MovieChat Forums > The Hateful Eight (2015) Discussion > Okay we get it: they're ALL racists, but...

Okay we get it: they're ALL racists, but was it really necessary...

posted 7 years ago by TheReturnofCountSuckula
30 replies | jump to latest

...to use the "n" word that many times? Really?

Ordinarily I'm no PC warrior, but to me, it felt as thought Tarantino was thumbing his nose at his critics who have chastised him for using it in his past films; as if he was affecting some kind of puerile revenge for being accused of it's overuse previously.

Its like he was saying, "Oh, so I'm not allowed to use it, but its perfectly acceptable for blacks to use it? Well, check this out: n*bleep!*, n*bleep!*, n*bleep!*, n*bleep!*, n*bleep!* "

Like I said, we get it. It was waaaaay too much, imo, to the point of being tedious. He could've at least switched it up by using: "darkies", or "coons" or any other of the myriad of racial epithets.

Of course they're all distasteful, but given the time frame of the movie, and considering the kinds of people the characters were its understandable. But hearing the same thing over, and over, and over, and over was really annoying after awhile.

I not accusing QT of racism, just poor writing.

"Stick with me, baby, and you'll be fartin' thru silk."

[–] TheReturnofCountSuckula 7 years ago

Oh, lest I forget. Major (whatever his name was)'s overuse of "whiteboy' this, and "whiteboy" that was annoying as well.

"Stick with me, baby, and you'll be fartin' thru silk."

[–] bazt-93964 7 years ago

I don't know, if he was making a point what the hell was it? I grew up in a British colony and my parents and their friends used terms like coon and wog as an everyday thing about their country's hosts. I would have thought things had moved on by now. They must have done, I'm married to a lady of colour....

[–] fender818 7 years ago

Tarantino gets really into the world he builds on screen, in this case the late 1800s where that's how people referred to blacks back then. I remember seeing out in theatres and the first couple times the characters said or, people gasped, but by the mid movie they've said it so much you've basically become numb to the word in the context of the movie. That's actually really really good on QTs part by bringing us into this movie during that time period. If you're gonna make a movie and builds a world from a past time period, you have to bring the audience in from the set design, costumes, and language. In other words, if u don't like it don't watch it. I don't watch that racist Spike Lees movies cause it seems the only reason he makes movies is to show how passionate hated for white people. Maybe do the same.

[–] zappalover 7 years ago

Younger folk, please be advised: usage of the N word was largely acceptable by white Americans right up to the early 1960s; its forbidden status in public usage is a relatively recent phenomenon. The Hateful Eight, like most of Tarantino's films, is respectful of the historical time frame presented and is relatively honest and straightforward in its presentation of racial and ethnic relations. Once again, Samuel Jackson's character is beautifully written and acted -- a brilliant tour de force.

Life is a state of mind.

[–] fender818 7 years ago

Yeah yet in 2016 people saying the word *beep* is still acceptable. Nothing baffles me more than black people against gay marriage. The hypocrisy of that is incredible.

[–] wowjonesgg 7 years ago

Generally based on religion, same as the reason most whites are anti gay.

[–] kmags84 7 years ago

Ehh, I'd say that's half true. It's just embedded in the Culture of many. Hip Hop is the most Homophobic Music(Black and White Artists alike). I'm not placing blame, its just a reflection of society... Much of which has ZERO to do with Religion. In fact, it's why they have no issue with Lesbians.

[–] mochteam 7 years ago

Even in those times people didn't use that word ever 5 minutes. I knew just coming her there would be people defending the use of that word trying to site some historical reference as though they actually lived in those times. The N-word appears in this film a ridiculous number of times (really it shouldn't even be in there at all) because Tarintino likes using the word. Talking about Tarintino and historical times frames...give me a break.

[–] TheReturnofCountSuckula 7 years ago

Even in those times people didn't use that word ever 5 minutes. I knew just coming her there would be people defending the use of that word trying to site some historical reference as though they actually lived in those times. The N-word appears in this film a ridiculous number of times

Thank you, that's my point.

Like I said in my header, "Yeah, we get it--they're all racist" and ignorant, and they are perhaps a reflection of the times they lived in, but Jezzuz, even at a Klan rally I'll bet they don't say THE SAME epithet ("n igger") over, and over, and over ad naseum every 5 minutes. At least switch it up with, "coon", or "darkies" or any number of other derogatory terms.

It's not the use of the "n" word that bothers me. It's the frequency of its use. Its overuse became destracting and frankly, rather lame after awhile.

You'd think that even they'd get tired of saying the same thing 20 - 30 times within the space of an hour or so.

Tarintino likes using the word. Talking about Tarintino and historical times frames...give me a break.

Agreed. "Maestro" Tarantino (*sarcasm*) gets far too much credit for "fostering a historical perspective" when he'll readily admit he does so because he thinks it's cool.

"Stick with me, baby, and you'll be fartin' thru silk."

[–] TimMC (9143) 6 years ago

Funny.

[–] PreachCaleb 7 years ago

I'm convinced this is why Tarantino is setting his movies in the past. So he can keep on using that word.

I'm not saying he's racist, I wouldn't know. But I am saying he loves that word.

Seize the moment, 'cause tomorrow you might be dead.

[–] bazt-93964 7 years ago

Oh right, placing it in historical context means it's art.

[–] SteelCitysFinest417 7 years ago

For some reason, he's fixated with that word. He uses it in just about ALL of the movies he's written &/or directed regardless of setting, the exceptions being Kill Bill & Inglorious Basterds.

