Transcript of 70mm’s Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood (2019) Episode.
SLIM Hey, it’s your old pal Slim and this is 70mm, a podcast for film lovers just like you. Every Monday, I chat about recently watched movies with my close friend and artist, Danny Haas.
DANNY I really despise the writing in this film. I think it’s lazy and borderline pretentious.
SLIM And our spiritual adviser and movie insider, Protolexus.
PROTO The CEO of of Disney and the changing in that position, it makes me embarrassed for the amount that people are invested in this kind of news.
SLIM Our featured discussion later in this episode won the Patreon vote — Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood. Is this a dreamy look into the Golden Age of Hollywood? Or is it a badly written boring excuse to get Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio in the same movie? Let’s find out… together.
[70mm theme song ramps up, plays alone, fades out]
SLIM Chapek is out. Iger is in, Danny.
DANNY He’s back.
SLIM How do you feel? Is this what the moment that Disney super fans have been waiting for? The King is back from the mountain.
DANNY I don’t know if people wanted Iger back, but they definitely want to Chapek out. That’s for sure. So I guess I’m happy in a way. A little bit more creativity in Iger. But I mean, it looked like the Empire had died at the end of Return the Jedi, people were dancing in the streets with Iger being back.
SLIM Spoilers. Ewoks were dancing, doing jigs of some kind.
DANNY They were playing drums on the bald head of Bob Chapek being passed around.
SLIM The Movie Insider no doubt has an opinion on Chapek out as running Disney Incorporated.
PROTO The amount of talk going around online and in our Discord about the CEO of Disney and the changing of that position, it makes me embarrassed for the amount that people are invested in this kind of news. [Slim & Danny laugh] It’s embarrassing, you guys should be embarrassed.
SLIM This differing of opinions is just a taste of what you can expect later in the show, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, as voted by our supporters. That’s our episode.
PROTO That article was posted 10 TIMES in our Discord by 10 different people.
DANNY Deadline.com!
SLIM 10 different channels. [Slim & Danny laugh] Boy oh boy, you know, speaking of the, you know, the investigative work, Forrest and our Discord theorizes that Disney could be on the block now to be acquired by a suitor such as Apple.
DANNY No.
SLIM Are you ready to confirm or deny what you’re what you’re hearing, Proto, in regards to an acquisition?
PROTO This is what I’m talking about people get themselves so worked up over this kind of stuff. You know? I mean, where are we reading these things? How deep are we going? How depraved have we become?
SLIM DiscussingFilm Twitter account, FilmUpdates. That’s where we’re getting our news these days.
DANNY ComicBookResources.
SLIM CBR, the number one news source for people aged 27 to 35.
DANNY AintItCoolNews.
SLIM So Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood is our featured prezzo later in this episode. It was one the supporter vote by I think like 4% or something like that over Singin’ in the Rain. I know a lot of people were upset about this. You know, when are we going to get back to the classics? Let’s get out of these new movies. I’ve had it. Unfortunately, we have I think two out of our next three movies are pretty new. So not for a little while. According to the vote. Yeah. The voters spoke. They wanted the new, newer anyway. So once upon a time in Hollywood. I’ll read a review to prep us for later… Proto’s review. Quote: “How about Brad’s watch? Dirty ass feet. I was bored. This and more riveting talking points on the next 70mm.”
SLIM I’m going to make a pledge to you right now, based on Proto’s review. I’m going to pledge: I’m not going to talk about anybody’s feet during the Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood segment. That’s my pledge to you.
PROTO Thank you.
SLIM I don’t know if anyone else is going to do that. But that’s just me.
DANNY I’m not pledging anything. [Slim laughs] You saw those calluses.
PROTO I heard enough in the reviews, every single review: “How bout those feet, huh? Did anybody else catch this other than me? These feet in this Tarantino movie?
SLIM Proto has been ill for the last seven days and he will let this movie have it tonight during this recording.
DANNY This and more.
SLIM This is the “this and more” portion of the show. So maybe I answered my own question. Proto, did you have time to watch anything this week in your state of recuperation in the house?
PROTO You know, not really. I didn’t — well, last night, I was the only chance I had to watch a movie, something hadn’t seen before. What happened? I think the boys went to bed and our youngest was still awake. And we decided to put on a Christmas movie. And we’d put on one of these new Netflix Christmas movies. Christmas With You…
DANNY Oh no.
PROTO Starring Freddie Prince Junior.
DANNY Our king.
PROTO He looks old.
SLIM I mean, he is older.
PROTO I mean, it’s not 2000 anymore. He’s aged. Yeah, it’s not a bad thing. I’m not saying a bad thing. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing. It’s you know, he’s no, he’s, he’s, I mean, he’s adorable. He’s very sincere in this role. But you know, this has that, that flavor of you know, it’s it’s Netflix meets Hallmark movie. Oh, yeah. So you kind of know that going in. So I was, you know, I was like, half tuned in, half tuned out, you know, shutting my eyes seeing if I would fall asleep. Who is writing hearts hallucinating through the fever. So I don’t really have much to say other than it’s kinda you know exactly what you’re gonna get from something like this. Yeah. And I’ll leave it at that. But you know, Netflix continues to deliver in that department year after year.
SLIM RunMikeD giving five stars on Letterboxd. Quote: “best holiday movie of the year. Thank you, Freddy.”
PROTO Yeah, I don’t know. I don’t know what, I don’t know what he was doing that night. But I mean, I’m happy for him. I’m happy yet five shows five star experience. That’s what put it on my radar.
DANNY You ever seen that Freddy YouTube clip of him telling Star Wars fans to eff off?
SLIM No.
DANNY Great moment.
SLIM Did you know he used to write wrestling for WWE.
DANNY Did he?
SLIM He used to work under Vince McMahon.
DANNY I didn’t realize that.
SLIM Yeah, I don’t think it was It wasn’t that long was like a year.
DANNY Can we get Freddy on the pod?
