10 More Incredible Movie Scenes Shot In A Single Take
7. The Bride Readies Herself - Kill Bill: Vol. 1
The first part of Quentin Tarantino's revenge duology concludes with The Bride (Uma Thurman) challenging O-Ren Ishii (Lucy Liu,) her underlings, and her elite fighters, The Crazy 88. This confrontation is so iconic, it's easy to forget about the stunning three-minute Steadicam shot, where our vengeful heroine preps herself for battle.
While O-Ren's customers are enjoying the singing of The 5.6.7.8's, the camera pans over to The Bride as she heads into the bathroom to change into her Bruce Lee-inspired outfit. In this tracking shot, the camera snakes under staircases, through screen doors, and far above the ceiling, allowing the audience to see the full layout of the set.
Although the bird's eye shot could be accomplished today with a drone, no such technology existed when Kill Bill Vol. 1 was released in 2003. The seamless transition from regular shot to top-view was achieved by removing a side-wall and rolling a crane in to allow the camera operator, Larry McConkey, to continue filming from above. The crane then transported McConkey over the wall and into another room, where he continued filming.
It may have taken six hours of rehearsals and 17 takes, but McConkey's hard work and Tarantino's preparation allowed the crew to get the shot in one day.