How successful is the opening scene in Kill Bill as a thriller?

How successful is the opening scene as a thriller film?

Kill Bill is a very successful opening to a thriller film for many different reasons. The main aim of an opening of a thriller is to thrill the audience, intrigue them, and to also keep them in suspense. There are many codes and conventions of a thriller in this clip that prove that this opening sequence is a successful one. The first thing that we see is the quote “ revenge is a dish best served cold”. The quote clearly establishes the theme, and suggests it be a thriller. The opening is so intriguing because all that we see for the first 6 seconds is this quote.

The length of the quote allows for us to read it slowly, and take it all in.

We hear asynchronous sounds which are very mysterious. The sound in non-diegetic, this is because we can hear the panting, however we cannot see it as there is a title overlaid over the top.

The next thing we see is a woman with a veil on (this is Uma Thurman), she is framed precisely using the rule of thirds. The close up shot is effective as it only shows us Uma, and makes us focus our attention on her and nothing around her. The woman is wearing a veil, and this is an example of how a binary opposite is used. It appears to be her wedding day, however she is covered in blood and is clearly distressed.

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The footstep sounds have been created using Foley sounds. At first, we can hear the footsteps, but not see where the noise is coming from. This is once again non-diegetic sound, and the director does this so the audience wonders where the noise is coming from. The noise itself is very powerful, and definitely connotes confidence. A tracking camera shot is used so that the audience feel as though we are there, this is used to create mood within the scene, and also to let the audience know that something bad is about to happen and violence is inevitable.

The director portrays Uma as helpless, he does this by covering her face in blood and it is obvious to the audience that she has been attacked and hurt. This is an example of mise-en-scene- the costume and setting, a very common convention of films in this genre.


Mise-en-scene has also been used by showing Bill's shoes. They are black, emphasising the importance of the dark colours, which commonly connote evil. His overall portrayal makes him seem important, his boots suggest a certain ‘swagger’ as well as portraying him as important due to not only the smart shoes, but his trousers appear rather smart also. The director has made this opening scene very effective and costume has helped him.

One of the things that Bill said was “there’s nothing evil in my actions”. From this short phrase the audience gets the impression that Bill already knows her, and he does actually care for her. We assume that by wiping her bleeding face he is helping her, however by his arrogant catwalk over to her, can we really trust him? This is a very successful opening because the audience are desperate to know who this mysterious man is.

The opening is also in black and white, we know that the rest of the film is in colour, so we automatically assume that this might be a flashback. Therefore suggest that the bleeding woman in the veil is still alive, once again sparking curiousity. I definitely feel intrigued, and certainly wish to continue watching the film.

When we first see Bill, we only see small parts of his body, for example, his feet. This type of shot has been used by the director to create intensity and give a sense of mystery to Bill's character. We begin to wonder, who is this man?

The audience's attention is brought to his hand wiping away the blood on Uma's face due to the fact that not much of his whole body is revealed.


When Bill begins to speak, the audience's attention is immediately and attracted as this is the first dialogue that we hear in the whole film. When Bill speaks, he uses a very vengeful tone, this demonstrates that he is the one who is control in the scene, showing that Bill is the superior person.

At the end of this scene, we hear the woman say “it’s your baby” which is certainly a nail biting cliff hanger, because as soon as the first syllable of “baby” is uttered from her lips, in almost synchronisation she is shot by the mysterious man. The gun shot is very loud, and although know that the woman will be shot, it still comes as a shock to us.

A soundtrack is introduced as the titles begin to appear. The song was pre-recorded and released before the film, hence why it is referred to as a sound track. The song is very befitting, and makes it a very successful opening.

The main question that is asked by the audience is why Uma was shot by Bill


The blood splatter is obviously not real, but by using this convention, we know instantly that they genre is either thriller, or horror. However, in this instance it is a thriller film.


The first title clearly states the director as being Quentin Tarantino. He is the first selling point of this thriller. He is very famous, and that is partly why many people will have gone to see this film. A director who is well-known can really enhance box office. By displaying the name of the director, it leaves the audience even more intrigued and desperate to watch more of the renowned director’s work.

This is the name of the star, she is the second selling point of this thriller. Using a celebrities name is a useful technique which in this case clearly lets the viewer know that the woman they just saw, is in fact Uma Thurman, the main character.

Conclusion:In my opinion, this is an extremely successful opening. It leaves the audience questioning what is going to happen next, and the whole storyline behind the film. It has many codes and conventions of a common thriller, and is certainly recognisable as something from the thriller genre.

What have I learned from this which I could use in my own opening?

Overall, I have learned that sometimes, less is more. I believe that a successful thriller doesn’t always need lots of different shots, several, more though provoking shots are often better.

I would like to create content as high is mystery as this opening. I feel that it leaves a lasting impression, something that sticks in your mind is the ultimate aim for any filmmaker/director.

In my thriller, perhaps it will have more characters, but I do not wish to confuse my audience. The opening must captivate the audience, and a flashback is a great idea. I could try and incorporate a flashback. Copying another film shot-for-shot is not original, and is never the goal for a well-respected filmmaker. I would like to base my opening on something similar, but my own unique twist must be evident and recognisable.

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How successful is the opening scene in Kill Bill as a thriller?