Quentin Tarantino figured out how to charge people $200 a pop without even making the movie over the weekend, with a live read of his leaked, 146-page script for The Hateful Eight at LACMA in LA. In addition to the previously mentioned Samuel L. Jackson, the cast for the live read included:
- Samuel L. Jackson as Major Marquis Warren
- James Parks as the driver O.B.
- Kurt Russell as bounty hunter John Ruth also known as “The Hangman”
- Amber Tamblyn as his prisoner Daisy Domergue
- Walton Goggins as Chris Mannix
- Denis Menochet as the Frenchman Bob
- Tim Roth as the Englishman Oswaldo Mobray
- Michael Madsen as John Gage
- Bruce Dern as Confederate General Smithers
- Dana Gourrier as Minnie
- Zoe Bell as Six Horse Judy
- James Remar as Jody [Collider]
The reviews were generally positive, but most seemed to agree that the ending was a bit funky. As ThePlaylist described it:
Set six or eight years after the Civil War, the story is a unique beast in Tarantino’s crowded stable, despite the period setting and tension-filled standoffs. “The Hateful Eight” explores only two locations, denies a single protagonist in favor of eight unlikeable brutes, and winds a profane, bloody, and darkly humorous plot to an anticlimactic and upsetting finish.
To that, Tarantino said he’s working on further drafts of the script, hopefully without being interrupted by Alan Ball’s minah birds. Said Hitfix:
He is currently writing the third draft, and it sounds to me like he plans to make the movie. He promised that the final chapter of the first draft will be reworked completely, making last night’s live read the only time an audience will see that version of the ending.
As to whether we’ll actually see the movie, most accounts seem to agree that Tarantino strongly implied that he’ll eventually be shooting The Hateful Eight, and that he mentioned it being shot in “glorious 70 mm” several times. The Film Stage even puts the production date at next winter, though none of the other accounts mention this part, so it’s hard to say where that came from. Bottom line, we’re probably going to get a Hateful Eight movie, and this was either a unique, one-off event brought about by Quentin Tarantino’s anger at Gawker, or he’s just figured out how to vastly improve upon the Kickstarter model.
Some other fun anecdotes:
– “If anyone in the house is keeping a tally, [the “n” word] first appears on page 7,” he said. Only 322 to go.” He then made a point to have Tamblyn repeat her line more emphatically. [ThePlaylist]
– He’d also stop his actors to redo lines or even rewrite scenes, whispering in Jackson’s or Roth’s ears, or tell them to “stick to the page” if they were going astray. [Variety]
– Ad-libbing from the cast even forced Tarantino to grow somewhat irate. [ThePlaylist]
– “Okay, we’re drifting away from the dialogue a bit. Let’s bring it back. No more co-writing.” [Hitfix]
– As you’d expect from Tarantino, the script is violent, bloody, laced with profanity and even vomit. The biggest laughs came in the fifth chapter as the director read the reaction shot for Madsen’s character as he takes a drink, “with a look like he’s coming in his pants.” Goggins couldn’t help but break character and interject, “That’s how you look when you come in your pants?” Madsen told Tarantino, “It’s never happened before, Quent.” Tarantino promised to show him sometime. [Variety]
If cumming in your pants is cool, I’m Miles Davis. Anyway, more news as it… uh… comes.