10 Martial Arts Movies That Inspired Kill Bill

Quentin Tarantino has always been one to wear his cinematic influences on his sleeve, and these Kill Bill Duology is certainly no exception. The classic revenge tale is a love letter to various types of films, with the influence of Westerns like The searchers And classic exploitation films from the 70s are easy to find in both volumes. But above all else, Kill Bill is Tarantino’s take on a martial arts movie, with a few titles in particular heavily referenced throughout the two-part film.

There are several ways in which both Kill Bill Vol. 1 And Kill Bill Vol. 2 Clearly worshiped some of Quentin Tarantino’s favorite martial arts films. Most of the time, stylistic influences in the film’s shot composition and art direction are dead ringers for famous kung fu movies. In other instances, entire story elements and even directly named characters are lifted from standout entries in the genre. All of these references combine to create some of the most unique films from Quentin Tarantino’s catalog.

10

Shogun assassin

Mirrors kill Bill’s intersection of familial love and swordplay

While hand-to-hand combat is certainly prevalent in both Kill Bill movies, it’s the katana-slinging swordplay that truly defines the duology. No series of films better represents the jidaigeki movies that clearly inspired it Kill Bill Quite like these Lone wolf and cub Series, especially shogun assassin, An American edit of the first two films, Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance And Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart at the River Sticks, Combined in a single feature. The series follows a disgraced executioner who wanders the countryside with his child in towNestled in a wagon with a hidden weapon.

Next Shogun assassins love of bloody and spectacular violence at the edge of samurai swords, Kill Bill is particularly keen on Lone wolf and cub. The film examines the stresses of working as a blade-for-hire while caring for a young child, something that both Beatrix Kiddo and Bill learn to empathize with. BB even name drops the film later on, claiming it as a violent bedtime story. The final title card which reads “The lioness has rejoined her cub and all is well in the jungle,” is a clear homage to Lone wolf and cub.

9

Game of death

Cool Bill imitates Bruce Lee’s last film

If there is one martial arts movie whose influence is the most obvious on the Kill Bill Sage, it’s 1978s Game of death. The last of Bruce Lee’s films after the legendary passing of the martial arts, posthumously released using a combination of pre-existing footage. The film followed Lee’s Billy Lo on a rampage through multiple deadly opponents. The journey mirrors Beatrix Kiddo’s own gauntlet of former assassin colleagues, ending with a character who also happens to be named Bill.

The story aside, it’s the visuals of Game of death That Kill Bill Replicate unerringly. Famously, Uma Thurman’s The Bride wore a black-and-yellow jumpsuit that was a one-for-one copy of Lee’s outfit in Game of deaths final fight. The choreography also echoes an earlier sequence in game of death, With the bride holding a pose with a piece of bamboo just long enough to raise one eyebrow before unleashing the weapon on her opponent, much in the same way as Bruce Lee’s character toys with his opponents using a similar weapon.

8

Fists of fury

Inspired by the bride’s ability to take down a horde of opponents at once

Tarantino is a clear admirer of Bruce Lee, and it wouldn’t do for him to be heavily influenced by just one of his films during the making of Kill Bill Vol. 1. Arguably, Lee’s iconic film Fists of fury could have an even greater impact on the first volume of the two-part film. Fists of fury Lee stars as Chen Zhen, a brilliant martial artist who seeks to avenge the death of his master at the hands of Japanese imperialists.

The choreography of Fists of fury had a huge impact on Kill Bill As a whole, especially the scene in which Bruce Lee’s Chen Zhen takes on a horde of opponents at the same time, defeating impossible odds. This is reflected in the thrilling battle in the House of Blue Leaves at the end of Kill Bill Vol. 1Which sees the bride mercilessly cutting down wave after wave of opponents. There are even special action beats in it Fists of fury That Tarantino recycled for the choreography of Kill BillShowing his love for the Bruce Lee classic.

7

Five fingers of death

Give Cool Bill his incredible sound plan

If there is one thing Kill Bill Is better known for the striking portrayal of Uma Thurman in Bruce Lee’s black-and-yellow Game of death Fit while wielding a katana, it’s the absolutely pulse-pounding soundtrack. Taking clear inspiration from the 70s exploitation movies Tarantino is so fond of, the Kill Bill Vol. 1 The track list in particular is a real earworm. However, the score may not exactly be the most original, as Tarantino directly lifted several songs from martial arts movies, including Five fingers of death.

The Kill Bill The revenge theme took on a life of its own as a meme long after the film’s release, but Tarantino isn’t the first martial arts filmmaker to use the dramatic siren-laden audio cue. The song first appeared in a martial arts movie in five fingers of death, Blaring every time the character of Lo Lieh prepared to fight. in turn, Five fingers of death Originally stole the song from the 60s detective drama Ironsidewho used this tune as her theme music.

6

Battle royale

was Tarantino’s most modern influence in Kill Bill Vol. 1

For the most part, Tarantino remains infatuated with the ’70s, from his multiple love letters to the era in multiple other films to his constant references to martial arts films of the decade in both. Kill Bill volumes. however, Kill Bill Vol. 1 It takes this time to establish a more modern era of gory spectacle and kung fu prowess with the character of Gogo Yubari. An unassuming-looking teen girl, Gogo is actually the deadliest of the Crazy 88, and O-Ren’s personal bodyguard.

