Interesting take. There's another scene with that "meta" dimension: when the Manson assassins are in the car explaining that because of the violent roles Rick Dalton played, they're justified to kill him. This sounds a lot like a nod to the many criticisms Tarantino received for the violence in his films and how it can spur violence in real life, showing it as a BS excuse for preexisting death drives.
Yeah I loved that bit...felt like screaming "exactly the problem. These fuckers were already set on doing harm regardless of where the excuse comes from"
As great as Brad Pitt was in this movie, I really think Leo's acting is severely underrated in this film. Pitt played the cool real life action hero, while Leo played the multilayered star who is grappling with his place in Hollywood and an unknown future.
I never fall for cool tuff guys, but brad Pitt just kicked ass in this role , kicked ass, yes DiCaprio rules totally, just as a guy Brad Pitt stuntman’s role , well c’mon .
Alright listen up fuckers, it’s a good funny line because based on the time period the movie is set in that kinda thing was a little more normal and Cliff says it because Rick is supposed to be poised as a professional, so if “the Mexicans,” let alone ANYONE, sees him crying, it’ll taint his reputation as a poised professional. It’s funny in the context of today because of how outrageous Cliffs line sounds. You wouldn’t expect a character in a movie to say something like that because of the dumbass snowflake cultures we foster. So it’s a refreshing line that’s also comical because of the way it’s arranged.
The scene where the Manson assassins justify their motive to kill Rick Dalton due to his violent roles always gives me chills. People can interpret things so differently.
5:47 That's a stretch. At the time he didn't know she was under-aged. She was an attractive female showing obvious interest in him. Once he did find out her age he immediately distanced himself & had appropriate interactions.
Like that with any art. Music, books, comics, poetry, paintings, etc. You could go to school for years and learn the history, techniques & conventions or likewise you could teach yourself to just as good of a level if you’re passionate enough.
Meaning: you love movies so much you will LEARN how to make a good one. Sorry - but I have friends that adore films and filmmaking but don’t know the first thing about storytelling. I suck at it too but I’m learning.
lauserz--- It's not just you. But, Brad Pitt is actually a damn good actor. Not just good looking man. He did do a great job in this movie. If you look back at his roles in previous movies some are just okay but a few are very subtly amazing. For instance his role as the Pikey in Snatch. Incredible acting. Should have been nominated for supporting role. He was great in Seven, and in The Mexican and Fight Club. Leo also did a fantastic job.
@@13_13k No. I know ALL about that, which is why it offends me. LeBell did not put Bruce in a headlock, he had somewhat jokingly picked him up. Bruce was yelling "Put me down, I'll kill you", and Lebell responded "I can't put you down, you'll kill me!". This is from the horse's mouth himself-Gene was asked in a phone interview about that incident in response to this travesty of a scene. Lebell stressed that he had only temporarily immobilized Bruce, (not achieved submission) that Bruce was incredibly skilled and talented, and that he personally found the scene in the film extremely tasteless and insulting. Lebell has always had nothing but praise for Bruce. The scene is also insulting in how it makes Bruce seem like an incompetent braggart when he was anything but. He NEVER made long telegraphed kicks, was exponentially faster than that travesty of a scene, and fought in a completely different style than the hokey kung fu depicted. Watch the scene in Longstreet where he's instructing in his style. No hokey blocks, just lightning fast attacks and counterattacks that hit before the attack they're responding to does. Bruce was an incredibly dedicated and skilled martial artist done dirty after his death by a spineless weasel of a director not fit to carry Bruce's jock strap. If he just wanted to recreate that event 1:1, ok; I.E. Brad Pitt would have surprised him, picked him up, and carried him around a bit with no fighting. But to turn it into Bruce being cocky, incompetent, and getting beaten up? Unacceptable.
@@jadedandbitter --- my account of the headlock was strictly off the skewed memory of the story. I'm not saying it was a fair depiction of Lee or his personality or his abilities. I have to say that the movie was a work of fiction and Quentin took a lot or liberties in his story telling. It wasn't a documentary or a historical account of what happened in 1969. I, having been fortunate enough to be trained in martial arts by the now Grand Master of American Kenpo Karate, Mr. Chuck Sullivan who along with five other of the first blackbelt class of Mr. Ed Parker SR. . In that training I've been in blackbelt class with Elvis bodyguards and lightly sparred with some of the most iconic martial artists, including Steve Sanders, and Dan Inosanto, who also personally taught me and a couple other students and instructors proper win chung forms using a wooden practice dummy. With that said, I've also had the privilege to be the Locations Electrician from scouting until weeks after the last shooting scenes of Once Upon A Time .... and that movie used some real living and not living figures in history in very non reality events for a work of fiction. Are you offended by the scene with Steve McQueen and Mama Cass Elliott, who are both dead and weren't portrayed in a realistic, and flattering way? I'm not saying your feelings and respect for the legacy of Bruce Lee isn't valid but I'm reminding you that it wasn't a biography or correct historical accounts of any of the events that took place. You have every right to your feelings but don't get offended by it. Lot's of people in the martial arts community, for many years accused Ed Parker of being a sellout and a fake and this was real not in a movie. I met the man and he only did a few Katas and some not very powerful moves to show the traditional forms and how they have been updated over the years, but his abilities, I can attest to is no joke. There is a reason he was in Bruce Lee movies and lots of other movies and the Long Beach Internationals was THE tournament of all tournaments, even Bruce Lee entered. Happy New Year
@@13_13k I didn't think the portrayals of Steve McQueen or Mama Cass were negative in the slightest. Mama Cass was a huge party animal (and really, the party scene should have been at her place, not the Playboy mansion since Hef didn't buy it till the 70's; also, the manson crew went to a bunch of her parties), and Steve McQueen did briefly date Sharon Tate, so portraying him as still having some residual feelings for her wasn't surprising or insulting. So no, they didn't get smeared, which makes the depiction of Bruce that much more annoying by contrast.
V B yeah.... absolutely not, he is completely paying respect and showing us what was great about all these people and they will live on forever in his movies
I have to say I was treading the end of this film, I knew of the Manson family murders & knew that Sharon Tate was heavily pregnant so I really didn't want to see the inevitable. I was literally cheering when that door opened to show high as a kite Cliff stood there. Brilliant ending.
Same. When Tex and the gang we’re headed up that hill, I remember thinking, “Oh brother, here we go”. Was very pleasantly surprised at what was to come. If only Sharon was allowed to continue her life and have and raise her son. Her baby was due in three weeks. My son was born three weeks early. A little small, but viable and healthy. Breaks my heart when I think about what went through her mind during her last moments. That last scene had me shook. Couldn’t figure out if my tears were happy tears (to see her alive and happy and about to give birth), or sad tears (because of what actually happened).
@@TheBerkeleyBeauty It must be very difficult for a woman to watch certain scenes in films, especially when you can relate so closely with them. I have a young son myself, the thought of him being harmed whilst completely defenseless makes me angry. There's a scene in the film Doctor Sleep that's very harrowing to watch involving a young boy being killed, I understand horror films are meant to push your buttons but I do think it went too far, particularly with a child.
I hope I’m not the only one who caught that Tarantino used “Antonio Margheriti” as an Italian director for the movie (ironically the same one used for Inglorious Basterds)
I had an Aunt who was brutally murdered in 1980, A severely disturbed man with obsessions of religion and cleanliness drowned her in a bathtub and carved crosses into her chest. I watched this movie with my father last night, I had already seen it before, he was enjoying it up until the end when he saw Tate pregnant and Tex driving up with his car, he said to me "I don't think I can watch the rest of this", I told him to trust me and continue watching. That end scene was a big Fuck You to my aunt's killer, a big fuck you to real life killers who get glorified by Hollywood and the media. They focused on Tate, the victim, not the killer, this movie said those victims were real people, so many people don't even know who Sharon Tate was but everyone knows Manson. It's kinda crazy that this message is coming from Tarantino but he also wrote the script for Natural Born killers. He's saying glorify fictional killers all you want in my films but Fuck You to those who do it in real life. It was an experience watching this film with my Dad last night, one I won't soon forget.
yup...until this movie I had never wept for what really happened...I was like 'fuck thats terrible' and then moved on with my day. After this film...I finally wept.
That last scene made me wonder if the movie was DiCaprio's character's fantasy of how he wished real-life events had played out -- a fantasy where he, Jake Cahill, Tate's neighbor and movie badass, vanquished the villains instead of what actually happened.
