The Hateful Eight

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Quentin Tarantino directs. Robert Richardson behind the camera. Ennio Morricone scores. Fred Raskin cuts. A long sit — settle in. Made its budget back several times over at the box office. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in Spanish, English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

• 1At 188 minutes, this is a three-hour-plus commitment — longer than 95% of films ever made.
• 2Made its money back 3.5× over at the box office.
• 3Released 11 years ago.
• 4Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Spanish, English.
• 5Directed by Quentin Tarantino, shot by Robert Richardson. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
• 6Original score by Ennio Morricone. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
• 7Editor Fred Raskin shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
• 8Samuel L. Jackson and Kurt Russell and Jennifer Jason Leigh carry the top of the cast.
• 9Marketing tagline: "No one comes up here without a damn good reason.".
• 10IMDB entry: tt3460252 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
• 1115,676 TMDB user ratings logged — serious cultural footprint.
• 12Classified under 14 themes, including "bounty hunter", "wyoming, usa", "narration", "mountain".
• 13Released under 16 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography

Robert Richardson

Original score

Ennio Morricone

Editing

Fred Raskin

Production design

Yohei Taneda

Costume design

Courtney Hoffman

Makeup / hair

Barbara Cantu

VFX supervisor

Darren Poe

Sound

Christian P. Minkler

Stunt coordinator

Jeff Dashnaw

Runtime

188 min · 3h 8m

Aspect ratio (typical)

1.37:1 (Academy)

Status

Released

Budget

$44,000,000

Box office

$155,760,117

Return

354% of budget

Original language

EN

Certification (US)

R

IMDB

The Hateful Eight (2015) ↗

Also by

Quentin Tarantino

• 
  Pulp Fiction

  1994 · ★ 8.5
• 
  Inglourious Basterds

  2009 · ★ 8.2
• 
  Django Unchained

  2012 · ★ 8.2
• 
  Reservoir Dogs

  1992 · ★ 8.1
• 
  Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair

  2011 · ★ 8.1
• 
  Kill Bill: Vol. 1

  2003 · ★ 8.0

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

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Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

