If you are a fan of the pictures you have probably heard of a little movie coming out called, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.” After the much-mocked poster – featuring leading stars, Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt – made its Film Twitter, photoshop meme rounds, we were given our first official peek at director Quentin Tarantino’s 9th film (which would make it the writer/director’s penultimate movie project, if he sticks to his guns re: his ‘retire after I make 10 movies’ statement. What about Star Trek, Quentin?)
The second trailer has arrived hot off the heels of the first, that gave us a solid look at Mike Moh’s performance as Bruce Lee, which appears to be absolutely uncanny. (Is there any chance the martial arts master lives on, in Tarantino’s world?) Between the former video store employee’s love of kung fu flicks, western stories, genre homage, wordplay, and film history, regardless of how you feel about QT, “Once Upon a Time In Hollywood” is already certain to be a ceremonial event for cinephiles everywhere.
Here’s the film’s official synopsis:
Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in… Hollywood visits 1969 Los Angeles, where everything is changing, as TV star Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his longtime stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) make their way around an industry they hardly recognize anymore. The ninth film from the writer-director features a large ensemble cast and multiple storylines in a tribute to the final moments of Hollywood’s golden age.
One of the biggest question mark remaining; will Tarantino go the post-“Inglorious Basterds” route? His war film, “Django Unchained,” and “The Hateful Eight” all essentially function as revisionist revenge fables. If he, in fact, goes in that direction again, it might be warranted to look at another common theme across his films; women getting their retribution on the men who have wronged them (“Jackie Brown”, “Kill Bill”, “Death Proof”, ‘Basterds’ and ‘Hateful Eight’). Not sure how many people want to see a Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie) seeks vengeance on Charles Manson fantasy, and obviously that may not happen, but with Quentin, nothing’s that far out of the realm of possibility. Let’s just hope our two cowboys don’t save the day, cause we’ve all seen that movie.
Being a film about Hollywood’s heyday, the filmmaker is also working with a huge, huge cast. Al Pacino, Emile Hirsch, Bruce Dern, Damian Lewis (playing Steve McQueen), Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Kurt Russell, Timothy Olyphant, James Marsden, James Remar, Dakota Fanning, Scoot McNairy, the late Luke Perry, Lena Dunham, Clifton Collins Jr., Margaret Qualley, Rumer Willis, Mike Moh, Rafał Zawierucha (as Roman Polanski) and Damon Herriman as Charles Mason, who, oddly enough, is also set to play Charles Manson in season two of David Fincher’s “Mindhunter,” and more – knowing Tarantino, there will also probably be secret cameos abound.
“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” will be released by Sony Pictures on July 26.