@@locksand45 For the first time...I felt rage. I wanted retribution. This movie made me sad about a trivia answer. Who killed Sharon Tate? Ooh, ooh, I know the answer! Sigh...
2:42 "Tarantino has been playing with cinema history his whole career. But, now that his own work has become canon, he's begun playing with himself." That must have been fun to write!
@@TheSpecterRanger yup. It happens to many artists, they become self-indulgent. Also like many others, I think Tarantino's best work was his first, going gradually downhill from there.
@@rare6499 I felt like he was really sensitive with it. Over did it on the violence but I'm sure it would be cathartic to those who were hurt by what really happened. But the idea that that night could end peaceful, with people enjoying their lives still was beautiful
Damon Plant was always going to go a little OTT on the violence but in truth compared to some of his other films it was more tame than I expected 🤣 a great ending, probably the most mature ending of all his films. Didn’t know QT had it in him!
There was NEVER a more satisfying scene of violence ever recorded on film than that last scene when Cliff and Rick subsequently and justly dispose of the killers. I cheered. I clapped. I cried at the end. Quentin gave Sharon a "happily ever after". This is his best movie EVER!
@akshay Viswambharan yeah honestly, i understand the meta nature of this one but personally that violence felt a bit excessive? Idk like i have no problem w violence in films in general but i didnt exactly feel satisfied when this one came around, at least not the same as say Django escaping Candyland
TrashParticle Perhaps The satisfaction is more about revenge on the real hippie jerks that murdered Tate et al, and destroyed whatever good was left of that era.
@Cult Mechanicus Lol I appreciate the creativity in your bullshit. I might have actually believed you if not for "a CG aged down Kurt Russell" I think if Tarantino actually did that he might commit seppuku afterwards.
I just re-watched Pulp Fiction for the hundredth time to show a friend who had never seen it before. The entire time, he kept getting close to the screen to look for flaws, continuously kept asking what someone was saying and broke in the middle of the dialogue to either give some stupid trivia unrelated to anything or to talk about some bullshit he was reminded of by the film. I told him that we can never watch a movie together ever again.
That's what happens with films that are as hyped up as pulp fiction. I hate to say it because pulp fiction is an amazing film (which I'm not afraid to say I love) but it's overrated.
@M N literally every neck beard on the internet praises it as the best film ever. I won't lie it is up there with the best films, but people speak about it like an alien made the movie. Like Jesus H Christ himself blessed the film with his holy jizz. Like angels came from above and had an orgy with tarantino before he began writing it.
@@JackeyBoyyy This entire argument can be shut down with "some people just don't like the movie". It's not a fluke that a lot of people love Pulp Fiction, myself included. People's taste in movies is always going to be subjective, that's the whole point. There is never going to be an art form (that includes movies, music etc) that will make everyone happy. Everyone loves their own thing and have a right to, so I don't think movies such as Pulp deserve to be called "overrated"
Set 32 years before I was even born and this film instills so much nostalgia for a time that not even my parents knew. Incredible movie, director and actors. The movies ending is just as bittersweet as being born in the 2000’s.
Dude this is the best video essay on a movie I've ever seen/ listened to. All of your points are so beautifully illustrated with the examples you use. This was amazing 100/100!
Also, near the start of the film he says “I’m only one pool party away from being in the next Polanski film”, and he’s proved right. It’s a hell of a pool party.
Tarantino also makes use of Hidden Exposition: When you see the flamethrower in the fist 15 minutes you just know it will make an appearance later. Same for Cliff Booth's(Pitt) dog. Booth feeds his dog better than he feeds himself but the dog won't make a move until given the O.K. The dog hasn't been introduced for nothing, you know he(the dog) will play some part later in the film.
Eric Blair thats usually there in every movie. All movies have hidden exposition if you pay attention. That’s what they teach you in writing scripts too. But nevertheless, this movie was awesome❤️
@@calvinpinto9406 Absolutely. I agree. There is HE in every film. I was just pointing it out in this particular film. It's fun to watch films and spot when and where the Director inserts it. Some HE is incredibly frustrating bc you know that the person or situation will come back and kill the main character.
@@ericblair54 I've never heard that being called hidden exposition before. Because it;s not really explaining the plot. It;s more a foreshadowing kinda thing. I would have thought it was more a Chekov's Gun.
Actually I was thinking, it's clear that Humans eat much worse than dogs. Carbs are a zero nutrition food. Dogs would die eating macaroni and cheese. Dog food is actually way healthier than pasta. Perhaps Tarantino was showing us that the modern "Vegan" movement and fake meat pushed by Gates and others, is nothing more than a form of genocide. Dogs couldn't live on fake meat, and neither can Humans.
Since the beginning it's been called foreshadowing. Exposition is what you need to know to understand the story or a character better. The opening credits of Star Wars is a tired example of exposition.
@@davidpotts1778 I'll admit it lacked a story or something compelling to watch for 3 hours straight... Rick's character story just wasn't interesting enough... But it was still fun to look at, it was close to being Tarantino's masterpiece, just needed that final master touch
This film is Tarantino having fun with and paying respect to the whole film industry while using callbacks to things he has done in his previous films. After watching it many times, I think it's his best work. I love the way he uses the music in the film as well. The radio plays a huge part in the film, and his use of old recordings of radio DJ's in between the songs is great.
One of my personal random takes from the film: When Cliff is walking back to his car to leave Span Ranch and all the hippie girls are yelling at him reminds me of how some vets coming back from Nam were treated in real life. I realise Cliff was a Green Beret who served in a previous war, but it still had that vibe to me.
I love how Tarantino answers the social issues of a given era by addressing the underlying thoughts and feelings and the different mindsets and life situations behind the narrative of the time moreso than engaging the arbitrary nonsense of the discussion. That's why his movies are so timeless
My favorite bit of the movie has to do with Brad Pitt. At the end of the movie, Pitt is, i guess, "disarmed" because he drops acid and it hits him hard. We as the audience have grown to love this character, because one, it's Brad Pitt, and two because he's shown great patience and care for his best friend, even though it almost seems like he gets nothing out of it. Also, we know he's a full blown bad ass, and audiences love a good bad ass. At the ending sequence, it seems like we, as the audience, are going to get another taste of the classic archetypal "tragic hero", where the coolest, our favorite, character, dies. So, Brad is "disarmed" and facing three highly dangerous and malevolent criminals, one of which he already wronged before, so it seems like the ideal time for that character to collect his revenge on Pitt. Pitt is loose and care free, and even funny, and in the climax of the scene, when it looks like Pitt is done for, he whistles and proves, yet again, just how f*cking cool he is. And this is my favorite part of the movie, because it brought everything together, in terms of the title of the movie. The title of the movie is "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood", which comes from the classic childrens fairy tail "Once upon a time..." and generally speaking, those classic childrens fairy tales are, at the end, brought together with the old adage, "...and they lived happily, ever, after." Thats what Tarantino did, his audience thought they were going to lose their favorite character, but in the end, he lived happily ever after. Even Rick Dalton, who felt like his career was coming to an end, finds a new foothold in his career with his famous director neighbor. Tarantino cleverly brought back the classic happily ever after story type, but he did it in such a way that left the audience feeling like "Oh thank God!" and they go home feeling content and happy, as opposed to what most people think audiences will react when served that type of film of "oh wow, how predictable". This is my take as a layman that didn't see any of the deep and complex layers Tarantino expertly inserts into his films, which i think makes Tarantino that much better, because he satisfied the more savy movie goer/buff, and the less informed movie watcher, which i would consider myself. Truely great director.
A very astute insight in keeping with the quality of this video... I am not even a Tarantino fan and thought the film was overrated, but I do appreciate both the tapestry of homage, woven skilfully enough to impress even without some or even all of the knowledge to appreciate the nods, this video has helped with the subtler ones such as Kurt Russel & wife characters; and the cinephilic delight his devotees clearly take in analysing the context, if the comments section is anything to go by... Again, with this comment, I enjoyed your reasoning and appreciated the logic, and moreover agreed with the emotional arc of the audience you sketched...
Tarantino is absolutely genius , he makes an ending totally unexpected....even though we all are like ....yes I know how it will end ( based on the history) then he surprises us all , he’s the man
if you thought it was gonna end with the brutal murder of Tate you obviously never saw Inglorious Bastards. I specifically dont remember Hitler and all his men being gunned down and burned to death in a theater in occupied France being taught in History books but its a nice thing to see happen on film
I've watched Once Upon a Time... almost as many times as I've seen Pulp Fiction and Inglorious Basterds for whatever that's worth. Like The Big Lebowski it gets better and better upon rewatches. Tarantino is such a great and deliberate artist.
