A fanboy of New American Cinema from the 1970s (and its most distinct modern torch-bearer), Quentin Tarantino‘s 9th film is about to tackle the turn from Old Hollywood to the New.
In this new trailer, released on the same day as the film’s world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival (first reactions forthcoming) as well as the 25th Anniversary of Pulp Fiction‘s Cannes premiere, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood gives us more of what we already know — the story of (fictional) actor Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), his loyal stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), and Dalton’s existential crisis of becoming irrelevant in a new cinematic landscape — but then adds to it: specifically, Charles Manson.
When Sharon Tate (played by Margot Robbie) was first announced as a character, Tarantino downplayed concerns that he would sensationalize the life and tragic death of the actress who was one of Manson’s murder victims. He even hinted that the grisly crimes are nearly as central to the plot as people might have assumed (or feared). The Tate family has since come out in support of the script.
Given that, seeing how central Charles Manson becomes in the second half of this new trailer definitely raises the intrigue on how he will be woven into this ballistic Tarantino milieu.
Co-starring Al Pacino (finally seen here!), Kurt Russell, Timothy Olyphant, Dakota Fanning, James Marsden, Margaret Qualley, Lena Dunham, Damian Lewis (as Steve McQueen), and the late Luke Perry, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood opens this summer on July 26, 2019.
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