The Movie vs. The Book
Quentin Tarantino recently published his first novel Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Based on his 2019 movie Once Upon A Time…In Hollywood. As can be surmised by the difference in titles, these works are very similar, yet have substantial differences as well. This isn’t a standard novelization by any means but more of an alternate version of a story.
For instance, in the movie’s opening, actor Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) meet with William Morris agent Marvin Schwarz (Al Pacino) at Hollywood’s oldest restaurant, Musso and Frank, where they discuss Dalton possibly going to Italy to make movies.
However, in the novel, Rick takes the meeting with Marvin in the latter’s office while Cliff hits on Marvin’s hippie secretary, Janet Himmelsteen, just outside. The dialogue between Rick and Marvin is similar to what is in the movie but expanded with different dialogue that causes Rick to behave in a different manner than he does in the movie.
Backgrounds
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood expands the backgrounds of the characters, especially Cliff. His experiences in World War II are detailed. This includes how many men he killed with a knife during his time in combat. One of the best lines in this section talks about how the only thing that killed more Japanese people during the war was the Enola Gay.
Tarantino even gives an 8-page origin story to Brandy, Cliff’s pet pit bull. This is a great section as it goes into great detail about how Cliff came to own Brandy, and how their bond was forged in acts of violence.
One of the most unexpected things about the book is that Tarantino takes considerable time discussing Cliff’s opinions on foreign films. As well as delving into the production of various movies from Rosemary’s Baby (1967) to Billy Jack (1971). Cliff shares his opinions on these films, as well as those made by Japanese filmmakers Akira Kurosawa and Toshiro Mifune.
Movies, Movies, Movies
Tarantino even gives Cliff’s Top 5 ranking of Kurosawa films, which are:
- (tie) Seven Samarai and Ikiru
- Yojimbo
- Throne of Blood
- Stray Dog
- The Bad Sleep Well (for the opening scene alone)
One movie Tarantino spends a considerable amount of time discussing is the 1967 Swedish movie I Am Curious (Yellow). This was the first movie ever screened in the United States that contained a sex scene.
Tarantino has Cliff and Miss Himmelsteen discuss the movie by way of an article in Life magazine, and the court case that attempted to prevent its stateside release. The pair eventually go see the movie together. We get a lengthy description of various scenes in the movie, as well as Cliff’s opinions on them.
Lancer
Like in the movie, Tarantino also spends a considerable amount of time delving into his version of the television show Lancer, which aired on CBS from 1968 through 1971. This book allows him to flesh out the backstories of the various characters on the program in what is basically a Western novel within a novel.
Although the real series aired starting on September 24, 1968, the pilot episode, in which Rick appears, is shot in early February 1969. Both the real and Tarantino versions are directed by Sam Wanamaker (Private Benjamin).
The fictionalized versions of Charles Manson and Sharon Tate both have additional chapters that cover events either before or simultaneously with other scenes in which moviegoers are already acquainted with. Tate even gets a totally different backstory about how she arrived in Hollywood. Even the year is wrong.
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood is mostly told in chronological order. However, it does have some flashbacks, as well as some flash-forwards. This includes what happened to Rick Dalton after the climactic battle at his home on Cielo Drive. This takes place about a quarter of the way through the book.
Tarantino’s writing style in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood varies depending on the topic at hand. In addition to the Western novel aspects, some of it reads like a screenplay. Other parts are essentially film essays filled with gusto. The rest comes across like something Kurt Russell would narrate in the film version.
Presentation
The last thing worth touching on is the presentation of the actual book. The novelization is supposed to replicate a book that you might find on the shelves of a grocery store during the Nixon administration. The frontispiece of Once Upon A Time In Hollywood gives the following character descriptions:
RICK DALTON – Once he had his own TV series, but now Rick’s a washed-up villain-of-the-week drowning his sorrows in whiskey sours. Will a phone call from Rome save his fate or seal it?
CLIFF BOOTH – Rick’s stunt double, and the most infamous man on any movie set because he’s the only one that might have gotten away with murder….
SHARON TATE – She left Texas to chase a movie-star dream and found it. Sharon’s salad days are now spent on Cielo Drive, high in the Hollywood Hills.
CHARLIE MANSON – The ex-con’s got a bunch of zonked-out hippies thinking he’s their spiritual leader, but he’d trade it all to be a rock ‘n’ roll star.
Towards the back of the book, there are some ads included for other books including Serpico, Oliver’s Story, and Wild a Wild Bronc. This is the book Rick reads in the story that features “Easy Breezy” (and is not a real book).
Conclusion
Overall, if you are a fan of Quentin Tarantino’s work; specifically the movie from which One Upon A Time In Hollywood is based, this book is a great read and will be well worth your time spent.
