Customer Reviews

The Kill Bill Diary: The Making of a Tarantino Classic as Seen Through the Eyes of a Screen Legend

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Kill Bill Diary is sort of a hard book to review. I ended up giving it four stars because it's well written and engaging, but unfortunately very light. Carradine has done a wonderful job of chronicling his time spent working on the film, as well as shedding some light on both his process as an actor and what it's like as an actor to deal with studios such as Miramax (now the Weinstein Company), but the book tends to be a little off balance if only because it's so guarded. Carradine's prose is very interesting and comfortable, and the book reads very quickly, though in a very nice conversational way.

There is something to be desired in its Diary approach as the book struggles in this style choice, shifting between some all too expedited daily synopses to some almost uncomfortably personal correspondences (in particular a couple of gushing letters to Tarantino) with not much middle ground in between. Though at times Carradine's voice borders on arrogance (and with his lengthy body of work and his iconic rock star status after Kung Fu, who can blame him), he can just as easily come across as the most humble man on earth, so overall the POV of his experiences on the film come off almost pretty well balanced. At the end of the day though it's not as personal as one would think a "diary" would be, and because it tends towards skirting details it feels like he's holding back. Don't get me wrong, I think the book is very honest, and Carradine has a very positive outlook (I'm not expecting him to dish dirt or anything), but because he tends to hold back a little (either guardedly leaving out names or not really getting into detail) it reads a little flat or more like a blog instead of a book.

My biggest gripe with the book though is in its marketing. The back cover blurb makes the book out to be a "making-of" on the Kill Bill film when honestly it's really only about Carradine's time on the set which amounts to about a fourth of the film.

If you're looking for some light, behind the scenes reading on the film industry, this book is great, but if you are looking for "...an insider's close-up look at the film-making process and the astonishing cast and crew, ...the fine points of the actor's craft, ...[and a] breathtaking, no-holds-barred ... miraculous journey" (taken from the back cover) then you might be a little disappointed.

David Carradine's KILL BILL DIARY is unlike 90% of celebrity-penned 'behind-the-scenes' books: literate, insightful, witty and downright fun to read. Unlike 98.5% of actors who endeavor to wield a pen and express themselves in words, the man famous for playing "Kung Fu's" Kwai Chang Cain is as gifted a writer as he is a thespian.

True, the book reads like a valentine to KILL BILL director Quentin Tarantino (and to a lesser extent, KB star Uma Thurman); but Carradine's sentiments seem genuine, and therefore, tolerable. Anyone looking for insights into the production of the KILL BILL saga, and into the film business in general, will find them here. Much detail on the actor's life and career beyond the Tarantino film is provided, as well. Carradine's sharp eye for detail and self-deprecating humor make this a truly enjoyable read.

One flaw: the inclusion of on-set notes made by blogger Harry "Ain't It Cool" Knowles. Knowles' garbled, self-centered blather is a written version of the sound fingernails make when raked across a chalkboard. The only positive thing about this Knowles intrusion? It helps the reader to appreciate Carradine's graceful, articulate writing even more. Readers: do yourselves a favor and skip over the Harry Knowles pages. Author & Editors: in future editions, dump Knowles.

Overall, though, this is a wonderful work by an intelligent, perceptive writer. Let's hope David Carradine will be as prolific an author as he is an actor.

I finally finished this and I'm sad it's over. I can't call it 5-star worthy, because there are obvious flaws, but anyone who would take the time to read this, probably won't care about it. (If you hated the film why on earth would you read the book, right?).

This is actually NOT Carradine's first book (see Endless Highway, which is unfortunately out of print) and since I just started reading it, I can't say which I prefer, but Carradine's friendly narrative is what draws you in and keeps you reading even when the story flags. Like any journal there are some bits that maybe we could have lived without (much to much family stuff, but hey they sound great, so why not go on and on about them?) and of course his experience on Kill Bill was limited to the time he was involved.

This is certainly NOT a complete Making of Kill Bill. It's budget prohibited David being on the set except when he was needed so there are definite gaps in the "movie" story. This is more than made up for with Carradine's letters to Tarantino, dozens of "insider" details about his time on the set, his hope that this will revitalize his career and much more. Carradine is a fascianting dude. This more than comes across in the story!

The one thing I kept thinking throughout the story and even more so now as I see a cheesy tv commercial featuring Carradine, is that unlike John Travolta, Kill Bill did NOT revitalize Carradine's career in the same way. He has been in very little of note since he made Kill Bill. I'm glad he's working, but what happen to the "Tarantino Revitalization"?

