Introduction
Writing and directing a film while capturing genuine emotions and illuminating events from the best angle and perspective that would make sense and catch the attention of the audience is a form of art. While many might assume that creating a movie is a simplistic process of putting actors in the motion picture, in reality, it requires countless techniques, with many directors incorporating their unique styles and approaches.
Discussion
Among such unique and well-known movies, which make the creator’s work recognizable by any film connoisseur, is The Hateful Eight. The motion picture was released in 2015 and involved famous actors like Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and others (IMDb, n.d.). This piece is among the creations that serve as the epitome of art. The Hateful Eight encompasses such film techniques as slow push-in, make-up, symbolic garments, and color grading, which make the movie so engaging and exciting from the perspective of direction.
The first feature, which the audience is exposed to in the beginning, is the choice of lighting and color grading. From the first seconds of The Hateful Eight, the viewer can see the darker lighting prevalent in the chapters, which serves as an indication of dark winter days and a gloomy atmosphere. This sets the mood of the piece and sends the message to the audience that the movie will not be light. Another feature connected to the visual features is color grading. Quentin Tarantino focused on incorporating the bluish hue of the picture, striving to bring more coldness into the work. However, when inside a cabin, a similar approach is implemented, applying yellowish subtones illustrating the warmth.
However, the most important part of the movie is its montage, with the unique techniques of Tarantino, making the film iconic. Among the most recognizable techniques used by the director is a slow push-in, which intends to catch the attention of the audience, as if luring them to go closer to the screen, wondering what will happen next. For instance, at 1:31:24, the viewer observes the pinnacle of Major’s speech, where he, in detail, describes how he killed the son of Smithers (Tarantino, 2015). As the man proceeds with his speech, almost reaching its culmination, the camera starts to slowly zoom in on the character, illuminating every emotion on Major’s face. Tarantino aimed at eventually creating the close-up shot of Warren, contributing to the suspense and the fearful atmosphere.
Regarding the mise-en-scene’s garment, Quentin Tarantino made an effort to incorporate symbolism and fill the objects and scenes with specific meanings. For instance, the costumes in the film represent the style of people in Wyoming in the 1870s (Tarantino, 2015). Since the storyline is set during winter, the majority of the characters wear coats and hats made of fur and leather. However, one of the characters and their clothing require extra attention, such as Major Marquis Warren, played by Samuel L. Jackson. In the film, unlike other characters, the man wears a stetson hat, which, in the West, characterizes the might and free spirit of the person. Indeed, in the movie, the Major is perceived as an independent individual.
However, aside from single garments, it is vital to pay attention to the color of the clothes. Mr. Warren wears a coat with yellow lining and a red tie, with red implying danger and anger, while yellow symbolizes caution. While watching the motion picture, the audience can see the development of character and how these symbols manifest in the Major’s revealing of his true goal and a shootout in the end, with Warren being engaged. Therefore, the symbolic elements of the film are the garments, which emphasize the nature of the characters and set the specific theme of the movie, such as revenge.
As for the make-up, the director purposefully intensifies the colors of any applied products on the face. For instance, at 10:48, Tarantino even uses a specific camera angle to capture the facial features of the actress (Tarantino, 2015). In this scene, John Ruth, a bounty hunter, strikes the face of Daisy Domergue, a criminal, with a gun. In the following seconds, the camera angle is set from the top, with a close-up of the woman’s face. When she moves her face up, the audience can see a large dark purple black eye, which contrasts with the pale face complexion of Daisy. In this scene, one can additionally observe the color of the criminal’s teeth, which are darkish yellow, illustrating the teeth’ corrosion. Here, Tarantino masterfully depicts every logical detail and makes the picture more realistic.
Conclusion
In sum, the use of gradual push-in, make-up, symbolic clothing, and color grading, among other film techniques, contributes to The Hateful Eight’s compelling and fascinating directing. The slow push-in allowed the director to create suspense in the picture and create interest among the viewers. Moreover, make-up served as an intensification of the human features and additions to make the film more credible, even in small details. Another important feature, symbolism, is encompassed by garments, with different colors and types of clothes showing the true character of the heroes. Finally, color grading drew the parallel between the two environments, using yellowish sub-tones to create warmth, and implementing a bluish hue to illustrate the severe winter and cold.
References
IMDb. (n.d.). The hateful eight. Web.
Tarantino, Q. (Director). (2015). The hateful eight [Film]. The Weinstein Company.