SLIM Freddy, talk to us. Please. Talk about whatever movie you want, Singin’ in the Rain hopefully, so we can get that off the books. We should say hello to some new patrons this week that joined: Zachary, Ben and Noelle, all joined our Patreon this week get access to exclusive episodes, uncut episodes can listen along in Discord or just hang out in discord. And then more importantly, they got all access to the Gilmore Girls episode, which we dropped in the vault. One of my favorite pieces of art.
DANNY The memes right now.
SLIM Oh my goodness. We got to make it through tonight. We got to make it through together. Danny, did you watch any movies this week?
DANNY It is Thanksgiving weekend. So we always fire up You’ve Got Mail. We’ve watched it last night. Another amazing time watching this perfect film. Puts me in the mood for, you know…
SLIM Love.
DANNY In the mood for love. This is my In the Mood for Love. Okay?\ So we watched that last night that’s where we’re at right now trying to get you know in the in the mood for Christmas movies and fall movies and all the good movies. It’s time to watch this year. Probably what’s probably next on our list. I don’t know. Probably While You Were Sleeping is probably soon.
SLIM It’s a Wonderful Life?
DANNY It’s a Wonderful Life we’ll probably do closer to Christmas but yeah.
SLIM I need to weasel in and It’s a Wonderful Life viewing. Is there a 4k that?
DANNY Oh my gosh, is there?
SLIM I’m not sure if I’ve ever asked that.
DANNY How is there not a 4k of that? There’s got to be a Blu-ray, right?
SLIM Oh my god. I just looked at my Letterboxd, Jack Moulton of Letterboxd himself, Jack’s Facts just dropped a Fabelmans rating.
DANNY I don’t want to know.
SLIM I won’t mention the rating.
DANNY It’s a big week next week for us.
SLIM It’s a big week next week. Indy 5 — what about these Indy 5 photos that are posting online?
DANNY I can’t contain myself. I’m so excited for this. The photos look amazing.
SLIM He looks amazing.
DANNY Harrison looks amazing. It’s just, it’s gonna be a blast.
SLIM 1969, landing parade, Nazis getting us to the moon. And Harrison’s not having it.
DANNY Zero G punch. He’s gonna punch a Nazi in space.
SLIM I hope he’s not on the moon during this movie.
DANNY Can you imagine?
SLIM I thought about that while looking at the photos. And I was like, I hope they don’t, they can’t. Mangold wouldn’t do that to us. Although what kind of things he would uncover like, in the moon, the dark side of the moon. You don’t know what’s over there.
PROTO Alien technology.
SLIM Yes. The Dark of the Moon, as they say.
DANNY I mean Phoebe’s in it. Phoebe Waller. I’m very excited about her. It’s gonna be a good time.
SLIM There’s rumors of who, what her character is, right? Is that like a spoiler? Should we keep it to ourselves?
DANNY I don’t know. Let’s keep it to ourselves. Rumors.
PROTO If people want to know, they can find it out there.
DANNY One Google search, you can read the rumors. How about you?
SLIM I saw TAR.
DANNY You watched TAR?
SLIM I saw TAR.
DANNY Did you log it?
SLIM I did log it.
DANNY You’re lying.
SLIM I logged it on the 18th.
PROTO Oh yeah, I read that review.
SLIM Thought it was gorgeous.
DANNY Casey says she read it out loud to me. [Slim & Danny laugh] We lay in bed at night and she reads Letterboxd logs to me as I ponder what’s going on.
SLIM We need someone to drop a cartoon of that somehow. A New Yorker style cartoon of that happening in bed. I liked it. It’s it is a bit long. It’s two and a half hours. There’s some really cool like long take shots — oners, they call it in the biz. And in my review, I did call out that it felt like a like a prestige TV series because like there’s a lot of long conversations that take place. Or, you know, scenes that just go on for a long time. They don’t usually happen and I guess feature films that I’m usually watching. It’s a three and a half four star movie for me. Now evil seem to love it, though. Okay. I’d be interested to hear what you both thought of it.
DANNY I want to see it. Eventually.
SLIM Proto watching that in the course of three weeks.
PROTO Todd Field is like one of those directors who, he’s like doing a movie every 10 years.
SLIM Yeah, it’s like his first movie in 15 years or something insane.
DANNY What?
SLIM Yeah.
DANNY What’s he been doing?
SLIM In the Bedroom, I love. That was the first Todd Field movie I saw from 2001. It was a West Coast video rental. Little Children was one with Kate Winslet and Patrick Wilson.
DANNY Oh, I saw Little Children. That was disturbing.
SLIM Very —
DANNY Right?
SLIM After you said “very disturbing”, I was about to say there’s a very sexy scene in that movie, but also very disturbing scenes as well. I think I watched Little Children for the letterbox show because that was one of someone’s like top four movies.
DANNY Oh no. [Slim laughs] Shadowban them.
SLIM But yeah, I also watched Black Dynamite. Do you remember the movie Black Dynamite?
DANNY Had a killer poster.
SLIM Oh my god. I rewatched that for the first time maybe since it came out. And I was dying laughing watching it. I might rewatch that this weekend. I had such a good time watching it.
DANNY That’s a BLB movie for me. I have never logged that.
SLIM Oh my god, it’s so funny. Proto, do you remember this movie?
PROTO No, I don’t. I mean, yeah, I have no memory of this movie.
SLIM Michael Jai White. It’s like a straight up satire Blaxploitation films from the 70s, you know, like low budget, and it’s amazing. I loved it. I think it reminded me of — well, not not like reminded me of but like the last kind of funny movie that I watched that reminded me of it, I guess was the Weird Al movie.
DANNY Oh my god.
