Quentin Tarantino’s Hateful Eight in Telluride

Quentin Tarantino’s most recent film, The Hateful Eight, is set in the Wild West after the Civil War, and shot in 70 mm film. It is full of classic Tarantino characters, gore, and scenery. The scenery, however, is especially picturesque due to the vast San Juan Mountains of Telluride.

The film is set atop a tall mountain where the main characters seek shelter from the blizzard taking its toll outside. Telluride was ideal for this setting with its large, beautiful peaks and its yearly snowfall average of over twenty-six feet. The void surrounding Telluride also made this the perfect location. The large expanses of untouched land within the San Juan Mountains is easy to pass off as post-Civil War era wilderness.

Three locations were considered originally for the shooting of the film: Utah, Wyoming, and Colorado. During Tarantino’s time in Telluride, though, it is said that he fell in love with the site.

Filming began in December of 2014 and with it came stars like Samuel L. Jackson, Tim Roth, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Kurt Russell. Telluride is no stranger to hosting celebrities due to the film festival that is held there annually, but this is the first major film shot in the town since the original True Grit in 1969.

The film project received a five million dollar incentive to shoot in Colorado from the Colorado Economic Development Commission, but also made a $60 million dollar impact on the state’s economy. Aside from typical production costs, the cast and crew were spotted stimulating the economy by eating at local restaurants like 221 South Oak and Allred’s Restaurant, skating around Telluride’s ice skating rink, and relaxing in Ridgway at the Orvis Hot Springs.

One hundred and sixty-eight jobs were estimated to have been created by the making of the film that had a $44 million dollar budget. One business that has been vocal about the impact the film has made is local car shop, Telluride Tire, who estimate that the crew spent nearly $150,000 at their shop on tire chains, tires, and other materials to get them around in the winter-y weather.

The Hateful Eight continues to shine in the box office opening with nearly $30 million on its first weekend, and is well reviewed by many critics. It will certainly helps put Telluride further on the map when people awe at their beautiful landscapes and scenery throughout the film.