There’s something about Tarantino’s characters monologues & dialogues that just resonates with you like you can see yourself having a seat with them and having a conversation with them. And then the action looks so intense and surreal you wanna just rewatch the scenes over & over again
This may be a controversial opinion. But this is so far my favorite of Tarantino’s films. I’m not calling it a perfect film. But it’s still a great film in my opinion. And a great look back at the golden age of Hollywood. And Leo and Brad are just so likable to watch The one issue I’d have with Leo’s character, is that he is a bit underdeveloped when they try to give him an arc, but it still doesn’t really kill Leo’s great performance and charm
I’d say a better meta look at a golden age of cinema in sunny California with a more compelling ensemble cast is *Boogie Nights* For me OUATIH is one of my least favourite QT films sadly. Mainly as I sat there for two hours mildly enjoying myself but waiting for the movie to really take off, when I then see Rick & Cliff fight off the Manson killers in over the top slapstick bloody violence and oh..i realised it just another revisionist history bloody revenge story like every single QT movie has been for the past 20 years :/ I didn’t hate the movie. It was fine. But many scenes felt inconsequential & the ending bloodbath was just typical of the style > substance immaturity that I perceive in a lot of QT films. I will always love Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction & Jackie Brown for unique they were. But everything after that felt like it followed the same template just applied to different sub genres & time periods, and was nowhere near as original as his 90s stuff (even his screenplays like From Dusk Till Dawn or True Romance were really adventurous back then). So OUATIH wasn’t amazing for me. It’s like if I want the bloody revenge aspect set in the past with a dollop of meta awareness, I’d rather watch something like Inglourious Basterds...if I want a beautiful presentation of the golden age of Hollywood and the rise and fall of one of its stars grappling with a new climate then I’ll watch Boogie Nights. I will say the California Dreaming sequence was one of the best of QT’s career though.
Tarantino is a genius, but I feel like this review actually found patterns that were accidental, not intentional. Not every part of a movie is a planned mathematical calculation. Some things are a result of artistic vision and happenstance. I think Tarantino can put together a script like this without really trying to organize the pieces, I think he just knows how to do it, innately, like a good writer or artist. It's not something he has to work hard to calculate. He just knows, intuitively, what to do. Only some of the patterns were intentional. But not every single piece is a cold calculation and formulaic construction.
My favorite “meta moment” is probably when on the television it says, “now for the moment you’ve been waiting for” before the climax starts off. It’s talking to us directly letting us know that the over the top violence we love is coming.
Anyone else notice the stuntwork career of the character in Rick's book is finished when he hurts his ass, then later Cliff takes a knife to his for Rick, like a good stuntman would? Then Rick goes on to, presumably, jumpstart a new life without stuntwork/Cliff.
@@frarfarf As the paramedics are lifting Cliff into the ambulance, he says to Rick "I'll have a limp but I'm not gonna die, it's not my time, man." We also do not see his character again after this scene, so the implication was there, but perhaps not prominent.
@@StevenCasteelYT You are right. He knew from the get go they were underaged. He was just being nice. And he clearly stated that he wouldn't like the idea of goin' behind bars after illicit acts with a young girl.
Such a beautiful and well crafted film , not everyone got this movie the way I did , a lot of my friends were just waiting for the action and the gore but that’s really not what this films about you’ve got to appreciate it for what it really is and not everyone understands the beauty of tarintinos ways when it’s on this level
I didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would when I first saw it but then I saw a video explaining the movie and I didn’t know who the Manson family was or Margaret and her husband was either
I really enjoyed the movie, but it left me with a lot of questions and mixed feelings. I know its not always about understandig a film but rather feeling it, still, this video/essay definitely helps clear a lot of things that I really didn't find meaningful.
José Pablo Arellano it’s definitely a film that isn’t your average Tarantino (as if there was such a thing) but is unique in the way it plays with your expectations of what it should be. Most noteably the violence we‘re used to in a Tarantino movie is pretty much exclusive to the finale, and boy does the wait pay off. It’s very unique because it needs you to know both Tarantino as a director as well as the real life story behind the Manson murders.
Saw this film in TJ on 7gs of mushrooms and 2 tabs once Cliff said “don’t cry in front of the Mexicans” the whole cinema erupted in cheers and laughter felt like a 4th wall break and throughout the whole film I was mesmerized by the set pieces and vibes!
Hearing the hype and then watching brad Pitts performance in this movie, it’s safe to say he’s the clear front runner for the best supporting actor Oscar
You forgot the Ultimate Meta, watching this film in his movie theater which is in the film, so you're watching a film with a scene of the seat you are in watching someone watch a film lol he also had candy from that year, trailers of films from that year and a radio station playing from that month at his theater. Also its extra Meta when you eat and drink at the restaurants that are in the film as well. One of which is literally across the street lol
spoiler: at 2:17 Cliff Booth played by Pitt, he actually portrays two factual characters rolled into one: Dennis Wilson (beach boy) and Shorty Shea (Hollywood stuntman) when Pitt character was at the ranch, I was waiting for him to be murdered by the family. Tarantino change the outcome of the Shorty Shea character.
I am not the big Tarantino Fan but I realy like this movie. It has a good ending. Not the real ending but sometimes we all wish it would have been changed to the better.
In undergrad I took tours of many California prisons as part of a criminal justice course. On one of these tours, a couple of my fellow students were excited because they had just met Tex Watson. It was really bizarre. They acted as if they had met a movie star. They couldn't understand why I didn't want to go over and meet him. I wanted to ask these idiots why they weren't disgusted having just met a mass murderer, but I just kept it to myself considering the surroundings. At least the people next to you weren't aware of the history.
This has to be the best analysis on what makes this movie so good. It's more than just Hollywood & cinephile references, this tells a whole other layer to what Tarantino did that i've never been able to put my finger on, but here it is. Well done
wow. you just gave me an entire different meaning to the movie. looks like i'ma give it a third watch with the images you provided in my head. Thank you for this.
Great vid, thank you. I just watched it last night and I was "feeling" all of the meta when watching, but I didn't know what I was feeling. It's like I had all of this on the tip of my brain but I'm too dumb to put it down on paper, haha. So thank you for doing so in such a clear and concise manner.
11:05 I always get goosebumps from this scene. It's so bittersweet. It is a reminder, especially when the title flashes in the end. One can at least probably tell that this is a good fantasy, but you are still reminded of the reality of what truly happened.
I saw the movie on opening night, and my theater gave out these awesome fake magazines with shots from the movies, pages about the characters, and 1960s advertisements. I still have mine and I think it's pretty meta.
Thank you SO much for this analysis! I didn’t draw the parallels between Leo and Brads characters like that ! I totally wondered how Brad got into more real life danger but didn’t even think of the other side of that coin Leo In dramatized danger, amazing, and how he really was his double doing all his stunts so to speak , that blew my mind
Anyone else watch this movie and complete miss all of these points made in this analysis? I knew there was something I was missing and having it explained makes this film so much better. Thanks for this.
Curious, were you familiar with the Tate/Labianca murders before seeing this movie? Id imagine if I weren't well versed on that fateful night, this movie would have been a solid B and not the A+ I think it is
You just made me love this movie even more then I already did , thank you. I had the pleasure of seeing his in 35mm grainy glory. One thing that caught my eye was the reel change marks look like they were done with a sharpie pen on the right side unlike the classic cigarette burn in marks.
The movie's ending makes the movie unforgettable. Those of us who were alive when Manson's animals slaughtered Sharon Tate, her unborn baby and her friends. As the movie progressed to the end, I couldn't help but cringe knowing what happened in August, 1969. Innocent, beautiful Sharon Tate meeting her horrible end. A fairy tale happy ending that just makes you feel good and sad at the same time. Sad, because we know what really happened. A great piece of film making.
Tarantino often calls attention to the fact that his films are just stories. With "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood," he goes all in. The title name-checks decades of past films (including Leone's epic "Once Upon a Time in the West"). It even foreshadows the final scene. The phrase "Once upon a time..." has started countless children's fairy tales, known for their happy endings. It's not history. This is Quentin mythologizing and memorializing a lost era.