SLIM I almost like when I thought of it and I was about to say it. I was like, do I want to say this out loud. But I highly recommend it’s on HBO Max right now so people can watch it. We need to give out our free year of Letterboxd Pro before we get into Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood. Every week we give out a free year so 20% off right now least while recording and gets rid of ads. You can see stats you can get watch list notifications for when your movies on your watch list or streaming. And this one, I’m going to read a this review here. Let me see if I can pull it up. T minus this is for once upon a time Another one t minus four days until one of my favorite movies of 2019 and top four of my personal Q T list gets totally wrecked by one of you guys and I can’t wait I need this episode ASAP. Damn hippies has probably done epi on lb that the same PP I mentioned last week.
DANNY Cash is coming in hot
SLIM coming in real hot. So you just want that free year litterbox Pro. Nice. Let’s get into it. It’s time once upon a time in Hollywood 2019 set the setting the stage Danny has it at one and a half star I had it at three pedal headed at five I think so this is going to be a very interesting conversation.
DANNY Have we ever been this split? Sure. I mean coming into a
SLIM recording Oh no, I don’t think we ever come into one with like a ratings that that way before, you’re right. Proto, what’s this movie about?
PROTO Rick Dalton is a TV star most remembered for his role in the 1950s Western bounty law. But as that show has come and gone, his stardom has begun to wane. His roles have been reduced to episodic villains, and his dreams of being a leading man in films is beginning to be snuffed out. Fortunately, he has his stunt double and confidant, Cliff booth always close by to remind him of who he is and what he is capable of. Next door in the Hollywood Hills lives Roman Polanski and his wife Sharon Tate and Rick have dreams of becoming good friends and possibly starring in one of his movies someday. But not before Rick takes out an offer to go to Rome and shoot some spaghetti westerns. This and more in Once Upon a Time…
SLIM You remember the hype around this movie? Palpable. Steaming.
PROTO Yeah. And I remember not being very excited about this. Just kind of thinking like, this doesn’t look like what you want from Tarantino. You know? Like, it just it felt like so different from what you would expect, you know, just a Tarantino movie, that I thought oh, this is kind of be like Womp womp. Like, why is he doing this?
DANNY Right? Interesting. I was reversed actually, I thought I was very hyped to see this film. I thought the trailer looked amazing. I was excited about old Hollywood Tarantino film and he already likes being in those areas. But I was I was excited about this film.
SLIM Yeah, I love Tarantino. Just to get it out all out in the open right now. Tarantino Okay, big fan. The day we do the Kill Bill. Movies he prepared? Oh my God in heaven. We’re not ready. I’m not ready. No, but we need a 4k that first. There’s no 4k for renewal will pay for Kill Bill. No. It’s very sad. Yeah, middle. KC. Beit live emoji is right. So I loved Inglorious Basterds. Like I had a religious experience seeing that maybe I might have stood up and clapped at the end of that movie. hatefully I really don’t remember what I thought of that. Like, I think I might have been let down by Hateful Eight, a little bit. And when this one came out, I was pretty hyped. But I also remember feeling the same way proto did were like Leo and Brad and Brad Pitt movie. But it doesn’t look like the movie I was envisioning. Because I remember the whispers and even the wiki mentioned this. But like Quentin Tarantino doing a movie about the Manson murders, and Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio. And I’m like, oh, that sounds interesting. But this is very different than that. I also think it’s like positioned plot wise, very different than some of these other movies, or at least it looks to me different might not be that different. But we’ll get into that.
DANNY That’s if you can find the plot. [Slim laughs]
SLIM in this segment, we’ll go roundtable to rattle off our top three notes that three of us write down as we watch and then we’ll close things out with our letterbox reading. Maybe it’s changed since we first saw it maybe. We don’t know. We’ll find out about 2530 minutes. So let’s start with proto let’s let’s hear what proto has to say first and foremost in this most recent viewing experience.
PROTO The first thing I do wanna talk about is Leo’s performance as Rick Dalton, specifically the scenes when he is in front of the camera shooting, whatever, I don’t know, is he shooting? Is he like in a movie or an another TV show? I can’t remember. I
SLIM think he’s the bad guy in it like an episode of a TV show. Okay.
PROTO Yeah. So he’s, you know, he’s got this role, and it’s kind of like what he’s done before, but he’s getting to play cowboy. You know, he’s the villain. And he’s, like, all worked up about it. I just think, you know, Leo’s performance. In this movie, as this character, specifically, these scenes, is just some of like, the best acting that I’ve like, I can remember. And, you know, I remember talking to our producer disgrace the foreign producer in about this that year, and how, thinking like, you know, Leo should have like the if it was any other year than the year the Joker came out and walking in one, like, there’s no way like he would have lost, which, but I’m kind of curious now to go back to watch the Joker again, and like, compare these two roles, because man, he’s just so good in this and what he does as Rick Dalton, like Dalton, throughout this whole movie, Leo has like this, like, this little stutter in his speech. You know, he doesn’t like believe in himself. He’s struggling. And there’s just so many moments like that like the same where he’s sitting there with Timothy, Timothy olifant. And they go for like, a few minutes reading lines back and forth. And then he forgets his line. And then he’s like, is talking to someone off camera asking for the line and like, freaks out on himself? That That moment is like, almost like jarring because you kind of like, I like Don’t forget that. I’m like, watching a scene of them acting like I’m thinking like, this is just another part of the movie. And like that, like to me is like so magic. That that scene and how I’m cutie pulled it off.
SLIM Yeah, that scene is so long, too. It’s like another one take. And you’re you’re now a part of that scene in the fake TV show in this movie. And then he screws up a line, you’re like, Oh, shit. That’s right. I’m watching a fake scene. I agree. This is one of the greatest action performances I’ve ever seen from Leonardo DiCaprio. And I think I put that in my original review, that he’s like putting on a clinic. In all of these scenes. Like the scene where he flips out in his trailer I read was like, it like almost entirely improvised by Leo because he wanted to have like a taxi driver ask scene in the movie. My all time favorite scene is when the act the young girl actress, you know, they do that scene where the director like tells me it was almost Shakespearean. And it’s so well done, but the actress whispers and he’s like, it’s some of the best that’s the best acting I’ve ever seen. Like, what’s the camera and he’s like, crying. He’s like, so proud of somebody’s like, fucking adult. Like, that is an all time scene for me. I still can’t get over how great Leo is in this movie. And I feel like I don’t know why, but I always forget how good he is. Yeah, maybe because we’re living through it. And we won’t know it until like later, maybe years from now, at least for me, but I always forget how good Leo DiCaprio is. Do you think Danny?
