By Beau Donelly and Benjamin Millar
Quentin Tarantino surprised fans on Monday night when he crashed a Melbourne cinema before a screening of his new film, The Hateful Eight.
The Hollywood writer and director visited the Sun Theatre in Yarraville with actors Samuel L. Jackson and Kurt Russell, who both star in the new western.
Tarantino, who slipped into the cinema through a side entrance as his stars braved the adoring throng, thanked the crowd for supporting the new movie, which is being shown on 70mm ultra Panavision film at the cinema.
"Well thanks for coming out to see my movie, it means a whole lot to me, I really appreciate it," he said after the applause settled.
Quentin Tarantino on stage in Yarraville with Kurt Russell and Samuel L. Jackson.
"In particular I want to thank [cinema owner Michael Smith] and his wonderful, dedicated crew that brought the 70mm projector to give you guys in this town a hell of a show."
The Yarraville cinema is one of only a handful around the world able to show the film in the way Tarantino wants cinema-goers to experience it - .
"I saw that show-reel that showed how they did it, I watched that in Los Angeles and I actually had a tear come down my cheek I was so moved by it," Tarantino said.
"I just wanted to say you are very lucky to live in a town that has a cinema like this, you are very fortunate."
The Hollywood stars also stopped outside the cinema to talk to excited fans, many who took to social media.
"Just high-fived Quentin Tarantino. He has very soft hands," said one person on Twitter.
"Tarantino and his posse from the hateful 8 were all out #westside this evening at the yarraville theatre!," said another.