An aspect from the Kill Bill I don't often see discussed is how each of the two volumes introduces us to a Martial Arts master of Bill, and how each holds completely different views on their apprentice. Both these teachers are directly inspired by very different legendary figures for Martial Arts, with vastly different personalities.In Volume I we are introduced to the legendary Hattori Hanzo (played by famous martial artist japanese actor Sonny Chiba). The name is itself borrowed from a famous ninja and samurai from the Tokugawa period, famous for his hability and loyalty. Throughout history there have been at least 5 famous Hattori Hanzo's from that family. If the Hanzo from the movie is a descendant, it is not known.In the movie, Hanzo taught Bill how to be a master swordsman, and, while we never see Bill at his full potential, I think we can judge his skills at least partially from what we see in Beatrix, since she learned from him. Besides being a great (the greatest?) swordsman, Hanzo is a master swordsmith and forges several for his pupil.By the time we meet Hanzo in Volume I he is retired and deeply shamed by his past. The fact that his apprentice, Bill, has used his teachings for hired killing torment him considerably. Enough to make him swear a vows never to make a blade again, and then break it to forge for Beatrix the weapon she will need to kill his former apprentice. Here we see a classic trope of the tortured and disgraced samurai. This is famous in Japanese movies, being utilized by directors such as Kurosawa, and latter migrating to american movies through the japanese influence in westerners. Look at the conflicted tortured Cowboy, who wants to make ammends for his past.Hanzo is honorable and cerimonial, a good teacher and master who expects to see his teachings carried out in a honorable fashion.Then we have Pai Mei. Himself a legendary figure in Chinese martial arts, Pai Mei (Bak Mei) is said to have been one of the 5 legendary elders who survived the massacre and destruction of the Shaolin (yes that one) Temple in the 17th century. According to legend, Pai Mei betrayed the monks and aided in its destruction. He was a Taoist monk himself, and master of his own style. Pai Mei is very popular in chinese martial arts movies and is almost always portrayed as the proud and skilled villanous Kung fu master.In Volume II we are introduced to Pai Mei (played by famous martial artist chinese actor Gordon Liu, who in the past played the enemy of Pai Mei in multiple movies such as Fists of the White Lotus). He is a famous (possibly ancient, we do not know) Kung Fu master who taught Bill his kung fu techniques. He is known for his cruelty and pride, and Bill openly tells Beatrix about how Pai Mei slaughtered the entire Shaolin Temple out of spite. Throughout the movie we see that he is indeed cruel, proud and filled with contempt. He hates Japanese, hates women, is easly offended and retaliates with absolute violence. He does not care that Bill is a killer, and, in fact, the only reason he trains Beatrix is because Bill asks him to do it. Pai Mei does not have any regrets and, throughout his chapter in the movie, shows that strength is the only thing he really respects. I would go so far as to say that he is proud of his former apprentice.In Kill Bill he fits perfectly with the same antagonists from the chinese Martial Arts movies. The difference is that our protagonist is not his opponent, but his pupil.Pai Mei is a cruel and ruthless master that cares only for martial arts, regardless of what people do with these martial skills.In conclusion, they are both masters of their own dominion. One a swordsman, the other a Kung Fu warrior. One is good, the other is not. Both are straight up taken from history, and are parts of established cinema tropes, from Japanese and Western movies to Chinese Kung Fu cinema.TL:DR - Hattori Hanzo and Pai Mei are legendary figures, one a honorable swordsman and the other a cruel Kung Fu master. Both taught Bill, but represent very different sides of combat, as the former regrets Bill's mercenary life, and the latter is indifferent to it, carying only for skill. They are also very established movie tropes of the tortured and disgraced samurai in Japanese movies for Hanzo, and the evil Kung Fu Master for Pai Mei. via /r/movies https://ift.tt/3r7IStY
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