DANNY I like the scenes you’re talking about. I think the freakout scene in the trailer is hilarious. I like the scenes where he’s acting on the set of the TV show with Timothy olifant I think those are good moments in the film. As far as the rest of the film. I don’t I don’t find the story compelling enough to care too much about the performances that’s happening but I do think Leo was good in this I don’t know that I think he I don’t think I agree that he should have won Best Actor. But nor do I think Phoenix should have won but that’s a different story. You should have won I don’t remember that year naming another person were
SLIM only two nominees that you’re delicious those two that’s
what a dumb comment make God
DANNY I don’t I just don’t I don’t I don’t find Leo that great in this film. But he has some fun moments. That’s about it. Some fun
SLIM moments. Let’s see my number one it probably was going to be Leo
DANNY keeps talking about him as fine.
SLIM I do love the idea of his character, being like maybe he was a thing almost 19 years ago. And he’s kind of on the downswing, you know, he got the DUI, he needs Brad to drive him around his stuntman. And I think this, this viewing this on my second viewing, I think I saw more of his plight in this viewing, whereas he was kind of like down and out, and why he really like yearned to get another like break. And he was hoping that Roman Polanski’s crew was going to be that break, which he saw it like the beginning of the movie. And then towards the end, you kind of see that happen at the end of the movie, where, like, you know, I’m finally getting that leg up. I’ve been hoping for, I think, I, I, maybe I saw that more clear this time around than I remember seeing it in the first viewing particularly.
PROTO Yeah, I feel like that, that comes through more when I think it’s the narrator talks about it. I think we were coming back from from Italy, and how, oh, no, no, when they’re, I think they’re sitting at the table. And Leo’s like, telling Brad that he’s going to have to, like, let them go, and he can’t like keep them on payroll anymore, or whatever he does, and for and saying, like, I’m married now, and I don’t know if I can even afford my house. And I think it’s probably that is like, you know, we’re thinking like, Oh, he’s a you know, he’s a you know, he’s a TV star. He’s, you know, he acts in Hollywood, but his lifestyle like demands that he needs to like keep up a certain pace to like continue living this lifestyle. And even though he has that lifestyle he’s also like enamored by it and so badly wants to maintain it and be and be recognized for it and validated and that like if he can’t you know, if he loses these these gigs and like, can’t work anymore, then it’s almost like his career meant nothing. Because now you know, he’s, he’s washed up.
SLIM One One thing too that I wanted to call out from the wiki was apparently the like the the idea for this movie about an actor, who was buddies and wanted to work with his stuntman came from Kurt Russell, like Quentin saw Kurt, and his stunt double while filming his like Robert Rodriguez Grindhouse film, and Kurt had like, requested that he used his stunt double. And Quentin was like taken aback by that he thought it was so fascinating that he would have the same stunt double after so many years. And we’re would even need him at that age. Like, you don’t really need a stunt double. You’re not gonna be doing anything crazy. So Danny, what’s your number one note?
DANNY My number one no, is I think? I think this is Quinn’s best looking film. I do love. I think there’s a lot of amazing choices when it comes to some of the scenes that are shot. I think a lot about Brad driving around LA. There’s a lot of really great moments of you know him in and out of traffic. IE, there’s a great shot of Tex riding on the horse. Oh, yeah, but the shot that I love the most is at the ends when we’re coming into third act before the killings and stuff when LA’s coming awake at Oh, I mean, it is honestly I just got the chills thinking about it again. When you see the sun and Rama light up you see the the neon signs light up. The cars driving around LA it really is some gorgeous work. And I think about that the most when I think about what’s going on. Once upon a time in Hollywood. I think there are some I think Quentin is at his best in this film with how it shot and then the choices he made in that.
SLIM Yeah, the stuff in the ranch is insanely shot. Like when Brad’s walking around. Yeah, when she the one girl gets on the horse to go after tax. And she finds tax and immediately like switches, the flip switches the flip flips the switch to become the tour guide and then tax Riah shots. Oh my god. Yeah. So good. He’s gorgeous.
PROTO Yeah. Yeah, I love it too. And my first time i i, I saw I saw this my first review. I wrote that, you know, of course, I never got to see it never will get to see Hollywood in the 60s. But this is what I will, you know, know it as well. You know what this what this movie this vibe that Qt creates and just the way it’s presented. And, and even like the stuff with the hippies, too, is so fascinating too. And I love their relationship to the hippies in this of just like how everyone’s I call the damn hippies and just how like that kind of kind of becomes like, fulfilled by the end of this and it’s because like, here’s three hippies walking into this house trying to kill, kill them. But you know, growing up to me whenever I heard hippies hippies was just like peace in love with not wearing shirts Yeah, Woodstock dancing around smoking pot. So it’s funny to see it in a movie like this and just like them vilified. Every time they show up.
DANNY One of the things I liked about and I feel like it’s an easy answer when you think about cutie making la look like the 60s. I love to think about how hard that had to have been. I know like an easy it’s been Oh, it’s it’s CG like cars and LA freeway and all that kind of stuff. But I want to think like, cuz I didn’t look into how much was the making of this film. But I want to think about how hard it had have been to shoot on those streets to make sure everything was of the era because there’s so much there’s so much out and about an outlay that they had to do and it just it just really is a great vibe. And I just that’s it’s it’s easily my favorite thing about this movie.
