Just from watching the two trailers for “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” it’s obvious that there’s a lot of stuff going on in the film. There’s the main plot that involves Leonardo Dicaprio’s Rick Dalton and his stuntman/BFF played by Brad Pitt. There’s the changing landscape of Hollywood in 1969. And on top of all of this, there’s the subplot involving Margot Robbie’s Sharon Tate falling victim to Charles Manson and his “Family.”
So, it makes sense that when you get filmmaker Quentin Tarantino, Pitt, and DiCaprio together to talk about the film, there’s a lot to say. Thankfully, in a new interview with Esquire, a lot is said, and there’s plenty of information that is sure to get film fans excited about the upcoming ‘Once Upon a Time.’
What’s maybe most interesting is the fact that Tarantino admits that “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” started its life as a prospective novel written by the filmmaker. However, over the years, the story morphed and the idea of making it into a movie became more obvious.
“I let it become what it wanted to become,” he said. “For a long time, I didn’t want to accept it. Then I did.”
What it became is apparently the most personal film in Tarantino’s filmography. And in describing the new project, the director likens it to one of the most acclaimed films of 2018.
“I think of it like my memory piece,” said Tarantino. “Alfonso [Cuarón] had Roma and Mexico City, 1970. I had L. A. and 1969. This is me. This is the year that formed me. I was six years old then. This is my world. And this is my love letter to L. A.”
As with any conversation with filmmakers and stars in 2019, the topic of streaming came about, more specifically the way that streaming seems to be the harbinger of a new era of Hollywood. DiCaprio has recognized this and thinks that the best way to ensure that some of our favorite filmmakers and films survive the transition is to support quality cinema.
“I’m not saying celebrate this movie, but let’s celebrate filmmakers who are still holding on to the craft of making movies, and let’s hope that in that transition into whatever this is going to be, this type of filmmaking will still exist. There are some dark ages coming up,” said the actor.
Pitt also has thoughts on the future of the industry, and he’s worried more about the audiences than the studios. “I’ve been hearing from newer generations that they’re used to something shorter, quicker, big jump, and get out,” said Pitt. “And the streaming services work that way; you can move on to the next one if you’re enticed.”
He continued, “What I always loved about going to a cinema was letting something slowly unfold, and to luxuriate in that story and watch and see where it goes. I’m curious to see if that whole form of movie watching is just out the window with the younger generations. I don’t think so completely.”
Tarantino, of course, has an opinion on the current trend of streaming and filmmaking in general. He says that the roles of TV and film seem to be flip-flopping in the public’s eye, leading to the latter taking a backseat to the former.
“It requires the right kind of movie—one that hits the right kind of nerve where it becomes a conversation,” the filmmaker said. “‘Get Out’ achieved that. Everyone was talking about it, and the whole metaphor of the Sunken Place was something everyone started to use. It sparked genuine conversation. It used to be movies were the pop-culture conversation and it was much rarer for a TV show to break into that place. But now that’s where it is.”
“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” is premiering at Cannes and will arrive in theaters on July 26.