Recommendations of the Editorial team
Whether the “Kill Bill” saga is Quentin Tarantino’s magnum opus is something others should rack their brains about – one thing is certain: the two parts will now be bundled together into a 275-minute-long single film under the title “The Whole Bloody Affair”, will be released in cinemas and form the directing genius’ most quotable, most creative and, in the best sense, most childlike work. Producer Harvey Weinstein once failed to shorten “Lord of the Rings” from three films to one; This Miramax production about a “bride” (Uma Thurman) who takes karate revenge on her tormentor Bill (David Carradine) and his Deadly Viper Assassination Squad was split in 2003/2004 – to Tarantino’s chagrin – into “Volume I” and “Volume 2”.
A film in two parts
Tarantino always saw both volumes as one film – and this is the only way he has been able to announce for years that he is still missing a directing job before his self-imposed end to his career with ten films (in fact, he has long since reached this number). “Volume I” is pop art, a Bruce Lee homage with masterful martial arts staging; “Volume 2” is a more elegiac spaghetti western about forgiveness and atonement – including an outstanding performance by Michael Madsen.
Director’s Cut with new scenes
The “Kill Bill” films were shown with grindhouse-style fake trailers at the time, including “Machete,” which Robert Rodriguez later turned into his own film. It is still unclear whether they will also be shown in cinemas before the current “Bloody Affair”. The film can be seen as a 70mm print in selected cinemas.
The new version contains additional scenes – it is the first director’s cut that Tarantino has ever made – as well as the fight of the “Bride” against the Crazy 88s in full color, with red blood instead of black and white, since “Kill Bill” is no longer threatened with censorship. The ROLLING STONE podcast “Voluntary Film Control” regularly discusses Bill’s theory about Superman’s view of humanity to this day.
