By Thom Fowler
October 3, 2003
Quentin Tarantino’s KILL BILL PART ONE had its premiere on September 29th at the Graumann’s Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles. PART ONE is heavily inspired by Japanese and Asian culture with a blend of martial arts, anime, samurais and ninjas and even the poster borrows heavily from a Samurai aesthetic.
I wanted to learn more about the Japanese side of KILL BILL so I spent most of my time on the red carpet talking to legendary Japanese action star Sonny Chiba and Chiaki Kuriyama. Kuriyama plays Go Go Yubari, the bodyguard of Lucy Liu’s character, O-Ren Ishii aka Cottonmouth and Sonny Chiba plays Hattori Hanzo and also contributed as a fight choreographer.
Tarantino has drawn on Chiba’s past performances for several of his films. The Biblical speeches of Samuel L. Jackson in PULP FICTION were inspired by Chiba’s performance as an assassin for hire in the Japanese television series, SHADOW WARRIORS. Chiaki Kuriyama made a huge impact in Japan and in the U.S. among genre cultists with BATTLE ROYALE as a coldly calculating, murderous schoolgirl.
KILL BILL is a cross-over film for Kuriyama and Chiba. We talked about making movies in Hollywood, the particular challenges of crossing the Pacific and the cultural divide and what direction the Elder Statesmen Chiba and the Energetic New Star Kuriyama would like to go.
KILL BILL opens nationwide on October 10th.
Chiaki Kuriyama
Thom: How do you feel about making movies here in Hollywood?
Chiaki: I would love to do more of that. My dream is to keep acting.
Thom: Have you been working much in Japan?
Chiaki: I’ve gotten into my stride and I’ve gotten lucky with a stream of really good projects.
Thom: Are you happy that you don’t necessarily have to learn English to have a career in Hollywood?
Chiaki: I would certainly love to just be able to talk straight with Tarantino and Lucy Liu and all them, so I would really love to learn.
Thom: In Tokyo, American pop culture is really trendy, do you feel more inspired by Japanese culture or more inspired by American or European culture?
Chiaki: When it comes to movies, I’m very influenced by American movies.
Thom: What are your favorite American movies?
Chiaki: TRAINSPOTTING , SE7EN. I would have to say that my favorite movie of all time is PULP FICTION.
Thom: Do you like the violent movies better?
Chiaki: From a performance point of view I love to be in movies that have action. If I have an action role, that’s the kind of thing I really enjoy.
Thom: Is action what you want to do more of? Do you ever consider drama or comedy? Or do you just like the violence and the blood and the screaming and the terror?
Chiaki: I don’t want to just stick to that stuff. Of course, I really enjoy those kinds of movies and those are the kinds of movies that I’ve done, but I really want to try my hand at a variety of different projects.
Thom: Is working in film in Japan the same as working as film in America?
Chiaki: I’m not sure how the system in America works. For me, I was discovered by Quentin Tarantino so I had an easy route.
Thom: Did he see BATTLE ROYALE and decide to cast you?
Chiaki: Yes, that’s right.
Thom: How did it feel to get that phone call?
Chiaki: At the present time, there is a slight unreality. It’s like a disconnect with it. I’m going to do my best and go straight forward.
Sonny Chiba
Thom: You are a huge star in Japan. What’s it like to come to America and not be recognized on the streets?
Sonny: He always wanted to come to Hollywood. Even years ago.
Thom: You’ve been getting a few high profile roles. Do you think you might move to Los Angeles and work here for a while?
Sonny: I already live here. I’ve lived here for 10 years.
Thom: You would think more people would know your work in America.
Sonny: I want to continue doing Hollywood films.
Thom: What’s the difference between working in Hollywood and working in Japan?
Sonny: The scale in Hollywood is huge. The scale is different.
Thom: One of your students is now starring opposite Tom Cruise in THE LAST SAMURAI, how do you feel about the success he is having right now?
Sonny: My student is very good. I am happy that people in Japan are coming to Hollywood.
Thom: How do you think a Japanese presence in Hollywood films affects the American audiences. Asian entertainment is starting to have more mainstream popularity.
Sonny: Including Samurai, Ninja and other Japanese cultural elements. I want to do more of that kind of thing here.
Thom: How do you feel about Americans, and not just Japanese-Americans, responding positively to Asian inspired entertainment?
Sonny: Very happy. I want to show Japanese culture, exactly what it is, to the whole world.
E-MAIL THE AUTHOR |
ARCHIVES
