The Good...The Bad...and the Ugly

Rating: 7/10 (11 April 2016)

1. THE GOOD: The cinematography which was completed in 60-70mm made for such a wonderful viewing experience for the audience that you have to watch the film simply for the luscious landscape and wide(er) screen vision that director Quentin Tarantino used with 60 year old camera lens to enhance the picture for his viewing audience. The abundance of so many quality actors in one film was especially a welcomed treat as well. Walton Goggins, Bruce Dern, Michael Madsen, Demian Bichir and Tim Roth all added to the films star quality.
Consensus: I have not seen such fantastic picture quality in widescreen 70mm format since the 1968 film classic Ice Station Zebra. Additionally, Ennio Morricone won an Oscar for the film's music score which Mrs. Shullivan and I greatly enjoyed.
2. THE BAD: A lot of Samuel L Jackson's dialogue went on far longer than required as did some of the dialogue of the other co-stars. Samuel L Jackson played bounty hunter Major Marquis Warren.
Consensus: The continued windy dialogue sequences caused the film to lose some of its intended suspense such that Ms. Shullivan turned to me half way through the film and asked how many chapters were in the film?
3. THE UGLY: Kurt Russell played bounty hunter John Ruth, "The Hangman", and he was travelling by stagecoach to a town called Red Rock to deliver his captor, murderess Daisy Domergue, played by Jennifer Jason Leigh who had a $10,000 bounty on her head wanted dead or alive. Although bounty hunter nicknamed The Hangman was known for bringing his captors in alive so that he could watch them hang he just about killed poor Daisy before he would reach Red Rock with his continued physical beatings with his fists, elbows, and the butt end of his gun leaning harshly into her bloodied face.
Consensus: The de-humanizing of the only female star in the film captor Daisy Domergue set back the woman's movement 50 years. Although Jennifer Jason Leigh received an Oscar nomination for best supporting actress for her captor's role Mrs. Shullivan and I both took offense to the unnecessary brutality and continued beatings she absorbed. Having beef stew thrown all over her face, receiving the butt end of a gun to bloody her face and forehead, punched repeatedly by both bounty hunters was another unnecessary blow (no pun intended) to all real battered women. I for one did not feel her continued bloodied face entitled her to an Oscar nomination as her speaking lines were limited, not warranted of an Oscar nomination, and not core to the films plot which was to determine who was the gunmen trying to free murderess Daisy Domergue? The film seemed more intended to appeal to some viewers sick desire of seeing men batter women resulting in blood all over an ugly women's face.
I must say that I enjoyed Quentin's prior western entry Django Unchained much more for its complete story line and entertainment value than The Hateful Eight which was a tad bit longer than necessary but still good enough that I want to purchase a Blu Ray copy for future viewing as we love Quentin Tarantino's complete body of work.
7/10