SSC Film Studies

'How is the experience of shock created in your chosen extract?'

The extract I have chosen to answer this question a scene in Kill Bill: Vol. 2, in which The Bride fights Elle Driver and removes her other eye. The scene begins with an ECU of Elle staring directly into the camera, she is laughing at the start of the scene - before, some really awkward plot exposition, she reveal that she killed The Brides master and plans on killing her next. Very dramatic loud music fades out as the camera pans back to a CU. As the two females prepare to fight, they correct their stance and draw their swords, these shots are drawn out and very load, preparing the audience for a very big and long awaited fight between the two. At first, there is various CU shot of both the characters staring into the camera, this is to make aware to the audience that this fight is purely between them. These shots are edited around the tense music, the loud 'Jaws-like' sound gets closer and closer, meaning the shots are shorter. This music drowns out the rest of the scene, adding drama and suspense.

The two finally clash, they stare at each other - once again no less. Until the suspense is dropped and a short ending is revealed to the audience. The Bride quickly takes out Elle's last eye, blinding her fully. The Bride then drops the eye, and stands on it with her bare-foot. The fast ending to the fight fuelled with so much suspense may be seen as shocking to the audience, as this is non-conventional to the action genre and more specifically to the film - in many fights in the Kill Bill franchise, the characters will trade blows until a winner is established. Also, the bare-foot eye shot may be seen as shocking to the audience, the action makes a loud and iconic squelching sound and the special effects are great and realistic.