Kill Bill: Volume 2 (2004) - 37 questions

Question: Is there any way of finding out how far the Bride had to walk to get back to Budd's trailer after she got out of the coffin?

Answer: Sadly, it seems that this information is unknown, as there is no mention of it in the film, nor any interviews with Quentin Tarantino, as I presume it wasn't deemed important enough to mention.

Question: When Bill and the Bride are outside by a campfire, Bill begins to tell her a story about Pai Mei that started in the year "One double ought three" (1003). Does the Chinese calendar differ from our Western one? If so, how? Or is Pai Mei over one thousand years old? (which I doubt, but you never know).

Answer: Yes, Pai Mei is supposedly that old. The character is a recurring one, who has made appearances in numerous films set in equally numerous time periods.

Question: I never understood this part of the movie, but can someone explain why the Bride is weeping and saying 'thank you' on the bathroom floor the next morning?

Answer: She's saying "Thank you" because she has completed her quest. Her tears are happy tears. She exacted her revenge on the people who hurt her and she now has her daughter; something she never expected as she assumed B.B. was dead.

Question: Why did Elle kill Budd? Was it really just to get her hands on Kiddo's sword? or was it more to it? As poor as he was seems like she could have just offered him a small amount of money for it. Why kill him?

Answer: The way she talks to Budd as he lies dying, seems to indicate that she has disliked and hated him for years, plus the fact that she feels that he was not "worthy" of killing Kiddo (seeing how Kiddo was a fantastic warrior, while Budd is an alcoholic hick). However, it would be difficult for her to get close enough to kill him earlier, as he would not buy any excuse why she just came visiting. But when Budd actually invites her over, she gets a chance to get back at him, and in the same while take the credit for killing the Bride and retrieving her Hanzo sword for Bill. Vengeance and personal gain in one swoop.

Question: Specifically HOW would Pai Mei have taught the "five point palm exploding heart technique" to the Bride? We all know she trained with him for months. Bill (and the film generally) makes that very clear. Could someone simplify this for me?

Answer: The same way he would have taught her any other dangerous or esoteric techniques. Most likely, he would show her the precise way to position the fingers, precisely when and where to strike and then have her practice until she could do it correctly in an instant. In addition, a training aid such as a dummy would also help her know exactly how much force to use, as well as letting Pai Mei judge whether or not she did everything correctly and correct any flaws. But it really is impossible to do anything but speculate on this, as techniques like this and the teachings thereof are deliberately not shown to the general public (if they even exist, that is), and so the only ones who know how to teach this will not give away any hints or reveal any special training methods they use.

Question: How would Pai Mei have taught the 'five point palm exploding heart' technique to Beatrix?

Answer: She trained with him for months.

Question: Right before Kiddo is accepted under Pai Mei, she asks when she will see Bill again. Bill's response to the question is it's the title to his favorite 70s soul song. What song is he refering to?

Answer: It wasn't his response. She says "When will I see you again?" - He is saying that "When Will I See You Again" is the name of his favorite 70's soul song, not that the answer to her question is his favorite song. Confusing at first, I know.

Question: When Pai Mai has Beatrix's arm twisted around, is there a special name for that 'move.'

Answer: The position her hand is in is known as the 'Swan's Neck' - by forcing the palm of the hand towards the inner forearm, it creates immense pain centering around the wrist.

Question: Why does Claritas mouth look so strange?

Answer: Esteban disfigured her as punishment for her trying to leave his employ.

Question: What is the title of the song playing when Bill is dying after the Bride performs the five point exploding heart on him?

Answer: Taken Directly from imdb.com: The music that plays during Bill's (David Carradine) death scene is the theme from the film Navajo Joe (1966). It can also be heard in the film Election (1999) during the scene where Tracy (Reese Witherspoon) tears down the posters in the school's hallway.

Question: Why would Daryl Hannah not have used her cell phone to call for help in Bud's trailer after her eye was pulled out?

Answer: There is nothing to say this didn't happen. The last we see or hear from Hannah's character is when Uma Thurman leaves the trailer. At the time Thurman leaves Hannah's character she is obviously still in considerable pain and what she did after this is open to debate.

Question: When Pai Mai strokes his long white beard, is that a homage to something?

Answer: The character of Pai Mei is an homage to Chinese martial arts films from the 70s and 80s. The act of stroking a long, white, and usually fake beard was seen in nearly all of these movies.

Question: Anyone have any idea what kind of drink Budd was making in his trailer for him and Elle?

Answer: I believe he was attempting a frozen margarita.

Question: What cartoon is B.B watching near the end of the film?

Answer: The cartoon is called "Heckle and Jeckle" about two magpies and their misadventures.

Question: Why was the start of Kill Bill 2 in B/W? It wasn't to tone down on the violence (as there is none), so why?

Answer: It was just a Tarantino stylistic (most likely as it's a flashback). Just one of his many homages (as many kung fu movies did the same).

Question: I heard Warren Beatty was considered to play the role of Bill. True?

Answer: Yes it's true. Also Kevin Costner was considered, before David Carradine got the role.

Question: Budd's gun apparently had 'rock salt' in it. What is rock salt though?

Answer: Rock Salt is salt that is in huge grains, about the size of the grains in kitty litter or grape-nuts cereal. It's used in ice cream makers and water softeners among other things.

Question: Can someone explain the whole thing about the dart being shot into Beatrix's leg by Bill. What did it do?

Answer: It was a truth serum so Bill could make sure Beatrix would tell him the truth when he asked her the three questions.

Question: What's having with the DVD releases of this film and the original? I've heard numerous reports that there are going to be special editions of both DVD's released soon, so I'm loathe to buy the feature-light ones that are out at the moment, but so far nothing has been announced. Also, is there going to be a box set released? Lastly, is the version that Tarantino screened at a recent film festival (both volumes edited together into one movie) ever going to be released?

Answer: I recently heard talk on a reliable website that a Kill Bill Special edition was going to be released later this year and that an announcement should be made soon but nothing more definite than that. The main reason for the long delay was that Tarantino wanted to re-edit the two films together to make the one film (as you mentioned) and then have it re-released. As for what the special edition will contain or even if it will be released as one film is anyone's guess at this point.

Question: Is there a reason that Bill didn't mention anything to The Bride at their final meeting about her killing his brother? I would think he would be a little upset when Elle told him his brother died at the hands of the Black Mamba.

Answer: Considering the condition his brother's life was in, he may have considered it a mercy killing. In any event, there was no reason to ask her as he already knew why she killed him, and as his brother said she deserved her revenge. Bill most likely accepted that his brother got what he deserved, like the rest of her victims.