How Tarantino uses and develops the conventions of the thriller genre in the opening to Kill Bill Vol 1 and Intertextual References in Blue Velvet and The Truman Show.

Lighting and Colour

Chiaroscuro lighting is used which is aesthetically pleasing and links in well to the convention of genre of a thriller because the light on dark effect gives the noir style which is classical.

There is a homage to noir thrillers through reference through the black and white images which instantly set the scene and the atmosphere of the film.

Another effective used of the lighting of chiaroscuro and the black and white homage is that it shows binary opposites between good and evil. This could indicate intertextuality as it links to the film 'The Good, The Bad And The Ugly' with the name of its title - good and bad - and there are many references in that film as well from in Kill Bill Volume 2 as seen on a previous case study. Binary opposites are seen to add to the dramatic effect which is important to use in a thriller which Tarantino uses in this sequence.

The use of all of this lighting shows the characters as enigmatic because there is so much action going on, it makes the audience wonder why this is happening which makes the whole scene and the characters mysterious and hard to understand.

Characters - Bill

Bill wears cowboy boots which makes him seem flash. The heels he wears suggest that he is quite small and he wears them to seem like a bigger person which would make him more intimidating as you're looking up at him. This is showing conventions because males in thrillers are normally seen as the more dominant gender and so therefore seems a lot bigger than the female

He uses a handkerchief and it has his name on it which is portraying self importance and he believes he is a significant character in the film. The handkerchief is referenced along with the title so these references used show that he has an important role in the film. This again shows power of the male in a thriller so the importance Bill has in this film.

There are intertextual references in character types because Bill is similar to Jason in Essex Boys as they are both conceited, flashy and psychopathic. They both seem very dominant which are generic conventions of thrillers and are not afraid to inflict hurt on others.

Soundtrack

The song that is being played is Nancy Sinatra with 'Bang Bang'. This is a reference to Frank Sinatra who was involved with the mob which closely references thriller aspects and conventions. Mobs involved violent people. For example in Once Upon a Time In America the gangsters murdered Eve at the beginning. This is Tarantino using thriller conventions because 'bang bang' is a reference to a gun being fired but are common props used in thrillers.

Camera Angles

The use of the fast flashbacks with the images creates a sense of confusion which is an aspect of a thriller when using tilt shots as it shows disorientation and makes the audience think about what is happening more carefully.

There are lots of low angle shots and tilt shots which is showing the vulnerability of the character in this scene and she is beaten up and The Bride is not able to fight back. It is a generic convention being used as it shows the male dominance over the female and he is the powerful one and she is the helpless, fragile one.

Intertextuality between Kill Bill Volume 1, Blue Velvet and The Truman Show

In the fight between The Bride and Vernita, the neighbourhood and the houses seem perfect which is showing a surreal atmosphere because the colours make it seem like a 'dreamy' place but beneath the location lays deep distress. While everything seems exceptional, inside Vernita's house is a fight scene where glass is broken and blood is shed. This is similar to the opening in Blue Velvet where the location seems perfect but underneath the illusion is a place disturbing and frightening. A man hosing his garden suddenly has a heart attack and the camera slowly moves down into the grass and the music changes to signify evil forces. This is also similar to an extraordinary film named 'The Truman show'. It is about a man who grows up living the perfect life but it is all just a TV show which he is oblivious to and believes he is living a great life but in reality, it is all fake.

Images of the surreal atmospheres and the harsh reality

Behind the surreal world is danger and misery. A man has a heart attack and dies in Blue Velvet and Vernita in Kill Bill is killed after a long, brutal fight with The Bride.

Jim Carrey seems to be living the ideal life but it is all just a reality TV show and none of it is real which he is oblivious to.

Intertextuality between Kill Bill Volume 1 and Blue Velvet

On the television at the beginning is a man holding a gun but is it completely mysterious as a black and white contrast is used and only the gun can be seen. This references to the soundtrack of Kill Bill and Frank Sinatra being involved in the mob industry.

Intertextuality between Kill Bill Volume 1 and The Truman Show

There are children in both of these films who look very similar to each other which is an instant intertextual reference and they are both arriving back from their school day on the school bus. The children are unaware of the dangers behind the glass and they think that their lives are in good order.