Kill Bill opening analysis by Nathan

Lying on the ground

-The first scene of Kill Bill is filmed all in just two shots, predominantly a shot of the main protagonist, Beatrix, lying on the ground from a close up extreme high angle. The reason for showing her this way is to show the spectator every detail of her emotions throughout the shot, as we get to see all of her facial expressions. Introducing the film like this gives us an immediate connection to Beatrix, as she is the only character we see properly for a while.

-Diegetic sound of heavy panting is used to begin the film. This is a Thriller convention which is often used to make the spectator uncomfortable and anxious. The repetitive sound of her doing this creates enigma as we immediately question why she has been left in a position of such discomfort and panic.

-Beatrix's hair and make up has been done in a way that makes her look incredibly vulnerable. Her face is riddled with bloody scars and sweat, adding to the effect of enigma, as we want to know how she has ended up like this. Her facial expressions show that she is completely terrified of what has happened or what is about to happen. Her eyes dart from one side to another, her mouth is wrenched open and her eyes look to almost be in tears. We are made to assume it has been done by another human being from the amount of different wounds, as if she has been beaten up.

-Just seconds in, this assumption of another person is confirmed when we hear off screen diegetic footsteps, which then turn to on screen, as we see Bill's shoes walking slowly along the floor. The repetitive sounds created by both the panting and the footsteps generate terror for the spectator, as we don't know when they are going to stop, and we have no power over this.

-By starting the film with a scene like this, with such panic and uncertainty, the spectator is immediately engaged, as it defies conventions of many other films. It breaks Todorov's narrative theory straight away, as there is no equilibrium at this point, in fact it appears to begin even after the disruption has occurred, which is how Beatrix has ended up in this state. By starting the narrative at this point in the story, it means we can spend the rest of the film questioning why this has happened.

-Once Bill has walked over to her, we are shown the same extreme high angle of Beatrix looking petrified. This time, it's as if we are looking from Bill's point of view, as this is the rough direction his voice is indicated as coming from, due to where her eyes are facing. We are put in Bill's position to show just how helpless Beatrix looks, and how inferior she is due to the angle. Bill is therefore far superior, as he is towering above her. Though we can't actually see Bill, we can create a picture of the whole scene in our minds, as we know how he is positioned above her.

-The only parts of Bill we see are his shoes and hands, as well as hearing his voice, giving very little away about his identity. Tarantino's use of restricted narration creates extreme apprehension for the spectator as we know even less than Beatrix, making us even feel inferior to her. This makes us feel more a part of the film, as it adds to the hopelessness we feel.

-This hopelessness multiplies when Beatrix is suddenly shot during part of her dialogue. Whilst dropping the already huge cliffhanger of saying "It's your baby" to Bill, she is shot in the side of the head. Shock is created by the spectator, because the gunshot comes at an unexpected moment, as we were at least expecting to hear the rest of what she had to say. So many emotions are created in the spectators mind, as we don't know who either character is, how they ended up in this situation, who the baby is and why she has been shot. This is therefore an incredibly overwhelming introduction to the film for the spectator, yet incredibly engaging due to the enigma created from all the unanswered questions.

The Titles

-The same second in which Beatrix is shot, we see a fast transition to black and the opening titles begin. This comes as a relief to the spectator, as we are given time to begin wondering what is going on, and questioning why Beatrix has been shot.

-The film has started in this way prior to the titles to give an initial idea of what Beatrix's personality could be like, which seems to be very inferior and weak. However this is soon contradicted as we see her as a strong, powerful character who defeats many antagonists that come her way. The spectator is made to feel unsettled by this confusion as to what each character is like, and the film is therefore more thrilling and engaging.

-A non diegetic soundtrack of the song "Bang bang" is used during the titles to set the tone for the rest of the film. This music is parallel to what has just occurred, as it refers to the way Beatrix has been shot. This reiterates the shooting of Beatrix to the spectator, reminding them to speculate why it has happened.