Yeah this pretty much sums it up for me. It was ok but not up there with his best....which IMO is Jackie Brown. I also have no desire to really criticize it because it's clearly an homage to his long lost youth. Can't fault him for going in such a direction at this stage of his life/career.
Is it generally fair to say that if you enjoyed Sam Peckinpah films you would enjoy Tarantino? I think they have many things in common. They also seem to share a sort of honesty about violence being shocking like real violence, and also maybe having a positive cathartic aspect (although Peckinpah is supposed to have later stated he felt failed in that aim with The Wild Bunch). Somehow I feel even though idiosyncratic that these directors, and Spike Lee also, are supplying enough information that it comes across as honest (although the thing I most love about this film was that he just re-wrote the known history, something I hated about the hit Gladiator movie).
https://www.nme.com/news/quentin-tarantino-planning-once-upon-a-time-play-before-final-movie-2982069 a play incoming as well
I’ve loved Tarantino from the start (was in a near empty cinema for Reservoir Dogs on release day) but this wasn’t his best. Some great moments but just too much unnecessary filler.
Same as you I was there with Reservoir Dogs at the cinema, and I find this last one to be his best yet!!
Reservoir Dogs had some good moments. Roth's screeching ruined those scenes for me. Then his next one is his masterpiece, the tension is still there 27 years later.
The limited edition hardback has pictures. The novel is absolutely fantastic -- I'm about halfway through the Audible book and it adds another 6-7 hours to the movie. Tons and tons and tons of detail about stuntman Cliff Booth, Charlie Manson, and even Brandy the dog. Hell, there's a solid hour of material just on the dog! Cliff Booth could have his own movie... maybe even a TV series. Link for the paperback here: https://www.amazon.com/Once-Upon-Time-Hollywood-Novel/dp/0063112523 Rave reviews for the book, and it's the #1 best-selling novel on Amazon at the moment... Quentin Tarantino Bestselling Author: ‘Once Upon A Time In Hollywood: A Novel’ – Deadline 8 takeaways from Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood novel Once Upon a Time in Hollywood review – Tarantino’s debut novel shines Quentin Tarantino flips the script with 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' novel Tarantino also was interviewed by Joe Rogan on his podcast this week, and it's clear that the famed writer/director has a massive memory for pop culture, obscure references, and a wealth of Hollywood stories. Very, very entertaining man. It's an astonishingly entertaining book. BTW, rock fans will be surprised at the details on Paul Revere & The Raiders, Terry Melcher, and Dennis Wilson in the book. I thought I knew the story of them and Charlie Manson, but there was a lot more I didn't know.
So is the audible version an exact reading of the paperback or does it contain additional material not found in the book? Also, my understanding of the limited hardback edition is that it will be released later this year / it’s not out yet - do you have a copy already?
I ordered the paperback and got it today. I bought it as a present for my Sister-In-Law. There is an ad on the last page for "The Deluxe Hardcover Edition" later this year. She'll get the hard cover for Christmas because I read the first paragraph and this copy is mine.
Chapter One "Call me Marvin" The buzzer on Marvin Schwarz's desk Dicktaphone makes a noise. The William Morris agent's finger holds the lever down on the box. "Is that my ten-thirty you're buzzing me about, Miss Himmelsteen?" "Yes it is Mr. Schwarz," his secretary's voice pipes out of the tiny speaker. "Mr. Dalton is waiting outside." Okay kids this first taste is free.
Exact reading of the paperback. (I'm not a fan of Jennifer Jason Leigh's read -- I think there are better actors and narrators they could have used. Hell, hire five people and do it as a radio drama.) The limited edition hardback has been "mentioned" and I think Quentin held up a copy for fans and talked about it at the New Beverly Cinema last week. So far, all I know is that the hardback has lots of on-set photos not found in the paperback edition, but that's all that I was told. This story says: Appropriately, the throwback novel will start as a Harper Perennial mass market paperback, alongside e-book and digital audio editions. A deluxe hardcover edition will follow in the fall. Quentin Tarantino Two-Book HarperCollins Deal; Once Upon A Time In Hollywood’ & ’70s Movie Deep Dive ‘Cinema Speculation’ – Deadline
Went to my local Barnes and Noble to buy the book yesterday. Said they sold out of copies the first day.
I hope he really does well for himself, and inspire more people to read novels. Even if they are adapted screenplays.
I went to one on Saturday and it was sold out. I was able to go to a different location yesterday and pick it up. I'm really enjoying it so far. I'm about a hundred pages in. There's times it reads like direction in a screenplay.
Where do people rate Hollywood in there top 3 of all 9 ? It’s in my top 3 behind Kill Bill Vol 1 and Pulp Fiction, I love the film and it gets better after each watch for me, such a cool throw back to that era and it’s my favourite soundtrack of his as well, I can understand this film can divide as well though, when I first saw it in the cinema I wasn’t sure what to make of it but after taking it all in and finding out more about the film it’s one of his classics IMO.
That’s my only complaint - it’s like he took an early draft of the script (before scenes were cut) and ported it - along with its script format - in to a book. Lines read like a shooting script and not a ‘novel’. Still, I’m enjoying it but it seems a bit lazy on Tarantino’s part.
I know it's 9 but the difference between Kill Bill Vol 1 & 2 is so stark to me that I have to count it as 1 of 10. I can't choose between some of these movies so here's my cop-out list in 5 groups. 1) QT's Masterpiece Pulp Fiction 2) In order of release Kill Bill Vol 1 Inglourious Basterds Django Unchained The Hateful Eight Once Upon A Time In Hollywood 3) I wish QT would have done the original Elmore Leonard book of Ordell & Louis Jackie Brown 4) Great highs in both Reservoir Dogs Death Proof 5) Some of his weakest characters, Kill Bill Vol 1 outtakes Kill Bill Vol 2 IMHO
