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Three hosts of the 3 Guys and a Flick movie review podcast with movie-themed background.
🎙 Podcast Episode 113

Kill Bill: Volume 1

Join the Guys as they unsheathe Quentin Tarantino’s 2003 revenge epic starring Uma Thurman, Lucy Liu, Vivica A. Fox, Daryl Hannah, David Carradine, Michael Madsen, Julie Dreyfus, Chiaki Kuriyama, and Sonny Chiba — a blood-soaked, genre-blending blast of kung fu, samurai cinema, anime, spaghetti westerns, and one very angry Bride.

Release Date October 10, 2003
Runtime 111 minutes
Director Quentin Tarantino
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3 Guys and a Flick — Episode 113

Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003)

ⓘ Details

Movie TitleKill Bill: Volume 1
Release DateOctober 10, 2003
TaglineHere comes the bride.
Runtime111 minutes
DirectorQuentin Tarantino
Screenplay Written ByQuentin Tarantino
Characters ByQuentin Tarantino and Uma Thurman
Is It a Remake?No. It is the first half of Tarantino’s original Kill Bill revenge saga.
BudgetApproximately $30 million
Box OfficeApprox. $70.1 million domestic / Approx. $180.9 million worldwide
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👥 Main Cast

Uma ThurmanThe Bride / Black Mamba
Lucy LiuO-Ren Ishii / Cottonmouth
Vivica A. FoxVernita Green / Copperhead
Daryl HannahElle Driver / California Mountain Snake
David CarradineBill
Michael MadsenBudd / Sidewinder
Julie DreyfusSofie Fatale
Chiaki KuriyamaGogo Yubari
Sonny ChibaHattori Hanzo
Michael ParksEarl McGraw
Michael BowenBuck
Jun KunimuraBoss Tanaka
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🏆 Awards

⭐ Golden Globe Nominee — Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama, Uma Thurman
⭐ BAFTA Nominee — Best Actress in a Leading Role, Uma Thurman
⭐ BAFTA Nominee — Best Editing
⭐ BAFTA Nominee — Best Sound
⭐ Saturn Award Nominee — Best Action / Adventure / Thriller Film
⭐ No verified Academy Award nominations found.
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📖 Short Plot Summary

After waking from a four-year coma, a former assassin known as The Bride sets out to kill the people who betrayed her during a wedding rehearsal massacre. Her revenge trail begins with Vernita Green and leads to Tokyo, where she faces O-Ren Ishii, Gogo Yubari, and the Crazy 88 in a brutal showdown. One name remains at the top of her list: Bill.
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❝ Key Quotes

“Revenge is a dish best served cold.”
“When fortune smiles on something as violent and ugly as revenge, it seems proof like no other that not only does God exist, you’re doing His will.” — The Bride
“Silly Caucasian girl likes to play with samurai swords.” — O-Ren Ishii
“Those of you lucky enough to still have your lives, take them with you.” — The Bride
“That really was a Hattori Hanzo sword.” — Sofie Fatale
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💡 Trivia

Director

  • Kill Bill: Volume 1 was written and directed by Quentin Tarantino.
  • The film is the first half of the larger Kill Bill story, later followed by Kill Bill: Volume 2.
  • The 3 Guys and a Flick ratings page lists the film as Episode 113 with Quentin Tarantino as director.

Cast / Casting

  • Uma Thurman stars as The Bride, a character she created with Tarantino.
  • Lucy Liu plays O-Ren Ishii, the Tokyo underworld boss and former Deadly Viper assassin.
  • Vivica A. Fox plays Vernita Green, the first target shown in the Bride’s revenge mission.
  • Sonny Chiba plays sword maker Hattori Hanzo, tying the film directly to Japanese action-cinema influence.

Soundtrack / Score

  • The soundtrack was curated by Quentin Tarantino and features music from multiple film and pop sources.
  • RZA contributed original music and helped shape the film’s martial-arts soundscape.
  • The film memorably uses “Battle Without Honor or Humanity” by Tomoyasu Hotei and “Woo Hoo” by The 5.6.7.8’s.

Location

  • The story moves from the United States to Okinawa and Tokyo.
  • Filming locations included California, Texas, Mexico, China, and Japan.
  • The House of Blue Leaves sequence became the film’s major Tokyo-set action centerpiece.

Behind-The-Scenes

  • The Kill Bill saga was originally planned as one film before being split into two theatrical volumes.
  • The anime sequence depicting O-Ren Ishii’s backstory was produced by Production I.G.
  • The film was released by Miramax on October 10, 2003.
  • The film grossed approximately $180.9 million worldwide against an estimated $30 million budget.

Nostalgia

  • Kill Bill: Volume 1 became one of the defining action-revenge films of the early 2000s.
  • The yellow tracksuit, Hattori Hanzo sword, Crazy 88 fight, and O-Ren duel remain among the film’s most iconic images.
  • The film’s blend of kung fu, samurai cinema, exploitation, anime, and western influences helped make it a major cult favorite.

Easter Eggs

  • The Bride’s yellow outfit is a clear homage to Bruce Lee’s jumpsuit from Game of Death.
  • Hattori Hanzo shares a name with Sonny Chiba’s character from the Japanese series Shadow Warriors.
  • The film’s chapter structure, split chronology, and genre shifts continue Tarantino’s signature storytelling style.

Misc.

  • Kill Bill: Volume 1 was released in the United States on October 10, 2003.
  • The movie runs 111 minutes.
  • The film is rated R for strong bloody violence, language, and some sexual content.
  • Your 3 Guys and a Flick ratings page lists Don at 4.75, Ken at 4.75, Jon at 5.00, and the Overall Rating as 4.83.
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🔗 Sources Cited

3 Guys and a Flick — Ratings IMDb — Kill Bill: Vol. 1 IMDb — Full Cast & Crew IMDb — Awards IMDb — Quotes Golden Globes — Kill Bill: Vol. 1 Box Office Mojo — Kill Bill: Vol. 1 The Numbers — Kill Bill: Vol. 1 Rotten Tomatoes — Kill Bill: Vol. 1 Wikipedia — Kill Bill: Volume 1
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