How Does Tarantino Establish the Thriller Genre in The title to Kill Bill 1? Instantly Tarantino uses Sound to Establish the Movie of The thriller genre by using the exaggerated use of Diegetic sound in the opening of the film, the intense sound of breathing instantly makes the audience feel on edge, anticipating what is going to happen next and also the exaggerated sound of the footsteps, because Tarnation chooses not to show us Bills face along with the image of his shoes and the sound it creates an Enigma making the audience feel tense also Bill’s Boots and large steps making him seem dominant and scary also the napkin with his name in implies he is quite conceited, this could link to the character of ‘Jason Locke’ In Essex Boys who is also very dominating and conceited , This establishes the Film as a Thriller as it is creating feelings of tension which is what Thriller films do. Another way that Tarantino uses sound to create effect is through the highly exaggerated gun shot/ bang as the scene changes to the title of the film and the music starts, this is very dramatic causing the affect of shocking the audience, which establishes the film as a Thriller and leaves the audience on a Cliff hanger because we don’t know where the movie is going to go next and with the start of the music we are intrigued and carry on watching. A song being played in the sound bridge is Nancy Sinatra - Bang Bang. This song is a Appropriate song for tarantino to use because of the song being called ‘Bang Bang’ it links To the theme of the movie, Establishing it as a Thriller and also the song could be An reference to Frank Sinatra who was involved in a mob and crime, The song could Be referring to this as Thriller movies often look at crime, for example in ‘Once upon a Time in America’ it looks at gang culture. Tarantino also uses the colors of white font on a black screen referencing the noir genre of film which famously uses black and white so establishing the film as a Thriller. This is also used in ‘Essex Boys’ and ‘Once upon a time in America’ In the titles. Tarantino continues to use the black and white filter over the scene of the bride lying on the ground injured to create a mysterious and cold effect which links to the Thriller genre through the Noir film reference and makes the seem seem a lot more menacing.
Tarantino also uses Lighting to establish The Film as a Thriller, For example the use Of chiascuro lighting in this scene. It is a technique Often used in Thrillers, for example it is used in ‘Essex Boys’ and ‘Once upon a time in America’ this establishes The genre as it is an commonly used technique in Thriller films and also It creates an affect of mystery as we can’t fully work out The setting of where we are, Tarantino also uses this at the Beginning where is use of close ups mean we are un-sure of where We are creating even more anticipation.
Tarantino also uses color in the opening fight scene, where the scenes of The house are very highly saturated this gives the scene a feel of fakery In the circumstance she is in. This way Tarantino Is making the scene Much more intriguing to the audience. The setting used as well is a setting not Common for a Thriller Movie, here he is challenging conventions but It is being done in an ironic way to show the hidden crime and that things aren’t What they seem. This is an intersexual reference to the film ‘Blue Velvet’
The red filter used creates connotations of danger, used as-well with the close up on the actors eyes also helps to establish the film as a Thriller as it creates tension along with the fast paced loud music.
Tarantino also uses Camera Angles To identify the film as a thriller, he does This by using close-ups, close-ups help The audience identify with the emotions the Character is going with and therefore feel Frightened with her, the use of close-ups also Means that we don’t see much of Bill and cannot Identify the surroundings which creates more Tension & an enigma. The tension built by this Helps to identify it as a thriller movie.
This is common to the close-up used in ‘Once upon a time In America’ this may have been a intertextual reference as the use Of violence in a way which builds it up i.e.; the man in ‘once upon a time In America’ getting beaten up until he reveals information and is threatened With a gun and the women in kill bill waiting to be shot by bill, both of This creates anticipation. Therefore it shows how Tarantino has used close-ups To establish Kill Bill as a thriller as it is a good way of creating anticipation Which Thriller aim to establish in the audience.