SLIM The driving shots are probably my favorite, like when he has the camera in the back of the car. And they’re just driving those little cars like full speed or whatever. Oh, yeah. Those shots looks so cool. Yeah, I love those those angles. Proto, number two.
PROTO Number two is a is the scene that I think it spans Ranch, where Cliff he picks up the one hippie girl pussycat, and gives her a ride to the ranch where she’s staying. And all the hippies are. I love this scene, because it’s such a Tarantino scene that like everything about it the way it’s like, built up the silence between the characters, the way the tension mounts through the scene, and you’re not sure of like, what’s going on what’s going to happen. And then, you know, it’s like, oh, you find out Cliff knows the guy who owned the ranch. He’s in the house. And just like the way the house is positioned, like everything about it is just like so cool. And like perfect to me. You know, it’s up on a hill. And like, you know, here comes Cliff walking up, and then all the hippies like pour out of it. And he goes up has the conversation. It’s, it’s like the quintessential Tarantino scene to me. And I just I love the way it’s structured. It’s slow. And it’s long. It’s a long so I feel like it’s like he’s like there for like, 20 minutes of the movie is long. Yeah. And I remember when I first saw it, I thought, like, is he gonna kill all these movies? Like, are they gonna fight? You know, or Seguin, like he’s gonna find a Katana and just like go to town or something. But the way that doesn’t happen is also interesting the way like, you know, it stays contained and doesn’t explode in a way that you might expect.
SLIM I remember being so nervous in that scene when I first saw this movie, like, you’re right, I couldn’t figure out what was going to happen. What’s in the back room? Is that guy dead and then it propped him up, but they’re just they stole the ranch. Man, it’s so well done. And this This is this specific scene that makes me like, think of Robert Redford the most of Brad Pitt. Like in this movie. Yeah, he’s definitely channeling some Robert Redford era stuff in this movie, for sure. And I don’t I felt like Brad actually just looked different in this movie. Like I don’t know if this is the first like modern movie where he started to look his age. Like he’s aged, he’s aged. And that’s normal. But this was the first time that maybe like I knew I saw him like hitting a different phase of his his life his acting career.
SLIM There’s I think that what did the plastic surgeon say? You can’t fix it. You can’t save a neck or hands. Those are those are things that will age regardless of any potential surgery or trickery. I’ll cut that out if any surgeons don’t want me to have that in the episode. Surgeons. It’s anyone seen Mickey works hands lately. Do the research. But yeah, very well done seen IMO my number two. I didn’t think this when I saw it. But this viewing I definitely was more appreciative of that Quentin was able to make this movie in this era, and we were alive to see it. Like regardless of what people might think of the movie. I’m just so happy that it exists. Like to see Quentin Tarantino, one of the most talented directors ever alive, was able to make like a Hollywood era movie and was able to get those shots that Danny was talking about. was able to get Leonardo DiCaprio in this movie. Margot Robbie, a host of other talented actors, I just feel like, you know, it’s just so rare, right? Like if someone of his caliber to go back and make that era happen, and we can see it, I just thought it was cool. And I was like, more appreciative, at least on this feeling. Especially with Leonardo DiCaprio, the greatest actor ever. Right? Interesting.
PROTO It’s also interesting that like, he chose to do a movie, like I wonder how long this idea has been floating around in his head, this idea of like, an alternate history, you know, movie. To me. It’s like, it’s, it’s so odd. And I wonder what drives somebody to want to take a piece of history, and then change how it played out. I guess it fits Tarantino in a sense,
SLIM right, because he did it with Inglorious Basterds, too.
PROTO Yeah. Yeah. So I guess he has like, some kind of fascination, you know, with it. And I don’t know if it’s like, if it’s like some kind of like, cathartic thing. Maybe it’s like, you know, the Manson murderer kinda like haunted him in some way. You know, just like the thought of it. Just that to have like, some alternate version where, you know, the, the good guys when speak,
SLIM or Hollywood gets like, proper send off from the golden era, wherever his intention was. Do you know what’s your number two?
DANNY Number two, after you guys talked about, Leo, I actually, I actually find Brad’s character to be the best. In this film, I find him way more compelling, and also find him to be extremely funny. I think, Brad, I think the comedy beats with Brad and this are quite hilarious. Him and his dog are great moments. I like his relationship with Rick Dalton. And I just I don’t know there’s something about Brad in this where he just feels like the one for me. It feels like the one character that I don’t know. It just has a better flow with this. Whatever story there is, I just I just he’s like the glue that is keeping this entire movie together between scene to scene and I just I love Brad in this. I think he’s fantastic.
SLIM He’s such an easy breezy character. Yeah, I want to hang out in his scenes. You want to hang out with him the
DANNY scene where? Where Rick tells him that he can’t be he’s not gonna work on this project with him that he’s but he still needs him to drive him around. He’s just kind of like okay, that’s fine. I’ll be here for whatever you need. I kind of liked that about this character. There’s he’s just really chill. And I really I really dug it
PROTO I think I think you’re right about his character almost being like the glue because it’s yeah, he you know, he drops off Rick and Rick’s the actor but then and you know, he’s listening to all the lows that Rick is talking about, oh, my career and like here, here’s the cliff living out of a trailer like behind him a you know, an outdoor movie theater, like with nothing to his name other than like his dog. And and just like like that, that comparison of these those two characters and maybe that’s what it is, is like this, this movie might be like, not working like it wouldn’t work in the same way. Because there’s just like, the this like these two versions really, of, of Rick, you know, are like these two people who like live in Hollywood, these two sides of it. Right? Like there’s like the stars. And then there’s like everybody who makes it possible.
