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March 28, 2024, 11:10:24 PM

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Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Started by Wet Blanket, March 20, 2019, 02:35:01 PM

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Johnny Textface

He was wrong that he didn't think it was very good? I feel like you may have wasted your time there.

I wish people would just put stuff like "it's my favourite" instead of stuff like "it's his best film". Might save a lot of silly bother.

Avril Lavigne

Quote from: Johnny Textface on March 21, 2019, 12:49:18 PM
He was wrong that he didn't think it was very good? I feel like you may have wasted your time there.

I wish people would just put stuff like "it's my favourite" instead of stuff like "it's his best film". Might save a lot of silly bother.

My saying "all the reasons he was wrong" was dry exaggeration and a fake posture of superiority for comic effect.  Although he was literally wrong in saying it's 'obviously' Tarantino's first attempt at writing and directing as that would be the short film 'My Best Friend's Birthday' which later formed the basis of the first act of True Romance.

greenman

Quote from: DukeDeMondo on March 21, 2019, 01:10:22 AM
Well, just like I said. There exists this idea that Jackie Brown is a legitimate, grown up, thoughtful film, and is therefore of greater value than, say, something as self-indulgent as Django. And I don't think it is of greater value. And I don't think there's anything wrong with self-indulgence.

But as I said also it wasn't directed at anyone here. Plenty people legitimately prefer Jackie Brown to his other films, and it isn't because they believe the excess and the indulgence of the others is beneath them in some way. But there are people who do think that. This kind of chat exists. I think you can hear it coming out of Kermode every so often, for one thing. That he fucked his potential because his films got wilder and baggier and more ridiculous rather than tightening up like Jackie Brown sort of suggested might happen. But there's no less inherent worth in something wild and baggy and ridiculous as there is in anything else.

Which was really my feeling in the other thread, I mean I certainly enjoy Jackie Brown(even if it wouldn't be among my favourite films of his) but I'm very glad that he didn't take it as a blueprint for the rest of his career. Some directors might be well suited to making more restrained "serious" films but I don't think he's one of them and I suspect a career along those lines would have been one of ever diminishing returns.

Personally I think beyond larger than life characterisation whats been revealed as his main strength in more recent years is building knife edge tension effectively, films with a strong thriller element to them seem to suit him best, Basterds and Hateful Eight obviously had a lot of that and the scenes with Leo in Django as well were the best in the film for me.

Once Upon A Time In Hollywood looks pretty lightweight going from that trailer although I spose that might well be misdirection, also looks more than a little Coenish which again I'm not sure is playing to his strengths.

Wet Blanket

I thought Basterds was terrible, apart from the opening scene, and the best example of a Tarantino movie that would have benefited from some restraint. Because that opening scene really is the bees knees - he does indeed know how to ratchet up the tension.

Django is my favourite of his later movies, but I don't think he's produced anything of the same standard of Reservoir Dogs or Pulp Fiction.

Timothy

This looks really good. Apart from Jackie Brown and Death Proof I've really enjoyed all Tarantino's movies. Really really looking forward to this.

Blinder Data

Based on the trailer it doesn't feel too much like a pastiche, unlike every film he's made since Kill Bill. That era/location is a fun setting for films. And Brad Pitt is great.

These are reasons I'm looking forward to it. Could still be a load of shite. And Leo Dic can f off

St_Eddie

#36
Quote from: Avril Lavigne on March 21, 2019, 01:15:31 PM
Although he was literally wrong in saying it's 'obviously' Tarantino's first attempt at writing and directing as that would be the short film 'My Best Friend's Birthday' which later formed the basis of the first act of True Romance.

And that, as we say, is objective.

Quote from: greenman on March 21, 2019, 02:21:50 PM
...also looks more than a little Coenish...

I picked up on that as well.  The trailer reminded me of Hail, Caesar!.

Quote from: Wet Blanket on March 21, 2019, 02:48:35 PM
I thought Basterds was terrible, apart from the opening scene, and the best example of a Tarantino movie that would have benefited from some restraint. Because that opening scene really is the bees knees - he does indeed know how to ratchet up the tension.

I love Inglourious Basterds but yeah, that opening scene is in a whole different league.  Easily the best scene in the entire film, so says I.

Quote from: Blinder Data on March 22, 2019, 04:55:21 PM
And Leo Dic can f off

What's your beef with Leonardo DiCaprio?  He's ace.  What's Eating Gilbert Grape is a favourite of mine.  Don't be disparaging the star of Critters 3.

McChesney Duntz

Quote from: St_Eddie on March 22, 2019, 05:45:15 PM
The trailer reminded me of Hail, Caesar!.

The trailer for which gave a somewhat misleading impression as to the tone and content of the actual movie, so...

St_Eddie

Quote from: McChesney Duntz on March 22, 2019, 11:40:33 PM
The trailer for which gave a somewhat misleading impression as to the tone and content of the actual movie, so...

...2+2=5?

popcorn

Death Proof fucking owns you bellends. It's sharp and silly in the best ways.

McChesney Duntz

Quote from: St_Eddie on March 23, 2019, 01:07:33 AM
...2+2=5?

It probably has no bearing on anything, true, other than as a caution to all and sundry not to make too many assumptions about the final product based on its trailer. Which is surely bleeding obvious - really just an odd connection I made. So there.

