Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood

Summary

“No… it was dumber than that. It was something.. like..Rex”

In 2019, Once Upon a Time in… Hollywood was one of only a couple films that I managed to actually catch in the theater (two kids and a full time job make the theater less of an option than in the past.) I was absolutely blown away by the film and considered it to be the best film made that year. I wrote a review of the film when it was first released, but wanted to update that review now that I have had a chance to revisit the film a couple times and read the book Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi. I happily revisited the film with my wife last week.

The film begins on February 8th, 1969. Actor Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) is on a downturn. His career is starting to slide. He was best known for playing the hero gunslinger Jake Cahill on the NBC television show Bounty Law, but now he is being subjected to playing villains and bit parts on shows like Lancer. Rick has developed a drinking problem that threatens to derail his career if he doesn’t get it in check. Along for the ride is his trusted stunt man and best friend Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt.) Cliff has become Rick’s driver because Rick had too many drinking and driving incidents. Rick is also known for playing an eye patched hero in a war picture called The Fourteen Fists of McCluskie. In a meeting with Rick, producer Alvin Schwarz (Al Pacino) tries to convince Rick that he needs to go to Rome so that he can play the lead role instead of the heavy. The advice stings Rick to his core. As Rick tries his best to mount a comeback and perform well under pressure in Hollywood, Cliff finds his own difficulties landing work due to a nefarious rumor and some previous bad behavior on some sets. Cliff’s fortunes are tied up in the success of Rick’s career. As hard as Rick has it, Cliff has it much tougher with far less he can call his own. Rick has a house in the hills whereas Cliff has a trailer in Van Nuys behind a Drive-In where he lives with his  pit bull Brandy. Rick lives on Cielo Drive next to a beautiful actress named Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie) who lives with her husband, director Roman Polanski. As they all deal with their own issues and live their lives, the hippies at Spahn ranch are hanging out with a strange guy named Charlie. By the end of the film, fate will bring all of them together.

As I stated in my first review of the film, Once Upon a Time in… Hollywood is phenomenal. The film is Quentin Tarantino’s most painstaking love letter to his beloved city of Los Angeles. The sights and sounds of the film take viewers back in time as Musso & Frank Grill, the Playboy Mansion, El Coyote, Spahn Ranch and so many more iconic locations come vividly to life as they would have existed in 1969. On the radio, there are ads for the film version of Ray Bradbury’s The Illustrated Man. The music by artists including The Rolling Stones, The Stooges, Simon and Garfunkel, Joe Cocker, Bob Seger, Chad and Jeremy, and so many more rifles through the air from car stereos and small radios inviting the viewers to experience that time musically. The fact that Sharon Tate listens to Paul Revere and the Raiders is not by accident. It is a deliberate choice by Tarantino. There is not a detail out of place. It is truly remarkable.

To achieve the intended effect, Tarantino developed a dream team for the film. Production designer Barbara Ling and cinematographer Robert Richardson find the magic. They relied heavily on the remaining landmarks that still exist in Hollywood, but they also built facades of many of the long lost restaurants and sites from that era in many of the locations where they originally existed. This practical approach allowed many shots to occur without the assistance of digital enhancement. I have considered Robert Richardson one of the greatest living cinematographers for a long time, but I believe this film will probably be considered his finest achievement. I could not keep a smile off my face as I saw posters featured in the film featuring films like Romeo and Juliet, and The Mercenary, or when the film referenced the great Italian Spaghetti Western director Sergio Corbucci. The greatest technical achievement in the film may be a sequence in which Tarantino and his team turn the lights back on for the signs of many long gone landmarks in Los Angeles at dawn. The amount of work put into that sequence is extraordinary and it works brilliantly.

The writing of the film takes a surprisingly laid back route to getting where it is going. When speaking to others who had seen the film, the chief criticism of the film was the pacing. Personally, I didn’t want to leave this world that Tarantino and his team created and I don’t think Tarantino did either. Watching a character whipping down the highway and seeing the old Tower Records store lit up again may not hold significance to every viewer but students of history and film lovers should find something they can fixate on in nearly every frame. I found the pacing pleasant. I enjoyed it even more the second  and third time around. It isn’t slower paced without reason, but simply to allow the reality of the settings and the characters to develop organically. The last third of the film hums at a good clip and is anything but slow.