Reservoir Dogs, True Romance, & Pulp Fiction, for example, were all set in the modern day yet that word flew around each movie several times.

I LOVE his movies (the only ones I don't own are the Kill Bills) & his obsession aside, I think they're very well written (he can make a discussion about watching paint dry entertaining) but I agree, his fixation with the word does bother me a tad, being a black male & all.

By the way it doesn't bother me when non-blacks use the word, depending on context. The non-black side of my family uses it all the time, but they're just trying to sound "down" for lack of a better term.

The characters in QT's movies, however, always seem to use the word disparagingly i.e. "Dead N*** Storage" or Mr. Pink telling Mr. White & Mr. Blonde that they're acting like a bunch of n*** instead of professionals, or the Sicilians monologue in True Romance. THAT'S what's bothersome.

    

[–] kmags84 7 years ago

His use of it in Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown and True Romance is perfectly acceptable and by no means is it out of line. The language is authentic. Whether it be Jules, Ordell or some White Gangsters talking *beep* the fact remains that people DO talk like that. It's purpose is legit. Maybe it's because I grew up and still live in a City with a Minority Majority, therefore I hear it daily so the context is always in play. Sometimes it's racism and a lack of vocabulary, other times its just slang and/or a term of endearment. His films reflect that.

[–] BrianZKing-1 7 years ago

Really? The Hopper/Walken scene was brilliant. Vincenzo Coccotti has just swaggered in to Clifford Worley's trailer with his goons, brutalized Clifford, and builds himself up with some self-aggrandizing dialogue about how he's so good at lying and spotting liars because of his Sicilian heritage. Clifford takes a swipe at that treasured heritage (and he correctly spots Coccotti as racist) with his "Sicilians are spawned by *beep* speech. And it works, throwing the smooth talking mobster off and making him lose his cool. Clifford knew he was a goner, so he gives the guy one last frustrating *beep* you to waste his time. The use of the word is justified in the context of the scene, which is very well written, and fantastically acted.

[–] MayoGalway 7 years ago

Half as many as Django(the record for n-word usage). Trivia pg. info. A must read before visiting the message board.

[–] lvince-33387 7 years ago

...to use the "n" word that many times? Really?

But hearing the same thing over, and over, and over, and over was really annoying after awhile.

Yes it was annoying, and a little distracting.
I was surprised to read in the trivia section that this movie doesn't hold the record for most times that word is used.

**

[–] ecarle (14979) 5 years ago

To the OP's title heading:

"OK, we get it, the characters are ALL racist" -- I think that's very astute and I think a lot of critics didn't get it.

Because QT rather hid that fact by lingering on "black lives matter" and recent killings of African-Americans by cops as part of the dialogue The Hateful Eight was joining.

That was sort of true...but sort of NOT true.

For in The Hateful Eight:

The whites hate the black.
The black hates the whites.(It is noted that Jackson killed Northern white prisoners as well as Southern white solderis when he burned down the stockcade, he seems to have joined the North so he could kill whites.)
The Mexican hates the black man (and he calls him the "n" word)
The black hates the Mexican (kills him.)
The woman hates the men(well, not her fellow outlaws)
The men hate the women (John beats Daisy incessantly, and the black/white/north/south guys at the end join together to hang the woman.)

I can't remember a single reviewer having the guts to question QT about this story scheme, to ask him if he himself believes the world was -- and is -- a place where all races and sexes hate each other as the various 8 do.

Of course, he couched a lot of the hate in his usual "criminal violence": the gang of white men and one Mexican man kill black and white men and women with impunity because "that's their job" as crooks. John Ruth beats Daisy because she's his prisoner and we can figure he probably beats male prisoners the same way.

The Hateful Eight is a gorgeously photographed movie with great performances and some real laughs amidst the gore(the door that keeps blowing open) but at its heart is a very rich and famous writer-director who seems to have decided that the world is set to self-destruct in hate, any day now.

Its a pity QT didn't talk about that more.

Its a pity that we don't consider it more strongly. Can we be saved? Or are we really not as bad as the Hateful Eight?

[–] ecarle (14979) 5 years ago

Younger folk, please be advised: usage of the N word was largely acceptable by white Americans right up to the early 1960s; its forbidden status in public usage is a relatively recent phenomenon.

---

Keep in mind that the famous Agatha Christie novel "Ten Little Indians" originally went into print as "Ten Little N's". Now, even "Ten Little Indians" is not PC and the book usually goes out as "And Then There Were None."

I recall hearing the "n" word in the 60's and 70's and it started to have a shock effect then. The people saying it were pretty coarse.

But on the other hand, there is something pretty key about the "N" word that gets missed sometimes, uncomfortable though it may be:

It can be funny.

Richard Pryor, a black comedian, had a comedy album called "That' (n word's) Crazy."

Blazing Saddles, partially written BY Richard Pryo,r had several jokes based on the "N" word, as in:

"The Sheriff is a n!"
(What did he say?)
"He said the sheriff is NEAR."

Silver Streak, in which Richard Pryor stars, has a scene where he acts like a scaredy-cat waiter until the white villain calls him a "N word -- and then Pryor pulls a gun on the villain and says "You call me that again, I'm gonna smack the white off your face!"

In all of the above instances, people laughed.

And perhaps that's the deal: a black man uses the word for comic effect, he can get away with it.

Everybody else: no.

But the word does have its humorous uses and i think QT knows that , too. I believe he has given the word far more to his black actors than to his white ones, to use, and again for comic effect, as when Chris Tucker tells Samuel L. Jackson in Jackie Brown -- about having to get in a car trunk to hide -- "You catch an "N" offguard with this shit." Funny.