uentin Tarantino's fans have been waiting since 1997's Jackie Brown for the director's cinematic return.

  Just when it seemed his long-awaited Kill Bill was ready to go, came the news that the lengthy film would be released in two parts - Volume 1 and Volume 2. How's that for a cliffhanger?

  In Kill Bill: Volume 1, an assassin named the Bride (Pulp Fiction alum Uma Thurman) has left the Deadly Viper Assassin Squad for mundane married life. Instead of rice, the bullets fly when the bride's former colleagues (Vivica A. Fox, Lucy Liu, Daryl Hannah, Michael Madsen) and former boss Bill (David Carradine) crash the party. Despite being shot by Bill, the Bride survives, though a bullet in her brain keeps her in a coma for four years.

  When she wakes up, there's only one thing on her mind - revenge. She proceeds to track down those who ruined her wedding day, including Bill.

  Of course, you'll have to wait until Volume 2 to find out if Bill gets what's coming to him.

- Robin Stevenson
actors
Uma Thurman
Lucy Liu
Daryl Hannah
Michael Madsen

director
Quentin Tarantino

locations
Los Angeles
Tokyo
Beijing
Austin, Texas

outtake
Tarantino delayed filming of the movie for a year after Thurman announced her second pregnancy.  Despite rumours he would cast someone else, he says he never considered replacing the star who was his inspiration.