KILL BILL VOLUME 2 - Q&A with Quentin Tarantino
Movie Interview by Neils Hesse
London Press Conference with Quentin Tarantino via satellite.
This film is quite an achievement for you, your view?
I can imagine that I was quite possessed on this one, like a mountain climber putting a flag on Everest.
What next?
Some individual characters form KILL BILL could be in their pieces, as I know all these characters so well, I'm thinking of some graphic novels and an anime feature chronicling the life of Bill and his foster fathers from the age of thirteen and then the sequel to these two with Vivica's character's daughter seeking revenge.
Did you have any doubts about splitting the film up?
The first one was cool, but when I had finished it I had virtually nothing for the second one, so maybe a little worry but no doubts in my vision.
When you raided the stars' wardrobes did you pick up Samuel L Jackson as well?
Well he read the script and he loves kung fu films so he said you gotta put me in this film man, and I said there's no part for you in it and he said he was feeling the organ player bit and then we basically worked out that bit of dialogue on the day.
Did or do you experience self-doubt?
I don't have much doubt but I'm a movie fan and I made this movie for my tastes and I was just betting that there's people with my tastes out there.
Is there anything in your movies or others that has turned your stomach?
In mine no. But in others yes very much for example when Johnny Knoxville put leeches in his mouth that was yeesh!
David and Darryl have had a good career revival thanks to you any British acts you'd like to revive?
Yes, Tommy Steele, Dick Van Dyke and Christopher Lee.
Q (From Phase9 Reporter Neils Hesse)
What happened to INGLORIOUS BASTARDS and you once spoke of BODY MELT, do you plan to make a remake of it?
I am going to do a DIRTY DOZEN type movie and if I could get a good horror film that I could do cheaply I would do it.
What is your reaction to the box office takings?
It is pretty terrific, I worked on this baby for 4 years, it is great, it would be anti-climatic if it didn't get so well received.
Any more plans for acting for you?
I've been working on KILL BILL, I did some stuff for TV on ALIAS but if I got a good role or if there was a role that was right for me in one of my films I'd do it. There wasn't anything for me in this one.
Why was the Michael Jai White scene cut?
It wasn't right, but I pretty much used everything else, it's on the DVD though.
Do you think that you will surprise Cannes with your choice of films?
It is cool to go there as president, he is not a bully, he pretty much decides the aesthetic of the jury. I've had a lot of fun at the Edinburgh film festival.
Is KILL BILL encouraging violence towards women?
No.
Does it glamorize violence?
No
Who is the best fighter?
Well they all learnt movie kung fu not real kung fu, so for movie kung fu it'd be Uma Thurman as she had to learn all sorts of positions and styles.
You did it as well?
Yeh I wasn't going to let the girls have all the fun, besides they probably didn't even want to, so I learnt the Pei Mai stuff the Tiger Claw.
Which volume is your favourite?
I consider them as one movie.
Any plans for a James Bond movie?
No serious discussions although I have spoken to Pierce Brosnan and I would like to do CASINO ROYALE just as it is in the book, small budget and true to the book. The funny one they made long ago was crap.
Would you cast Simon Cowell?
I think he is a great critic not actor.
Would you like to do a full version of both volumes?
I did a special version for Japan which has only been shown in Japan and China and it will be shown at Cannes from VOLUME 1 to 2.
Anything you would have done differently?
Gone too long that's all. I'm me, I like my stuff.
Whom would you pick for your Bond girl?
I don't know although there was a martini named after that character from CASINO ROYALE.
Michael Madsen is a hard man in the films but is he actually a big softie on set?
He walks around writing poetry and his poems are about how miserable it is to be stuck on a crap movie set with a bunch of wankers, but when I asked him why there was nothing about our set he said that he has fun on my sets so he doesn't write that shit about them. He has like seven kids and he's a really sweet dad.
You are famous for quotable bits of dialogue, how do you decide what's good?
Well first the crew hear it and like it but it only really takes form when an actor reads it out, like when Harvey Keitel first read out "Let's not start sucking each other's dicks quite yet" in RESERVOIR DOGS he said it in such a funny way.
You were very nice on AMERICAN IDOL, are you just a nice guy?
Yes I am, but nobody is completely rubbish on that show anyway but if I'm not your fan I will let you know.
