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Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood (2019)

***** A Cinematic Masterpiece

1 votes

****-1/2

1 votes

****

1 votes

***-1/2

4 votes

*** Valley of the Doll(ar Bill)s

0 votes

**-1/2

1 votes

**

0 votes

*-1/2

0 votes

* Helter Skelter

0 votes

Frayed Knot Aug 18 2019 08:36 PM Edited 4 time(s), most recently on Sep 04 2019 06:37 AM

I'm surprised that none of the Tarantino-ites here have gotten around to talking about this one yet. Set in LA, or, more specifically, in Hollywood (duh!) in 1969, the story, such as it is, follows the antics of a semi-talented actor (Leo Dicaprio) and his stuntman/gofer (Brad Pitt). So it turns out that the fictional Rick Dalton (Dicaprio) lives next door to the very real Roman Polanski and wife Sharon Tate in the Laurel Canyon section of SoCal (the title does contain the phrase 'Once Upon a Time') and so events in the lives of these two (DiCaprio/Pitt) are leading up to an intersection with a certain August night in 1969. My main complaint about Tarantino films in the past is that they've been too long and that that extra time is often filled with gratuitous violence, seemingly for the sake of itself. This one is also long (2:41) although it didn't feel long. And, yes, there's cartoonish violence towards the end, although it's not as over the top as usual, and, considering the actual events of that summer, the stylized violence doesn't depict what you think it might depict which, had he gone there, would have been in really poor taste, even for QT. I guess the main complaint would be that it's a film of nothing more than Tarantino wallowing in Hollywood nostalgia of his youth. But, y'know, even if that is the case, it's kind of a fun ride through QT wallowing in Hollywood nostalgia of his youth. Leo DiCapio Brad Pitt Margot Robbie Emil Hirsch Bruce Dern Al Pacino

Vic Sage Aug 19 2019 11:35 AM Re: Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood (2019) Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Aug 26 2019 10:36 AM

A fairy tale love letter to Hollywood of the late 60s, featuring a lot of driving around L.A., staring at signage. But DiCaprio and Pitt have never been better, and Robbie's performance makes the revisionist-history ending work. Pitt is weathering nicely; a little bit Redford, a little bit Tyler Durden. The movie is overlong and self-indulgent (i.e., a Tarantino movie), but well worth seeing. Its not PULP FICTION, but its not HATEFUL 8 either.

cal sharpie Aug 25 2019 08:19 AM Re: Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood (2019)

Pretty much on board with both of these reviews. QT likes to use Brad Pitt to rewrite history.

Frayed Knot Oct 23 2019 08:16 PM Re: Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood (2019)

Hmmmm, somebody gave this a 5*/'Masterpiece' rating, and I'm pretty sure it wasn't any of the three people who responded to this thread. Interesting. Anyway, I came looking for this thread because this movie is taking another lap around theaters near me, this time in a 'New Re-Cut' version. And while it was mentioned above that this was a typically long QT movie (2:41) particularly for what is essentially a comedy, I noticed that this new version clocks in Five Minutes Longer. Oh good, just what it needed.

batmagadanleadoff Mar 28 2020 09:09 PM Re: Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood (2019)

I pretty much agree with everything youse said ahead of me. I saw this movie in the theaters last Summer. It was right around the time that I got my idea to make those Batman Mets cards I've been sprinkling the forum with over the past few months. And I was very pleasantly surprised when Neal Hefti's Batman theme played over the closing credits, followed by an LA radio commercial for the Batman Batphone Secret Number contest. The whole experience gave me the idea for a Batman card -- that I haven't posted yet. I think that my favorite part of the movie was all of the memorabilia, paraphenalia, I dunno what to call it -- Easter Eggs? -- appearing throughout the movie. Like the mock Mad Magazine cover of Bounty Law, illustrated by Tom Richmond in the style of Jack Davis. I thought the mock Mad cover was historically inaccurate in that in the fictional universe Tarantino created for OUaTiH, Bounty Law aired in the late 50s through the early 60s and Mad Magazine had not yet began to parody TV shows on its cover. But I nitpick. I loved that Mad cover. And the mock TV Guide. I love old TV Guides. And old those old movie posters, some of them created specifically for the movie. [FIMG=777]https://www.washingtonpost.com/resizer/KM1J6y6CmAnZHAMJ5tzb0_E42Cs=/1440x0/smart/arc-anglerfish-washpost-prod-washpost.s3.amazonaws.com/public/RF6ZS4VZNMI6TDUDJZTIP2MYCQ.jpg[/FIMG] [FIMG=777]https://i2.wp.com/www.tomrichmond.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Blu-Ray-Booklet.jpeg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1[/FIMG] So I bring all of this up more than half a year after OUaTiH premiered in theaters because yesterday, apparently, the movie made its cable TV debut. And so I watched it, more than anything else, to watch the Batman bits over the closing credits, which I was eagerly anticipating throughout the movie. Which brings me to a pet peeve of mine that's been simmering for a few years now in my head but exploded yesterday. It's the recent trend in how cable TV butchers the closing credits. They play commercials and coming attractions over the closing credits, sometimes shrinking the credits to a quarter or even an eighth of the screen. I never liked it because if I'm watching a movie that I found interesting, I almost always stay for the entire run of the closing credits. Right down to the catering companies and the liability insurers and the statement that no animals were harmed in the making of that movie. So I watched in complete disgust as I got about a five second teaser of the Batman theme, only for the sound to totally fade out to make way for a cable tv coming attraction. I don't even understand why the movies allow this? The credits are a part of the movie and often, the credits are creative and artistic. Anyways, end of rant.

Fman99 Mar 29 2020 05:28 AM Re: Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood (2019)

I watched it on a long airplane ride last month. Liked it a great deal, I did.

dgwphotography May 17 2020 09:31 AM Re: Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood (2019)

I finally saw this as I now have time to catch up ;-) This movie was visually beautiful, Brad Pitt was fantastic, and I enjoyed every minute of it, until the final act. Frankly, the cartoon violence of the last act just took me right out of the movie. Oh, and what is it with QT and his foot fetish?

LWFS May 18 2020 10:42 PM Re: Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood (2019)

FINALLY caught it myself. Extremely on-brand, it is. Also, long. The acting-- where the actors were allowed to, like, talk a bunch and stuff (sorry, Margot!)-- was superb, though, and some of the set pieces had a real buzz.