ONCE UPON A TIME... IN HOLLYWOOD
*****
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Screenwriter: Quentin Tarantino
Principal cast:
Leonardo Di Caprio
Brad Pitt
Margot Robbie
Emile Hirsch
Bruce Dern
Al Pacino
Damon Herriman
Country: USA/UK/China
Classification: MA15+
Runtime: 161 mins.
Australian release date: 15 August 2019
Previewed at: Sony Pictures Theatrette, Sydney, on 9 August 2019.
Quentin Tarantino’s ninth, and possibly penultimate, movie (he claims he will only make 10 films), Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood, is a paean to the last days of the Hollywood studio system, just as a new wave of young, independent directors was beginning to make inroads into US film production. The year is 1969, when another even less welcome group was about to descend upon Hollywood, the murderous Manson family. Intertwining a number of different subplots, Tarantino has invested his work with an extraordinary amount of detail, not just visually but also aurally - it’s a real labour of love - and one wonders who other than QT, with his encyclopaedic knowledge of the movies, could have pulled it off so successfully.
The script was written by Tarantino, as is usually the case with his films, and its main focus is the relationship between Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), a ‘star’ on a downward trajectory, and his stunt-double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt). Cliff also acts as Rick’s chauffeur, gofer, drinking buddy and all-round supporter. He’s like Rick’s alter ego, everything that Rick is not - he’s cool, Rick gets over-heated; he’s calm, Rick is insecure; he’s positive, Rick’s negative - so it’s an upside-down, topsy-turvy relationship, the reverse of what you’d expect between two men in their positions. We also get to spend time with Rick’s neighbours, Roman Polanski (Rafal Zawierucha), Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie) and Jay Sebring (Emile Hirsch), who represent the ‘new’ Hollywood, the ‘Swinging Sixties’ set. And, of course, no visit to the period would be complete without a visit to the Spahn Ranch, where Charles Manson (Robbie’s fellow Aussie Damon Herriman) and his gang of misfits hung out, including ‘Squeaky’ Fromme (Dakota Fanning). In between, we take side-trips to movie and television sets, drink in famous bars, party at the Playboy Mansion, dine with producers like Marvin Schwarz (Al Pacino) and go to work with directors like Sam Wanamaker (Nicholas Hammond). In short, take a comprehensive tour of 1969 Los Angeles. It’s a trip, man!
For a while, Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood seems a little unfocused, a series of vignettes without a strong narrative thread linking them. Hang in there, though, because Tarantino slowly starts to tie them all together and, as he does, the tension rises. The greater part of the movie seems to be a departure for this director as, apart from a couple of fist fights (including an amusing scene between Cliff and Bruce Lee (Mike Moh), it lacks his trademark violence. When it comes, however, it comes, and QT might well be criticised once more for his treatment of women. People may forgive him this time when they see the context of this bloodshed but to say more would be to reveal too much of the screenplay.
Pitt and DiCaprio nail their characters, as does Margot Robbie. These people are seriously good but it must be said that the vast number of supporting and bit parts are very well played, too, some well-known actors, some unknown. Keep your eye out in the future for young Margaret Qualley, Andie MacDowell’s daughter. She plays a gaol-bait role as ‘Pussycat’, one of Manson’s acolytes, and she is terrific, almost blowing Pitt off the screen. Many of QT’s regular crew return for his ninth outing. Of particular note, as always, is triple Academy Award-winning cinematographer Robert Richardson. Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood is a towering achievement.
Screenwriter: Quentin Tarantino
Principal cast:
Leonardo Di Caprio
Brad Pitt
Margot Robbie
Emile Hirsch
Bruce Dern
Al Pacino
Damon Herriman
Country: USA/UK/China
Classification: MA15+
Runtime: 161 mins.
Australian release date: 15 August 2019
Previewed at: Sony Pictures Theatrette, Sydney, on 9 August 2019.
Quentin Tarantino’s ninth, and possibly penultimate, movie (he claims he will only make 10 films), Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood, is a paean to the last days of the Hollywood studio system, just as a new wave of young, independent directors was beginning to make inroads into US film production. The year is 1969, when another even less welcome group was about to descend upon Hollywood, the murderous Manson family. Intertwining a number of different subplots, Tarantino has invested his work with an extraordinary amount of detail, not just visually but also aurally - it’s a real labour of love - and one wonders who other than QT, with his encyclopaedic knowledge of the movies, could have pulled it off so successfully.
The script was written by Tarantino, as is usually the case with his films, and its main focus is the relationship between Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), a ‘star’ on a downward trajectory, and his stunt-double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt). Cliff also acts as Rick’s chauffeur, gofer, drinking buddy and all-round supporter. He’s like Rick’s alter ego, everything that Rick is not - he’s cool, Rick gets over-heated; he’s calm, Rick is insecure; he’s positive, Rick’s negative - so it’s an upside-down, topsy-turvy relationship, the reverse of what you’d expect between two men in their positions. We also get to spend time with Rick’s neighbours, Roman Polanski (Rafal Zawierucha), Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie) and Jay Sebring (Emile Hirsch), who represent the ‘new’ Hollywood, the ‘Swinging Sixties’ set. And, of course, no visit to the period would be complete without a visit to the Spahn Ranch, where Charles Manson (Robbie’s fellow Aussie Damon Herriman) and his gang of misfits hung out, including ‘Squeaky’ Fromme (Dakota Fanning). In between, we take side-trips to movie and television sets, drink in famous bars, party at the Playboy Mansion, dine with producers like Marvin Schwarz (Al Pacino) and go to work with directors like Sam Wanamaker (Nicholas Hammond). In short, take a comprehensive tour of 1969 Los Angeles. It’s a trip, man!
For a while, Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood seems a little unfocused, a series of vignettes without a strong narrative thread linking them. Hang in there, though, because Tarantino slowly starts to tie them all together and, as he does, the tension rises. The greater part of the movie seems to be a departure for this director as, apart from a couple of fist fights (including an amusing scene between Cliff and Bruce Lee (Mike Moh), it lacks his trademark violence. When it comes, however, it comes, and QT might well be criticised once more for his treatment of women. People may forgive him this time when they see the context of this bloodshed but to say more would be to reveal too much of the screenplay.
Pitt and DiCaprio nail their characters, as does Margot Robbie. These people are seriously good but it must be said that the vast number of supporting and bit parts are very well played, too, some well-known actors, some unknown. Keep your eye out in the future for young Margaret Qualley, Andie MacDowell’s daughter. She plays a gaol-bait role as ‘Pussycat’, one of Manson’s acolytes, and she is terrific, almost blowing Pitt off the screen. Many of QT’s regular crew return for his ninth outing. Of particular note, as always, is triple Academy Award-winning cinematographer Robert Richardson. Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood is a towering achievement.
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