14 Aug 2019
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
If you saw press coverage from the Cannes film festival in May 19, then you may have already heard of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. It is the latest offering from controversial director Quentin Tarantino. The film is set in the year of 1969. As you can see from the film poster (Image: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures) the 60s clothes are making a splash. They are all part of rendering the hippy Hollywood theme, that was at its peak during the movies period.
As you would expect the cast is star studded, with Margot Robbie, Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio having major roles.
The film actually received a 7-minute standing ovation in Cannes, something that has become rarer, as audiences and critics alike become jaded by the latest cinematic offerings.
Hollywood/UK Release Date
The film is actually out in the US on the 26th July, but the UK has to wait until 14th August. It’s a surprising move, as Tarantino really wanted to protect the content of the film being released. In particular being discussed online before people had a chance to watch it. So much so, that he wrote an open letter, published on Twitter asking film goers to avoid giving spoilers away. He said that “It’s the journey of discovering a story for the first time.”
Characters
Leonardo plays fictional character Rick Dalton, and Brad Pitt plays Cliff Booth. Dalton had been a star in a Western TV series, and Booth is his long-standing stunt double. Both are at the stage of struggling to make-it in Hollywood, and Dalton in particular is concerned about being seen as a ‘has-been’. Whilst these characters are fictional, it has been said they are loosely based on the actor Burt Reynolds and his stuntman Hal Needham.
I point out that these two characters are fictional, as there are some depictions in the film of real people. Margot Robbie plays Sharon Tate. The film is set against a backdrop of when Sharon and her unborn son were killed. Whilst she was married to director Roman Polanski, at the hands of cult family Charles Manson in August 69.
Margot’s part got some criticism, as she really doesn’t say very much in the film. But others have praised her ability to capture the whimsy of the era and of Sharon Tate.
Critics
For the most part the film is actually a story of fiction, and as you might expect, in particular for a Tarantino film, known for their violence. Critics are divided as to whether it is a 5-star outing or not! Some reviewers have used the following words to describe it: shocking, gripping, dazzlingly shot, entirely outrageous, disorientating, irresponsible, brilliant. Others have mentioned that the audience may be divided by the provocative ending.
I guess as Tarantino intended, the only thing to do – is to watch the film and make up your own mind!
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