Nate's DVD Collection ~ Kill Bill Volume 1

Uma Thurman is The Bride AKA, Black Mamba. A former assassin cut down during a wedding rehearsal by the father of her baby and the title character, Bill-played by the late, great, and sadly missed David Carradine.

Four years later, after discovering that the baby she was carrying before the attack is gone, she sets off on a bloody massacre to avenge herself and her family by killing the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad starting with O-Ren Ishii, AKA Cottonmouth (Lucy Liu) and her Crazy 88 posse.

Directed by Quentin Tarantino

Based off of the character created by Quentin Tarantino and Uma Thurman

Also Starring:

Vivica A. Fox as Vernita Green aka Copperhead

Michael Madsen as Budd aka Sidewinder

Daryl Hannah as Elle Driver aka California Mountain Snake

Sonny Chiba as Hattori Hanzo

Julie Dreyfus as Sofie Fatale

Chiaki Kuriyama as Gogo

and Chia Hui Liu as Johnny Mo (Gordon Liu)

• The Making of Kill Bill vol. 1
• Bonus Musical Performances by “The 5, 6, 7, 8's”
• Quentin Tarantino Movie Trailers, including Kill Bill Volume 2

Kill Bill Volume 1 is one of those movies that will undoubtedly stand the test of time. In terms of epic story telling, developed characters and a balance of violent bloodshed and quiet exposition, Quentin Tarantino has created something that will be often imitated but never equaled or respectfully parodied.

While the story is about Uma Thurman's character, the bulk of this movie is dedicated to the story of O-Ren Ishii as we learn that this is the woman whom The Bride remembers more closely, and is therefore the go to girl to find out where the other assassins on her list are located.

Pretty much every scene with O-Ren Ishii, including the brief animation depicting her violent introduction into the world of crime and her rise to fame as a fierce assassin, is my favorite in the movie, with The Bride meeting Hattori Hanzo only second to those. But the best scene has to be where O-Ren decapitates the Boss who has insulted her heritage and delivers her speech to the rest of the council in English.

It's the best example of Quentin Tarantio's ability to balance violence and quiet “inside voice” dialog.

The “Making of” Featurette is one of the best in my opinion as you see that Tarantino is respectful and appreciative not only of the actors and actresses he works with but of anyone person who has ever had even the slightest hand in helping him get to where he goes. When he's telling the story of how he got the 5,6,7,8's to perform in the film, he presents himself as very humble and apologetic to the shop owner for appearing to be difficult when he was trying to find the name of the band that was playing on a mix-disc.

Something about a guy who can be successful without being a total prick just makes me feel like I'm not so far off from where I want to be and I don't have to be a jerk to get there.

I really don't like the fact that they cut this movie in half for time. Say what you want, Kill Bill Volume 2 only exists because of time and length.

My mother told me about seeing Gone with The Wind in theaters and how it was so long that they stopped it at parts to give people a break. I read recently how The Gladiator with Russel Crowe was presented in a similar way and that movie was much more recent than GwtW. People sat through Lord of the Rings so why not Kill Bill?

You can find Kill Bill in most stores for less than twenty dollars new. Or you can keep an eye out in used record shops like I did and get both movies for around eight to ten dollars a piece.

Lots of decapitations, limbs and internal organs falling and thousands of gallons of fake blood spraying everywhere would lead me to suggest that anyone over the age of 16 would be fine with this movie. Anyone younger should stick with Star Wars or Ninja Turtles if they want to see a movie with sword fighting.