Quentin Tarantino is known for being a visionary and visceral director. His films are unique in style, content, and (of course) violence. So, when the first draft of The Hateful Eight was leaked onto the internet, Tarantino was understandably upset. In a recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live he opened up about what that was like:
I wanted to write three drafts of the script. Go through three different times. Tell the story three different times and then decide, ‘OK, this is the movie.’ And so I did the first draft. It was completely unfinished. There was an end, but it wasn’t THE end. … So to have it exposed, that version, was really… it got to me.
Well, I’d be upset too. From the way that Quentin Tarantino says it, The Hateful Eight was rather early in the writing process when the leak happened. With only one of three drafts completed, Tarantino hadn’t even planned what events would be the most important in the film. This is like a manuscript being released before any editing or re-writes made- it’s just not complete.
Furthermore, if Tarantino was experimenting with a new exploratory way of writing, it seems that this leak would serve as a major roadblock to his artistic expression. It’s a risk to change a process that has clearly worked in the past- and to have it blow up in his face must have been frustrating.
The Hateful Eight has continued to have a fair amount of controversy surrounding it through its development and impending release. Tarantino is insistent that movie theaters show The Hateful Eight in its original 70MM Ultra Panavision in order to properly show the grandness of the film. As movies aren’t typically shown at this scale, it’s forcing movie theaters to pay for upgrades to their equipment, much to the chagrin of their management. Additionally, Tarantino’s recent advocacy and statements regarding police brutality have put him in hot water, resulting in a campaign to ban the new film.
Clearly, Quentin Tarantino has put an unprecedented amount of work and vision into The Hateful Eight. While known for using unconventional filming tropes, as well as an outstanding amount of (at times cartoonish) violence, it seems he is putting even more of his unique perspective into The Hateful Eight. From his new approach to writing, as well as the 70MM filming, Tarantino seems to be pulling out all the stops this one. Perhaps this is partly a campaign for an Academy Award, as he has yet to win for his directing prowess.
Check out the clip of Tarantino on Jimmy Kimmel Live below:
You can really tell how passionate Quentin Tarantino is for The Hateful Eight in this clip. While you might not agree with his films’ violence, or his recent comments about law enforcement, you can’t deny how staunchly he will fight for his work.