The other criticisms leveled at the film have been laughable. Critics upset about the Bruce Lee scene are way off base. As a child I read a comprehensive biography of Bruce and nothing his likeness says in this film was out of sorts from actual things Bruce Lee said in real life. The media storm on that fictional encounter was just ridiculous. Critics upset about the finale or the ideas behind it can similarly be dismissed. As critics fail to realize that films are still primarily designed to entertain and as they try to make every movie a “message” film they will inherently destroy the joy of watching a good entertaining story unfold. I found the criticisms of this movie particularly galling. It just felt like all of these people were trying to make a name for themselves by shaming a work of art. Honest to God – it irked me.

Having now read Helter Skelter, I was even more upset by the critics take on this. Tarantino obviously spent a tremendous amount of time researching the Manson killings and the cast of characters involved in those horrible events. That research translates well to the screen and the Spahn Ranch sequence in particular feels incredibly right. Anybody upset with Tarantino on this account should probably think about the reported reaction of Roman Polanski who approved of Tarantino’s finale (he did not see the film for obvious reasons.) My wife had actually read the book Helter Skelter as well, and when she saw the finale it made her surprisingly emotional. I realized that the finale had a cathartic effect once you know a lot about the case. Knowing what I know now, I love the film more than before.

The performances in the film are epic. Brad Pitt plays the coolest character since his performance as Tyler Durden. This is a different type of cool – more effortless and laidback. When the finale comes, Pitt delivers the goods. He is awesome in this role. Leonardo DiCaprio continues to prove himself one of the finest actors of his generation. His freak out involving hippies on a dead end street and a margarita in a blender may be the funniest scene of any film this year. The film is full of strong supporting performances by actors including Al Pacino, Luke Perry, Austin Butler, Emile Hirsch, Timothy Olyphant, Lena Dunham, Kurt Russell, Bruce Dern, and so many more. A little girl named Julia Butters for a brief moment steals the film with her confident performance that reminded me a little of True Grit. She will be a talent to watch for in the future. The direction by Quentin Tarantino brings this ensemble cast together in a wonderful way. His delicate handling of Sharon Tate with Margot Robbie’s performance is a good example of an artist maturing. While the film received criticism for the lack of dialogue for Margot, I felt that these critics did not see the amount of restraint Tarantino was exerting by painting in broad strokes.

Overall – this is a great example of when everything goes right in a film. The writing, direction, acting, production design, and cinematography are the best of this year. In fact – this is the best film of 2019 and one of my favorite films of that decade. I can not recommend it highly enough.

Video

Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood arrives on 4K UHD with an aspect ratio of 2.40:1. The film is a visual feast. Thanks to the truly remarkable work by cinematographer Robert Richardson and production designer Barbara Ling, there is just so much to admire in every frame. Sony is known for their amazing attention to detail, and this disc allows fine details to fill every frame of the widescreen shots. I could go on and on, but instead will just say that it looks damn good in this format.

Audio

Sony has updated the DTS-HD MA 5.1 track to a DTS-HD MA 7.1 track for this release. This is a fantastic sounding track that allows the numerous songs from the soundtrack to take center stage. Clarity is exceptional and the ambient effects in the scenes sound great. Sony understands the UHD technology as well if not better than anyone in the game. Their work here is remarkable. This is reference quality audio. 

Supplements:

Additional Scenes – about twenty five minutes of additional scenes

Overall Scores:

Video: 5/5

Audio: 5/5

Supplements: 2/5

Overall – 5/5

Once Upon a Time in… Hollywood is an absolute masterpiece. As I expected, the film becomes even better on repeat viewings. After reading Helter Skelter before my third time visiting the film, I found myself even more enamored with the story the film tells. In this film, Brad Pitt is the epitome of cool – channeling Paul Newman and Redford in their prime. Leonardo DiCaprio gives an excellent performance that rivals his work in Wolf of Wall Street. The star of the show is the meticulous recreation of Los Angeles in the year 1969. Tarantino packs a million tiny details into every shot and made me feel like I had been transported back fifty years. The production design and cinematography are unparalleled. This is Tarantino’s greatest love letter to his city and the world of his childhood. Some critics have criticized Tarantino for letting the film take its time or for the violent finale in which Tarantino takes liberties with historical events. To those critics I simply say – move over. You’re blocking the show for the rest of us. In my opinion this was easily the best film of 2019. This is a release that I will be revisiting each year. Is it his best film? If it was any other director it would be such an easy answer. The UHD 4K release from Sony features perfect audio and video. This should be purchased without hesitation.