How Tarantino establishes thriller genre in the opening sequence of “Kill Bill”.

How Tarantino establishes thriller genre in the opening sequence of “Kill Bill”.

-          Auteur director: Quinton Tarantino

Camera Angles:

-          Close up of Bride’s face identifying audience with characters emotions (agony/half dead) as well as establishing the Bride as the main character.

-          Close up of Bill’s feet building suspense with each footstep as the enigma (Bill) gets closer to the bride.

Lighting:

-          Black and white pallet, noir lighting paying tribute to classic film noir as well as adding aesthetic pleasure to the mise-en-scene and establishing genre of film.

-          Black and white noir lighting showing/establishing the scene as a flashback- classic convention used by Tarantino with his circular narratives.

Enigma:

-          Why is she in such pain? What happened before?

-          Handkerchief with Bill’s name on  building the enigma further without identifying his face building suspense further.

-          Hear bill’s voice “Do you find me sadistic?” (Suggesting he might me a Sadist) giving more away around enigma without revealing.

-          Bride reveals at end of scene that Bill is the father of her baby revealing more of Bill, Bill then shoots her showing his coldness of morality.

Sound:

-          Sound bridge in beginning of heavy breathing establishing feel and suspense before scene comes in.

-          Diegetic sound of footsteps building suspense.

-          “It’s your baby” adding new twist and leaving scene with cliff hanger gripping the audience to keep watching.

-          Soundtrack in opening: Nancy Sinatra- Bang Bang (my baby shot me down): connoting Bill and Brides previously been together. Brutal/ shocking gun shot at end of scene kicks in the soundtrack. “Bang bang he shot me down” representing Bill shooting bride.

-          Soundtrack: Nancy Sinatra Daughter of Frank Sinatra  who was thought to have been involved in the underworld of organised crime- links with mafia further establishing genre of film showing Tarantino’s knowledge of not just film but also music.

Location:

-          Unglamorous abandoned locations (juxtaposed in next scene with perfect looking house.)

Costume/Props:

- Bill: Big cow boy boots inferring he may be a redneck showing his lack of morality and how he believes he is better than everyone.

-          Handkerchief with Bill’s name on showing his egotistical personality possibly representing he is a narcissist (meaning totally obsessed with self – control freaks – dangerous people. Deriving from the Greek myth.)

Next scene notes:

-           Fight scene establishes hybrid genre – action/adventure (not quiet grounded in reality)

-          Tarantino challenges classic gender representations of both thriller and action genre by having two women fight rather than men.

-          Little girl coming home during fight scene reminds audience of the realism of the films – although action adventure and not completely in reality (defying gravity and not dying etc.) the girl coming home gives a sense of returning to reality.