50 Facts About the Film ‘The Hateful Eight’ by Quentin Tarantino

Written & Compiled by: Harold A. Martin

1. "The Hateful Eight" is a western film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino.             

2. It was released in 2015.

3. The film stars Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Walton Goggins, among others.

4. Tarantino initially conceived the film as a sequel to his previous film, "Django Unchained."

5. The story takes place in Wyoming during the winter of 1877.

6. The film's title refers to the eight main characters, who are all morally ambiguous and deceitful.

7. "The Hateful Eight" was shot using Ultra Panavision 70, a rare and wide aspect ratio format.

8. Tarantino used the same film format as classics like "Ben-Hur" and "Mutiny on the Bounty" to achieve a vintage look.

9. The film's runtime is approximately 3 hours and 7 minutes.

10. Ennio Morricone composed the film's score, which won him an Academy Award.
11. "The Hateful Eight" was nominated for three Academy Awards, including Best Supporting Actress for Jennifer Jason Leigh.

12. The film's opening credits were designed by the late graphic designer Pablo Ferro.

13. It was the first time Tarantino worked with cinematographer Robert Richardson since "Kill Bill: Volume 1."

14. Tarantino built a replica of Minnie's Haberdashery, the main setting of the film, on a ranch in Colorado.

15. The film's script was leaked online in early 2014, prompting Tarantino to consider canceling the project.

16. Tarantino eventually decided to proceed with the film, making some revisions to the leaked script.

17. "The Hateful Eight" pays homage to classic westerns, particularly those directed by Sergio Leone.

18. The film's dialogue is known for its sharpness and wit, a trademark of Tarantino's writing.

19. Tarantino had initially planned to shoot the film in 2014, but postponed production due to the script leak.

20. The film's release was accompanied by a limited roadshow engagement in 70mm format, complete with an overture and intermission.

21. Tarantino has stated that the film was inspired by Agatha Christie's mystery novels.

22. "The Hateful Eight" features a diverse cast, with actors from different backgrounds and ethnicities.

23. The film explores themes of racism, violence, and justice in a post-Civil War setting.

24. Tarantino's regular collaborator, Tim Roth, was originally considered for a role, but scheduling conflicts prevented his involvement.

25. The film was praised for its ensemble cast's performances, particularly Jennifer Jason Leigh's portrayal of the character Daisy Domergue.

26. "The Hateful Eight" was filmed in the winter, which added to the authenticity of the snowy landscapes.

27. The film's production designer, Yohei Taneda, meticulously recreated the interior of Minnie's Haberdashery.

28. "The Hateful Eight" marks Tarantino's eighth feature film, hence the title.

29. The film's violence is graphic and intense, as is typical of Tarantino's work.

30. Tarantino has described "The Hateful Eight" as a "whodunit" set in the Old West.

31. The film's release was accompanied by a controversy surrounding Tarantino's comments on police brutality, which led to calls for a boycott.

32. Tarantino has said that "The Hateful Eight" is his most political film to date.
33. The film's narrative is non-linear, with multiple flashbacks and revelations.

34. "The Hateful Eight" was influenced by classic westerns like "The Great Silence" and "The Wild Bunch."

35. The film's dialogue was praised for its sharpness and memorable lines.

36. "The Hateful Eight" was Tarantino's second film to be released in 70mm format, following "Django Unchained."

37. The film's soundtrack features songs by artists such as Roy Orbison and The White Stripes.

38. Tarantino has stated that "The Hateful Eight" is his most dialogue-driven film.
39. The film's script was over 160 pages long, indicating its dense and intricate storytelling.

40. "The Hateful Eight" was nominated for three Golden Globe Awards, including Best Screenplay and Best Original Score.

41. Tarantino's longtime editor, Sally Menke, passed away before the production of "The Hateful Eight." The film is dedicated to her memory.

42. The film's release was accompanied by a 12-minute prologue titled "The Hateful Eight: 70mm Roadshow."

43. "The Hateful Eight" was praised for its detailed production design and attention to period authenticity.

44. The film's premiere was held at the Cinerama Dome in Los Angeles, where the 70mm format was showcased.

45. Tarantino has expressed interest in adapting "The Hateful Eight" into a stage play.

46. The film's marketing campaign emphasized the ensemble cast and the mystery surrounding the characters' true motives.

47. "The Hateful Eight" was a box office success, grossing over $155 million worldwide.
48. The film received generally positive reviews from critics, with praise for its performances and Tarantino's direction.

49. Tarantino has stated that he may release an extended version of "The Hateful Eight" in the future.

50. "The Hateful Eight" has become a favorite among Tarantino fans, known for its homages to classic westerns, award-winning score, and its gritty dialogue.

