Tarantino To Kill Bill Twice

Director Quentin Tarantino's new movie, Kill Bill, will be split up and released in two parts.

Instead of one three-hour film, distributor Miramax, is taking the unusual step of splitting the movie into two and releasing each as separate films of about 90 minutes.

A studio spokesman said: "The idea was thought of when the script was in development and after seeing the (film) footage, it made sense."

The movie is the first from the critically acclaimed director since 1997's Jackie Brown, and has been widely anticipated by his fans.

The film is about a female assassin, played by Uma Thurman, who survives an attempt on her life and, after spending five years in a coma, sets out for vengeance.

The first part of the film is expected to be released in the US in October, but a date for the second instalment has yet to be determined.

Splitting a film's story into two parts is unusual, but does have recent precedent.

The makers of The Matrix shot two sequels to that popular 1999 movie at the same time, and when the first, The Matrix: Reloaded, debuted in May this year, producer Joel Silver made a point of saying Reloaded was only half of the story. The second part, The Matrix: Revolutions, hits cinemas this November.