When Quentin Tarantino was making Kill Bill, Miramax had the idea to just split it in two and release both parts. Now four-hour movies aren’t such a stretch, though two-part movies haven’t ceased either. So the Whole Bloody Affair cut that screened in Cannes and Los Angeles was released nationwide last year and is now available to own.
Like the two Volume releases, Kill Bill still looks great in 4K. The Bride (Uma Thurman)’s blood is jet black in black and white. The suburban pastels where Vernita Green (Vivica A Fox) lives contrast with the bright yellow Pussy Wagon and The Bride’s yellow motorcycle and track suit.
Driving the streets of Japan at night coasts through deep black sky. Those shots under the steps at the House of Blue Leaves are striking, as are the silhouettes when they fight against blue light.
On the second disc, vol. 2 as it were, Budd (Michael Madsen)’s camper is parked in the deep desert night. The grave in which he buries her is even more stark in the moonlight. But the same darkness around the campfire with Bill (David Carradine) feels warm.
The Pai Mei (Gordon Lui) sequence is washed out like old Shaw Brothers movies, at least before the blu ray restorations we now enjoy. Like the Blue Leaves silhouettes, the katas against red are sharp. The Bride’s hut is filled with shadow too,
Hearing classic Kung Fu library sounds mixed in 5.1 is still a kick. The Bride’s breath huffs and puffs in full surround in the opening. In the Lost Chapter, explosions fill the room too and Yuki’s engine revs in the rear.
The Lost Chapter is more shooting and driving than martial arts. The Animation looks good in 4K and it parallels some dialogue with Gogo. The banana guy is jarring but it’s just a bonus feature so it’s a curiosity.
I would like to ask Lionsgate and other studios not to stack discs on top of each other in packaging. There are four discs in two slots here. We love physical media. We don’t want to scratch it.