Going back to the 1960's to go back to the 1860's

Rating: 8/10 (19 January 2016)

When Tarantino's The Hateful Eight script leaked onto the internet a couple years back, he swore in the heat of his rage that he would deny his viewers the right to see it played out on film. I'm glad that he eventually came around and decided to create this remarkable cinematic experience.
It was obvious from the very start of the film that Tarantino and co. were aiming to recreate the films of old, using the Ultra Panavision 70 camera to shoot ultra wide screen pictures, and using an overwhelmingly rich six track sound system to emulate the great western soundtracks of old. Ennio Marricone is back with the soundtrack for this film, and he delivers on a stronger note than his previous efforts with Tarantino. The sound and imagery immediately threw me back to an era of film that I was never alive to witness. If you have a theater anywhere near you that's playing this film in the original 70 mm print, I highly recommend seeing it that way over a scaled down digital version. The tools used to create this film truly enhance every other aspect.
The film itself treads familiar ground for Tarantino, after mastering the old western aesthetic in Django, he uses it again to craft the charming little Minnie's Haberdashery in which most of the plot unfolds. The attention to detail in the inn is noteworthy; since about half of the tiny cabin can be seen in any given shot because of the wide camera lens, each item around the set adds some kind of artistic value to the setting as a whole. There are times in the story in which certain elements of the setting come into play in the most unexpected way. Without having to think too hard, I was enraptured by the plot and the acting of each of these Tarantino acting alumni (bar a couple new members). Each of the eight brought something completely different to the table, and delivered wholeheartedly. The limited space combined with the excellent script really brought this play-like film to life.
Except for a couple of pacing issues, and some strange directorial decisions, I personally thought this was one of Tarantino's strongest efforts. He may claim that the script just writes itself, but the level of cinematic detail that his team produced for this movie is worth the price of admission. Block out a full day, time travel back to the 60's, find a theater that supports the 70mm film, and enjoy.