While up to fifty U.S. theaters are reportedly being retro-fitted with projectors to screen Quentin Tarantino‘s "The Hateful Eight" on glorious 70mm as he intends it to be seen, the crushing reality is that for most moviegoers, his western will arrive as a digital experience. But it’s admirable that The Weinstein Company is putting forth the effort and commitment to present Tarantino’s film as a big screen extravaganza.
Purported release dates have been floating around for a while now, but Variety reveals that "The Hateful Eight" will open in cinemas on Christmas Day. The plan is for "The Hateful Eight" to travel in a two-week roadshow style exhibition in 70mm, before going wide digitally everywhere on January 8th. The exact dates and cities for the 70mm showing haven’t been revealed, but you’ll have a pretty decent window to catch it in that format if you want. So don’t plan to stray too far from home this holiday season.
The roadshow format isn’t entirely unique, but is rarely used these days. Kevin Smith traveled with "Red State" around the country a couple years back, and IFC presented Steven Soderbergh‘s two-part "Che" as a double-feature at special screenings. But "The Hateful Eight" is certainly the most high-profile movie to get the treatment and, of course, the 70mm presentation adds a unique flavor, and for younger viewers, it may be their first time seeing a movie on the big screen in the format.
So, which way will you be seeing "The Hateful Eight"? Let us know below.