SLIM Yeah, I did see one review that in their viewing called Rick like the past. And Cliff, the present of Hollywood and men Sharon Tate, the future of Hollywood. So they played like different almost characters in time that like, once time goes up, he lives in the present. And then her time is is yet to come. And in real life who was like cut short by the actual Manson murders, which I thought was an interesting perspective. I will say that his dog bowl is disgusting. And he’s, he’s terrible for not cleaning that dog bowl after every meal. It was It looked rancid when he in his trailer when he dropped that food and then the dry food after that. No now now now now now. Cliff. Please. Can’t believe dogs still didn’t give a crap I guess getting food no matter what. But I loved his TV in that trailer though. Man oh man. I was thinking about this chuck from the band spider podcast bought that analog, like Gameboy thing where you can play the like the OG cartridges in it. It’s like 200 bucks or something. And he was talking about how if you get these like digital systems on a on a Raspberry Pi you get like 6000 games. You never really want to play one game because you play one game in 10 seconds. Like actually I’m gonna play this next see like never play A game. But having that like one physical cartridge, kind of forces you to, to focus on one game. And it reminded every all these older movies we’re watching with, like a TV in the kitchen. Or just like with so many channels, no phones. I just wonder like how different things would be if we exist in in that scenario where we just, you know, we’re more focused on something on one channel or one movie. I don’t know, some weird thing I’ve been noodling on.
PROTO Yeah, I mean, I think about that. I mean, I think about that all the time with like, our phones, it’s like our, it’s almost like our consciousness is like becoming split, more and more like where you want to do more than one thing at at any given time. You know, and when you’re like, when you’re trying to focus on one thing, it’s actually very hard because you’re so used to being broken into multiple directions.
SLIM Hit your phone, get notifications on your watch. He got Netflix, nothing good to watch on Netflix. I mean, that’s what he like, we’re scrolling through Netflix for 20 minutes free shut the app off, because there’s too much stuff and watch nothing to watch. Yogi Berra quote. Is it Proto’s turn, I think for number three,
PROTO I love love, love, love all the little bits where you see Rick Dalton in his performances as as a as a TV star. So it starts with like this opening of bounty law. You know, in playing this character, there’s like, there’s this an amazing homage where he’s over in Rome, and he shoots these three spaghetti westerns. And then he also does like this James Bond esque movie. And they do like this insane car chase. And the way all those things look, in some, in some sense, I feel like maybe this is why Tarantino made this movie is because he got to make a version of all of these things that he probably grew up watching. And but it’s like, oh, no, I’m gonna you know, here I get to make like a you know, just like a 45 second movie of you know, this, this 60s espionage car chase, or you know, like this Sergio Leone, rip off. And like, all those are a hit when cliff and Rick sit down and watch his episode of FBI on the TV. Oh, man, it’s just so magical. I love all of those bets.
SLIM My number three I think it’s about the hype topic that we talked about before. Like, when I first saw this, the hype was almost like too much. And this was even really before our Discord was really, I think maybe popping off in like a really busy state. Yeah. So I’d be curious what I would think even today with how we use letterbox because I think how we use letterbox now is probably different than we did two years ago. Or three years ago, really, and coming around to rewatch this minus all the hype. I saw it just almost not totally differently, but very differently. Like even the Bruce Lee stuff, like you couldn’t scroll through Twitter or a news app without seeing a Bruce Lee article about how the the estate was upset with the positioning of Bruce Lee in this movie, et cetera, et cetera, and rewatching it like it was like not even a blip in my experience in this viewing. Like I just kind of viewed it as Bruce Bruce Lee in the scene, potentially him just like having really different memories of what actually happened. But it didn’t even like matter to me in a way that it mattered years ago. I don’t even like I don’t want to come off as like being you know, hand wavy towards the Bruce Lee estate but it just didn’t feel like a thing. In my view. It just it felt like a scene in this fairy tale of Brad Pitt’s life. I don’t know part of that you have a similar experience?
PROTO Yeah, I had totally forgotten about that scene until it came on. I was like, oh right, this Bruce Lee scene? Um I don’t know if I fully understand like the purpose of the scene other than Tarantino just wanted to have like a Bruce Lee maybe scene in the movie right? Like a character who’s playing him? I don’t really know. I didn’t really get the scene. I think I know it’s kind of goofy. Like I don’t know. Like the thought that this you know, this stunt double can hold his own against Bruce Lee just seems kind of weird. Like, I don’t know if there’s like a message there like what he’s attempting. I don’t know. I feel like I’m like not like I don’t have enough like info to have an idea of like, have an opinion on it. Really. I mean, to me, it’s kind of like it’s like a nothing scene like I don’t know it. It’s definitely not memorable to me.
SLIM Right? You could probably cut it out. And nothing would really change unless it’s like there to build up Cliff as capable of beating through hippies to death. Yeah.
PROTO Or yeah, yeah, it’s like, here’s Cliff who can’t shut his mouth and like, you know, just like, you know, just shut up and do your job. Because this is like right after Kurt Russell’s characters, like, just keep a low profile. Yeah, don’t let my wife see you in here. He throws Bruce Lee into her car, which is pretty funny. Actually, it was it’s a funny scene where they come out and confront them.