Hope you enjoyed this spotlight on a winter-themed western!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM WELLDONEMOVIES.COM

Babylon (Critique & Analysis)

Written by: Lee Fenton

NOTE: This is a re-edit of a blog entry that was posted on Aug. 26th / 2023

This article was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the hard work and dedication of the writers and actors, the movie being covered here wouldn’t exist. In fact, no films or television would.

We stand in solidarity.

Babylon is a 2022 American film, a dark comedy made to be one part critique of Hollywood, and a another part love-letter to the burgeoning days of the silver screen. Written and directed by Damien Chazelle, it is his attempt at an epic of sorts; after the success of his smaller passion project Whiplash.

Babylon is also a bloated mess.

Like the elephant that defecates on screen, just a few minutes into the film. Full POV shot straight at the camera. The only way to live the experience more fully would be to don a VR headset, for complete immersion. But.. why?

I feel this sequence set the tone for the rest of the movie. The tone Damien Chazelle wanted; I'm unsure, but it come’s off as pent-up creative diarrhea.

I am sure this is not what the filmmaker was going for. This film is supposed to be another Once Upon a Time in Hollywood or something in the vein of Hail Caesar (although under-performing, Hail Caesar is considered by most a successful Coen brothers picture) but to me it is more closely related to the industry pariah: Movie 43.

While some may see a beautifully subversive take on Hollywood's over-abundance and hedonism, conversely I feel this film assaults you with disgusting imagery, intended to shock. Inter-spliced with humour that falls flat; strung together with disjointed editing, adjoined by scenes that come off more as a collection of skits (or shorts) than an actual cohesive screenplay.

Tonal shifts can happen but they should be smooth and serve the overall story. A screenplay that has a strong central theme is rather essential, Babylon attempts this with the thru line of Manny's (main character) ascension through the ranks of Hollywood, and then his rather fast decline. I feel that the focus of the film did not stay on these story beats near-enough.

Linearity was lacking in this film, and I must wonder if it was intended or if it was just a result of a passionate filmmaker creating a not-so-hot mess. If you've missed the similarities between the films Movie 43 and Babylon then perhaps you are dissimilar to me, and in your eyes, this movie is a masterpiece of epic proportions.

In my eyes it came off as a pile of steaming shit, which is after all what they put in front of my face as soon as I attempted to watch the damn thing.

Movie 43 will always be synonymous with making the choice to attach prosthetic balls to Hugh Jackman's chin for a cheap laugh; and Babylon runs the risk of forever being associated with the disgusting smut it attempted to peddle. It's quite sad, because both films have some good stuff in them, but their lasting impression will likely amount to the shock bait that they dangled in front of their viewers.

Hopefully, future filmmakers will learn from Damien Chazelle's experience and allow their movie a moment to breathe. But Damien doesn't allow his art to breathe, instead Damien Chazelle chooses to shove the visual of a young woman, pissing on a older, morbidly obese man - in front of you; mere seconds after the elephant 'accident'.

Yep. He doubled down.

Now some would argue that other films have utilized shocking visuals like this before, and I would have to agree, while adding, execution is everything.

A picture that does manage to succeed in this, is Perfume: 'A Story of a Murderer'. In its opening sequence an impoverished woman; working as a street vendor, gives birth in a pile of fetid, rancid garbage and rotten fish. The movie is set in 1800s - Paris, France and the filmmaker chose to depict this scene as historically accurate. It is wholly disturbing, as intended.

Perfume's execution obviously differs from Babylon, since the event is paramount to the story and informs the protagonist's actions throughout the rest of the film. (I might spoil it a bit for you, but the crux of the character has to do with his sense of smell, hence the title of the movie.) Or perhaps the difference is simply that, Perfume is a great movie - made competently, and the execution worked, while Babylon is a misguided attempt at high art, resulting in a revolting, mismatch of ideas, themes, and visuals.

Despite the few moments of greatness here and there.

*Good performances though. Toby Maguire was splendid and unexpectedly putrid; Margo Robbie brought a level of energy rarely seen, and Brad Pitt was a perfect mix of charming, and handsome, as always.

The fault of the actors, it is not.

Rating 3.5 / 10 (undercooked sirloin)

Last Voyage of the Demeter - Review & Analysis

written by: Lee Fenton

This movie was made during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the hard work and dedication of the writers and actors (and even more so the ones currently on strike), the movie being covered here wouldn’t exist. In fact, no films or television would.

We stand in solidarity.

Would I call this film lack-luster?

No.

I believe that is an overly descriptive word to use for a film like this. ‘The Last Voyage of the Demeter’ in my opinion is simply 'meh'.

