The Hateful Eight is a western tale of vengeance set just outside of a town called Red Rock. It has all the trademarks that you would expect from a Tarantino flick and is also filled with influences and references to classic western movies, particularly the spaghetti westerns. One great thing of the spaghetti western genre is that there were seldom defined “goodies” and “baddies”. Quentin Tarantino is a filmmaker, who’s “always influenced by the spaghetti western” and whose work is a love letter to Western directors like Corbucci and Leone. You can tell in Tarantino westerns that he references his favorites pretty heavily.
Most, if not all, of Tarantino’s films have complex characters. He often creates terrific anti-hero roles. Nothing is black and white. The heroes and villains are never truly all good or all bad. He also likes to places his characters in most difficult situations where you truly don’t think anyone is going to be able to get out of it. But, somehow, one or more characters tend to walk away bruised and broken, but not dead. What’s great about Tarantino is that he has the ability to take all various elements from his favorite movies and combine them into something new. This is like most spaghetti westerns that Tarantino admires and pays homage to in his films. Even his opening credits he credits past westerns that he likes. For example, Tarantino listed The Grand Duel as one of his favorites and shows homage to it during Kill Bill: Volume I’s anime sequence.
One of Quentin Tarantino’s favorite Italian filmmaker is Corbucci. Tarantino referred Corbucci as “the other master,” alongside Sergio Leone. Another example is how Tarantino admired, by Corbucci’s The Great Silence, which it served as the inspiration for a whole bunch of scenes in Django Unchained. Tarantino has said that Corbucci’s wintery western is a key influence of the whole movie. And it’s because of these references that make him unique. He is a great movie writer. His extended dialogue makes his actors come to life. Tarantino has no fear in making movies he wants to make. Not coddling the audience and being safe by being politically correct and have everything at the end being hunky dory. This is what makes for great story tellers, directors, and actors.
Tarantino likes how spaghetti westerns used music and how it brings it to the forefront of the movie. With the combination of music, cool characters, great plot, weird situations, and awesome conversations it is no wonder he has a legion of fans. There are very few other directors who can make things like he does which makes his fans think he is great.
Quentin Tarantino’s ultraviolent western “The Hateful Eight” is an impressive display of film craft. It has received generally positive reviews. The movie is filled with plot twists or character revelation variety. He creates original western stories, not a typical sumptuous revenge Western about characters relationships to the land they’re battling to claim. It offers a well-aimed round from Tarantino’s signature blend of action, humor, and violence. They are filled with images and ideas that will stick to a viewer’s mind for days. Tarantino movies are meant to deliver a fun, exhilarating experience in the theater and at home. You can tell he always puts his audience first. Tarantino has always been an intentionally provocative filmmaker. The Hateful Eight is a beautiful film, filled with images and ideas. The movie has a lot to say as most Tarantino films do.
The Hateful Eight is reminiscent of his debut movie Reservoir Dogs. Seven films later and Tarantino has returned to his first film template. It has colorful characters, a single room, blood, and betrayal. In The Hateful Eight, Tarantino carefully stages the character Daisy at the center of the film. What you feel about Daisy is what you will feel about the movie. If you think she’s a brutal sadist who deserves the punishment that befalls her, you would love the film. The writing delivers line by line pleasure and impact. Tarantino is also a master at stunning flashback rewinds and point of view shifts.
The Hateful Eight like other Tarantino films is truly a love letter to the spaghetti western genre. He references his favorites in his movies with care. Tarantino is right up there with his favorite directors Leone and Corbucci. His complex characters and terrific anti-hero roles in the film has the remembrance of his first film. What’s great about Tarantino westerns like The Hateful Eight he is that he combines all various elements and makes something new and refreshing.
It’s no The Good The Bad & The Ugly, but definitely worth seeing.