SLIM Dan, do you remember that from the original release of this movie? Yeah, the Bruce Lee stuff. Yeah,
DANNY definitely. Remember this state being upset as I think was mainly his daughter that was not happy with how he was portrayed. Yeah. But I don’t I don’t know. I don’t know. I’m agree with proto. I don’t really understand the necess how the necessity of that scene is. It almost feels borderline a little bit subtly racist, but I don’t. I don’t really know how I feel about that scene. It’s just it’s just like a weird caricature of Bruce Lee. But I don’t know Bruce Lee enough. Outside of a couple of his movies that I’ve searched Jones
SLIM yet. We need to get Jensen Vipers on the twin Vipers co hosts to confirm or deny whether Bruce Lee was arrogant enough to warrant fighting a stuntman on set. I think that was also the daughter’s gripe that he wasn’t that arrogant enough to want to fight somebody on the on a set of a movie. So not sure um, that was my number three I think a little bit I’ll be it’ll come around to my final thoughts and honorable mentions but proto FINAL THOUGHTS honorables rating
PROTO Honorable mentions the beginning of the movie. How about that NBC logo in the bowtie law commercial? Or that? It’s like and then the be wraps around the form the logo? I don’t know if that was like a real logo or they just made it for this looks incredible. So many like gorgeous overhead shots in this? Yeah, I agree with somebody what you were saying earlier. Tarantino really is a master I think like this movie is just like gorgeous the way it’s shot. I did this scene where Margot goes to the theater. And she like is refusing to pay 75 cents to see a movie. Could I could I get in here for free? I don’t know if I like that seems so. Like can you imagine being like a movie star and like, like, Can I get in here for free? What else? We really talked about the end? Um, no, you know, cliffs smoking the acid cigarette. And that fight scene? It’s so graphic and brutal but I thought it was hilarious the first time I saw it I thought it was hilarious. This I have to I don’t know what it is about it. But maybe it’s the idea that like Cliff is like just tripping balls while doing this. But there’s something also just about like the way he like fought. It just struck me as strikes me is so funny. Each time I see it, I don’t know what did you What did you guys that? What do you guys think of that ending scene
SLIM I can I compare it to the ending of Inglorious Basterds, like the same kind of like Elseworlds alternate universe. Like, I am going to make my own version of these events. And like almost like Quinn’s turn is like make it right, almost in a weird way. So but at least that’s how I viewed it. And I know I think even Casey wrote a review about how like, the violence in the movie was like a big turnoff for her. And I tried to marry that with like, the characters in real life like murdered Sharon Tate and her friends and everyone in that house. So it’s almost like, I’m okay with it. Because these people in real life like, stabbed Sharon Tate, like 60 times while she was eight months pregnant. So it’s almost like in my head. It’s like justifying it in a weird way. But I love that scene. I loved it the first time I saw it to dinner with the kids you
DANNY I feel like when I got to it, I was like, Oh, this is the Quentin that I expected from any movie that he kind of puts out I expect that kind of level of violence and fighting and gore and et cetera. I don’t know that. To me. It felt like it’s been dull for two and a half hours. Let me give them what they came for. Especially like the pep talk in the car beforehand when the girls freaking out about that. This is what they kind of it almost felt like cuties saying this about himself like had the, the critiques he got with his movies like, Oh, they’ve shown us violence forever. Let’s give them what they want and go murder. The people that created these movies and go up there and kill our movie stars. And then in turn, they get killed by Clinton’s movie. So it’s like, it was weird commentary. I felt like a weird commentary on Quentin himself. That he was making. But yeah, I mean, it’s, it’s, it’s what I expected. There’ll be more of in this film.
SLIM You mentioned Margot Robbie scene. I think I still don’t love Margo scenes in this movie. I feel like her character is almost like this weird, almost nonspeaking character like, either it’s just not enough for me or his his thinking of what would be right for Sharon Tate in this movie. I don’t know. It just I just I kind of like snooze out like during her see her scenes?
PROTO Yeah, I don’t know if he was like trying to build empathy, you know, for us to have for her and like this feeling of dread, like, oh, gosh, because we know what’s going to happen. But I don’t feel like that really worked. If that was what he was attempting to do. It’s just kind of like there. Like you said, yeah, it’s just kind of like, okay, here’s the scenes, but I didn’t really find them necessary.
DANNY I think I have I have one note about Margo, and it says there’s no point to Margot Robbie in this film. Yeah. I mean, what line do we remember what memorable moments both sides her watching a movie with their feet up. That’s all I remember about this film with her.
SLIM I feel like he was challenged about that too. And like the press tour about how she’d like barely had speaking lines. And he had some kind of retort about how I wanted her to be almost like angelic or something I can’t really remember.
PROTO There was I read a review, I couldn’t find it on where it was on Letterboxd. But someone said that, you know, there’s people who was on on it. Don’t edit this out. So I’m trying to I’m trying to make sure I get it right. I feel like it’s protos review anyway, somehow, no, it’s not my review. It’s somebody else. There’s people who love to watch movies. And then there’s people that love movies. And that was for me, that was that. Everything about it, people who love movies love everything about them. And, and I feel like that’s what this movie is. It’s like the the all the elements of what it means to make a movie. How it’s a movie about movies. And I feel like this movie it when you get it, you get it. And you kind of have to have like a, you know, like a level of maturity, and experience with movies. Maybe like a spiritual maturity as well as emotional depth. And not everybody gets there. You know, you know, some people give this movie less than four stars. And if that’s you, you know, there’s still hope you still may grow and be able to get to that level where you understand movies on a deeper level. And you can, you know, understand what this movie means. So if you’re not there yet, don’t worry. There’s still time keep watching. But for me, this movie really hits that. And it’s a five star movie still.
SLIM Stars from proto and some extra passive aggressiveness to anyone who rates lower than for Al Pacino. We haven’t even talked about our bow Yeah. Now remember, what a picture is where it comes from? I mean, also, like so many Leo gifts. I mean, there’s so many gifts that come from this movie. It’s absurd. Yeah. Absurd. Austin Butler and Maya Hawker in this. That was almost my review. Like I couldn’t I didn’t remember that they were in this or at the time it came out. They weren’t things back then. As they are now looking through Leah’s line in that his movie where he burns up the Nazis. Anybody that is oh wine and a half. Roman Polanski looking like Austin Powers in that outfit. When he’s going on they’re going to that party. Really looks like he’s cosplaying as awesome powers. What else do we have Leo puts his face in a bowl of ice to like, wake up or get off his hangover. Have either of you ever done that in the morning? Wake up Enos of his face was it Oh, I know what the hell he was done. The flashbacks originally confused me when I first saw this movie when like Brad is on the roof. And they showed the they cut to like him trying to get a job from Kurt Russell. That confuse the hell out of me when I first saw it. Maybe I couldn’t tell you that was a flashback. Like I thought I thought it was like present day like last week or something. Business Bob and Johnny Madrid are great names to a character characters in that Western Show. After Italy cliff, his hair, unreal, amazing work. Italian hair. I mean, they weren’t even there for that long but they had like such different hairstyles. They were there for like six months or something.
