javaman-7

Vol. 2 continues the cycle of revenge, as well as flashing back to earlier events which provide context and motivation for some of the dizzying action of the first episode. The Bride, whose name we learn is Beatrix Kiddo, must deal with Bill's trailer-trash brother Budd (Madsen) and the deadly, one-eyed Elle Driver (Hannah) before her showdown with Bill (Carradine). We also learn that she has studied with Kung Fu master Pai Mei (Liu) and has learned techniques that will take on significance as her odyssey continues.

All through Arthurian legend and Eastern myth, the magic, invincible sword has been a central symbol invested with unending layers of significance. Filmmakers have taken great care to photograph it just the right angle, with just the right highlights so that its power and meaning can never be questioned. In Vol. 1, The Bride acquires such a sword from the legendary Hattori Hanzo, who comes out of retirement to make a weapon so powerful that "if in your journey you should encounter God, God will be cut." But another such blade is in possession of Bill's brother Budd, who must use it to prevent her from getting to Bill. When Bill asks Budd where this myth-laden, highly significant symbol of power might be, Budd says, "I pawned it." "But it was priceless." "Well, I got $250 bucks for it." This is the sort of dialogue that can only be called Tarantinian. T

In my review of Vol. 1, I wrote: "But this is only Volume 1, and we don't even know what the main character's backstory is yet. Tarantino has Volume 2 to fill in some of the missing motivation as well as display his formidable writing and character development skills."

And that is exactly what he does in Vol. 2. He has created great characters on the page and has brought them to life with flawless casting and seamless direction. Thurman's Beatrix may be studied in future years as one of the all-time great women characters ever put on screen. Both she and Carradine should start shopping for formal wear when awards season rolls around. Tarantino may even have a shot at Best Director. Also riveting is the performance by Hannah as Beatrix' rival, both for Bill's affection and for martial arts supremacy. Their confrontation is a masterpiece of choreography, stunt work, and eye-catching editing. Note that at the end of the credits there is a hilarious out-take from this scene.

One often hears the comment that "they don't make movies like they used to." But with young filmmakers such as Tarantino and older ones the likes Scorsese, Eastwood and Polanski all working at top form, we may just be in the middle of a filmic golden age and just don't know it yet.

Like Welles and Fellini before him, Tarantino eschews chronological order in telling this martial arts tale of revenge. Not only does he follow his Western masters but also the Eastern filmmakers who have greatly influenced him. The fact that one of the major characters is of Chinese, Japanese and American lineage is no accident. It seems that Tarantino has made a movie that pays tribute to every action film he has ever seen.

But much of Tarantino's strength resides in his writing, as evidenced by his first three outings (Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction and Jackie Brown), at least two of which are destined to be classics. In this movie the writing seems overwhelmed by the action, though the film still contains some very good lines.

But this is only Volume 1, and we don't even know what the main character's backstory is yet. Tarantino has Volume 2 to fill in some of the missing motivation as well as display his formidable writing and character development skills. With that, we may have another film classic to be. Or at least a glorious B-film masterpiece.

As for performances, the cast comes up with some great ones. Thurman, who is in nearly every scene, excels in a role that must have been extremely exhausting. She does away with more opponents in one scene than Eastwood ever piled up in all of his spaghetti westerns. Liu is especially effective as the ruthless gang lord who runs Tokyo, and who gives vivid meaning to the expression, "heads will roll."

As for the violence, the style is such that it is not that upsetting. By the end of the film, it is so stylized that it has become more of a ballet than a bloodbath. The scenes that are the most disturbing in subject matter are presented in Anime, the most stylized of all the filmic forms. I'm not saying that no one will be offended, but this is what the R rating is for.

Music is very creatively used, one example being what sounded to me like a Salsa number that heralds a snowy battle scene in Japan.

Does this break the rules? You bet. And that is why we love this guy.

I saw this film on July 30, 2016 at Michael Moore's Traverse City Film Festival. It won the award for best film there. Moore and the director, Kulikar Sotho, introduced it and held a Q&A after the showing. Though the screenplay is credited to Ian McMasters, the story is Sotho's. She revealed before the showing that, yes, the amazing characters are based on her and her mother's true-life experiences. The main character, a teenage girl, becomes friends with the projectionist at an abandoned movie house and discovers some interesting things that took place before she was born. It contains echoes of Cinema Paradiso, but I believe it is even better.

It takes place in modern-day Cambodia, but memories of the country's gloomy past are ever-present. The acting and the quality of filming are superb, while the crackling energy of modern-day Phnom Penh is expertly captured. Her humble demeanor at the festival belies the fact that she is certainly the Orson Welles of her nation.