• 

  ▶
  Official Trailer

  Trailer · Official
• 

  ▶
  Official Teaser Trailer

  Trailer · Official
• 

  ▶
  Quentin Tarantino's THE HATEFUL EIGHT - EXCLUSIVE VIDEO

  Featurette · Official

Community reviews

What people are saying

• Brett Hardin2016-01-02
  ★ 8/10

  The Hateful Eight is an epic film. Epic the way Ben-Hur was epic. It’s filmed on rare Ultra Panavision 70. The film crew altered Modern cameras to work with UP70. Quentin Tarantino knew there were two types of film viewers. Those who would see his film as he intended and those who would not. Tarantino isn’t an idiot and knows people will pirate his and watch it on devices he can’t control [Note 1]. To combat this Tarantino made a version of the film which requires viewing in a theatre. He did this with the 70mm roadshow production of The Hateful Eight. The roadshow production of The Hateful Eight is a great experience. I was born in 1981, after roadshow theatrical releases fell out of popularity so I’ve never experience a roadshow theatrical release. Roadshow theatrical releases were (or are) a limited engagement showing of a movie before general release. The Hateful Eight’s roadshow includes a beautifully produced souvenir program — already available on Ebay. The lights go out fifteen minutes prior to the film starting and no previews are shown. Roadshows aren’t their to advertise. Their purpose is to wow you with The Hateful Eight in 70mm. I was only eleven when Reservoir Dogs was released and thirteen when Pulp Fiction was released. Arguably, a little too young to watch these films. Although I knew what sex was and how it worked, My young mind didn’t know about paraphilia or unusual sexual interests. I don’t think I even had a working idea of how homosexual sex worked. This would have made watching scenes from Pulp Fiction rather difficult for me at that age. [Note 2] Unlike many, I saw Reservoir Dogs before Pulp Fiction. Although I like the editing style of Pulp Fiction, I think Reservoir Dogs is a better film. What makes Reservoir Dogs great is the lack of financing. Financial constraints didn’t limit Tarantino and Reservoir Dogs is dialogue heavy with very impactful scenes revolving around a single location: The Warehouse. The high-level idea of The Hateful Eight, Quentin Tarantino’s Eighth film, which implies the title is deliberate, is about a bounty hunter escorting a prisoner (the only female in the film) to “hang by the neck until they are dead” in Red Rock. However, a blizzard prevents the prisoner from reaching the final location and the prisoner along with eight others are stuck in a single room: Minnie’s Haberdashery. The Hateful Eight is filmmaking at it’s finest. Like Reservoir Dogs it could have been a theatrical production. It didn’t have to be a movie. If there are special effects they aren’t noticeable. There is violence and blood, which you expect, but comparing to other Quentin Tarantino’s films it’s tame. There is no dancing to a radio tune while Michael Madsen conducts a horrific act. But, the strongest story-telling scene will stick with you. A flashback overlaid with a monologue performed by Samuel L. Jackson that demonstrates the artistic ability of Tarantino. The editing between Major Warren’s narrative and what General Smithers envisions can only be told with film. The scene contrasts the alluring story with the distasteful act. A compliment to the editor who doesn’t pull you out of the monologue, but enhances it. I’ve only seen, read, or heard a few interviews with Tarantino, but I don’t get the impression he does anything on accident. Tarantino puts too much thought into his ideas and works. When Bret Easton Ellis interviewed Tarantino he stated: My scripts are meant to be read. [The Bride] has stashed all this shit in the ground. So, she is going to dig a hole and pull up a footlocker and it will have passports, money, and weapons. All the things she will need for her revenge. But, the way I have it written in the script is she needs to find a rock and turn it over to find an ‘X’ on the rock. She turns over the rock and finds the ‘X’. If the ‘X’ hadn’t have been there or if she couldn’t have found rock, she would have taken it as a sign that her revenge never should happen and she would have dropped the whole idea. These are things you can’t show on film. You get this same type of feeling when watching The Hateful Eight. It is hard to imagine that Tarantino didn’t have a few one-on-one days with each actor explaining to their character’s fully-developed backstory which isn’t depicted in the film. Only additional viewings will explain each characters motives. Many of my college friends who enjoyed Kill Bill Volume One didn’t like Kill Bill Volume Two even though Kill Bill Volume Two is the stronger of the two films. The reason? The dialogue. The dialogue is the best part of The Hateful Eight. Although The Hateful Eight is three hours long you don’t feel it. The film engrosses you with the characters, their conversations, and the conflict between them. The acting is superb. My wife said that this is her favorite Quentin Tarantino film. I don’t know if I disagree and although Reservoir Dogs holds a special place with me, The Hateful Eight is a much more mature film. Tarantino has had 23 years to perfect his craft and it shows. Although I liked Django Unchained, it isn’t as good as The Hateful Eight. The Hateful Eight may be one of the better films I’ve seen in the past few years. Note 1: Mark Z. Danielewski’s House of Leaves is a piece of art as much as a novel. But, there isn’t a digital version. This is deliberate. Danielewski can’t determine a way for readers to digitally consume the book. Contrary to what you expect, this control is more easily achieved with print than film. Note 2: Like all Quentin Tarantino’s movies, The Hateful Eight isn’t for children. Quentin Tarantino is great because of his dedication to his art. Tarantino made a purposeful choice to not have a relationship or children because it would affect his art. I wonder if his decision is partially due to discussions around the dinner table about what Daddy does without showing them. I don’t know if Tarantino has actually thought about the ramifications of raising a child in the dark to his art until a certain age. Maybe he hasn’t. But, If I was in his shoes, I would have internal conflict about not wanting to twist my kid’s minds until they were of age to deal with my creations. But, I am probably projecting.

