATURES:

• Region: 1
• Number of Discs: 1
• Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 (Cinemascope)
• Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS
• Screen: Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV
• Subtitle: Korean, Japanese, English, Spanish
• Features:
  • cc Deleted scene
  • Behind-the-scenes look at the making of Kill Bill Volume 2, featuring Quentin Tarantino
  • Kill Bill, Vol. 2 premiere - Chingon performance

AWARDS

• Broadcast Film Critics Association

•     Nominated Best Actress - 2004 (Uma Thurman)

• Hollywood Foreign Press Association

•     Nominated Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Pictu - 2004 (David Carradine)
•     Nominated Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama - 2004 (Uma Thurman)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Cast:

  
       Uma Thurman - The Bride
       David Carradine - Bill
       Michael Madsen - Budd
       Daryl Hannah - Elle Driver
       Gordon Liu - Pai Mei

• Director:

  Quentin Tarantino

• Producer:

  Lawrence Bender

• Screenwriter:

  Quentin Tarantino

• Cinematographer:

  Robert Richardson

• Composer (Music Score):

  Robert Rodriguez, RZA, Lars Ulrich

• Musical Direction/Supervision:

  Mary Ramos

• Editor:

  Sally Menke

• Production Designer:

  Cao Jiuping, Cao Jui Ping, Yohei Taneda, David Wasco

• Art Director:

  Dan Bradford, Liu Luyi

• Associate Producer:

  Koko Maeda, Dede Nickerson

REVIEW:

• Considering his über-moviegeek persona, it is easy to forget that Quentin Tarantino is a writer. The reason he has traditionally taken so long between projects is that he hones and shapes his screenplays to near perfection. His camera movements, his editing rhythms, and his soundtracks are fully in his head before he shoots a single frame, and every element of filmmaking is utilized to serve the story -- all while he remains loose enough on the set to adapt to the moment (as he did throughout the creation of the fight sequences in Kill Bill). That unique blend of passion and craft -- call it freewheeling deliberateness -- makes Quentin Tarantino one of the best directors of his generation. The first half of Kill Bill, released to theaters six months before the conclusion, celebrated the moviegeek elements of Tarantino's personality -- specifically the geek who has absorbed every Sonny Chiba movie. Where Volume 1 offered the most visually freewheeling Tarantino work ever, Volume 2 showcases how deliberate his intentions are. Take the training sequence with Pai Mei: This looks like every kung fu movie that ever played on a Saturday afternoon on your local UHF station. The cheesy zooms, the arch dialogue, and the faux-mystical bearded mentor are all intricately planned and in place. These elements are not kitsch; Tarantino genuinely loves these genre tropes and wants nothing more than to share that love with the audience while never taking his eye off the story. This is exactly what he accomplishes in Kill Bill, and he does it with confidence. For each Perils of Pauline-like death that awaits The Bride, Tarantino has taken great effort to explain how the skills she has developed over time allow her to escape. That is never more true than in the climactic face-off with Bill. Thank goodness Warren Beatty ended up not playing the part because it is hard to fathom a more perfect choice than David Carradine, whose work here, with his deep, laconic voice and subtly menacing physical confidence, recalls Robert Mitchum. Their nearly 40-minute showdown is much more mental and emotional than physical. That the performers, the film, and the audience so easily adjusts to this new battlefield reveals the writer in Tarantino -- and makes clear his remarkable achievement. Tarantino proves, as he has with each of his films, that a good story well-told will support any and all visual flourishes. He has not transcended the generic revenge story line he has utilized, he has simply made one of the best possible films of that type. While other movie geeks will spend years cataloguing the various musical and camera lifts in Kill Bill, the people who understand and appreciate fine storytelling should marvel at how -- in just four movies -- Tarantino has become arguably the best crime writer of his generation. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide

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