Quentin Tarantino stands as one of the most beloved directors in modern cinema. Often lauded for sticking to his intentions and designs, he is a director who appreciates and respects the history of film. It is because ofhis passion as a cinephilethat a Universal pitch meeting overThe Hateful Eightturned sour.
The Wall Street Journal reports that an idea over the distribution of Tarantino’sThe Hateful Eightcaused the director to storm out of a meeting with Universal executives. Jeff Shell, the then head of Universal studio, pitched the idea to releaseThe Hateful Eighton mobile devices with “iPhones” specifically mentioned. Tarantino responded with a “Great” only to then storm out of the meeting.
RELATED:Cyberpunk 2077 Poster Has Pulp Fiction Easter Egg
Shell’s idea likely came from a place of concern with regards toThe Hateful Eighton what was then expected to be a pricey production. Tarantino wanted to shoot the film in 70mm only to then refit it to contemporary theater screens. Despite the early worries, the overall budget of the production came to an estimated $62 million according to Variety. This madeThe Hateful Eight’s overall budget half of Tarantino’s previous filmDjango Unchained.
The Hateful Eightwas eventually distributed by the Weinstein Company and went on to earn over double its reported budget.The Hateful Eightis a divisive entryin Tarantino’s filmography withThe Thinginspired western being a source of debate. This type of debate isn’t usually the kind Tarantino films generate with most discussions focusing on the narratives and fates of characters. It wasn’t long ago that Tarantino answered a lingering question ofwhat happened to a famousPulp Fictioncharacter.
While times under COVID-19 have shaped the film industry like never before, some cinephiles still take the silver screen’s place in modern cinema seriously.
The Hateful Eightis available now on streaming services and physical media.
