A martial arts and katana expert explains why Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill: Volume 1 Gets it wrong in one fight scene and demonstrates the correct technique. Released in 2003, Tarantino’s first Kill Bill Film marked his follow-up to Jackie Brown (1997). The action movie, starring Uma Thurman as The Bride, follows an ex-assassin who seeks revenge against the team of assassins who left her for dead, with many over-the-top action sequences featured throughout the film’s runtime.
In a recent video for Inside, Seki Nobuhide Sensei analyzes the bride’s fight against Gogo Yubari in Kill BillRevealing that her opponent makes a few critical mistakes When it comes to using her weapon, an iron ball on the end of a chain.
Seki reveals that not only is the iron ball too large to be practical, but the fighting techniques used in the scene are less effective than they could be. As seen in the video (relevant section begins at 6:20), the expert demonstrates how the opponent of the bride should have disarmed and taken down Thurman’s character using the chain against the katana. Check out Seki’s analysis or watch the video below:
“The reason why chained iron balls are so effective against a katana is that if they can be successfully maneuvered around, they extend suddenly. The iron ball comes flying at you before you can react in time with the katana. But this technique is used only If you can handle it well, it is impossible to swing an iron ball of that size.
“The chain is wrapped around the sword held like that. It would be quite exhausting to move the sword up and down like that. So it would be best just to thrust forward. If you hold the sword like that and swing it down, the way the chain is wrapped will change in time, the chain can only come from the sword.
“The scene shows the girl wrapping the chain around the sword and pulling it away. She should have moved in closer and struck the opponent with the katana while being pulled. Step back a little while pulling a chain tightly and block the attack like this .The opponent does not take back. Instead, they push forward with their weight. Then the chain gets entangled in the sword.
“From here, return to the front. Hold the weight in both of your hands and pull the chain tightly, then pull the chain towards you so that the opponent’s sword attaches to your body, which will immobilize the opponent.
“The score for the reality level of this scene is four [out of 10]. The reason for this is that the scene is enjoyable to watch but lacking in reality.
What Kill Bill’s lack of accuracy means for the movie’s legacy
Kill Bill is a Tarantino classic
Tarantino has never been a filmmaker particularly concerned with reality. in Inglourious Basterds (2009), for example, he rewrites the story and has his American protagonist shoot Adolf Hitler down in a movie theater. The fact that Kill Bill Is not accurate in terms of its depiction of katana fighting techniques, therefore, is not really that surprisingAnd it is unlikely to affect the reputation of the film.
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Kill Bill with an impressive 85% score Rotten tomatoes from critics and 81% of audiences. Made on a budget of $30,000,000, the film ultimately grossed $180.9 million worldwide, making it a massive success. What’s more, the film’s lack of accuracy and Tarantino’s stylistic flourish surely contributed to the success of the movie. Kill Bill Features a variety of action sequences, many of which have geysers of spurting blood that are deliberately over-the-top.
Our take on Kill Bill’s lack of realism
Why Realism for the Tarantino Movie Doesn’t Matter (But the Analysis Is Still Worthwhile)
Although the film’s ridiculous and bold stylistic choices are part of the Kill Bill Universe’s charm, it still remains an interesting exercise to analyze what is right and wrong. Seki, after all, clearly realizes that These inaccuracies are made in the name of adding entertainment value, but breaking down what is realistic and what is not is an effective way of sharing martial arts knowledge..
To know where the film strays from reality is not only purely informative, but it also speaks to Tarantino’s filming process, and why he made certain creative choices. Although Kill Bill: Volume 1The realism grade may be low, but that certainly doesn’t make the film any less fun to watch.
Source: Inside