5:46 in contrast, he didn't take advantage of them unlike one of the other famous peripheral characters in the movie. Tarantino has shown himself to be a moralist, which means he's still a Hollywood rebel
I remember watching this for the first time and feeling some anxiety about watching Tarantino do those gruesome murders on screen. I was kind of dreading seeing it. Was blown away when he re-wrote history and was cheering when those terrible people got what they deserved instead. Tarantino is one of the greatest directors/writers of all time.
The biggest unmentioned thing, here, and in the movie, is Sebring and Tate asking repeatedly if everyone is OK, and (Decaprio) repeatedly saying that everyone is fine. Aside from Stuntman Cliff being stabbed in the hip and taken away in an ambulance. The “talent” can only see the world in terms of itself.
Brilliant movie of the time of '69. The character personalities unfolding slowly, I found so fascinating and true to Hollywood actors. The final scenes brought me to the most sad feelings of the times and brought me to tears, as to saying "if only this were true". it really got to to me. I have watched it over and over for the character study that were so wonderfully played by Leonardo and Brad. And the song that was tuned into the radio by Cliff Booth at the most crucial scene in the movie''You Keep me Hanging On" by the Vanilla Fudge who I saw in person at a concert and got to meet ---I wonder who picked that song to be played at this moment---it was perfect. And the color yellow, very popular in the late 60's.
It was an old pal of mine who enlightened me to another absolutely beautiful component of this amazing movie which I thought so many of you would truly and deeply appreciate. And that is this: Look at what Tarantino intentionally leaves OUT. I won't even write the name. Though he briefly appears in the movie, his last name is completely omitted. As it phucking should be. This simple effort alone has endeared me to Quentin forever as it demonstrates such class and his genuine effort to bring the story of Sharon to life without giving unnecessary attention to the one most identified with stealing it and murdering four other human beings. Regardless of who is watching, because of the director's deep understanding, one can't help but feel robbed at the loss of such a young dynamic human being who like all of us, simply wanted to live. The ability to show the tragedy of what occurred by revealing to us another imaginary yet beautiful and justified outcome where IT DID NOT occur, is all the evidence I need to know that without a doubt, this is one of the greatest films ever made. Period.
I very much enjoyed this youtube video. It exposed me to some aspects i had misssed in his latest movie and others. Well written, well presented and well edited. Top stuff. Thank you
Loved this movie. Loved Q using original Tate footage. But mostly- the dynamic between Brad and Leo. How they kept saying “actor and stunt man”- but neither really admitting they are best friends/brothers. Complete photo negatives of each other. I do like how Rick “redeems” himself by truly going to action at the end. He regained his confidence. And I absolutely loved the “fill in your own ending” after rick meets Sharon. Almost like you envision Rick getting big roles, cliff doing his stunt man thing and Brandy getting a big old porterhouse and babied by not only Rick and cliff. But cliffs wife, Sharon, Jay and even Roman. The one thing I don’t understand is why all the flack from some on how Bruce Lee is displayed. It’s supposed to be egregiously fictional (Once upon a time).... Q was trying to set up just how tough Cliff was. Everyone who ever heard of Bruce Lee knows he wasn’t like the portrayal- but it allowed the moment for the audience to gauge Cliffs toughness compared to an icon. I though it worked perfectly
Something else that I found to be fantastic was at the end it was Cliff Booth kicking ass for Rick Dalton, kinda like how a stunt double does all the dirty work....and it was Rick who took all the glory, kinda like in real life where the actor takes home the accolades! 🔥
As long as we're spotting all of the meta in this movie, at 8:10, Rick is reading "Bronco Busters," which would qualify as a piece of.......pulp fiction.
![Blox Fruits Dragon Rework Update [Full Stream]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/EqDAp8udhm0/mqdefault.jpg)
Interesting take. There's another scene with that "meta" dimension: when the Manson assassins are in the car explaining that because of the violent roles Rick Dalton played, they're justified to kill him. This sounds a lot like a nod to the many criticisms Tarantino received for the violence in his films and how it can spur violence in real life, showing it as a BS excuse for preexisting death drives.
I thought i was the only one who saw that. Nobody seems to point it out.
Totally
Woah despite me being well aware of this criticism I never thought of that for some reason.
Yeah I loved that bit...felt like screaming "exactly the problem. These fuckers were already set on doing harm regardless of where the excuse comes from"
My violent tendencies are from Greek mythology.
As great as Brad Pitt was in this movie, I really think Leo's acting is severely underrated in this film. Pitt played the cool real life action hero, while Leo played the multilayered star who is grappling with his place in Hollywood and an unknown future.
Agree. Pitt was just downright cool in this movie and pulled it off effortlessly. Leo had a much more nuanced character.
You really only see characters at their most basic eh
Not completely unknown, Leo acted with and 'kidnapped" his next girlfriend!
I never fall for cool tuff guys, but brad Pitt just kicked ass in this role , kicked ass, yes DiCaprio rules totally, just as a guy Brad Pitt stuntman’s role , well c’mon .
I agree 100%. Leo was basically acting as 2 and more characters in the movie
“Don’t cry in front of the Mexicans” that was one of my favorite lines in the whole movie 😂😂😂😂
What does it mean tho I took it as offense of course but confused by it
Cesar Herrera well of course you’re going to take offense to it youre pathetic and don’t understand comedy
Clark Kane Lay off the dude, he said he didn’t understand the joke.
it's like, we are mexicans, we are gonna laught
Alright listen up fuckers, it’s a good funny line because based on the time period the movie is set in that kinda thing was a little more normal and Cliff says it because Rick is supposed to be poised as a professional, so if “the Mexicans,” let alone ANYONE, sees him crying, it’ll taint his reputation as a poised professional. It’s funny in the context of today because of how outrageous Cliffs line sounds. You wouldn’t expect a character in a movie to say something like that because of the dumbass snowflake cultures we foster. So it’s a refreshing line that’s also comical because of the way it’s arranged.
The scene where the Manson assassins justify their motive to kill Rick Dalton due to his violent roles always gives me chills. People can interpret things so differently.
5:47 That's a stretch. At the time he didn't know she was under-aged. She was an attractive female showing obvious interest in him. Once he did find out her age he immediately distanced himself & had appropriate interactions.
johnrizkallah ....he’s the director in the movie.
Its more of another scene to establish him as a cool badass, showing that girls drool over him
☝️💯👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
@johnrizkallah Yeah he knew and chose for his character to behave admirably so what the hell's your point.
The actress was 25... Was her character supposed to be underage. She never gave the final answer.
"if you love movies enough, you can make a good one" ~ Quentin Tarantino
@spim randsley Have you tried?
Like that with any art. Music, books, comics, poetry, paintings, etc. You could go to school for years and learn the history, techniques & conventions or likewise you could teach yourself to just as good of a level if you’re passionate enough.
@@KaizerMan "You can get help from teachers but you have a lot to learn by yourself sitting alone in a room." - Dr. Seuss
@spim randsley Love is never inadequate. It is either zero or infinite.
Meaning: you love movies so much you will LEARN how to make a good one. Sorry - but I have friends that adore films and filmmaking but don’t know the first thing about storytelling. I suck at it too but I’m learning.
Idk if it’s just me but Brad Pitt was so fucking good in this movie
lauserz---
It's not just you. But, Brad Pitt is actually a damn good actor. Not just good looking man. He did do a great job in this movie.
If you look back at his roles in previous movies some are just okay but a few are very subtly amazing. For instance his role as the Pikey in Snatch. Incredible acting. Should have been nominated for supporting role. He was great in Seven, and in The Mexican and Fight Club.
Leo also did a fantastic job.
When he wasn't participating in dishonorably and dishonestly slandering a dead man, maybe.
@@13_13k No. I know ALL about that, which is why it offends me. LeBell did not put Bruce in a headlock, he had somewhat jokingly picked him up. Bruce was yelling "Put me down, I'll kill you", and Lebell responded "I can't put you down, you'll kill me!".
This is from the horse's mouth himself-Gene was asked in a phone interview about that incident in response to this travesty of a scene. Lebell stressed that he had only temporarily immobilized Bruce, (not achieved submission) that Bruce was incredibly skilled and talented, and that he personally found the scene in the film extremely tasteless and insulting. Lebell has always had nothing but praise for Bruce.
The scene is also insulting in how it makes Bruce seem like an incompetent braggart when he was anything but. He NEVER made long telegraphed kicks, was exponentially faster than that travesty of a scene, and fought in a completely different style than the hokey kung fu depicted. Watch the scene in Longstreet where he's instructing in his style. No hokey blocks, just lightning fast attacks and counterattacks that hit before the attack they're responding to does.
