In 1874, during a snowstorm and behind the walls of a Japanese prison, Yuki Kashima was born with the sole purpose of seeking revenge. Trained from birth to be a skilled assassin, her story of vengeance defines “Lady Snowblood” as a classic of Japanese cinema.
“Lady Snowblood” consists of a structured narrative with a distinct visual style that sets it apart from the traditional films of its era. Its episodic, nonlinear storytelling is complemented with high contrasts of color and framing inspired by the ukiyo-e genre of Japanese art. This cinematic style and revenge plot would later be reinterpreted by Quentin Tarantino in his “Kill Bill” duology.
The episodic chapters within the film allow the story of Yuki Kashima to shift between the past and present, revealing the events that shaped her to become an assassin. These flashbacks to her past not only show the reasoning behind her present-day actions but also give insight to how her traumas and training influenced her mindset. Yuki’s journey is mirrored in the visual design, where composition, color and framing work together to heighten and underscore the tension of the story. The film’s director, Toshiya Fujita, didn’t incorporate much of the handheld realism usually found in 1970s action movies. While handheld techniques added organic movement and immersive energy to action scenes, Fujita instead focused on composed framing that gave the film a stylized aesthetic reminiscence of ukiyo-e woodblock prints.
Beyond composition, the use of color and contrast is another important factor of the film. The crisp whiteness of the snow and Yuki’s kimono is consistently set against technicolor shades of red, acting as a symbol of the blood and vengeance she was born into. Kieran Judge, a writer who analyzed the film, highlights how red appears in many scenes, from the prison at Yuki’s birth to palace floors and on the kimonos of those connected to her targets. Red represents the themes of violence and the emotional weight of retribution. Yuki herself has a death stare that is captured by the camera before she jumps into action, emphasizing her precision and determination as an assassin. Together, these elements reinforce the cinematic portrayal of vengeance, serving as a reference point for filmmakers navigating their own revenge narrative.
Outside of Japanese cinema, “Lady Snowblood” was a major source of inspiration for Quentin Tarantino. He reconstructed the film’s narrative structure and visual style for his “Kill Bill” duology. In the “Kill Bill” movies, you see similar use of color, choreographed violence and episodic storytelling with flashbacks that introduce the protagonist’s origin. The influence is most evident in his character O-Ren Ishii, who mirrors Yuki Kashima in both appearance and backstory. Both characters witnessed the death of their families and became skilled assassins, are depicted in white kimonos and have a final scene ending in a snow-covered garden. Tarantino even referenced the original soundtrack from “Lady Snowblood,” with “The Flower of Carnage” (Shura no Hana), which was performed by the actress who portrayed Yuki Kashima, further showing the direct connection between the films.
Ultimately, the narrative and visual elements of “Lady Snowblood” provides a clear understanding of how the film has influenced cinema beyond Japan, becoming a foundation for revenge narratives and inspiring filmmakers to experiment with stylized forms of storytelling.
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