The Kill Bill Diary

September 11, 2006
This journal captures the two years Carradine spent making the two-part feature film Kill Bill
with director Quentin Tarantino. As he describes the pre-production, production and promoting of the film, Carradine, who is best known for TV's Kung Fu
, gives readers a glimpse into the up-and-down life of a B-list actor. Excited about landing the role of Bill, once ticketed for Warren Beatty, Carradine is simultaneously nervous about canceling the autograph conventions on which he pretty much supports himself. Along with subtly pointing out that he has worked with Martin Scorsese and won a Golden Globe, Carradine also knows that a Tarantino movie is his best shot at stardom, and it's that eternal hope, not his résumé, that pervades the book and makes him a narrator for whom readers will feel genuine affection. Along with laying bare his personal deliberations, Carradine also provides an informative exploration of the world of filmmaking, from what it takes to shoot in China to how many (soon to be bloodied) shirts you need for a fight scene. It's apparent that one of Carradine's longest-running love affairs, however tempestuous it might be, is with Hollywood. And for those who share that feeling, this book will remind them why, for better or for worse, they feel that way. Photos.

September 15, 2006
It -s hard to believe that Carradine, who is probably best known for playing the archetypal young martial artist/philosopher Kwai Chang Caine in "Kung Fu", is nearly 70. Fortunately, the actor, with more than 100 films to his credit, is able to channel the wisdom and knowledge he has garnered into this journal, in which he documents his thoughts and experiences while working with Quentin Tarantino on "Kill Bill". Just as "Kill Bill" is divided between two films, Carradine -s diary is in two volumes, the second part beginning just after the film wraps production. As delightful as it is to gawk voyeuristically on the set with people like Uma Thurman, Daryl Hannah, and Michael Madsen, Carradine -s real gifts are the manifold insights he shares about creativity, acting, Tarantino, his family, his fame, and the act of continually reinventing oneself in a profession known more for flameout than longevity. Diaries tend to be inherently quotidian, and this one is no exception, but it all works wonderfully for Carradine. For all popular film collections." -Barry X. Miller, Austin P.L., TX"

Copyright 2006 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2006
Distilled from the diary that Carradine kept during the making of " Kill Bill," the film that catapulted him back into the limelight, this book certainly won't satisfy readers looking for dirt or even innuendo about the film's director, Quentin Tarantino. Carradine is an unabashed Tarantino fan, and in this mixture of autobiography, biography, and behind-the-scenes account, the director emerges as a rare and enigmatic talent and a true film genius. Despite the book's diary format, it is surprisingly fluid and graceful; Carradine is a stylish and witty writer. Fans of behind-the-scenes books may be a tad disappointed in this one's lack of technical details--Carradine doesn't spend a lot of time discussing cameras, special effects, and the like--but readers interested in the people who make movies, rather than the moviemaking itself, will be well pleased. Like Tarrantino, Carradine has always had a reputation for being enigmatic, but here he comes off both humble and remarkably multifaceted. Give this one a chance; it will surprise you.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2006, American Library Association.)