The Hateful Eight has split audiences pretty cleanly down the middle, with some praising the beautiful cinematography and jet-black humour whilst others claim (we're in this camp) that it's an overblown and over-long mess of a film.

Whatever your opinions on Quentin Tarantino's eight film, one thing we've got to give it credit for is revitalising the idea of 70mm and "roadshow" screenings. The Hateful Eight is the first film to get a wide 70mm release in quite a while, however it's understood the US screenings of it have been more than a little problematic.

According to reports, the first LA press screening of The Hateful Eight had to be stopped halfway through as the 70mm projector failed. When we were screened The Hateful Eight here in Dublin, we saw the "roadshow" version, complete with overture and intermission. Whether or not it was a digital copy or an actual 70mm print, we're not entirely sure. Given how smoothly it went, we'd have to guess it was a digital copy.

In any case, the IFI has confirmed that it's screening a 70mm version of The Hateful Eight on Friday, March 11th. As you may or may not know, the IFI has the only projector in Ireland that's capable of showing 70mm prints so it's going to pretty special. We saw an old 35mm print of The Wrath of Khan in there a couple of years and it was pretty special. Why exactly, you might be asking, is 70mm so special?

Well, for one thing, it genuinely looks better. This is one of those hipster things, it really does. The colours pop more, it's a much sharper image and it's much more immersive. Even though we didn't like The Hateful Eight, it's still worth seeing in 70mm because it's a dying format and the only reason it's dying off is because studios aren't willing to cough up the extra expense to keep it going.

Here to explain the general difference between 35mm and 70mm is the IFI's projectionist, Paul Markey.

 

 

UPDATE

The IFI were on and have confirmed that there are now FIVE extra screenings of The Hateful Eight's 70mm version with both the Friday and Saturday screening more or less sold out. Get booking now, folks!

 

Via IFI