  Read full review ↓
• Andres Gomez2016-01-16
  ★ 6/10

  The hateful eight is well directed, good photography and has a great OST, with a good melody from Ennio Morricone (although it is just that, not much more) and, as usual, well selected songs by Tarantino. The best of the movie is its cast, with the exception of Michael Madsen which I think is terrible but Tarantino seems to love. As usual, good performance by Samuel L. Jackson and superb ones by Kurt Russel and Jennifer Jason Leigh. Tim Roth makes a great role in a character that seems as if it was made for Chistoph Waltz, though. IMHO, the best performance is from Walton Goggins, though. A usual secondary which has the chance in this movie to be more than just that. All in all, a Tarantino movie with what you would expect from one of his movies. But ... the problem is precisely that there is everything to be expected, but nothing else. The typical long and witty dialogues. The typical stories and anecdotes distracting the viewer attention from the important happenings ongoing, but just that. Hence, this movie stays half way to be a really good movie and it remains just a enjoyable movie, without much more expectations.

  Read full review ↓
• Reno2016-03-24
  ★ 8/10

  ...And then there were none. I'm neither Tarantino nor Nolan's fan, but love watching their movies. As usual these director's films are highly expected by all, that's including me. This one started off quite like a normal western, so I thought it wouldn't be like the director's previous film 'Django Unchained'. In fact, it was considered for a sequel to that, but the director felt this story and the previous character Django failed to blend, hence 'The Hateful Eight' was born with Samuel L. Jackson playing an important role. Solid eight from me for this QT's eighth film. But I felt the movie was kind of inspired by 'And Then There Were None'. It was not about to find who's the killer or next to be killed. The character introductions were at its best and an excellent twist in the middle. This sets in a cabin with eight strangers struck there after the snowstorm. But after an unexpected event the suspicious started to mount and brings chaos. Then takes us to the flashback to reveal something the story that did not mention in the earlier part which's very essential for coming back to the finale. The 80% of the movie was just talking, but the remaining stunt sequences were so powerful. All the eight, plus, supporting character were exceptional, but the director's favourite Samuel L. Jackson nailed it as his character is a bit above from the rest. The entire film was shot is a couple of locations, but the major portion takes place in a cabin and it was a limited cast movie. These days, western movies are shrinking, only a very-very few good movies are made every year. In the time of superheroes, a movie like this is really very precious, so definitely recommend it. 8/10

  Read full review ↓

Production companies

Who made it

• 

  The Weinstein Company

  US

• 

  Double Feature Films

  US

• 

  FilmColony

  US

Key crew

• Executive ProducerHarvey Weinstein
• Executive ProducerBob Weinstein
• Set DecorationRosemary Brandenburg
• Art DirectionRichard L. Johnson
• CastingVictoria Thomas
• Production DesignYohei Taneda
• Costume DesignCourtney Hoffman
• EditorFred Raskin
• Costume SupervisorJonny Pray
• Key Hair StylistBarbara Cantu
• Sound Effects EditorSylvain Lasseur
• Digital IntermediatePatrick Ready
• Sound Re-Recording MixerChristian P. Minkler
• Hair Department HeadCamille Friend
• Music SupervisorMary Ramos
• Special Effects SupervisorMike Edmonson
• FoleyGary A. Hecker
• Visual Effects SupervisorDarren Poe
• Art Department AssistantJen R. Clark
• Makeup ArtistMolly Tissavary
• Visual Effects EditorShawn Broes
• Visual Effects EditorMichael Harden
• Music EditorBill Abbott
• Makeup Department HeadHeba Thorisdottir

Themes & keywords

What it's about, really

• bounty hunter
• wyoming, usa
• narration
• mountain
• hangman
• whodunit
• stagecoach
• blizzard
• post civil war
• 19th century
• huis clos
• absurd
• male rape
• everyone dies

Release history · US

When it landed

• Premiere2015-12-07R· Los Angeles
• Theatrical (limited)2015-12-25R· 70mm version
• Theatrical2015-12-30R
• Physical2016-03-29R

Also known as

International titles

• The H8ful EightUS
• Shmonat ha'snou'imIL
• Bjaurusis aštuntukasLT
• Les 8 SalopardsFR
• 헤이트풀8KR
• 8 พิโรธ โกรธแล้วฆ่าTH
• Les huit enragésCA
• Les 8 enragésCA
• Los odiosos ochoES
• The Hateful Eight: Extended VersionUS
• 더 헤이트풀 에이트KR
• 헤이트풀 8KR
• Nefret SekizlisiTR
• Nefret DoluTR
• Նողկալի ութնյակըAM