The whole character of Gogo is a reference to an earlier role of her actress, Chiaki KuriyamaIn this movie Battle royale. Here, Kuriyama plays Takako Chigusa, a similarly deadly high schooler who is forced to kill to survive when her entire class is plunged into a deadly no-holds-barred death match. Gogo wears a schoolgirl outfit that echoes the premise of the film, and she even stalks a man after some unwanted sexual advances much in the same way as Chigusa. Tarantino planned to appear in Battle Royale 2: Requiem As a cameo, proving his love for the movie.

5

Executioner of Shaolin

Tarantino brought back Gordon Liu’s character for Vol. 2

Chiaki Kuriyama is far from the only recognizable martial arts movie actor Tarantino saw fit to bring into the fold for Kill Bill. The distinguished Gordon Liu appears in both volumes of the duology as two different characters, which proves once and for all Tarantino’s connections between the most respected names in the genre. in Kill Bill Vol. 1Liu plays Johnny Mo, The leader of the crazy 88 gang who puts a vicious fight against the bride.

However, it is not until Kill Bill Vol. 2 That one of Gordon Liu’s best films, Executioner of Shaolinis directly referenced, with Liu returning to play Pai Mei. In the original film, Pai Mei is a deadly and evil kung fu master who agrees to attack a Shaolin temple on behalf of the government. in Kill Bill Vol. 2Liu stepped into the role of the character after he went against him in Executioner of Shaolin to serve as Beatrix’s master in an extended flashback sequence, connecting the film to Executioner of Shaolin In a sort of proto cinematic universe.

4

The 36th Chamber of Shaolin

Tarantino inverts the role of Gordon Liu in the film

Talking about Gordon Liu’s role in Kill Bill Vol. 2His performances as Pai Mei are also an interesting twist on his most famous role. in The 36th Chamber of ShaolinLiu plays a hopeful martial arts student who must run the brutal gauntlet of chambers in a terrifying Shaolin temple to gain the kung fu skills he needs to stand up to a corrupt government. in Kill Bill Vol. 2The student officially becomes the teacher.

As Pai Mei, Gordon Liu gets to enjoy a fun reversal from his most famous role, being the one behind the vicious training rather than the one enduring it. The brutal treatment that Beatrix Kiddo suffers at the hands of May’s mercies is not unlike the trials and tribulations that Liu had to go through to complete his training in The 36th Chamber of Shaolin. sad, The fate of Liu’s character as a teacher is far more tragic than his role as a studentAlthough it is difficult to say that he did not deserve his death.

3

Five Deadly Venoms

Served as Kill Bill’s Shaw Brothers inspiration

The movies of the legendary Shaw brothers turned Hong Kong into a real martial arts movie powerhouse, and Tarantino can certainly count himself among the many fans of the Duo. Easily one of the Shaw Brothers’ greatest films Five Deadly Venomswhose influence shone through in the making Kill Bill. Rather than inspiring a particular standout moment or visual, Five Deadly Venoms lays the foundation for the overarching plot of Kill Bill.

The film revolves around a powerful kung fu master who tasks his latest student to track down and defeat five of his former students, who have all begun to use their martial arts mastery for nefarious purposes. Each of the titular five Deadly Venoms specializes in a different form of kung fu named after a venomous animal, and goes by a nickname to match. so too, Beatrix has to make her way through four members of the Deadly Viper Assassination SquadWhich each use a species of snake as a codename, also with their own specializations in the art of murder.

2

Lady Snowblood

Has fingerprints all over Kill Bill Vol. 1

While the two halves of Kill Bill Each carries its own stylistic influence, the entire last act of Kill Bill Vol. 1 is a painfully obvious homage to Lady Snowblood. The 1973 Japanese film weaves a similar tale of revenge, introducing the story of a young girl born in prison who grows up to inherit her mother’s fiery anger against the gangsters who killed her husband and son. Using a wicked katana hidden inside her umbrella, the grown-up Yuki proceeds to slice her way through ever name on her mother’s hit list, much in the same way the bride does.

Aesthetically, the final showdown between the bride and O-Ren is a dead ringer for Lady Snowblood. O-Ren’s animated backstory echoes Lady Snowbloods use of manga panels to weave a storyAnd her climactic duel in the beautiful snow outside the House of Blue Leaves is clearly evocative of Lady Snowbloods own last battle. Finally, the song that plays over O-Ren’s death is no different Flower of carnageThe theme song of Lady Snowblood.

1

Sanjuro

Had an incredible impact on summer films of all kinds

The Kill Bill Duology is far from the only film to be deeply impacted by SanjuroBut that doesn’t make his influence any less valuable. One of the greatest jidaigeki films ever made, Sanjuro essentially defined the cinematic katana sword fight for decades to come, notably including those featured in Kill Bill. The film stars the legendary Toshiro Mifune as the titular ronin, on a crusade against a corrupt local government.

Sanjuro Invented many trademarks of the samurai movie, most notably the use of massive geysers of blood that symbolize total defeat. Tarantino uses the blood geysers liberally in Kill BillWith one of the most memorable being the scalping of O-Ren at the end of the first volume. Although the influence is felt far and wide, it would be disrespectful not to point that out Sanjuro is easily one of Kill Bills greatest influences, along with many other films.