Solid, visually interesting

Rating: 8/10 (10 January 2016)

A solid Tarantino movie, in many ways typical for his style, but also remarkable for being mainly a chamber play: Tarantino puts eight characters of questionable background and honesty into a cabin where they're stuck as a blizzard rages on. Most of the movie takes place in that cabin, Minnie's Haberdashery. And there it's a bit like a mix of a Shakespearean play and... well, that may be a strange comparison, but yes, I'd say: an Agatha Christie mystery. Dame Agatha Christie would have been shocked by the violence and bloodiness, I suppose, but at the core, there are similar plot devices: Who's telling the truth? Who is who, actually? What really happened at the place earlier? The solution comes as an outburst of utter violence, as one expects from Tarantino. And it is quite surprising. Yes, there may be a plot hole presenting itself after the movie's conclusion (spoiler alert again!) - it doesn't seem to make much sense for the gang members not to kill the bounty hunters right away and to instead play their game of deception, which is dangerous (for themselves) and seems, ultimately, rather silly. On the other hand, the gangsters holed up in Minnie's Haberdashery might have been unsure what kind of "visitors" to expect, how many, and whether some amongst them might be aligned to their cause, so decided to proceed with caution.
Well, all this is filmed beautifully and nostalgically in Ultra Panavision 70, a process previously last used in 1966, and in the roadshow release, given an extra 1960s touch by including an overture and intermission music. I have seen the roadshow release and would recommend it. One shot especially impressed me on the very big screen: It's a view from inside a barn, the open barn's door forming a frame that looks a bit like a smaller cinema picture, and the dark inside surroundings barely visible - but still visible enough to create the impression that the viewer is actually inside that barn. Without any 3D technology, it creates a sudden and surprising feeling of immersion and of being there. As this shot's effectiveness heavily relies on the big screen, I'm not sure whether it's included in that form in the standard (digital) release which has, it's said, some different cuts as an adaptation to smaller screens. Also, I certainly wouldn't say that the ultra widescreen format is pointless just because most of the movie is set in a cabin - in fact, it shows that widescreen allows for interesting interior shots and isn't just for sweeping landscapes.