Bruce was an incredibly dedicated and skilled martial artist done dirty after his death by a spineless weasel of a director not fit to carry Bruce's jock strap. If he just wanted to recreate that event 1:1, ok; I.E. Brad Pitt would have surprised him, picked him up, and carried him around a bit with no fighting. But to turn it into Bruce being cocky, incompetent, and getting beaten up? Unacceptable.
@@jadedandbitter --- my account of the headlock was strictly off the skewed memory of the story. I'm not saying it was a fair depiction of Lee or his personality or his abilities.
I have to say that the movie was a work of fiction and Quentin took a lot or liberties in his story telling. It wasn't a documentary or a historical account of what happened in 1969.
I, having been fortunate enough to be trained in martial arts by the now Grand Master of American Kenpo Karate, Mr. Chuck Sullivan who along with five other of the first blackbelt class of Mr. Ed Parker SR. . In that training I've been in blackbelt class with Elvis bodyguards and lightly sparred with some of the most iconic martial artists, including Steve Sanders, and Dan Inosanto, who also personally taught me and a couple other students and instructors proper win chung forms using a wooden practice dummy.
With that said, I've also had the privilege to be the Locations Electrician from scouting until weeks after the last shooting scenes of Once Upon A Time .... and that movie used some real living and not living figures in history in very non reality events for a work of fiction. Are you offended by the scene with Steve McQueen and Mama Cass Elliott, who are both dead and weren't portrayed in a realistic, and flattering way?
I'm not saying your feelings and respect for the legacy of Bruce Lee isn't valid but I'm reminding you that it wasn't a biography or correct historical accounts of any of the events that took place. You have every right to your feelings but don't get offended by it.
Lot's of people in the martial arts community, for many years accused Ed Parker of being a sellout and a fake and this was real not in a movie. I met the man and he only did a few Katas and some not very powerful moves to show the traditional forms and how they have been updated over the years, but his abilities, I can attest to is no joke. There is a reason he was in Bruce Lee movies and lots of other movies and the Long Beach Internationals was THE tournament of all tournaments, even Bruce Lee entered.
Happy New Year
@@13_13k I didn't think the portrayals of Steve McQueen or Mama Cass were negative in the slightest. Mama Cass was a huge party animal (and really, the party scene should have been at her place, not the Playboy mansion since Hef didn't buy it till the 70's; also, the manson crew went to a bunch of her parties), and Steve McQueen did briefly date Sharon Tate, so portraying him as still having some residual feelings for her wasn't surprising or insulting.
So no, they didn't get smeared, which makes the depiction of Bruce that much more annoying by contrast.
Tarantino provides the fictional history we wish was true. Of course.
Hes like history police u know,doing all those people who got shit in history and give them justice
@@Beraksekebon21 No, he's trivializing them. Very disrespectful to those legends and victims
@@vb8428 Disrespecting them? Jesus what a prentenious statement, my head literally hurts. Ok snowflake...
V B by giving us a happy ending to those tragic events?
V B yeah.... absolutely not, he is completely paying respect and showing us what was great about all these people and they will live on forever in his movies
I have to say I was treading the end of this film, I knew of the Manson family murders & knew that Sharon Tate was heavily pregnant so I really didn't want to see the inevitable.
I was literally cheering when that door opened to show high as a kite Cliff stood there.
Brilliant ending.
I put off watching the movie until last week due to the real-life events. Got a minor spoiler and now I'm glad I watched it!
@@chucklebutt4470 Yeah, sorry about that.
I hope it didn't spoil your enjoyment too much.
Same. When Tex and the gang we’re headed up that hill, I remember thinking, “Oh brother, here we go”. Was very pleasantly surprised at what was to come. If only Sharon was allowed to continue her life and have and raise her son. Her baby was due in three weeks. My son was born three weeks early. A little small, but viable and healthy. Breaks my heart when I think about what went through her mind during her last moments. That last scene had me shook. Couldn’t figure out if my tears were happy tears (to see her alive and happy and about to give birth), or sad tears (because of what actually happened).
@@TheBerkeleyBeauty It must be very difficult for a woman to watch certain scenes in films, especially when you can relate so closely with them.
I have a young son myself, the thought of him being harmed whilst completely defenseless makes me angry.
There's a scene in the film Doctor Sleep that's very harrowing to watch involving a young boy being killed, I understand horror films are meant to push your buttons but I do think it went too far, particularly with a child.
I hope I’m not the only one who caught that Tarantino used “Antonio Margheriti” as an Italian director for the movie (ironically the same one used for Inglorious Basterds)
I had an Aunt who was brutally murdered in 1980, A severely disturbed man with obsessions of religion and cleanliness drowned her in a bathtub and carved crosses into her chest. I watched this movie with my father last night, I had already seen it before, he was enjoying it up until the end when he saw Tate pregnant and Tex driving up with his car, he said to me "I don't think I can watch the rest of this", I told him to trust me and continue watching. That end scene was a big Fuck You to my aunt's killer, a big fuck you to real life killers who get glorified by Hollywood and the media. They focused on Tate, the victim, not the killer, this movie said those victims were real people, so many people don't even know who Sharon Tate was but everyone knows Manson. It's kinda crazy that this message is coming from Tarantino but he also wrote the script for Natural Born killers. He's saying glorify fictional killers all you want in my films but Fuck You to those who do it in real life. It was an experience watching this film with my Dad last night, one I won't soon forget.
sry about your aunt dude.
How did your father react to the ending ?
It‘s kind of like how everybody knows who Pablo Escobar is, but noone knows the people that brought him down
I'm so sorry for your loss, and glad you and your dad got this ending even if it was just a movie.
@Jarred Knox ...unruly behavior will not be tolerated"
That last scene is heartbreaking...If only it could've ended like that in real life...If only.
@Jay Ess Yes. Me too.
yup...until this movie I had never wept for what really happened...I was like 'fuck thats terrible' and then moved on with my day. After this film...I finally wept.
@@SidPhoenix2211 "Life's not fair'- My Pops.
That last scene made me wonder if the movie was DiCaprio's character's fantasy of how he wished real-life events had played out -- a fantasy where he, Jake Cahill, Tate's neighbor and movie badass, vanquished the villains instead of what actually happened.
@@locksand45 For the first time...I felt rage. I wanted retribution. This movie made me sad about a trivia answer. Who killed Sharon Tate? Ooh, ooh, I know the answer! Sigh...
2:42 "Tarantino has been playing with cinema history his whole career. But, now that his own work has become canon, he's begun playing with himself." That must have been fun to write!
Land Pirates: Heh heh heh!
That line is sort of the perfect sentence to sum up this movie.
@@TheSpecterRanger yup. It happens to many artists, they become self-indulgent. Also like many others, I think Tarantino's best work was his first, going gradually downhill from there.
Yup. Lol'd so hard I had to go back for the minute-plus of material I missed.
@@gracefool that really isn't what the others are saying though
btw its not downhill, its just away from what you like
this ending might be the only time Tarantino almost made me cry
It was a touching end for sure. I was worried how he would handle the end, and I didn’t see it coming like that.
@@rare6499 I felt like he was really sensitive with it. Over did it on the violence but I'm sure it would be cathartic to those who were hurt by what really happened. But the idea that that night could end peaceful, with people enjoying their lives still was beautiful
Damon Plant was always going to go a little OTT on the violence but in truth compared to some of his other films it was more tame than I expected 🤣 a great ending, probably the most mature ending of all his films. Didn’t know QT had it in him!
@@rare6499 we are watching him grow up before our eyes lol
Every scene with Margot was so emotional and hard to watch. Making the ending just so wonderful. Brilliantly done.
There was NEVER a more satisfying scene of violence ever recorded on film than that last scene when Cliff and Rick subsequently and justly dispose of the killers. I cheered. I clapped. I cried at the end. Quentin gave Sharon a "happily ever after". This is his best movie EVER!
I rolled my eyes and was annoyed
You clapped on the middle of the theatre?
@akshay Viswambharan yeah honestly, i understand the meta nature of this one but personally that violence felt a bit excessive? Idk like i have no problem w violence in films in general but i didnt exactly feel satisfied when this one came around, at least not the same as say Django escaping Candyland
TrashParticle Perhaps The satisfaction is more about revenge on the real hippie jerks that murdered Tate et al, and destroyed whatever good was left of that era.
Alias Smith&Jones okay okay, I can see that, a good way of looking at it. Thanks!
I loved Cliff Booth. I want more crazy adventures with him and his dog.
