Blog #4

This scene from Kill Bill Volume 1 (the first half of the final fight scene) is carefully construct in terms of shot order, composition, music, etc. This part of the scene’s main point is to build tension. 

The first wide shot of the scene (note that the video starts before the scene; the scene itself is generally considered as starting at 0:15) serves to give us the setting and introduce the Bride’s enemy. It shows the Bride stepping out of the restaurant and into a snowy landscape where the fight will take place. As the camera continues to pull back, O-Ren is brought into frame. This is meant to make it seem as if O-Ren is a part of the very environment in which they will fight. Additionally, the choice for her clothing illustrates this same point, as she is wearing a pure white kimono that matches the snow. This is meant to show from the very beginning of the scene that the Bride is out of her depth. The dialogue reflects this when O-Ren says if she hasn’t saved some strength she “won’t last five minutes”. 

At this point in the scene, the introduction of music is importantly placed. Up until this point the only sound we’ve heard is the dialogue and the rhythmic clapping of a fountain in the background. The non-diagetic music begins at the moment O-Ren takes her first step forward, signaling the beginning of the fight.

As I said before, this part of the scene is constructed to build tension. At this point there is a drawn out sequence of O-Ren drawing her sword, after a long shot that shows her examining the Bride from afar. The shots in this sequence are cut in a wide, medium, close-up, medium sequence. It then goes into close-ups on both the Bride and O-Ren, who stare each other down as they prepare to fight, continuing to build tension. 

The fight begins, and one of the most important shots early on is one of the shots where O-Ren, after forcing the Bride back, rises slowly to be on the offensive again. This moment is shown from multiple perspectives, but the most important is the one from behind O-Ren. The camera follows her as she rises, and the shot shows her looming above the Bride ominously, even though O-Ren is actually shorter. This is significant because it again represents the fact that the Bride may not be able to hold her own against O-Ren, and O-Ren at this point is extremely intimidating to her. 

This fear is all but confirmed in the final shots of the scene, where O-Ren slices the Bride across the back, causing her to collapse to the ground. While she is on the ground, the camera cuts to a worm’s-eye angled close up of O-Ren, once again giving her that ominous, threatening appearance as she taunts the Bride for challenging her.