Ryan Scott

The Hateful Eight (2015)

Quinten Tarantinos new film, The Hateful Eight uses many of the same unique themes
that made Tarantinos movies icons of todays film industry. Outrageous fictional narratives, his
excessive use of gore, long-wide panning camera angles, the signature Tarantino face zoom
especially. Along with his great consistent casting of stars like Samuel L. Jackson, hard and
backlit lighting, all mixed with bright contrasting colors all help to convey the catharsis that one
feels at the end of not only this film but all Tarantino movies. As classic a Tarantino film as it is,
The Hateful Eight is not quite what you would usually expect from the legendary director. This
film captures the beautiful Rocky Mountains of Colorado with 65mm film, the movie is broken
up into interesting chapters that give the film an old school feel and is very reminiscent of other
critically acclaimed Tarantino movie.
The first chapter of the film focuses on Major Marquis Warren (Samuel L. Jackson), an
ex-Civil War veteran and current bounty hunter, stranded in the middle of rural Wyoming with a
massive blizzard hot on his tail. Major Warren stumbles across a fellow bounty hunter, John Ruth
(Kurt Russel), who happens to be transporting a fugitive wanted for murder, Daisy Domergue
(Jennifer Jason Leigh), to the town of Red Rock, Wyoming to have her stand trial and hang. John
Ruth is known as The Hangman because he never kills is bountys he always takes them alive
and sees them hanged. Major Warren and John Ruth actually end up knowing each other, as
Major Warren is a legendary civil war hero for the north. The imminent blizzard forces Ruth to
accept Warren as a passenger in his carriage. Not long after Ruth picks up Warren the carriage
encounters another stranded traveler, Chris Mannex (Walton Goggins) who claims to be the new
sheriff of Red Rock. Classically Tarantino uses wide angles and shots to achieve the cinematic
masterpiece. The movie is filled with these wide shots that gradually zoom in as a character
becomes more involved in the scene. Long scenes that pan slowly with extensive monologues by
the characters. As well as the use of light and dark colors to add contrast and drama to the movie.
The hostile and distrustful vibes between the characters relationships add to the tension and only
grow exponentially once they arrive to Minnies Haberdashery.
The second chapter of the movie is set inside a large cabin/ranch style home where four
other unfortunate souls are waiting out the blizzard. Bob the Mexican (Demian Bichir) is the first
character we meet at Minnies Habadashery. Bob greets the travelers outside and takes their
horses to the barn while they head inside and assess the situation which is already seeming very
peculiar. They meet the other men inside and we begin to get some background information of
some of the characters. A wide shot with dark colors conceals the characters faces in shadow
until they are properly introduced into the plot. Here we meet Red Rocks supposed new
hangman, Oswaldo Mobray (Tom Roth), John Gage (Michael Madsen), and Confederate Civil
War General Sanford Smithers (Bruce Dem) are all present. Their conversations are scripted in
what we classically know to be Tarantino pushing the boundaries of mainstream media. There is
a thick tension in the room almost immediately that doesnt fade throughout this film. They are
usually engaged in tense conversations considering there are two extremely southern racist men

present. These encounters create disdain between all the characters and it doesnt take long to see
this disdain come out in the form of physical violence. Tarantino does a great job of using hard
lighting, low camera angles and medium close up shots to convey an overall tone of
dissatisfaction between the characters as their back stories are all revealed.
The next chapter is where the film begins to take a large plot twist. Now at this point the
movie has discontinued the use of wide and mid shots. Instead now we have behind the shoulder
and close up shots mixed with rim lighting. The film focuses on the rising tensions among the
group members. When John Ruth the hangman and his carriage driver die from drinking
poisoned coffee, tensions flare. Tarantinos signature glory and gore is showcased here. The
poison causes the two men to cough up unrealistic amounts of blood. As well as leading to a full
on shoot out. Warren finds out that Bob is an imposter and shoots him, with outrageous spurts of
blood and guts. This quick scene full of jump cuts leads to a slowdown, drawn out monologues
filled with dramatic lighting where each man pleads his case for not being the poisoner until
Gage admits that it was him. This film has started to create a theme where the long, Wes
Anderson-style, scenes are filled quick shots and jump cuts. A hidden man shoots Warren in the
groin, Mobrey shoots and wounds Mannix and a new set of circumstances comes up.
This part of the film we see Jody Domergue (Channing Tatum) shoot off Samuel L.
Jacksons testicles, we then meet him and get his back story. Jody is revealed to be the brother of
Daisy Domergue. Jody has been pursuing John Ruth and Daisy for sometimenow. It just so
happened that Minnies Haberdashery just happened to be the (almost) perfect setting to ambush
them and get his sister back before hanging in red rock. By this point in the movie, the long
drawn out monologues accompanied with mid shots that circle the character talking have become
the norm. The movie continues with the pattern of establishing a long drawn out monologue
accompanied by quick scenes that display over the top gore.
Overall, the use of broad angle camera work. Bright and contrasting colors that is
accentuated with hard and backlit lighting complements the obscene gore. All that mixed with
shadows, starring Samuel L. Jackson, all leads to what most would expect from Quinten
Tarantino. This film sums up the perfect Tarantino Western, revenge-mystery flick for those who
want to be impressed by stunning cinematography while left sitting in their seats with a feeling
of overwhelming catharsis.

Works Cited
"Hateful 8." IMDb. IMDb.com, 2015. Web. 14th April 2016. 2016.
Kohn, Eric. "Review: The Hateful 8 Proves Quinten Taratino Can Do Anything." Indie Wire.
Indiewire.com, 15 Dec. 2015. Web. 14th April 2016.