This is a somewhat sad footnote to the story that leaves me curious. Bill "was" a career making performance and role. Perhaps it is a continuation of the industry's slight of the film (no Oscar nominations, mixed reviews, no respect, darn it). Very little was made of Uma Thurman's brilliant performance (even more of an Oscar slight in years when very few female performances were Oscar-worthy). Is the industry jealous of Tarantino? Was this there chance to exact a little revenge on the bad boy outsider?

But I'll get off my tangent for now (it was afterall inspired by Carradine's optimism). To sum up: Read It! It's fun. It's gossipy. It's insightful. It's never boring! Some great color photos round out the text. Let's hope that Carradine is still acting and writing for some time. Thanks to Tarantino for making it all possible. And how about reprinting "Endless Highway" someone, anyone?

Before Tarantino, David Carradine was--and I'm quoting here, so don't think I'm dissing--a "cult actor who couldn't get work". As I imagine this sums up many opinions, the reader can forgive much from Carradine's production diary. And there's much to forgive, but it's always fun. Carradine's an engaging writer: parts puffy testosterone and lowly gratitude, arrogance and wide-eyed observer. He's everything you'd think (or fear), but never, ever pompous. And the star of the book--the superhero who comes off looking like a mutant crusader for film--is the ever-enthusiastic Tarantino. No wonder the cover quotes Quentin as saying--or yelling--, "I LOVED it!"

Carradine raps on everything--Thurman and Hannah's beauty, the weirdness of China, even Einstein: "Someone once asked Einstein if the universe was infinite. And he said, 'No. But it's ALMOST infinite.' Albert was one of the greatest stand-up comics of all time; I mean, look at his hair. He had to know that was funny. And I think the mustache was camouflage, to hide the secret smile."

Carradine takes the reader to production meetings, through fabulous sets, and out of snaffus that boggle the organized mind. Tarantino chucks out whole scenes, changes plot mid-stream, and coaxes grand performances out of everyone with a winning smile and hyperactive energy. I'd dearly like to know him, and now feel that I do.

Sure this book is mostly fluff, but underneath the glitz, we glimpse the sobering life of an aging minor (if cultic) star, and the gratitude with which he receives a second career. I actually held my breath at Carradine's bravery--one whole chapter is dedicated to a nightmare variation to the naked in class-taking the test you forgot in the course you never attended--dream, but on the set, his elusive script forever out of reach. The anxiety expressed here, the fear that something could go wrong with his comeback, is a universal fear anyone past the age of 30 can relate to, and I thought it was human of him to express it. Well, after all, it is a diary of sorts!

I found this book enjoyable, and a lot more thought-provoking--and fun--than I feared it would be. I hope he writes more.

Actor David Carradine who plays the lead character in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill has written a detailed, skillfull, highly involved study of those films and his role in them. Reading the pages is like what I would imagine speaking to Carradine himself would be easy going laid back commentary that never strays from a particular day as the book is laid out in sequence from his first meeting with Quentin to that final premier. What a superb job Carradine has accomplished! I finished the book in two sittings, and now am reading it again it is that good! For those who loved the two films, and also for those who have never seen Tarantino's movies it is a wonderful, insightful, and thought provoking read. David Carradine the actor, martial arts expert, musician, television and film star can add one more credit to his life that of a very excellent author!

If you are curious about what life on a movie set is like -- this is your book. There is none finer. I have read this book three times --- gets better every time. Jesse Vint author of THE FILM ACTOR'S HANDBOOK

This is an immensely readable journal of the the making of a movie from the viewpoint of one of it's actors. David Carradine was an extremely gifted and talented person, much under-rated and unjustly maligned throughout his career. His wit and humor, sometimes self deprecating, are evident throughout. I highly recommend this book not only for lovers and students of film, but for anyone who appreciated this quixotic and talented performer.

Carradine's candid detailing of the daily grind of starring as the title character in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill is a fascinating and honest look at the process of movie making.

As a filmmaker myself, one of the things I most enjoy is the bond formed between cast and crew. When thing's are going well, being on set is like being a part of a secret club that the audience rarely gets to be a part of. This book puts the reader onto the set to see all the pain and passion that goes into creating art.

Like Robert Rodriuguez's "Rebel Without a Crew" before it, this book should be a filmmaker's Bible for what to do and what not to do. Fan's of film and especially Tarantino, should find it to be a very entertaining read.

i found the book very interesting . i would have to add that i am a huge Tarantino fan who loved kill Bill so im probally pretty biased on this one .

Congratulations David on an excellent book. It takes courage to be as open and personal as you are in the Kill Bill Diary.