Quentin Tarantino says ‘Once Upon A Time In Hollywood’ is his "most personal" film because it is inspired by his own childhood.
The 56-year-old director considers his highly anticipated ninth film – which is set 1969 Los Angeles and stars Leonardo DiCaprio as television star Rick Dalton, Brad Pitt as his long-time stunt double and Margot Robbie as movie star Sharon Tate – to be a "love letter" to the last moments of Hollywood’s golden age and he considers the story to be a "memory piece" about Los Angeles, the city where he grew up and that fuelled his passion for cinema.
Speaking about his film – which premiered on Tuesday (21.05.19) at the Cannes Film Festival – to Esquire magazine, he said: "[The film is] probably my most personal. I think of it like my memory piece.
"Alfonso [Cuarón] had ‘Roma’ and Mexico City, 1970. I had LA and 1969. This is me. This is the year that formed me. I was six years old then. This is my world. And this is my love letter to LA."
DiCaprio, 44, agrees Tarantino that the movie is a "homage to Hollywood" and feels the movie explores a "seminal time" in American cinema.
He said: "Well, first off, the chance to work with Mr. Tarantino. And certainly this time period was fascinating. It was this homage to Hollywood. I don’t think there’s been a Hollywood film like this – and by that I mean a film set in Hollywood and about Hollywood – which gets its nails dirty, getting into the everyday life of an actor and his stunt double.
"That year, 1969, is a seminal time in cinema history as well as in the world. Rick and Cliff, they’re part of the old guard in Hollywood, but they’re also trying to navigate this new world of the hippie revolution and free love."
The movie depicts the shocking real-life murder of Sharon Tate, the wife of director Roman Polanski (Rafał Zawierucha), at the hands of the Manson Family led by cult leader Charles Manson (Damon Herriman).
Quentin Tarantino says Once Upon A Time In Hollywood is his ‘most personal’ film
