ONCE UPON A TIME IN… HOLLYWOOD
US, 161 minutes, Colour.
Leonardo di Caprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Al Pacino, Emile Hirsch, Dakota Fanning, Bruce Dern, Kurt Russell, Zoe Bell, Mike Moh, Timothy Olyphant, Nicholas Hammond, Damon Herriman, Margaret Qualley, Damian Lewis, Julia Butters, Austin Butler, Luke Perry, Lena Dunham, Scoot Mc Nairy, Rumer Willis, Martin Kove, James Remar, Michael Madsen, Clifton Collins Jr .
Directed by Quentin Tarantino.
Inconsequentially consequential.
Quentin Tarantino loves words as well as images, often punctuating his films with rather lengthy conversations, as he sometimes does here. However, inconsequentially consequential, which came to mind while watching the film, is meant as a compliment.
Many audiences have been very pleased with this ninth film by Tarantino, taking us back half a century to the year of the moon landing but not to political and international US -though some half heard remarks about political assassinations and the Vietnam war. Rather, he journeys back to a bright sunshine Hollywood, no matter what the season, driving us around in automobiles, as passengers with Brad Pitt’s Cliftf Booth, soaking up the atmosphere of LA. And, despite the showbiz world, production and publicity and promotion, in the scheme of things it does seem rather inconsequential. In fact, some critics have been dismissive of its lightweight world.
However, there are many layers in the screenplay – many consequences. And, we have to remember the title, once upon a time, the beginning of a fairytale rather than historical narrative in La La Land.
This is immediately evident when everybody comments about the Charles Manson and Family murders, especially of the emerging star, Sharon Tate, wife of celebrated director, Roman Polanski. No spoilers, but Tarantino has found a satisfactory dramatic way of not capitalising on the murders. He acknowledges the brutality but finds an alternate way of communicating this.
For film buffs, there is the pleasure of noting the titles of Tarantino’s favourite films of that year, cinema awnings, posters, all kinds of references (and especially delighting in Sharon Tate herself going in to see screening of The Wrecking Crew are relishing the audience response). But, this is a film about television, remembering the 20 years or so since the wide introduction of television, the series, the westerns, heroic flame-throwing to destroy Nazis… And, noting how everybody goes home to watch television, the star and his stunt double, even Squeaky Fromme and members of the Family.
But the way to bring all this to life is by focusing on his central character, Rick Dalton, long time star of Bounty Hunter but, getting older, on his way out, challenged by a TV entrepreneur producer (an interesting role for Al Pacino), reminded of his fading image and career and his reliance on guest roles and commercials – but invited, as stars did in the latter 60s, to become heroes of spaghetti westerns.
Leonardo Di Caprio has shown versatility in his performances even in his teenage years. Tarantino offers him an opportunity (as he did with his villain in Django Unchained) to show this versatility, as the star, drinking, weeping at his fading status, auditioning, participating as a villain in a TV pilot Western, buddy with his stunt double, interviews, regrets, capitalising on the spaghetti experience. And a fine interlude with a little girl actress discussing books and performances. A reminder that Tarantino can do small cameo gems.
Margot Robbie brings many nuances to her performance as Sharon Tate. And, there is an extraordinary list of top actors in smaller roles including Kurt Russell, Bruce Dern, Dakota Fanning as Squeaky Fromme – and some Australians, besides Margot Robbie, including, Nicholas Hammond as director, Sam Wanamaker, and Damon Herriman, just one sinister sequence, a smiling Charles Manson.
Brad Pitt’s Cliff Booth does not have the character range as that of Rick Dalton but, ambiguous because of something in his past life, happy to be an associate stunt double, doing all the odd jobs, sometimes shirt off, he is the successful macho presence in the film.
This film is more of her general crowdpleaser than most of Tarantino’s other films – and will probably be talked about for a long time, checking out its multi-levels.
1. Audience expectations of Tarantino? A Tarantino-esque film?
2. The title, the beginning of some kind of fairytale, memories of Sergio Leone and Once Upon a Time in America? History/fantasy? Tarantino and his selected cast and the impact?
3. 1969, Hollywood, audience images of Hollywood, of Los Angeles, of the movie industry? The scenes in the streets, the driving of cars, advertisements for films, awnings? Film references – Quentin Tarantino’s favourites? The emphasis on television, pro-television, the critique of television? From the 1940s, the range of series, the audiences and everybody watching television, Rick and Cliff, the Manson family? The talk about television, series, westerns, action, heroes? And the flamethrower in Nazi Germany?