PROTO Yeah, when they’re when they’re at the restaurant and Brad Pitt has like some kind of pompadour. That’s like five inches tall.
SLIM I love the ending of Rick. I think I fell in love with Rick this viewing and Leonardo DiCaprio this version of wreck. So believe it or not, I’m actually moving my rating up for this viewing. And it’s four stars for me for this viewing. And I I think this is just something that I become more okay with, with my ratings just adjusting over time. And that’s just how I write like I write. I write movies. It’s like how I was entertained at this moment. Like other movies could go up or down. And this particular viewing, I had a lot of fun. I did get bored through a lot of it. But Leo and the ending and some other scenes just kind of like raised it up for me. So I’m at four stars for this one.
DANNY Is it a good time for me to get my third point?
SLIM Oh my god, I’m so sorry.
DANNY No, I figured you guys were bored of me, so…
SLIM I’m sorry. I apologize. I didn’t realize —
DANNY It’s totally fine. I’ll just let it roll into my — [Proto rings bell] [Slim laughs] I really despise the writing in this film. I think it’s lazy and borderline pretentious. I don’t like what QT was going for for any of this movie. I just, I found it completely dull. And I felt that the ending of the movie does not warrant anything. It doesn’t bring it up for me at all. It’s quite dumb. And I think I actively hate this film. And I really don’t ever want to watch it again unless you guys make me for this podcast. So my star rating is going down half a star making sure it’s a solid one, because I liked one scene that looked pretty at night.
SLIM Kev in chat says “Rick Dull-ton”.
PROTO That’s pretty good. [Slim laughs]
SLIM Danny is not alone. First of all, can I apologize for the sixth time? I apologize for missing your third point.
DANNY It’s okay. I know you guys didn’t want me here for this episode.
SLIM That’s not true. Don’t try to stir anything up.
DANNY I’m fine.
SLIM We’re like oak, the three of us right now, we’re solid like oak. Okay? I will say that Danny is not alone in the Village for his thoughts. The average rating for this movie among our supporters is like three and a half stars.
DANNY Three stars is good.
SLIM Wes, two stars. Forrest, two stars. Mike Rappin two stars. Paul, two. So there’s there’s a handful of folks that are in agreement with Danny just a few of us just for a small Manson cult, the small minority once upon a time in the books, movies about movies month it’s almost over we’re doing the fable mins next week.
DANNY Can’t be more excited about this film, Steven Spielberg.
SLIM semi autobiographical thing about movies. Life. We’re gonna get to. I want to go to theaters to see it. Just FYI. I won’t be safe out theater
DANNY job. You know,
SLIM teach I get your teenage Excuse me. We have a VM to play. We get letters VMs you can use the links on 70 Mm pod.com. I think this one might be from JC. Let’s see what JC has to say.
[voicemail plays]
VOICEMAIL Hello 70mm pod. J char pomps. Here first VM longtime listener. So glad you came around to doing once upon a time in Hollywood one of my favorite movies. It’s so special. There’s so much Hollywood lore attached to it. And there’s so many layers to it that you know, no matter what layer you let land on, you’re gonna find something you like and something beautiful. Really, for me. This is about Sharon Tate. This is about how she was real. She wasn’t just what we know of her as of today as someone who was brutalized. But rather she was a special person, someone who went to bookstores who went to the movies, who went to parties, who was really a beacon of light and hope in LA. And it’s so interesting to see that contrast. And Rick, in his life at home, as she’s going out, he’s staying in and just a real interesting dynamics with all the characters. I think there’s a lot of Rick Dalton and all of us. And I think we wish there was a lot of Cliff and all of us, but that just excuse me may not be the case for everyone. But some beautiful characters. Some beautiful shots, the music, and all out. Great, great movie. To quote. Marty Schwartz. What up picture? Anyway, I hope you guys like it. I hope you guys don’t take a flame forever to it. Wink wink. But yeah, one of my favorite movies. I love to hear people talk about it. Because there’s so much you can get out of it. Really. There’s so much you can break apart. Yeah. And it’s a beautiful thing. It really is. Anyway, thanks for doing it. Thanks for all you do. And we’ll see you on Letterboxd.
SLIM Oh, sign off.
DANNY Which one is JC pronouns? Either one that loves movies or loves going to movies? Which one was that?
SLIM We’re like oak. Just want to say that one more time.
DANNY I’m just asking this question. Which voicemail? Was I listening to him just
SLIM asking? Boy, oh boy, oh, boy. Next week, it’s the big one. And then we go into the other big ones in December.
DANNY Or biggest December yet.
SLIM It’s boy Oh, boy. We have plans for January. I think they’re very exciting plans. We haven’t agreed on them yet. But there’s some plans percolating for January. Okay, I’m just gonna say that right now percolate, kind of percolate. We also have to do an indoor up.
DANNY Show why you gotta say it out loud. Now we have to do it.
SLIM I said before we were we should do it. I said you know, wrapping it up Pro
DANNY has to watch the finale for Perez
finale. Oh, oh, watch the finale. You can when we
SLIM when we fever. We’ll talk about it. We’ll talk about it off air but we
DANNY like TVs or people who just like TV its prestige.
SLIM Or do you have any closing thoughts? For once upon a time in Hollywood as we venture almost to the end of movies about movies month?
PROTO Nothing about you know once upon a time in Hollywood, but you know, I’m excited to get back to the theater. I can’t even tell you the last movie I saw in the theater. It might have been nope actually. Which feels like two years ago. But I guess it was like back in June or something Wow. Yeah. It’s gonna be great. It’s gonna be great.
SLIM We’ll see everybody next week for The Fabelmans.
[70mm theme song ramps up, plays alone, fades out]