Cult Mechanicus no f*cking way 🤯
@Cult Mechanicus stop posting stupid shit
@Cult Mechanicus Lol I appreciate the creativity in your bullshit. I might have actually believed you if not for "a CG aged down Kurt Russell"
I think if Tarantino actually did that he might commit seppuku afterwards.
Me 2....yay us
Hell ya! A TV series
I just re-watched Pulp Fiction for the hundredth time to show a friend who had never seen it before. The entire time, he kept getting close to the screen to look for flaws, continuously kept asking what someone was saying and broke in the middle of the dialogue to either give some stupid trivia unrelated to anything or to talk about some bullshit he was reminded of by the film. I told him that we can never watch a movie together ever again.
Good riddance!!
Omg that sounds annoying af
That's what happens with films that are as hyped up as pulp fiction.
I hate to say it because pulp fiction is an amazing film (which I'm not afraid to say I love) but it's overrated.
@M N literally every neck beard on the internet praises it as the best film ever.
I won't lie it is up there with the best films, but people speak about it like an alien made the movie. Like Jesus H Christ himself blessed the film with his holy jizz.
Like angels came from above and had an orgy with tarantino before he began writing it.
@@JackeyBoyyy This entire argument can be shut down with "some people just don't like the movie". It's not a fluke that a lot of people love Pulp Fiction, myself included. People's taste in movies is always going to be subjective, that's the whole point. There is never going to be an art form (that includes movies, music etc) that will make everyone happy. Everyone loves their own thing and have a right to, so I don't think movies such as Pulp deserve to be called "overrated"
Set 32 years before I was even born and this film instills so much nostalgia for a time that not even my parents knew. Incredible movie, director and actors. The movies ending is just as bittersweet as being born in the 2000’s.
Dude this is the best video essay on a movie I've ever seen/ listened to. All of your points are so beautifully illustrated with the examples you use. This was amazing 100/100!
"Anything we can do about that heat?" When he uses it at the end of the movie he's soaked in water.
Bro
Not to mention the person he is roasting is standing in a pool!
😯😯
Lol dude!
Also, near the start of the film he says “I’m only one pool party away from being in the next Polanski film”, and he’s proved right. It’s a hell of a pool party.
Tarantino also makes use of Hidden Exposition: When you see the flamethrower in the fist 15 minutes you just know
it will make an appearance later. Same for Cliff Booth's(Pitt) dog. Booth feeds his dog better than he feeds himself but
the dog won't make a move until given the O.K. The dog hasn't been introduced for nothing, you know he(the dog) will
play some part later in the film.
Eric Blair thats usually there in every movie. All movies have hidden exposition if you pay attention. That’s what they teach you in writing scripts too. But nevertheless, this movie was awesome❤️
@@calvinpinto9406 Absolutely. I agree. There is HE in every film. I was just pointing it out in this particular film.
It's fun to watch films and spot when and where the Director inserts it. Some HE is incredibly frustrating bc
you know that the person or situation will come back and kill the main character.
@@ericblair54 I've never heard that being called hidden exposition before. Because it;s not really explaining the plot. It;s more a foreshadowing kinda thing. I would have thought it was more a Chekov's Gun.
Actually I was thinking, it's clear that Humans eat much worse than dogs. Carbs are a zero nutrition food. Dogs would die eating macaroni and cheese. Dog food is actually way healthier than pasta. Perhaps Tarantino was showing us that the modern "Vegan" movement and fake meat pushed by Gates and others, is nothing more than a form of genocide. Dogs couldn't live on fake meat, and neither can Humans.
Since the beginning it's been called foreshadowing. Exposition is what you need to know to understand the story or a character better. The opening credits of Star Wars is a tired example of exposition.
Brilliant breakdown and analysis. In my opinion, this movie was a masterpiece. A future classic.
Agree about the breakdown and analysis and your opinion. I've watched OUaTiH four times and it just gets better and better.
@@davidpotts1778 stick with Marvel films, they don't require much more than a pulse to enjoy.
@@davidpotts1778 Maybe when you get passed Jr. High you'll understand....
maybe.
@@davidpotts1778 I'll admit it lacked a story or something compelling to watch for 3 hours straight... Rick's character story just wasn't interesting enough... But it was still fun to look at, it was close to being Tarantino's masterpiece, just needed that final master touch
@@davidpotts1778 But you still talk like a child.
This film is Tarantino having fun with and paying respect to the whole film industry while using callbacks to things he has done in his previous films. After watching it many times, I think it's his best work. I love the way he uses the music in the film as well. The radio plays a huge part in the film, and his use of old recordings of radio DJ's in between the songs is great.
Great last film, if it’s his last.
I dunno how anybody can watch this movie and not come to the same conclusions. Nice work
One of my personal random takes from the film: When Cliff is walking back to his car to leave Span Ranch and all the hippie girls are yelling at him reminds me of how some vets coming back from Nam were treated in real life.
I realise Cliff was a Green Beret who served in a previous war, but it still had that vibe to me.
Outstanding point
Apparently cliff was in WW2 and Korea, so his character has definitely seen some shit
CLIFF: That was a smooth leap.
RICK: Thank you.
This is almost exactly how I interpreted the movie the second time I saw it. Never noticed how the opening dialogue foreshadowed the ending
I love how Tarantino answers the social issues of a given era by addressing the underlying thoughts and feelings and the different mindsets and life situations behind the narrative of the time moreso than engaging the arbitrary nonsense of the discussion. That's why his movies are so timeless
This was my favorite Tarantino movie, I loved every second of it.
My favorite bit of the movie has to do with Brad Pitt. At the end of the movie, Pitt is, i guess, "disarmed" because he drops acid and it hits him hard. We as the audience have grown to love this character, because one, it's Brad Pitt, and two because he's shown great patience and care for his best friend, even though it almost seems like he gets nothing out of it. Also, we know he's a full blown bad ass, and audiences love a good bad ass.
At the ending sequence, it seems like we, as the audience, are going to get another taste of the classic archetypal "tragic hero", where the coolest, our favorite, character, dies. So, Brad is "disarmed" and facing three highly dangerous and malevolent criminals, one of which he already wronged before, so it seems like the ideal time for that character to collect his revenge on Pitt. Pitt is loose and care free, and even funny, and in the climax of the scene, when it looks like Pitt is done for, he whistles and proves, yet again, just how f*cking cool he is. And this is my favorite part of the movie, because it brought everything together, in terms of the title of the movie.
The title of the movie is "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood", which comes from the classic childrens fairy tail "Once upon a time..." and generally speaking, those classic childrens fairy tales are, at the end, brought together with the old adage, "...and they lived happily, ever, after."
Thats what Tarantino did, his audience thought they were going to lose their favorite character, but in the end, he lived happily ever after. Even Rick Dalton, who felt like his career was coming to an end, finds a new foothold in his career with his famous director neighbor.
Tarantino cleverly brought back the classic happily ever after story type, but he did it in such a way that left the audience feeling like "Oh thank God!" and they go home feeling content and happy, as opposed to what most people think audiences will react when served that type of film of "oh wow, how predictable".
This is my take as a layman that didn't see any of the deep and complex layers Tarantino expertly inserts into his films, which i think makes Tarantino that much better, because he satisfied the more savy movie goer/buff, and the less informed movie watcher, which i would consider myself. Truely great director.
A very astute insight in keeping with the quality of this video... I am not even a Tarantino fan and thought the film was overrated, but I do appreciate both the tapestry of homage, woven skilfully enough to impress even without some or even all of the knowledge to appreciate the nods, this video has helped with the subtler ones such as Kurt Russel & wife characters; and the cinephilic delight his devotees clearly take in analysing the context, if the comments section is anything to go by... Again, with this comment, I enjoyed your reasoning and appreciated the logic, and moreover agreed with the emotional arc of the audience you sketched...
Simply put, the entire movie is a fairy tale.
Absolutely
Good words about a great movie. Thx man
Well written bro.
Tarantino is absolutely genius , he makes an ending totally unexpected....even though we all are like ....yes I know how it will end ( based on the history) then he surprises us all , he’s the man
if you thought it was gonna end with the brutal murder of Tate you obviously never saw Inglorious Bastards. I specifically dont remember Hitler and all his men being gunned down and burned to death in a theater in occupied France being taught in History books but its a nice thing to see happen on film
The beep at Beatrix's name legit got me. Goddamn good!