Going in, there is hope that this movie may amount to more than a cheap imitation of cherished horror films from the past. The nostalgia bait with this release is glaringly obvious - you want to know what the worst part is?

It really does not achieve what it sets out to do – kick start a new franchise based on old intellectual property – this is a severe disappointment. The screenwriters could have spent time coming up with something original and thought provoking. Instead the studios chose to re-tread old ground, hoping that the attachment to the original Dracula source material would carry an undeserving film forward.

What's more I feel this movie is really trying to fill the hole left by the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, albeit aiming for a different demographic, with content that is much darker and more adult. Is it a coincidence that the original movie-goers who enjoyed the Pirates franchise are now in their 30s and 40s? I believe not. Besides, the general public has always had an itch for naval films based in the 1800s and 1900s; so why not, try to satisfy that craving – making millions in the process, right?

In of its self it is not a bad idea, but the execution leaves a lot to be desired.

So there really isn't a breakout character in this film; and that's one of it's many problems. I would like to say it's Dracula; but honestly the characterization we get from him amounts to: whispered threats, and one liners. The lead role is sort of split between two different characters; 'Clemens' and 'Wojchek' and neither of them develop into what this film sorely needed - a hero. *Spoiler warning ahead* The outro of the movie is a scene where Dracula (Javier Botet) is spotted in a bar by Clemens (Corey Hawkins) - who has turned out to be the lone survivor of the incident – and he follows Dracula into the nearby street vowing his vengeance and promising (to the audience) that this creature of the night will not survive, if he has anything to say about it. Then the movie ends. That's the most heroic feeling moment in this film.

I feel like this would have been acceptable if they had slated another movie for release. Dune(2021) is a rather melancholy film due to the fact that Denis Villeneuve (Dir.) chose not to condense the story of Frank Herbert's first book, and instead to end the film about halfway - through at the 'All Is Lost Moment'. This is a very risky choice in the medium of film because we end on a real down note and leave the audience with the opposite of a classic Hollywood ending. Dune however is a great movie, and pulled this off immaculately.

The Last Voyage of the Demeter has performances that fail to involve me in the emotional toll of the characters enough to really care about their well-being. Also the dialogue isn't atrocious, but the amount of character development that takes place in this film is next to none, and the actors are all unknowns for the most part, not a bad thing necessarily - but I think some before hand character work and more involved direction - would have went a long way.

The gore in this movie is all pretty spectacular - from a special effects point of view. Any practical effects (prosthetic, latex, etc) are lit well and look convincing, and the CGI for Dracula's 'Nosferatu-esque' form is quite a bit of fun, honestly. There are moments when I wish the filmmaker would have spent more time on suspense building; versus shocking visuals, and all-out-blood-and-gore (J-Horror does this expertly, see one of my favorite films The Ring – 1998 for a westernized version of the sub-genre, or Ringu the original Japanese film) but for the most part the movie ensures the mythos of Dracula is treated with respect and establishes him as a creature of the night, that strikes from the shadows - terrifying his victims, and picking them off one-by-one. There is some peak vampire horror in here, it's just that the moments of grandeur are fleeting, and it doesn't quite pack the same punch that films like; Interview with the Vampire and ‘Francis Ford Coppola's’ interpretation of Bram Stoker's - Dracula, did.

It's more like a refined version of Dracula 3000 or maybe a sister film to Dracula Untold. I didn't detest Dracula Untold, though some vamp-heads were offended by the movie showcasing such a legendary villain as Dracula with such a rather mediocre product. Dracula Untold was a huge production in comparison - so maybe this film should be commended for achieving similar results, but with less.

Another point: True Blood (HBO) was quite successful, and Twilight - a global phenomenon. So should we really be so harsh on The Last Voyage of the Demeter?

Perhaps not.

Rating 5.5/10 Not well done at all. But at least the movie is still fresh...

Dracula likes em' fresh.

(Budget of Dracula Untold 70 million, adjusted for inflation 93.3 million. Voyage of the Last Demeter 45 million. A little more impressive, hmm?)

(Oh! Btw before I forget go watch Renfield!! Do you want a vampire movie that delivers on its premise and leaves you wanting more Nicolas Cage Dracula action for the rest of your pitiful little existence? Then go watch Renfield. Don’t worry I’ll review it soon)

The Last Voyage of the Demeter (also known as Dracula: Voyage of the Demeter in some international markets)[7] is a 2023 American supernatural horror film directed by André Øvredal and written by Bragi F. Schut Jr.[c] and Zak Olkewicz. It is an adaptation of "The Captain's Log", a chapter from the 1897 novel Dracula by Bram Stoker. The film stars Corey Hawkins, Aisling Franciosi, Liam Cunningham, and David Dastmalchian. -Wikipedia