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Topic: Tarantino's use of Black and White

There are 2 scenes i'm thinking of...

1. In Kill Bill when Uma is fighting the Crazy 88 in the bar and the color shifts to black and white
2. In Death Proof when Kurt Russell licks Rosario Dawsons foot and it's in black and white

I know he shifts to black and white in Kill Bill so avoid showing too much red blood to get it past the censors but does anyone else think that Tarantino sucks at black and white? In both cases the switch to black and white looks completely unmotivated and when it is in black and white the shots do not look they are lit properly... lighting is supposed to be done differently for B/W compared to color..

Does he do it to make his films look artier or something?? If so, that's silly..

Re: Tarantino's use of Black and White

Yes actually I find that artistic (but that's just me)

Last edited by KatJennings (2011-02-22 08:12:51)

Re: Tarantino's use of Black and White

great eye there, Ms, and I think I would have to agree upon pulling out my copy of DP and giving it a quick look.  The cinematography (Quentin's own) does seem rather lacking in comparison.
I don't recall that issue with Kill Bill; however, I'm not saying it's not there, I just don't have time to assess it right now.

Overall, I feel the device (from color to b&w) itself is too often employed to give things an 'artsy feel' that usually isn't needed IMO

Last edited by deadhorse13 (2011-02-22 13:35:35)

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Re: Tarantino's use of Black and White

The switch to b&w in Kill Bill -- you're correct, he did this to avoid issues with the MPAA due to excessive bloodletting.

As for Death Proof, I didn't like it the switch in it.  It did seem like b&w purely for the sake of b&w.  Maybe he did it because there wasn't really a lot going on in that scene and he thought a visual trick would add some punch.  He was mistaken. 

Incidentally that b&w scene is only available in the uncut version.  It wasn't included in the theatrical release.

Last edited by LoudLon (2011-02-22 12:00:09)

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Re: Tarantino's use of Black and White

I think that scene is the major flaw of Kill Bill... It makes me cringe every time.. The switch being motivated by the producers best interest and not the films, further proves that it's out of place.

As for DP, i also found it unnecessary.. But then again maybe Quentin thought someone licking a foot in B&W would be sexier...

Re: Tarantino's use of Black and White

hell, knowing Quentin it could easily be some homage to some other film that we can't place LOL

Last edited by deadhorse13 (2011-02-22 18:05:53)

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Re: Tarantino's use of Black and White

Yeah so i watched DP yesterday.. and i noticed when Stuntman Mike was taking photos of the 2nd group of girls that it may be a homage.. The shot is from the cameras POV and the shot pauses for a second when he takes the photo.. I was thinking either "Peeping Tom" or the beginning of "The Bird With the Crystal Plumage"..

Re: Tarantino's use of Black and White

hmm interesting, you make me want to give DP another look, too

that's one of the things that's so cool about Jackie Brown - all sorts of nods throughout the production.
I once came upon a Quentin board and some thread had broken down every reference they could find of other films in his films. I wish I had saved it.

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Re: Tarantino's use of Black and White

Yes, the sequence with my avatar's namesake taking pics of the second group of girls was a reference to Bird with the Crystal Plumage (I had originally included this tid-bit in that Argento article I did but took it out during revisions lol ).

Last edited by LoudLon (2011-02-22 19:42:45)

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Re: Tarantino's use of Black and White

Weird, I came across this earlier today about all the other movies Kill Bill references.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3yY1FsT1cA

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Re: Tarantino's use of Black and White

LoudLon wrote:

Yes, the sequence with my avatar's namesake taking pics of the second group of girls was a reference to Bird with the Crystal Plumage (I had originally included this tid-bit in that Argento article I did but took it out during revisions lol ).

haha i knew it!

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Re: Tarantino's use of Black and White

mdc666 wrote:

Weird, I came across this earlier today about all the other movies Kill Bill references.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3yY1FsT1cA

sweet video but i think they are clutching at straws for a few of them... and Tarantino obviously loves feet..

Re: Tarantino's use of Black and White

agreed
http://getkempt.com/photos/assets/qt_crop.jpg

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Re: Tarantino's use of Black and White

Would you give a guy a foot massage?
Fuck you
You give em alot? LOL

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Re: Tarantino's use of Black and White

The best is when Salma Hayek puts her foot in his mouth and pours liquor down her leg..

Re: Tarantino's use of Black and White

That's the one thing I don't like about Tarantino flicks -- when he inserts a close up of a foot.

I hate feet.  I'm glad mine are all the way at the other end of my body where I don't have to look at them.

Re: Tarantino's use of Black and White

LOL @ Lon. 

Surv said, "I'd look at your feet, Lonnie Poo."

But not me.  I hate feet.  Blech.
You also get extensive foot footage in DP when they're hanging out the window all over.

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Re: Tarantino's use of Black and White

I had heard that Kill Bill 1&2 were going to be re-released on DVD as one flick and all the B&W scenes would be in color but that never happened. sad

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Re: Tarantino's use of Black and White

ChainSaW80 wrote:

I had heard that Kill Bill 1&2 were going to be re-released on DVD as one flick and all the B&W scenes would be in color but that never happened. sad

That would be sweet..

Re: Tarantino's use of Black and White

moviemaven wrote:

LOL @ Lon. 

Surv said, "I'd look at your feet, Lonnie Poo."

Sister, he can have 'em! lol

Chainsaw -- my understanding is the sequence is in full color on the Japanese DVD release from '04.

Re: Tarantino's use of Black and White

^i believe I heard that too. There was actually a thread on here about it way back when. Seems like they even posted a picture of the DVD box art and everything.

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Re: Tarantino's use of Black and White

Really? I'd be interested in buying it..

Last edited by Ms45 (2011-02-22 23:38:42)

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Re: Tarantino's use of Black and White

wow this is news to me.. Has anyone here seen the uncut edition?

Re: Tarantino's use of Black and White

I'm not sure if it's available uncut yet.  I know a couple years back they were supposed to release both films on one set called Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair but they haven't yet, and when they will -- if they will -- is pretty much anyone's guess.

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Re: Tarantino's use of Black and White

Well i found the Japanese version on ebay.. it claims to be uncut and explains that there is an extra 2 mins of footage restored as well as the crazy 88 scene in color.. I think i might buy it..

I don't know if i could ever sit through a four hour version of Kill Bill..

Last edited by Ms45 (2011-02-23 01:34:21)