I've watched Once Upon a Time... almost as many times as I've seen Pulp Fiction and Inglorious Basterds for whatever that's worth. Like The Big Lebowski it gets better and better upon rewatches. Tarantino is such a great and deliberate artist.
Excellent breakdown. I never would’ve been able to put this into words myself.
poor easy breezy, im almost crying and i havent even read it.
*sniffs "in 15 years you'll be living it"
pumpkinpuss
No one mentioning that Cliff getting off his nuts on acid and acting goofy is a throw back to Floyd in True Romance.
Haven’t seen that movie yet 😳 should I?
@@TakuaaSwipe Do, yes. It's a bit of a classic for its time. It's good fun and it looks great thanks to the late great Tony Scott.
Reaching.
@@TakuaaSwipe absolutely, I know some who swear its th best Tarantino written movie. I disagree but it is excellent.
Lol when he says “you were on a horsey!” To tex at the end of the movie
Woe, what a video. Thanks for this!!
There’s something about Tarantino’s characters monologues & dialogues that just resonates with you like you can see yourself having a seat with them and having a conversation with them. And then the action looks so intense and surreal you wanna just rewatch the scenes over & over again
This may be a controversial opinion. But this is so far my favorite of Tarantino’s films. I’m not calling it a perfect film. But it’s still a great film in my opinion. And a great look back at the golden age of Hollywood.
And Leo and Brad are just so likable to watch
The one issue I’d have with Leo’s character, is that he is a bit underdeveloped when they try to give him an arc, but it still doesn’t really kill Leo’s great performance and charm
woohooo what a "controversial" opinion. Get a life!
@@krismatt2355 are you okay?
What about you? are you on a meth binge?
I’d say a better meta look at a golden age of cinema in sunny California with a more compelling ensemble cast is *Boogie Nights*
For me OUATIH is one of my least favourite QT films sadly. Mainly as I sat there for two hours mildly enjoying myself but waiting for the movie to really take off, when I then see Rick & Cliff fight off the Manson killers in over the top slapstick bloody violence and oh..i realised it just another revisionist history bloody revenge story like every single QT movie has been for the past 20 years :/
I didn’t hate the movie. It was fine. But many scenes felt inconsequential & the ending bloodbath was just typical of the style > substance immaturity that I perceive in a lot of QT films. I will always love Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction & Jackie Brown for unique they were. But everything after that felt like it followed the same template just applied to different sub genres & time periods, and was nowhere near as original as his 90s stuff (even his screenplays like From Dusk Till Dawn or True Romance were really adventurous back then).
So OUATIH wasn’t amazing for me. It’s like if I want the bloody revenge aspect set in the past with a dollop of meta awareness, I’d rather watch something like Inglourious Basterds...if I want a beautiful presentation of the golden age of Hollywood and the rise and fall of one of its stars grappling with a new climate then I’ll watch Boogie Nights.
I will say the California Dreaming sequence was one of the best of QT’s career though.
You are 100% correct .........
I am positive everyone who has seen this film has only 2 words on their brain. IF ONLY
yep .
Not really
This film would have never been made
@@DDan-tj4yp are you fucking simple or something?
... this were a decent movie to watch.
The greatest video essay I've seen about any Tarantino film!
Tarantino is a genius, but I feel like this review actually found patterns that were accidental, not intentional. Not every part of a movie is a planned mathematical calculation. Some things are a result of artistic vision and happenstance. I think Tarantino can put together a script like this without really trying to organize the pieces, I think he just knows how to do it, innately, like a good writer or artist. It's not something he has to work hard to calculate. He just knows, intuitively, what to do. Only some of the patterns were intentional. But not every single piece is a cold calculation and formulaic construction.
My favorite “meta moment” is probably when on the television it says, “now for the moment you’ve been waiting for” before the climax starts off. It’s talking to us directly letting us know that the over the top violence we love is coming.
Not just one of my favourite QT films but one of my favourite films of the last few years for sure.
Slowly becoming my favorite Tarantino film
Mine too, and I'm actually surprised for it.
I wonder what's his 10th and probably last film will be?
@@sinanengin5756 Supposedly a Star Trek film,lol.
Me too at first didn't care for Once Upon too much,but it grows on you.
Anyone else notice the stuntwork career of the character in Rick's book is finished when he hurts his ass, then later Cliff takes a knife to his for Rick, like a good stuntman would? Then Rick goes on to, presumably, jumpstart a new life without stuntwork/Cliff.
Ty Hanson I thought I was the only one who noticed!
Nice catch, dude.
I didnt assume cliff would be finished as a stuntman, nor as Rick's assistant and friend.
@@frarfarf As the paramedics are lifting Cliff into the ambulance, he says to Rick "I'll have a limp but I'm not gonna die, it's not my time, man." We also do not see his character again after this scene, so the implication was there, but perhaps not prominent.
@@krisofdeath01 well yeah but the movie ends like 2 minutes after that!
I’m pretty sure cliff didn’t know those girls where underage, like he even asked one later
And she was fine as hell..
GaLoS yes... could’ve used a shower, shave, brushed her teeth, ect.
Jack Robinson
They weren’t just underaged girls they were GODDAMN HIPPIE ASSHOLES!
It was heavily implied.
@@StevenCasteelYT
You are right. He knew from the get go they were underaged. He was just being nice. And he clearly stated that he wouldn't like the idea of goin' behind bars after illicit acts with a young girl.
“Don’t cry in front of the Mexicans” 😂😂🤣
When Leo yells at the hippies with the shitty muffler while sipping a blender full of margarita was so fucking funny to me
One of the most artfully produced videos I've watched by a cinephile for cinephiles about a cinephile.
Such a beautiful and well crafted film , not everyone got this movie the way I did , a lot of my friends were just waiting for the action and the gore but that’s really not what this films about you’ve got to appreciate it for what it really is and not everyone understands the beauty of tarintinos ways when it’s on this level
I didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would when I first saw it but then I saw a video explaining the movie and I didn’t know who the Manson family was or Margaret and her husband was either
you didn't get the film and his own self commentary being made from its start to finish
I’m a huge Tarantino fan. But I didn’t like this one. Too self serving
I really enjoyed the movie, but it left me with a lot of questions and mixed feelings. I know its not always about understandig a film but rather feeling it, still, this video/essay definitely helps clear a lot of things that I really didn't find meaningful.
José Pablo Arellano it’s definitely a film that isn’t your average Tarantino (as if there was such a thing) but is unique in the way it plays with your expectations of what it should be. Most noteably the violence we‘re used to in a Tarantino movie is pretty much exclusive to the finale, and boy does the wait pay off.
It’s very unique because it needs you to know both Tarantino as a director as well as the real life story behind the Manson murders.
Saw this film in TJ on 7gs of mushrooms and 2 tabs once Cliff said “don’t cry in front of the Mexicans” the whole cinema erupted in cheers and laughter felt like a 4th wall break and throughout the whole film I was mesmerized by the set pieces and vibes!
Thats one of those big risks that pays off lol
Hearing the hype and then watching brad Pitts performance in this movie, it’s safe to say he’s the clear front runner for the best supporting actor Oscar
This comment has aged well. Just like Brad Pitt
Wow,
Quintenen & Tarantined
by
WRITTEN DIRECTINO
You forgot the Ultimate Meta, watching this film in his movie theater which is in the film, so you're watching a film with a scene of the seat you are in watching someone watch a film lol he also had candy from that year, trailers of films from that year and a radio station playing from that month at his theater. Also its extra Meta when you eat and drink at the restaurants that are in the film as well. One of which is literally across the street lol
WickedMo13 I watched the Cinerama Dome on screen in the Cinerama Dome, with Tarantino in the audience! It was a thrill! And yes, meta!
spoiler: at 2:17 Cliff Booth played by Pitt, he actually portrays two factual characters rolled into one: Dennis Wilson (beach boy) and Shorty Shea (Hollywood stuntman) when Pitt character was at the ranch, I was waiting for him to be murdered by the family. Tarantino change the outcome of the Shorty Shea character.
Interesting comparison with Dennis Wilson
In one of the deleted scenes there is a reference to The Beach Boys 2020 album, on which Manson had a song
I believe the Spahn Ranch Stuntman parallel is Bud Cardos- that legendary man literally threw Tex off set (and down a hill)
Is it definitely Shorty Shea and not Gene Lebell? Maybe a composite of both?
Also the Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood suspicious death stuff.
This is hands down one of the best video essays I’ve ever watched. Brilliant
I am not the big Tarantino Fan but I realy like this movie. It has a good ending. Not the real ending but sometimes we all wish it would have been changed to the better.