4. Audiences knowing about the Manson killings, the fate of Sharon Tate and her friends? Her pregnancy? This pervading the whole film? Simply a glimpse of Manson and his smile and wave? Cliff and his visit to the family, the girl picking him up, the attraction, his giving her a lift, the visit to the commune, ugly and squalid, the women, the fewer men, the guests writing the trail, difficulties, texts? Cliff and his wanting to visit George, George blind, Squeaky and her animosity, the letting down of the tyre, clips violence and forcing the mending?
5. The audience seeing Sharon Tate and Roman Polanski, in the car, going into their home? Sharon Tate, the starlet, her exuberance, going to the clubs with Polanski? The Wrecking Crew, the awning, her going to the cinema, chirpy, talking to the ticket seller, the manager, going to watch the film, relaxed in the cinema, delighted with the reactions of the audience? The background of her relationship with JE Sebring, working with Polanski, marrying him, the Polish friends, Sebring in the household?
6. Tarantino’s perspective on Hollywood, 1969, the blending of fact and fiction? Something of an alternate world? The device of not dramatising the death of Sharon Tate and the others but rather the fictional episode at Rick Dalton’s house, which respects the privacy of Sharon Tate’s family and friends but communicates the horror of the attack?
7. Los Angeles and its streets, the mansions, the neighbourhoods, the range of characters, costumes and decor of the 1960s, hairstyles, hippy overtones?
8. The musical score, the range of songs, the popularity of the hits of 1969?
9. The US in 1969, the Nixon era, the background of political assassinations, especially in 1967? The Vietnam war? The icons?
10. The preface to the film, the celebrity interviews with Rick and Cliff? The introduction to them both, the presence of Leonardo DiCaprio? and Brad Pitt? Rick Dalton, his age, his career on television, the western, his limitations, the glimpse of the Nazi war film and the flame throwing? His encounter with Schwartz, the discussion about his career, fading, perceptions by audiences with his screen presences, his going into specials like the FBI? His concern about his future? His drinking, weeping, his lavish home, in the pool? Working with Cliff for so many years, the stuntman, Cliff and his career? His friends? Something of the echoes of the master-slave relationship? But Cliff at home in his house?
11. Rick, offers, television, the pilot, the encounter with Dir, Sam Wanamaker, his being the villain? Going to make up, the hair and the sash, on the set? The impact of the scene between Rick and Trudy, her age, reading, the conversation, her interest in his work, affirmation? The encounter with James Stacy, star of the show, their scenes together? Wanting a job for Cliff, Randy and his denunciation of Cliff, for murdering his wife, Janet and her hostility – yet Cliff allowed on the set?
12. Cliff, his life, satisfied with it, the stunts, the risks, the odd jobs, fixing the antenna and Brad Pitt taking off his shirt? His dog, the bond, the food and preparing the cans, the Brad Pitt image?
13. Cliff, his seeing Pussycat in the streets, her wanting a lift, finally giving her a lift? Going out to the commune, his reaction to the members, hippies, grubby, the derelict look of the commune, the range of women and their ages, the fewer men? Texts and his taking the couple on the writing tool? Cliff wanting to see George, the past friendship, the encounter with Squeaky Ron, her watching television, protecting George? Going to see George, his loss of memory, his being blind, yet dependent on Squeaky, a television with her? The ominous atmosphere of the commune? The car tire, Cliff and his violence getting the man to repair it? The sequences preparing the audience to understand Manson and the Family? The irony of showing only one sequence with Charles Manson himself, looking up at Rick and the genial smile?
14. Cliff and Jackie Chan, Jackie Chan’s role, his self-importance, the challenge, cliff beating him? Jackie Chan and his martial arts roles in films and technical advice?
15. Rick, meeting Marvin Schwartz again, the possibilities of spaghetti westerns and Rick not liking them? His going to Italy, making the film is, success, the James Bond parallel, his meeting his wife, bringing her home, prepared to let Cliff go, but Cliff at home? The presence of the dog?
16. Texan the girls, on the prowl, mistaking the Polanski house, the attack on Cliff, cliff setting the dog on them, the brutal treatment? Discovering Rick in the pool, his going down to the car, warning them off the grounds? The return, injuring Cliff? Rick and the flamethrower? The aftermath, cliff going to hospital, Rick going to see him the next day, but accepting the invitation from Sharon Tate to go up to the mansion – and the implications of the massacre?
17. The range of themes, the range of talented actors in small cameo roles? Tarantino and his perspective on the period, television in the series, audience watching television, the glitter of Hollywood, the fantasy world, comparison with American realism? 50 years later, the critique, images, celebrities, match our images? In the 1960s and the transition to the 1970s?
