The Whole Bloody Affair

There is one man who shows us again and again why the Hollywood machine is a detriment to Cinema. Quentin Tarantino. He is truly brilliant, and when he delivers a four hour movie complete with an intermission, the studio lucky enough to have that treat land in their laps should sit back and just let it happen.
Last night I had the ultimate privilege of going to my favorite L.A. theater, the Beverly Cinema to see Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair screened in it's entirety. The exact same film reels used at the Cannes Film Festival, complete with French subtitles. It was in a word, GLORIOUS. I owe a slap to whoever made him hack and cut this into two parts. Now don't get me wrong, Kill Bill Vol:1 & 2 are amazing. Up to this point, I really couldn't see how the complete version could have been that much better. I obviously am seriously lacking in imagination.

First of all, it was unrated. No MPA imposed b&w over the slaughter of the Crazy 88's. Which was extended on top of that fact and really, you miss so much of the art and effort put into that scene. There are some magnificent, ridiculously long, shots which follow characters around and switch perspectives all in a seamless movement. The animated origin of O-Ren Ishii is extended and shows some truly brutal carnage.My favorite aspect of seeing this film in it's original form is the fact that while split in two the second film seemed lacking, when released as one film the story and the arc and the plot all moves along perfectly. The structure is perfect, everything is awesome. This really needs to be released on DVD or Blue-Ray so that everyone can experience it.

Also, according to Tarantino, Kill Bill 2 (or 3 depending on how you look at it...) will take place 10 years after the resolution of the original film. Giving B.B. Time to grow and have a normal life. I'm hoping, that she'll be right beside her mother kicking ass, cause that kid had a sadistic side. Who's with me?

"Are you gonna pull those pistols or whistle Dixie? "

It's either one thing or the other. Tonight, it was a legend of old Hollywood and Modern Cinema. The king of the spaghetti western. The muse of Sergio Leone. The Man with No Name. Dirty Harry himself.
If you haven't caught it yet I don't know what to do with you.

It's come to my attention that I have a proclivity to run into my hero's. Not exactly something to be ashamed of, even when the "run in" only consists of eyes meeting over check out stands at a busy store on a Saturday night.
This Saturday night, I had the awesome fortune to bump into the man himself, Mr. Clint Eastwood. Words cannot explain how much I love this guy, but I'll try. I grew up in a "rustic" area of northern California where cowboys were a common sight, and the cow that lived in the pasture who I called Omar was affectionately called "dinner" by my non-to-tactful father. Western's were a staple of our household and classics such as The Outlaw Josey Wales, The Man With No Name Trilogy, and High Plains Drifter were often viewed and highly adored.

Now past his gunslinging youth, Mr Eastwood continues to wow the World with his stunning Directorial masterpieces (starting in 1971 with Play Misty For Me). Films like Million Dollar Baby, and Grand Torino all of which are critically acclaimed, and rightfully so.
Long story short, I've come to accept the fact that when I decide to frolic off to Whole Food's at 8pm on a Saturday because I'm craving Chocolate Almond Milk, I should listen. Because it allows me to snap hella sketchy cellphone pics of my idols.

"Right turn, Clyde."

It's Go Go, Not Cry Cry.

To say that I'm a big fan of Quentin Tarantino is an understatement. I LOVE his movies, I LOVE his writing, I LOVE his sense of humor, I LOVE the movies he produces... It's just an all around love fest.
Needless to say, when I heard that in celebration of his birthday this month Tarantino was hand selecting all the movies scheduled to play at his New Beverly Cinema,  I was very excited. Even more excited when I found out that one of those nights included a triple feature:
Planet Terror, Death Proof, and Machete. Three of my favorite movies, two of which are by the great Robert Rodriguez. (who I also love. And can I just fan girl for a moment to say holy shit is this man attractive.... wow. okay, I'm done. Maybe.)

The new Beverly Cinema is amazing. They have a great line-up of classic movies, they have great priced snacks, ($1 junior mints? Hell yeah.) the seats are pretty comfy, and it's extremely intimate. In a good way. If I was basing my night solely on the fact that I got to sit and watch some epic movies in this great little theater, that alone would have been a solid night. But it gets better.

I met Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez. They came to sit in the crowd and enjoy watching their films on screen, and even did a little intro before hand. Quentin also hand selected the old school commercials and trailers that accompanied the film, saying that this is the way the had wanted the movie to be shown in theaters when it was released, and now at their own theater they could force us to watch whatever they wanted. :-p They were really funny, and sooo unbelievably great. I ran over to chat them up during intermission and while I couldn't have made a bigger stuttering/baffoony mess of myself, (including saying some of the most bizarre compliments...) They couldn't have been more personable, gracious and amazing. If you get the chance to meet either of these amazing directors, don't hesitate. You won't regret it. I know I can cross it off of my list of things to do before I die. Although I would love a chance to make a second more coherent impression...

Till next time.