Review of The Hateful Eight (2015) by B D — 29 Mar 2016

If you ever have the opportunity to hear Quentin Tarantino talk about films, whether or not there one of his, you are indubitably notice his manic zeal for the subject. Instead of studying film in the formal setting of the University Mr. Tarantino proudly regards his job working for Video Archives, a video rental store, as his main source of education about movies. Reportedly as he sat there at work he would diligently watch as many films in the collection as he could absorb the details, methodology and traits that he would later resorted to his own distinctive style. The Is arguably one of the more creative and innovative filmmakers of his generation highly influenced by peculiar cinematic niches as 'the spaghetti western', 'Asian martial arts' nearly everything that has strong vein document contained within it. Some may feel that the degree of violence and propensity for nonlinear narratives makes his films somewhat difficult to watch. Others hailed these traits as trademarks a highly creative director. He is less about technical perfection and completely concerned with creating movies made by a cinephile others are love the enjoyment derived from watching a movie. His latest opus, 'The Hateful Eight ', once again returns the viewer the post-Civil War American West.

The central character is a bounty hunter was formally a slave the first inclusion many make is that this is a direct sequel for his highly acclaimed 'Django Unchained', but by his own admission story may have started out in the right but as he began to flush out his characters he realized an integral part of the development of his main character was relating the story of how he got the point in his life depicted in the film. If he had chosen to use the already established character of Django the network negate the need for a back story, one that by necessity demands to be unique. This is an amazing decision for a Hollywood director to arrive at. It appears that the natural inclination for filmmakers, especially in recent years, serialized the story of a successful character by creating sequels or attempting to take the character into becoming the basis for a franchise. In doing this he has shown respect for the character and his fans by allowing them to remain intended to complete this of the original film.

Even after the Civil War and emancipation it was difficult for black men in the once again United States. For Major Marquis Warren (Samuel L. Jackson) he makes a suitable living as a bounty hunter tracking down criminals that escaped. As we first join him Warren is in the process of bringing back to of his bounties, both deceased. His destination is Red Rock, Wyoming and fortuitously he manages to obtain a ride with the stagecoach driven by O.B Jackson (James Parks). On board the coach is another bounty hunter, John Ruth (Kurt Russell) who has gained a reputation for bringing his bounties in alive so that you can watch them being executed at the end of a rope. With him is the fugitive Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh) who has a substantial bounty on her head and is securely handcuffed to Ruth. The two bounty hunters begin to get along with each other over the letter that Warren has in his possession personally signed by President Abraham Lincoln. Stagecoach stops to pick up another passenger, Chris Mannix (Walton Goggins), was in the militia fighting for the South during the war. He is traveling to Red Rock to soon his new position as Sheriff. Bounty hunters are suspicious by nature particularly men that they do not personally know. Warren and Ruth enter into a pact to protect each of his bounties taking shifts guarding both the living and dead prizes. As a wise move as Warren and Mannix get into a rapidly intensifying argument over their respective war records.

The trouble is hit by a severe winter storm but in short order escalates to severe blizzard. They seek shelter in the nearest stagecoach lodge, Minnie's Haberdashery rib they meet a Mexican, Bob (Demián Bichir) who informed that Minnie is out of town visiting her mother leaving him in charge. There are several of the lodgers on the premises at the time; Oswaldo Mobray (Tim Roth), a hangman by trade, Joe Gage (Michael Madsen) sensibly visiting his mother the penchant but keeping to himself, and former Southern general, Sanford Smithers (Bruce Dern). Just be on the safe side Ruth disarms everyone but his fellow bounty Hunter Warren. That completes the roster that comprises the titular eight. And since this is a film by Quentin Tarantino you should not be surprised at what follows is violence this trademark mixture sexualized situations and exceptionally dark humor.

There were a few that would contest the appraisal by Quentin Tarantino is one of his generation's most innovative filmmakers. As mentioned above in lieu of academic training Tarantino had an opportunity to watch a wide variety of movies while working in a video store. For fan of movies this is a blissful paradise allowing exposure to virtually every genre possible. Part of the inspiration for this film was the westerns produced in the 50s and 60s. The genre had permeated both the local movie theater three major networks on television. As Hollywood found they were competing against the source of entertainment conveniently placed in living rooms, they were forced to be innovative and create ways of displaying a story that cannot be easily imitated at home. This was responsible for such technologies as spectacular core processes, panoramic widescreen and multichannel sound. The widescreen epic was particularly conducive for a western story as it could more accurately depict the vastness of the countryside. Tarantino infused into the story many elements of the classic mystery. Juxtaposed to the endless open space of the land the eight characters are confined by the hardships of nature to a single, claustrophobic location with no means of escape.

Tarantino uses this confinement is a tinderbox that exacerbates even the slightest insult quickly intensifying them to lethal levels. It is normally extremely difficult for filmmaker with such a confined venue has a group of people devoid of any individual who is not at least one some extent likable. The title is not an exaggeration is all eight of these people are hateful and even the pair who stand in for protagonists, Warren and Ruth of far from being people that the audience would want to identify with. Warren is not above killing a man just to make the retrieval of his bounty easier and the only reason that Ruth keeps them alive to watch them hang. Even the one female Daisy is deadly and falls back on the usual methodology for a murderous woman, poison. The group is diverse enough to manifest several types of prejudice with racial bigotry introduced by a black and Mexican which is intensified by the hatred between North and South the despite the war being over is still festers like an open wound to the former soldiers who fought in the conflict.

The second time the Quentin Tarantino has turned to 70 mm film as a medium. The de facto standard remains 35mm but during the heyday of the Hollywood widescreen blockbuster 70 mm necessary to enhance the epic nature of the movie. In interviews Tarantino has stated that in many cases with him the most interesting part of the film he was watching for the technical credits with you could follow the work cinematographers, editors and sound engineers as well as rich technical processes were used for the audio and video. All this information was focused for the mindset of an avid fan there is little wonder that he is able to reach his audience on a visceral level. While not up to the level of his previous western, 'Django Unchained', 'The Hateful Eight' is an interesting blend of traditional big-budget Reston in the classic diminishing suspects mystery. It also showcases the talents of several actors who have dominated the film industry for decades, Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell and Bruce Dern. The combined years of experience in sharply honed talent is an undeniable contribution to this film's ability to entertain.