St_Eddie

There's an interesting article over at Esquire - The Real-Life People Portrayed in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.  It compares the actors and actresses likenesses with their real life counterparts, as well as providing a brief description of who each person was.

As I read the article, I started to see the connection between the various people (beyond the more well known examples of say, Bruce Lee and Sharon Tate) and I now feel that I have a much clearer idea of what this film is.  It's essentially a snapshot of time; Hollywood in 1942/1943.  It's through that understanding that I can now appreciate how Charles Manson factors into this story in an organic way, without it being a movie about Charles Manson.


Speaking of Charles Manson, as I looked at the real life photo of him in his younger days...


...it dawned on me that it was like looking at a photo of my younger self.  Case in point, two photos of myself from a decade ago...




It therefore only stands to reason that in the decades to come, I will look like this (Nazi symbol carved into forehead and all)...


Old man Lister.  Great.

Blinder Data

Quote from: St_Eddie on March 22, 2019, 05:45:15 PMWhat's your beef with Leonardo DiCaprio?  He's ace.  What's Eating Gilbert Grape is a favourite of mine.  Don't be disparaging the star of Critters 3.

I don't trust his boyish face. I am simulataneously judgmental and jealous of his extensive conquest of young ladies.

More importantly I just don't think he's that good an actor, even though he gets all the best parts. He just looks like he's trying so hard to "act" all the time. I would much rather watch Brad Pitt be laconic for 120 mins than DiCaprio excitedly squint and grimace his way through some turmoil or whatever.

Sin Agog

Quote from: Blinder Data on March 25, 2019, 11:26:28 AM
I don't trust his boyish face. I am simulataneously judgmental and jealous of his extensive conquest of young ladies.

More importantly I just don't think he's that good an actor, even though he gets all the best parts. He just looks like he's trying so hard to "act" all the time. I would much rather watch Brad Pitt be laconic for 120 mins than DiCaprio excitedly squint and grimace his way through some turmoil or whatever.

Most of DiCaprio's roles feel like so much hardboiled nothingness.

St_Eddie

Quote from: Blinder Data on March 25, 2019, 11:26:28 AM
He just looks like he's trying so hard to "act" all the time.



"I don't like that Leonardo DiCaprios anyway.  Too much acting."

Sin Agog

You can tell a good actor from a bad actor by how they cry onscreen.  A bad actor tries to cry.  A good actor tries not to cry but cries anyway.  Leo stands there with his big doughy potato face squinting his dead gimlet eyes a little.

St_Eddie

Quote from: Sin Agog on March 25, 2019, 12:41:19 PM
Leo stands there with his big doughy potato face squinting his dead gimlet eyes a little.


Sin Agog

Tarantino's closed off his sets ever since the Hateful Eight script leak. How on earth did you manage to land that behind the scenes shot of Leo?

Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth

DiCaprio is good in the right role. The Aviator is a good example of the wrong role. For all I know he could have been doing a spot on impersonation of Hughes, but he just seems like a kid wearing his dad's suit in the school play.

chveik


greenman

I'm guessing a lot of what's been in the trailers is could be the setup early on in the film.

Wet Blanket

The early reviews are very positive but the references  to it daringly diverging from historic events don't bode well for me. If it ends with Bruce Lee saving Sharon Tate's life or something I'll be very disappointed

Ballad of Ballard Berkley

I felt a bit of a frisson when the chorus to Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show kicked in, but that's possibly because I'm easily manipulated by the music of Neil Diamond.

Quote from: Wet Blanket on May 21, 2019, 08:20:16 PM
The early reviews are very positive but the references  to it daringly diverging from historic events don't bode well for me. If it ends with Bruce Lee saving Sharon Tate's life or something I'll be very disappointed

I feel a wee bit uncomfortable about this aspect too. Hopefully it'll be handled well.

phantom_power

I don't think the Tate stuff will feature much at all. I think it will be more a backdrop for what the film is really about



Mister Six

Quote from: Wet Blanket on May 21, 2019, 08:20:16 PM
The early reviews are very positive but the references  to it daringly diverging from historic events don't bode well for me. If it ends with Bruce Lee saving Sharon Tate's life or something I'll be very disappointed

Ha, whereas I would fucking love that.

Glad I don't know anything about this film. Hoping it doesn't turn into another crime/violent thing like all his films. At least they're interesting, I suppose, even when they're not perfect.

Sin Agog

Who's that playing Charlie?  He looks all doughy and gormless.  Not bird of prey enough.

bgmnts

Quote from: Wet Blanket on March 21, 2019, 02:48:35 PM
I thought Basterds was terrible, apart from the opening scene, and the best example of a Tarantino movie that would have benefited from some restraint. Because that opening scene really is the bees knees - he does indeed know how to ratchet up the tension.

Django is my favourite of his later movies, but I don't think he's produced anything of the same standard of Reservoir Dogs or Pulp Fiction.

I really liked Basterds. Honestly, though, I am a huge Tarantino fangirl so almost anything he does I love. He just makes entertaining films with fun characters and gripping stories. No pretentiousness, no fucking about, just a fun, exciting 2.5 hours.

Chollis

Quote from: Ballad of Ballard Berkley on May 21, 2019, 11:24:12 PM
That pretty much gives away the whole fucking plot.

Bradshaw's reviews usually do