I CRIED at the end.
Little shits next to me didnt get since they didnt know the history behind the real life.
In undergrad I took tours of many California prisons as part of a criminal justice course. On one of these tours, a couple of my fellow students were excited because they had just met Tex Watson. It was really bizarre. They acted as if they had met a movie star. They couldn't understand why I didn't want to go over and meet him. I wanted to ask these idiots why they weren't disgusted having just met a mass murderer, but I just kept it to myself considering the surroundings. At least the people next to you weren't aware of the history.
11:00 Tarantino making his own 60’s vibes on set wearing the dashiki 😂😂😂
One of the best video essay i have seen till now someone send this to quntin
I like how this video is wide-screen. I don't even know how you guys did that, I've never seen a video in this format.
This has to be the best analysis on what makes this movie so good. It's more than just Hollywood & cinephile references, this tells a whole other layer to what Tarantino did that i've never been able to put my finger on, but here it is. Well done
Love the way you edited this together. As always, I enjoy you’re insight and perspective on film
wow. you just gave me an entire different meaning to the movie.
looks like i'ma give it a third watch with the images you provided in my head. Thank you for this.
Great vid, thank you. I just watched it last night and I was "feeling" all of the meta when watching, but I didn't know what I was feeling. It's like I had all of this on the tip of my brain but I'm too dumb to put it down on paper, haha. So thank you for doing so in such a clear and concise manner.
Incredible presentation of one of Tarantino's best films. Well done.
11:05 I always get goosebumps from this scene. It's so bittersweet. It is a reminder, especially when the title flashes in the end. One can at least probably tell that this is a good fantasy, but you are still reminded of the reality of what truly happened.
I saw the movie on opening night, and my theater gave out these awesome fake magazines with shots from the movies, pages about the characters, and 1960s advertisements. I still have mine and I think it's pretty meta.
Tarantino has begun playing with himself!
What do you mean???
begun?
That’s his whole career lol
That explains the foot shots
Set assistants when Margot Robbie gets her feet out
Thank you SO much for this analysis! I didn’t draw the parallels between Leo and Brads characters like that ! I totally wondered how Brad got into more real life danger but didn’t even think of the other side of that coin Leo In dramatized danger, amazing, and how he really was his double doing all his stunts so to speak , that blew my mind
Anyone else watch this movie and complete miss all of these points made in this analysis? I knew there was something I was missing and having it explained makes this film so much better. Thanks for this.
Love that people like you understand that film, my man.
I thought it was boring.
so that's why the film went completely over my head...
Curious, were you familiar with the Tate/Labianca murders before seeing this movie? Id imagine if I weren't well versed on that fateful night, this movie would have been a solid B and not the A+ I think it is
@@BlyGuy I don't think I was, I'd probably enjoy the film a lot more second time now that I know
You just made me love this movie even more then I already did , thank you. I had the pleasure of seeing his in 35mm grainy glory. One thing that caught my eye was the reel change marks look like they were done with a sharpie pen on the right side unlike the classic cigarette burn in marks.
“Quentin at his Tarantino most META” is how I would read the title
The movie's ending makes the movie unforgettable. Those of us who were alive when Manson's animals slaughtered Sharon Tate, her unborn baby and her friends. As the movie progressed to the end, I couldn't help but cringe knowing what happened in August, 1969. Innocent, beautiful Sharon Tate meeting her horrible end. A fairy tale happy ending that just makes you feel good and sad at the same time. Sad, because we know what really happened. A great piece of film making.
Tarantino often calls attention to the fact that his films are just stories. With "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood," he goes all in. The title name-checks decades of past films (including Leone's epic "Once Upon a Time in the West"). It even foreshadows the final scene. The phrase "Once upon a time..." has started countless children's fairy tales, known for their happy endings. It's not history. This is Quentin mythologizing and memorializing a lost era.
This movie was absolutely amazing, And your video reminds me of every single reason why I think so. Ty for that
5:46 in contrast, he didn't take advantage of them unlike one of the other famous peripheral characters in the movie. Tarantino has shown himself to be a moralist, which means he's still a Hollywood rebel
Ive seen this movie 4 times already, talk about replay ability
Haha, same here, fuckin love it, Leo in particular.
I remember watching this for the first time and feeling some anxiety about watching Tarantino do those gruesome murders on screen. I was kind of dreading seeing it. Was blown away when he re-wrote history and was cheering when those terrible people got what they deserved instead. Tarantino is one of the greatest directors/writers of all time.
Man, you deserve so much more subscribers.
His references where always a bit on the nose for me. I'm glad he's acknowledging them in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
I just love the casting of Brad Pitt as a stuntman. Since he touts doing most of his stunts in his movies himself.
The biggest unmentioned thing, here, and in the movie, is Sebring and Tate asking repeatedly if everyone is OK, and (Decaprio) repeatedly saying that everyone is fine.
Aside from Stuntman Cliff being stabbed in the hip and taken away in an ambulance. The “talent” can only see the world in terms of itself.
All the decent people are fine, that is what this means.
I love that final scene. That is the definition of someone snapping and opening the can of repressed anger
leo and brad they both were so good in the movie....what an experience to see both sharing screen space
I consider this one of the best movies I've ever watched
Brilliant movie of the time of '69. The character personalities unfolding slowly, I found so fascinating and true to Hollywood actors. The final scenes brought me to the most sad feelings of the times and brought me to tears, as to saying "if only this were true". it really got to to me. I have watched it over and over for the character study that were so wonderfully played by Leonardo and Brad. And the song that was tuned into the radio by Cliff Booth at the most crucial scene in the movie''You Keep me Hanging On" by the Vanilla Fudge who I saw in person at a concert and got to meet ---I wonder who picked that song to be played at this moment---it was perfect. And the color yellow, very popular in the late 60's.
4:25; "As an audience, we are that little girl"
Except that little girl actually saved Rick Dalton.
It was an old pal of mine who enlightened me to another absolutely beautiful component of this amazing movie which I thought so many of you would truly and deeply appreciate.
And that is this:
Look at what Tarantino intentionally leaves OUT.
I won't even write the name.
Though he briefly appears in the movie, his last name is completely omitted.
As it phucking should be.
This simple effort alone has endeared me to Quentin forever as it demonstrates such class and his genuine effort to bring the story of Sharon to life without giving unnecessary attention to the one most identified with stealing it and murdering four other human beings.
Regardless of who is watching, because of the director's deep understanding, one can't help but feel robbed at the loss of such a young dynamic human being who like all of us, simply wanted to live.
The ability to show the tragedy of what occurred by revealing to us another imaginary yet beautiful and justified outcome where IT DID NOT occur, is all the evidence I need to know that without a doubt, this is one of the greatest films ever made.
Period.
I very much enjoyed this youtube video. It exposed me to some aspects i had misssed in his latest movie and others. Well written, well presented and well edited. Top stuff. Thank you
You could watch Tarantino's movies multiple times & never get bored.
Loved this movie. Loved Q using original Tate footage. But mostly- the dynamic between Brad and Leo. How they kept saying “actor and stunt man”- but neither really admitting they are best friends/brothers. Complete photo negatives of each other. I do like how Rick “redeems” himself by truly going to action at the end. He regained his confidence. And I absolutely loved the “fill in your own ending” after rick meets Sharon. Almost like you envision Rick getting big roles, cliff doing his stunt man thing and Brandy getting a big old porterhouse and babied by not only Rick and cliff. But cliffs wife, Sharon, Jay and even Roman. The one thing I don’t understand is why all the flack from some on how Bruce Lee is displayed. It’s supposed to be egregiously fictional (Once upon a time).... Q was trying to set up just how tough Cliff was. Everyone who ever heard of Bruce Lee knows he wasn’t like the portrayal- but it allowed the moment for the audience to gauge Cliffs toughness compared to an icon. I though it worked perfectly
Wow, I never even connected the opening line "not when there's 3 of them and 1 of me". The movie just got instantly better with that..
Something else that I found to be fantastic was at the end it was Cliff Booth kicking ass for Rick Dalton, kinda like how a stunt double does all the dirty work....and it was Rick who took all the glory, kinda like in real life where the actor takes home the accolades! 🔥
As long as we're spotting all of the meta in this movie, at 8:10, Rick is reading "Bronco Busters," which would qualify as a piece of.......pulp fiction.
This is some of thr most concise movie analysing I've seen in some time.
Is anyone gonna talk abt the awesome music used into this video ?