There’s not many contemporary directors that haven’t made a bad film. While I enjoy the later works of Ridley Scott and Tim Burton, they are shadows when compared to Alien and Beetlejuice. Quintin Tarantino is my one exception. Some of his films are better than others, but I wouldn’t call any terrible.
I was first introduced to Tarantino by Kill Bill. Before then, I’d heard his name only in passing. His love letter to 70’s martial arts exploitation films created a fan, and my adoration grew with each subsequent film. Django Unchained was the first I saw in theaters. While a little overlong in places, I didn’t have major issues. When I heard about his next film, my interested was more than peaked, especially when I heard it was another period piece. Sadly, I didn’t get to watch it in theaters—a fact I retroactively kick myself for—but when I did finally watch, I savored.
Released in 2015, The Hateful Eight is a western thriller, and Tarantino’s eighth film (yes, Kill Bill only counts as one). Set in Wyoming a decade following the Civil War, the film revolves around a group of strangers stranded in a haberdashery by a blizzard. Two of the strangers are famous bounty hunters, with one bringing in an infamous outlaw to hang. As the film progresses, The Hangman begins to suspect that not everyone there is trustworthy. The tension and paranoia build, leading to a gory climax.
The first time I watched the film, I noticed a vague similarity to John Carpenter’s The Thing. Both films revolve around a group of strangers isolated by nature who are slowly gripped by mistrust and paranoia. Kurt Russell stars in both, and at one point disarms several characters out of self-preservation. Ennio Morricone also scored both films, with his compositions completing each one’s tone. According to Tarantino, this similarity is intentional, as it was his way of deconstructing how he felt when first watching The Thing, albeit with his usual flair.
The acting is great all around. The supporting cast perform well, even though most of the characters are nothing. Samuel L Jackson, Kurt Russell and Michael Madsen give performances we’ve come to expect, especially in a Tarantino film. Bruce Dern is alright as Col Smithers, and Damián Bichir is intentionally awkward as Senor Bob, leading to chuckle worthy moments. Tim Roth steals his scenes as the delightfully foppish Oswaldo Mobray. Although subtle by comparison, Jennifer Jason Leigh gives the best performance as Daisy, ranging from sympathetic to detestable. Russell means to see her hang, but they have an interesting relationship, backed by the pairs chemistry. It’s not romantic, but at times borders on an old married couple. Quintin cast Leigh because he needed a great actress in the role; he made the perfect choice.
Daisy plays a guitar in one scene, which was loaned to the production by the Martin Guitar Museum. Six stunt replicas were built for the ending moment, but none were used. Due to a misunderstanding, Kurt Russell grabbed and destroyed the antique before he could be stopped. Leighs shocked reaction in the final film is from this take, explaining its authenticity. The Martin Museum no longer loans guitars to film shoots.
While the film is long, Fred Raskin’s editing paces it well. The opening credits and a later drive scene drag, but they allow the audience to take in the setting and its accompanying isolation. We know our characters are snowbound, and if anything goes awry there’s no help coming. It’s all on them. Morricone’s score compliments this feeling, allowing the tension to build as the plot progresses. Tarantino claimed some of the compositions are unused compositions from The Thing; if so, it was wise for Morricone to use them here, as they fit.
Courtney Hoffman handled wardrobe. Having worked on Django Unchained, she was the obvious choice for another period piece, allowing a sense of aesthetic continuity. The costumes feel like a natural forward progression from Django.
If there’s any aspect I’m not a fan of, it’s Major Warren’s story. While it serves a purpose in allowing the Major to kill Col Smithers—even though he baited him—it undermines the preceding moment. Tarantino had stoked tension between the two, built on animosity from the Civil War. They were close to blows, but dinner conversation and a shared history brought the pair together. They had a tender moment of brotherhood, and it deteriorated into typical Tarantino fodder. While the resulting scene is entertaining, it could have been more, although Tarantino would have had to alter one following plot element.
The film contains Tarantino’s usual tropes: long-takes, language, explicit violence—effects handled by The Walking Dead’s Greg Nicotero—Red Apple Tobacco, and non-linier story telling. This last aspect is especially important, as the third act contains a twist that necessitates a flashback. Knowing Tarantino, I should have seen part of this twist coming, but it surprised me during my first viewing. It leads to a tense, gory ending. While it might not please everyone, not all endings should be happy. It’s the ending the film deserved and earned.
While not my favorite entry in his filmography—that honor currently goes to Pulp Fiction—The Hateful Eight is close. While made more for entertainment, it’s a great example of how the elements of mis-en-scene blend together to form an excellent film. 4 cups of well water coffee out of 5.
