Ok, this film was released nearly 2 years back but I got to see it last week. ‘Kill Bill – Vol. 1’ is in some strange ways, one of the most illuminating films I’ve ever seen. It’s crazy, zany, whacky and wild. By the way, ‘Pulp Fiction’ is the only other QT film that I’ve seen so far, not withstanding the fact that he’s made barely 6 films so far. Correct me, people!
‘Pulp Fiction’ is an immensely stylish film. The term ‘stylised violence’ suddenly takes on a new meaning with this film. Contrasting pieces of music add to the effect. By the way, QT employs this technique in ‘Kill Bill – Vol. 1’ too. Some really classy shots have to do with perfectly innocuous objects suddenly appearing in the foreground and having a life of their own as all action continues in the background. Music is such a powerful agent in both the films; it’s plain marvellous.
What makes QT such a smart and classy director is the way in which he has carved out a separate genre of films for himself. College-romances, dark comedies, war-dramas, funny-romances, Westerns… whoever heard of comic-violence? Violence, as stark and gross as it could get… But delivered with an almost ridiculous style that it’s laughable. At one level, his films are chilling with their unabashed displays of grotesque violence whereas at another level, they’re comically ridiculous.
QT has been lucky that this genre has found home in the hearts of film viewers. If I stop to think further, I almost feel that this guy has a perverse taste for violence; some kind of an abnormal childish fantasy for crash-slash-bang stuff. But my better sense tells me that he’s just one of the smartest directors around.
I don’t think I can bear to watch ‘Reservoir Dogs’; that ear scene (Have I given away too much, Rileen?) was simply too watch even as a trailer shot. ‘Jackie Brown’ sounds interesting; the script beckons.
I agree, people, I forgot to mention how witty and neat the dialogues in ‘Pulp Fiction’ are. Unfortunately, not much by way of dialogues in ‘Kill Bill – Vol. 1’; lots of Japanese inputs, though! Personally, I loved all of Samuel Jackson’s lines in ‘Pulp Fiction’. Also QT’s lines too, as few as they were… Smart and kick-ass!
