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Author Topic: Hateful 8 (2015) 70mm Version Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 12-27-2015 01:18 AM                     Cinema: AMC Quail Springs Mall 24 Screen: 12 Format: 1.25x anamorphic 5/70mm, Datasat 5.1 digital sound Presentation Problems: Modest sized common width screens with no masking really suck for shows like this. Bring back common height screen design! Sheesh! Rating 3.5 stars out of 4 Death Proof is by far my least favorite Quentin Tarantino movie. Too much of its running time was wasted on long, boring dialog scenes that had little relevance to the plot and only seemed interesting to its participants. Death Proof probably could have gone from beginning to end in less than a half hour without all those talky scenes. I was pretty worried The Hateful Eight would be even worse. A three hour movie where most of it is spent inside a cabin among 8 bad people? I pictured the keys of QT's computer keyboard or typewriter building up smoke from cranking out so much dialog. Thankfully The Hateful Eight has dialog that at least points in some direction relevant to the story. There were times I did get annoyed by characters needlessly going back and forth reinforcing the same point. Edit! Maybe some of that will be trimmed a bit in the "regular" non-roadshow version. At any rate, the 3 hours went by pretty quick for me at least. The Hateful Eight is not a pleasant movie. It has some pretty violent scenes and a few that are just disgusting. Throw in a heaping amount of racism, some graphic nudity and sadistic sexual assault and that should be enough to make any parent very sorry for ignoring the R-rating on the poster and bringing their kids to the show anyway. Some R-rated movies just have ordinary violence and some curse words, basic cable TV-MA stuff. The Hateful Eight is not that. But that's part of the fun. The audience was really squirming, laughing and even going "ewww" at a few points in this film. The movie has some pretty good twists and turns and even some good performances. Kurt Russell sounded a bit too much like John Wayne or "Jack Burton," but he still had some great lines. Samuel Jackson dominated most of his scenes. Jennifer Jason Leigh was a trip. Walton Goggins is great, but he was reminding me of "Boyd Crowder" in Justified. I really liked Ennio Morricone's score. The opening title theme was awesome. It was almost as good as his March of the Righteous theme that opened The Untouchables. The intermission was great. I was able to visit the bathroom and make a phone call. There's too many 2 hour plus movies that want to test the capacity and pain thresholds of audience bladders. I spoke about the film presentation in the Film Handler's Forum thread about The Hateful Eight. Not a perfect 70mm presentation, but I'm thankful it wasn't a disaster either. Pretty good sound sound quality. The image quality could have been better. I think a combination of things made the movie not has sharp as it should have been. On the flip side, the color and contrast quality was superior to any d-cinema stuff. That kind of gets to QT's choice of Ultra Panavision 70mm. I can appreciate the novelty of using this widest of all film formats. BTW, kudos to QT for sticking the "Filmed in Ultra Panavision 70" thing up front in the opening titles by Robert Richardson's credit. I liked that a lot. The Cinerama thing on the opening might have been a bit much (especially since we were watching it shown smaller on a dinky common width screen). Anyway, I didn't see a whole lot in this movie where the ultra-wide 2.76:1 ratio was really needed. This movie could have been shot spherical in 2.20:1 ratio and projected much sharper. That's really supposed to be one of the big pay-offs of seeing something in real 70mm. I did like the color and contrast quality though. It was nice to be watching a movie where the projected image didn't seem like a TV screen image at Buffalo Wild Wings. The color quality looked organic and the black levels were nice and deep. Not gray. Perhaps laser projection can match some of those black levels, but I don't see those things proliferating to very many theaters in the near future due to their absurdly high cost. I'm hoping other filmmakers or movie-makers will take advantage of 70mm film presentation in the future, but shoot normal spherical 5/65mm principal photography. The Ultra Panavision thing needs some work. Even though I admire QT and the Weinstein Co. for getting 70mm prints of this movie into 98 theaters, 70mm really deserves best house in the complex screens. I'm hoping Boston Light & Sound Inc. will be able to keep these 70mm systems at the ready and future movie releases will take advantage of them.  |  IP: Logged Jim Cassedy Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1661 From: San Francisco, CA Registered: Dec 2006 posted 12-27-2015 06:59 PM                     quote: Mitchell Dvoskin I was at the first public showing on Christmas Eve and their were no programs. Would you like me to send you an autographed one?  |  IP: Logged Mitchell Dvoskin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1869 From: West Milford, NJ, USA Registered: Jan 2001 posted 12-28-2015 01:37 PM                     > Would you like me to send you an autographed one? Yes, please! I pm'd you my address.  |  IP: Logged Jonathan M. Crist Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 531 From: Hershey, PA, USA Registered: Apr 2000 posted 12-29-2015 07:28 AM                     I think Peter Yeldham and Harry Alan Towers should have gotten co-screenplay credit for H8. Who are Yeldham and Towers? They were the co-authors of "Ten Little Indians" the 1965 adaption of Agatha Christie's novel "And Then There Were None". Proving once again .... that there is no such thing as originality in Hollywood.  |  IP: Logged Martin McCaffery Film God Posts: 2481 From: Montgomery, AL Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-29-2015 07:55 AM                        Proving, once again, Quentin Tarantino is the cinematic equivalent of a cover band  |  IP: Logged Daniel Schulz Master Film Handler Posts: 387 From: Los Angeles, CA USA Registered: Sep 2003 posted 12-29-2015 11:53 PM                        quote: Jonathan M. Crist I think Peter Yeldham and Harry Alan Towers should have gotten co-screenplay credit for H8. Who are Yeldham and Towers? They were the co-authors of "Ten Little Indians" the 1965 adaption of Agatha Christie's novel "And Then There Were None". Proving once again .... that there is no such thing as originality in Hollywood. If you don't think successfully translating Agatha Christie of all people to the American West as viewed through the eyes of Sergio Leone counts as original, then I don't think I can help you. This sort of pastiche is *precisely* Tarantino's genius.  |  IP: Logged Terry Monohan Master Film Handler Posts: 379 From: San Francisco CA USA Registered: May 2014 posted 12-30-2015 06:57 PM                     Just saw the roadshow 70mm film print today at 10:20AM at the Century 9 in San Francisco CA in cinema #5. Nice size semi curved screen. The image was great no lines or splices. No masking on the bottom. I liked the film very exciting and I loved the split stereo surround with all the cold wind sound going on around you. Go see It If you want to see a great 70mm print that has not been wrecked like some of the other theatres in the Bay Area have been, go check It out. I also hear the Carmike Sundance Kabuki also has a good 70mm print still going. They even had nice programs for everyone at the Century 9. The 12 minute intermission was enough time for us to hit the restroom and get back.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 12-30-2015 07:37 PM                     Sounds like this film should have played at the Oakland Paramount, the Fox in Detroit, or some other huge venue with qualified projectionists operating well versed, proven equipment who really know how to put on a show to really get the "wow factor" up to the prime levels instead of these comments of no-so-perfect presentations.  |  IP: Logged Stephan Shelley Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 854 From: castro valley, CA, usa Registered: Nov 2014 posted 12-30-2015 08:11 PM                     The Oakland Paramount never had 70mm not that it could not be brought in. Paramount does the Nutcracker around Christmas. Oakland only had a couple of newer locations that had 70mm Century 21 and the Cinema in the Broadway/McArther center. Grand Lake add it added in 1980 and The Peidmount later than that.  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-30-2015 09:23 PM                        Regarding the program book: there are apparently eight different versions of this, each of which features a different character in the "centerfold" section. Edit: in addition to the program books, AMC Boston Common is handing out little pieces of 70mm film (real film, but obviously made just for this promotion) as souvenirs; they are about 6" long and contain several different frames (probably production stills, actually) from the movie (there is, obviously, no DTS timecode). I didn't look at them closely enough to notice if they are actually anamorphic or not. Is anyone else doing this? [ 12-31-2015, 08:05 PM: Message edited by: Scott Norwood ]  |  IP: Logged Geoff Jones Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 579 From: Broomfield, CO, USA Registered: Feb 2006 posted 01-01-2016 11:11 AM                        Continental Theater (Denver) - Auditorium 9 - 5th row center - 12/31/15 7PM The Presentation 1) Well, here's what I submitted to Regal via their online comment form this morning: quote: The bottom right corner of theater 9 has a garish green glow from the Exit sign, which is very distracting. Please do something to shield this light from the screen. I could do it with $5 of matte black paper (without obscuring the sign). The sad thing about this is that it's entirely preventable. I'm sure it's also an issue for the digital presentations normally in that auditorium. Quentin and Robert used the entire frame, and for me, the green glow was bad enough that I would recommend checking out the AMC Promenade if you want to see this in Denver, unless of course Regal fixes it. ha. 2) In Chapter 4, shortly after the intermission, there is a small dancing green scratch near the top center of the image for maybe 10 minutes. It's really minor except for the fact that it's right in the middle of SLJ's face for many scenes. 