Kill Bill Vol.2 is the sequel to the similarly titled Kill Bill. This edition focus' around the Bride (Uma Thurman) who decides to pick up where she left off in volume one with her quest to finish the hit list she has composed of all the people who have wronged her; one of which is her ex-boyfriend Bill (David Carradine), who tried to have her killed four years ago during her wedding to another man.
This particular sequence is shown to us in black and white. This is because either it is a flashback or a seemingly insignificant part of the characters life. Low key lighting is also present as it is using natural lighting; yet it could also suggest the protagonist does not want to be there. The monotone theme is not continued however as high key lighting is brought through when the outside area is introduced. It suggests hope or some thought of hope/happiness. It also obviously lets us know it is daytime.
When the sequence begins, we see that the Bride is walking down the aisle when she noticeably stops all of a sudden. Her smile drops from her face. We also know it is a church/wedding from the mise-en-scene. She is dressed all in white and there are benches and pews behind her. Her face being the main subject of this also tells us that a mid-close up is used; this shows us her raw emotion but also her location. She is followed with a backwards tracking shot that almost guides her to the door. It builds suspense for the viewer who does not know what she is feared of. It also creates mild confusion considering it seems she is walking away from her own wedding.
Then using parallel editing, in a P.O.V shot we see the church's doorway. Light floods in through it, making it seem more powerful than it literally is. Not to mention she is in a church when we (the audience) know how many people she has killed; it almost makes sense for her to subliminally want to leave it. It cuts back to her now more weary about her surroundings and becoming indecisive whether to leave or not. We also hear her breathing become deeper (which is a diegetic sound) which creates tension as we don't know what is outside. The close up also suggests she has blocked out all other senses once she hears the flute (again diegetic but seemingly only to her). A backwards track then shows her leaving and the clip cuts to her walking out of the door. Shadows become darker when she does this, almost like if she leaves it will become significant in the future (which can also be a plausible reason to why she remembers it). It can also resemble her curiosity and how whatever is outside is most important to her.
Once she exits we are introduced to a two shot which then turns into a close up of the woman's face; by her expression we can tell she is not impressed nor thrilled with the man's appearance. The camera films her face from a low angle which further exemplifies her annoyance. Cross-cuts are used in a fast pace to build tension; we are curious to hear who will speak first. A smirk slowly appears on her face which contradicts the pace of the scene. He looks up to her and ends the repetitive shots. This kind of 'show-down' shots are common conventions of a western movie and seen in most movies from the genre. Another movie that uses this is "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" which also uses establishing shots and mid-long shots to establish proxemics between characters. They also use the 'show-down' type shot to establish strength and lack of fear; it replaces it with dominance.
The Bride and the Man are always positioned on alternate sides from each other; The Bride is usually on the right and the Man is usually on the left. It shows the rivalry and differences between them. However the Bride is still shot at a low angle when we see her in a mid shot with the desert behind her with spots of plants and telephone wires. It shows how vast and empty she is but also the mild humanity she holds. She is also stood on the left contradicting her normal stance which shows she comes from the same place as the Man and they do have something small in common.
The Man stand up and walks over to her and mirrors her stance and leans up the post. Again he is stood on the left and she is on the right. This further exemplifies the amount they have in common yet that she still is not comfortable with them; hence why they are not stood together but infront of eachother. Yet they begin to walk closer together, which physically makes their proxemics closer but metaphorically shows how she is now opening up to him. Yet could also relate to the quote 'keep your friends close, and your enemies closer' which then suggests they have some form of 'bad-blood'. Yet eventually they end up face to face with both leaning into each other when they speak. This then lets us know theres a form of romance as neither seem entirely bothered by the other getting closer. It is also filmed from eye-level, meaning they are equal/there is no longer any conflict (rather there is some type of sentiment).
There is also minimal to no cutting when the Man and Bride have their intimate conversation. Hypothetically the wedding is still going on too, which then means her focus is on him. Again this relates to the sense that they have a romantic potential/past. Shots vary from over-the-shoulder and two shots because physically they are that close. Yet because it is still in black and white, we know it doesn't make at incredibly important difference to her life.
Then using parallel editing, in a P.O.V shot we see the church's doorway. Light floods in through it, making it seem more powerful than it literally is. Not to mention she is in a church when we (the audience) know how many people she has killed; it almost makes sense for her to subliminally want to leave it. It cuts back to her now more weary about her surroundings and becoming indecisive whether to leave or not. We also hear her breathing become deeper (which is a diegetic sound) which creates tension as we don't know what is outside. The close up also suggests she has blocked out all other senses once she hears the flute (again diegetic but seemingly only to her). A backwards track then shows her leaving and the clip cuts to her walking out of the door. Shadows become darker when she does this, almost like if she leaves it will become significant in the future (which can also be a plausible reason to why she remembers it). It can also resemble her curiosity and how whatever is outside is most important to her.
Once she exits we are introduced to a two shot which then turns into a close up of the woman's face; by her expression we can tell she is not impressed nor thrilled with the man's appearance. The camera films her face from a low angle which further exemplifies her annoyance. Cross-cuts are used in a fast pace to build tension; we are curious to hear who will speak first. A smirk slowly appears on her face which contradicts the pace of the scene. He looks up to her and ends the repetitive shots. This kind of 'show-down' shots are common conventions of a western movie and seen in most movies from the genre. Another movie that uses this is "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" which also uses establishing shots and mid-long shots to establish proxemics between characters. They also use the 'show-down' type shot to establish strength and lack of fear; it replaces it with dominance.
The Bride and the Man are always positioned on alternate sides from each other; The Bride is usually on the right and the Man is usually on the left. It shows the rivalry and differences between them. However the Bride is still shot at a low angle when we see her in a mid shot with the desert behind her with spots of plants and telephone wires. It shows how vast and empty she is but also the mild humanity she holds. She is also stood on the left contradicting her normal stance which shows she comes from the same place as the Man and they do have something small in common.
The Man stand up and walks over to her and mirrors her stance and leans up the post. Again he is stood on the left and she is on the right. This further exemplifies the amount they have in common yet that she still is not comfortable with them; hence why they are not stood together but infront of eachother. Yet they begin to walk closer together, which physically makes their proxemics closer but metaphorically shows how she is now opening up to him. Yet could also relate to the quote 'keep your friends close, and your enemies closer' which then suggests they have some form of 'bad-blood'. Yet eventually they end up face to face with both leaning into each other when they speak. This then lets us know theres a form of romance as neither seem entirely bothered by the other getting closer. It is also filmed from eye-level, meaning they are equal/there is no longer any conflict (rather there is some type of sentiment).
There is also minimal to no cutting when the Man and Bride have their intimate conversation. Hypothetically the wedding is still going on too, which then means her focus is on him. Again this relates to the sense that they have a romantic potential/past. Shots vary from over-the-shoulder and two shots because physically they are that close. Yet because it is still in black and white, we know it doesn't make at incredibly important difference to her life.
