Django Unchained had its UK premiere at London’s Empire Cinema, Leicester Square and Screen was there to see director Quentin Tarantino and introduce the cast and the film.

“Everybody stop Tweeting” shouted an excitable Tarantino as he left screen one of the Empire Cinema. If people were tweeting (I myself was) it was to tell the world how the ever-passionate director had wowed us all and settled us in for a rollercoaster ride of thrills, blood spills and a German at high noon.

The night had Tarantino written all over it; a white carpet, just to be different of course, huge digital displays broadcasting the film’s title to all who could see within about seven miles. And if that wasn’t enough, there was a orange and black stage outside the Empire with DJANGO UNCHAINED emblazoned upon. There was no doubt as to what we were seeing.

The performances began before the projector had even fired up and there was only one man who was going to lead.

Strolling to the front of the theatre after a glowing welcome from his ensemble cast and Sony bosses, Tarantino took it upon himself to issue a rallying cry that we should expect a piece of cinema of the highest calibre.

After introducing his cast one by one including Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz and Kerry Washington (Samuel L Jackson didn’t wait of course, he just strolled on up) and bestowing a rather expletive-laden middle name upon his leading man, Tarantino grabbed a microphone, seized the moment and when he was done, with as much bang as you get from an explosion on screen, tossed it to one side and promptly issued his social media-based warning as he left.

Only Tarantino would know how to work a cinema audience like he did Thursday night. Not because he knew that we were about to sit through nearly three hours of quality, laugh out loud and thought provoking cinema, but because he is simply Tarantino. Unchained.