3) The top and bottom of the screen were unmasked. A blurry, slightly curved line was visible instead. This was noticeable from time to time, but did not pull me out of the experience. Other than those issues, the movie looked and sounded great. The screen was "big" but not "huge." The Film I liked it but didn't love it. I was glad I saw it, but don't really want to see it again. Great score, cinematography, dialog, performances. Story-wise, too much depends on a reveal in the 2nd half, but you aren't really given enough clues to anticipate what might be coming. It isn't for everyone... it's gleefully nihilistic.  |  IP: Logged Sam Graham AKA: "The Evil Sam Graham". Wackiness ensues. Posts: 1431 From: Waukee, IA Registered: Dec 2004 posted 01-01-2016 07:30 PM                        CINEMA: AMC Town Center 20, Lenexa, KS AUDITORIUM: 12 PRESENTATION: AMC Recline-O-Vision, 70mm Film PRESENTATION PROBLEMS: Inadequate auditorium for the format, slightly smiling picture RATING: Three stars (out of four) This is an Odyssey-era AMC remodeled into recliners and a pretty nifty self-serve snack bar that includes a "hot foods" setup. If I read the website right when I bought my ticket, they'll sell you snacks in advance when you buy your ticket and actually deliver them to your seat. What I don't like about the website is the seat chart for this auditorium makes you think seat 8 is center to the screen, but doesn't show you that this auditorium has an exit door to the left of the screen, so center is more like seat 5 or 6. Which should also tell you that this is a ridiculously small screen to be watching a 70mm presentation on. Having said that, it looked great. Even if it only filled about a third of the screen, and the screen was otherwise unmasked. THE PLOT: Eight people are hateful. Wackiness ensues. I'm not exactly an expert on westerns, though my grandmother made sure I saw my share (even if they were edited for television versions). My favorite is "Once Upon a Time in the West". Years ago, I wrote an Amazon review where I said "If Quentin Tarantino made a western, this would be it. Same music, same actors, same shots, same script." So here we are, and Tarantino has his western, and it's certainly not "Once Upon a Time in the West". But it is a fun and unpredictable watch. There's no clear hero. You really have no idea who will be left standing in the end. The music that sets the tension when the action starts picking up is really well done. And dropping Crystal Gayle's "Ready for the Times to Get Better" onto the intermission trail is classic Tarantino. I'd completely forgotten about that song and wanted to go out and buy a copy immediately. The movie is not without its flaws, unless Wyoming had assembled a Department of Transportation in that era and plowed stagecoach paths.  |  IP: Logged Matt Russell Expert Film Handler Posts: 142 From: Aurora, USA Registered: Aug 2015 posted 01-02-2016 01:19 AM                    After two (sold out tries), I finally saw The Hateful Eight (in glorious 70mm!) While it's certainly not Tarantino's best, it's a wonderfully written and beautifully shot. Samuel L. Jackson and Jennifer Jason Leigh specifically stand out among the cast, but on a whole, everyone did an amazing job. The characters I enjoyed specifically were Kurt Russell's John "Hangman" Ruth and Bruce Dern's General Smithers, but really every cast member have their own best moments. The story is gritty but witty, and is very much in the same tone as Tarantino's previous movie, Django Unchained. A problem I have with it, is the ending is about 10 minutes too long and some scenes kind of drag on a bit longer than they should. Overall, Hateful Eight is yet another fantastic edition to Tarantino's library, and with the 70mm, you get a really good feeling for all the time and effort that got put into the film. Film: 3 and a half out of 4 stars Presentation: 3 and a half out of 4 stars (Saw it at Century 12/Cinearts in Evanston, IL in auditorium 4. The screen was wide, but the theater has bigger auditoriums that they could of put it in, but it wasn't a big issue. Overture was played a bit too quiet but when the actual film started, it got louder, specially noticeable during scenes that involved the blizzard, specifically the wind outside Minnie's. There was a hair scratch at the top right corner of the screen that was noticeable during bright scenes, but it wasn't anything that distracting. The colors looked deep and the masking was proper, so overall, I recommend it if you're in the Chicago area looking to see this movie in 70mm.)  |  IP: Logged Steve Wilson Expert Film Handler Posts: 109 From: Paoli, IN, USA Registered: May 2004 posted 01-03-2016 10:57 PM                        I saw the movie this weekend on digital curved screen. While I was all set for an outdoor adventure which really makes 70mm a must see, I was disappointed that most of the movie happens on a indoor set and for me spoils the reason to have shot it in glorious 65mm to begin with.... I think it is a great movie and for an indoor set, 3 hours sure did past pretty darn fast. I would love to see it again soon.  |  IP: Logged Jonathan Goeldner Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1360 From: Washington, District of Columbia Registered: Jun 2008 posted 01-09-2016 10:56 PM                     I felt like I needed a shower after seeing this movie with all the blood and nastiness. Glad I saw it, but it's far from my favourite Tarantino film.  |  IP: Logged

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