The Hateful Eight

Dir: Quentin Tarantino

2015

****

Quentin Tarantino's eighth film (if you count the Kill Bill films as one) is somewhat of a greatest hits compilation from the director. Much like Reservoir Dogs, Tarantino's first film, The Hateful Eight could easily be a theatrical stage show. It's rather brilliant but somewhat ridiculous that he would film it in glorious 70mm considering most of the film is shot in a cabin but it is this kind of over the top ridiculousness that I admire him for. Each character has their backstory, first seen in Pulp Fiction, and the script is plucky and direct. The use of different character point of view is reminiscent of Jackie Brown and it is fair to say that The Hateful Eight is as violent as Kill Bill, if not more so. The huge change in direction halfway through the film is just like Death Proof and this is a big production with glorious cinematography, just like Inglorious Basterds and Django Unchained. Returning for more Tarantino mayhem are Samuel L. Jackson (his 6th), Kurt Russell (2nd), Walton Goggins (2nd), Tim Roth (4th), Michael Madsen (3rd), Bruce Dern (2nd), James Parks (4th) and Zoe Bell (5th) and newcomers include Jennifer Jason Leigh and Demian Bichir. In many respects The Hateful Eight is the ultimate Tarantino. The one thing for me that makes it stand above the rest is its originality. There is nothing quite like a QT movie but Reservoir Dogs is essentially a remake, Pulp Fiction a collection based on various European new wave films, Kill Bill a collection based on kung-fu films and Jackie Brown, Death Proof, Inglorious Basterds and Django Unchained all channelling specific exploitation films and franchises. The Hateful Eight is influenced by many a TV western but it isn't a direct copy. When asked about the TV show influence Tarantino himself stated; "Twice per season, those shows would have an episode where a bunch of outlaws would take the lead characters hostage. They would come to the Ponderosa and hold everybody hostage, or go to Judge Garth's place — Lee J. Cobb played him — in The Virginian and take hostages. There would be a guest star like David Carradine, Darren McGavin, Claude Akins, Robert Culp, Charles Bronson or James Coburn. I don't like that storyline in a modern context, but I love it in a Western, where you would pass halfway through the show to find out if they were good or bad guys, and they all had a past that was revealed. I thought, 'What if I did a movie starring nothing but those characters? No heroes, no Michael Landons. Just a bunch of nefarious guys in a room, all telling backstories that may or may not be true. Trap those guys together in a room with a blizzard outside, give them guns, and see what happens." It's a fantastic premise and one he excels at exploring. The story is broken up into chapters and is mostly linear until the last few minutes. There is mystery throughout the story and each mystery remains so until it is time to be revealed, with absolutely no aspect of what eventually happens being predictable. It's as if Agatha Christie had written a Western and added copious amounts of violence, and the violence really is copious. It is reasonable to expect violence in a Tarantino film but with The Hateful Eight he really goes for it. There were a couple of scenes that took me by surprise, I honestly still can't decide whether the film is better for them or not but the fact that they've made me think about them probably means they have a place. It is important to remember the title of the film throughout viewing, the entire cast being the most likably loathsome people ever committed to celluloid. Samuel L. Jackson and Kurt Russell lead the pack and give the film its momentum with Walton Goggins providing the films surprising stand out performance. Jennifer Jason Leigh is nothing short of amazing and I'm glad she finally getting the recognition she has long deserved. Everyone plays their part perfectly, with no dud performance or character. The script is one of Tarantino's best in my opinion and it really did feel like he was doing what he does best. The Hateful Eight felt like it could have followed Pulp Fiction in many respects, like the director had gone back to his roots. I liked that about the film but there was part of me that thinks maybe it is time to find a new trick to pull out of his sleeve. I'm happy with more of the same but I don't know for how long, a new genre is definitely needed but only because he has mastered this one. However, the film's score is easily the pièce de résistance. Tarantino annoyed Ennio Morricone when working with him on Django Unchained and swore never to work with him again but thankfully that wasn't the case. Morricone's score, his first western in thirty-four years, is sublime. He ended up using some music he wrote for John Carpenter's The Thing that was never used, which is funny as I thought of The Thing several times during the film. The film has its faults, this comes down to personal tastes though, I can't really criticise any of it. It was a pleasure to sit back in the cinema and allow myself to be submerged by it, indeed, it has been a long time since I've been as excited to see a film and to have been completely satisfied by what I had just seen. A simple, thrilling and appallingly violent pleasure.