Thoughts About the “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” Teaser

As a movie buff, I kind of have a love/hate attitude regarding cinema auteur Quentin Tarantino. 

Some of his movies (like “Pulp Fiction” and “Jackie Brown”) I love. Others (like “The Hateful Eight”) I hate. 

Tarantino has suggested in certain interviews that he’ll retire after making 10 films. 

Last week, the teaser trailer for his ninth film — “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” — dropped on the internet. 

On initial glance, the film looks intriguing. 

“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” is set in 1969 Los Angeles and follows Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) — the former star of the TV western “Bounty Law” — and his stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt).

(In the teaser for “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” Pitt sounds like he’s doing his same accent from Tarantino’s “Inglorious Basterds”). 

According to the scuttlebutt on the interwebs, the two are having trouble dealing with a “changing” Hollywood during the social upheaval taking place in “Tinsel Town.” 

The plot involves — but apparently isn’t solely focused on — the Tate murders perpetrated by the Manson Family in the summer of 1969. “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” will be released shortly before the 50th anniversary of those events. 

Tarantino told an audience at CinemaCon last year that “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” is “probably the closest to ‘Pulp Fiction’ I’ve done.”

I certainly hope so. 

The Elmore Leonard-esque vibe of “Pulp Fiction” was incredibly influential in the 1990s, and I’d like to see the director return to form with a film that is stylish and “pulpy.” 

As you can imagine, the movie features an all-star cast. Margot Robbie plays Sharon Tate (who was murdered in 1969), Al Pacino stars as a Hollywood producer, and Damian Lewis portrays actor Steve McQueen.

The late Luke Perry plays Wayne Maunder in the film (an actor who starred on the TV western “Lancer”). 

Those of you who have seen Tarantino’s “Kill Bill” duology know the director loves the films of Bruce Lee. Mike Moh portrays Lee in “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.” Like many of the characters in the cast, Lee was connected to actress Sharon Tate. 

It will be interesting to see what additional information is released about “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” as the weeks and months progress (maybe we’ll get some additional information at this year’s CinemaCon). 

I’ve mentioned before on this blog that I’d like to see Tarantino write/direct something more mainstream and accessible (read my Dec. 26, 2017 post “Quentin Tarantino’s Upcoming ‘Star Trek’ Movie”). While I appreciate his distinctive style (which is often a tribute to films of the 1960s and ’70s he consumed in his youth), he could do so much more. 

But that’s not his meme or scene. 

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