Tarantino's Perfect 161-Minute Film Is Officially One of Prime Video's Most-Watched Thrillers
The ninth movie by Quentin Tarantino, 2019’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, is currently soaring up the charts on Prime Video. The most recent film directed by the great auteur — and his penultimate work, according to his plan to direct only 10 movies — it features two of the industry’s biggest names, Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt, on a whirlwind ride through a movie industry that no longer exists, but that cinema historians still long for. One of his most successful and celebrated works, the movie features everything you could want from a Tarantino picture.
Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt Take Us Back to Hollywood’s Past
The year is 1969, and Tinseltown is in a transitional period, as the old studio system of the past is giving way to the auteurs and blockbusters of the future. One man struggling to find his place in the changing landscape is Rick Dalton (DiCaprio). Once the star of Western TV hit Bounty Law, he is now struggling to reignite his career. As he looks to craft a comeback via Spaghetti Westerns and a possible friendship with his new neighbor Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie), his driver and stuntman Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) finds himself crossing paths with the infamous Manson Family.
Written and directed by Tarantino, Dalton was partly inspired by Steve McQueen (albeit with a less successful career trajectory), while Booth was inspired by famous stuntmen of the era including Gary Kent and Gene LeBell — the latter of whom starred in The Green Hornet opposite Bruce Lee, who has an altercation with Booth in Tarantino’s film. The movie mixes fictional characters with real-life figures, with Robbie playing film star Tate, and various film and TV shows from the period being referenced.
Quentin Tarantino Reimagines a Dark Part of L.A. History
Central to the plot is the rise of The Manson Family, who take over a film set Booth visits, leading to a climactic confrontation during the film’s final scenes. It’s a recurring thread that runs through Tarantino’s story, although those who know the exploits of the real-life murderous cult know that their fate is different in this film. Tarantino makes it clear in the title and the events of the movie that this is his version of history, a fairytale featuring elements of fiction and reality. Booth has a best-of-three fight with Bruce Lee, which is stopped after each man wins a round each, while the presence of Dalton and Booth in this timeline means the Manson Family’s targeting of Sharon Tate doesn’t go as planned.
Just as he rewrote World War II with Inglourious Basterds, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood goes its own way with movie history, imagining what would happen if characters he created were present around legendary figures in the industry. Somehow, it makes this Tinseltown fairy tale feel more nostalgic than the real thing, capturing the spirit of the time while taking things in an unexpected direction. It takes a real student of the industry to pull it off in such an entertaining way, and that’s exactly who Quentin Tarantino is.
‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’ is a Tribute to the Town Tarantino Loves
It’s long been Quentin Tarantino’s mission statement to make the kind of movies he wants to see as a fan. As such, the great director writes an ode to the Hollywood he grew up with – the shady characters, the wild parties, and the mysteries behind the theater marquee. In a sense, you can feel something of the writer-director in Dalton, a man who enjoyed great success but perhaps cannot relate to the movie industry that surrounds him. While it can lead to the occasional podcast rant, Tarantino can also turn that mourning into great cinema.
The movie is a funny, edgy, and utterly fascinating misadventure, with two actors at the top of their game as DiCaprio plays an insecure star, while Pitt plays his enigmatic best friend. Pitt would win a long-awaited Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his performance, and it’s hard to deny that his presence on-screen didn’t elevate the movie, playing a man with unquestionable magnetism even in a town full of movie stars.
The story of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood was so rich that it will soon lead to two follow-ups – one in print, and one on the screen. Tarantino himself will be writing the novel The Adventures of Cliff Booth, while the script he wrote, The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth, will be directed by David Fincher and heads to theaters this December. It’s a testament to how immersive this thrilling story was that its creator would still have tales to tell, proving that even as he prepares to wind down his time in the director’s chair, Tarantino still has the power to craft great storytelling.
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