3.5 stars out of 5
If you’re going to shoot in Ultra Panavision 70 — the first movie in nearly 50 years to do so — maybe, just maybe, don’t set the great majority of the 3 hour, 7 minute film in ONE ROOM? But hey, I’m not the filmmaker here. Quentin Tarantino is. And for most of The Hateful Eight, I thought this was his best offering in quite a long time — maybe since Pulp Fiction. But then, unfortunately, it started to self-destruct, in the most clichéd Tarantino ways imaginable. Oh well, it’s hard to be consistent for 187 minutes.
Now, that’s 20 minutes more than you’ll see, unless you catch Hateful Eight in its limited 70mm run. The “roadshow” version I saw included a musical overture, an intermission, and a souvenir program—a presentation style that was apparently popular in the 1950s and ’60s. I’ve always appreciated Tarantino’s giddy enthusiasm for cinema, and the roadshow definitely made for a fun, memorable experience. Worth the extra five bucks? Sure, why not, it was Christmas.
Tarantino is clearly having a blast from the get-go. He’s using old-time fonts for the credits, and has an original score by his old fave, Ennio Freakin’ Morricone. And there’s snow and Wyoming and a stagecoach and everything’s gorgeous in glorious 70mm with a 2.76:1 aspect ratio, nerds. Samuel L. Jackson and Kurt Russell are trading sharp, funny dialogue, and my old longtime No. 1 movie crush Jennifer Jason Leigh has a black eye and is crude as hell. (She’s a murderer being transported to justice by bounty hunter Russell. Jackson, also a bounty hunter, is hitching a ride in a blizzard.)
The weather forces our friends to seek shelter. No! It’s 70mm, stay outside on the snow-swept plains!! Still, even in one room, Tarantino keeps things highly entertaining. A lot of this has to do with more great casting of the dudes hanging out at “Minnie’s” place. We’ve got Vic Vega himself, Michael Madsen, with a suspicious twinkle in his eye. Tim Roth’s character gets the ridiculously hilarious name “Oswaldo Mobray.” Bruce Dern is a grumpy Confederate general. And I was very happy to see my man from The Bridge, Demian Bichir. (Walter Goggins as the maybe-sheriff can’t quite keep up with the other actors.)
Also on the positive side of the ledger: Tarantino has a more focused plot this time, and it’s not just another revenge tale. Instead, it begins to feel like a play (which is kind of dumb when you’re in Ultra Panavision 70, oh, did I mention that before), an old-fashioned whodunnit with the suspects gathered in the parlor.
One thing was kind of bugging me, which at first I overlooked because I was enjoying the film so much. Remember how some people said Django Unchained was racist? For me, the content of that not-great film fit its era and characters. But, lo and behold, the Hateful gang is also awfully racist. And misogynistic and generally abusive. “But it’s the era” can only buy you so much slack; I was getting uncomfortable. Come on, Quentin, you’re better than this. Or, maybe he’s really not.
And then the film fell apart. It’s divided into chapters, and the last chapter is crummy. The plot unravels out of control, and we get our requisite Tarantino bloodbath, except it by now it feels like a parody. (Moments of extreme violence earlier in the film were cleverly handled.) And the title might’ve given you a clue, but there’s really no one to fully root for here. Which, after 187 minutes, is kind of a drag. For me, this quickly went from The Hateful Great to The Hateful Eh.
I just saw some of “Freddy Got Fingered” for the first time in almost.20 years. One of the best movies from that era in my opinion. He’s the mainstream Weird Paul! Fuck, weren’t Paul’s shows an event from Pittsburgh days? I believe your good buddies Tom Frank and Karl are fans, so I’m sure you were there.
Here’s the Christmas vid –
https://www.flickr.com/photos/wobblingvisions/23360526073
Very nice playing! I played Weird Paul on ‘RCT and own that Homestead album and am a Facebook fan of his, but crazily I’ve never seen him play.
We MUST continue this comment thread. Paul is very important, imho, toward understanding Pgh and anything Pgh related. (then again who gives a flying fuck about Spittsburgh) Go New York. center of existentiance. Whatevs.
It’s all up to you, Top Curate.
I was pleasantly surprised to learn that a former coworker, who’d never spent any time in Pgh, was also a Weird Paul fan.
I never gave him much thought until the internet home PC revolution. Then people I knew from Pgh were linking to his stuff. That house where your good buddies hung out, I was over there a good bit hanging out, being part of the scene, the shitty pittsburgh community. wise of you to be shy during those years. Anywway, I was pleasant shocked to hear about the album “…own your own home…”. One of those youthful aha, amazing, musical awarenesses when being being part of the communtiy. Great buzz, I am infected. Community is for kids though. Now it’s more integral to be abstact and obliquea and pithy as possible.
By the way, what did you think of the video? I put a couple hours of work into it. Not nearly as many hours as the Lenticular Holiday sculpture I gave you last Christmas. Next year I’ll just say “Hi” on December 25th. I’m sure that’ll be fine with you, Mr Cool.
I dug it, watched it four times. Nice blend of tradition, Star Wars, and psychedelia.
Star BLOOD, thanks.
Severed Head!
http://news.yahoo.com/escaped-prisoners-severed-head-found-jamaica-205955173.html;_ylt=AwrXgyKkKoFWO1EA_S6ZmolQ;_ylu=X3oDMTByM3V1YTVuBGNvbG8DZ3ExBHBvcwMzBHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzcg–
Sounds like your type of movie for next year’s Happy Holidays.
See if you can pitch it to one of your good buddies in the industry.
I mean, eight is enough, but we can use more hateful, right?