Tarantino’s Favorite Scene: The ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD Novelization Features An Emotional Moment We Didn’t Get To See
In an interview with CinemaBlend’s ReelBlend Podcast promoting his novelization of the 2019’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Oscar-winning writer-director Quentin Tarantino revealed admitting he made a cut to the film that made both himself and star Leonardo DiCaprio emotional.
RELATED: ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD 4-Hour Cut Probably Coming Next Year
The scene shows DiCaprio’s Rick Dalton and Julia Butters’ Trudi Fraser having talking on the phone after their first day on the fictitious Lancer set. They share a heartfelt conversation about how lucky they are to be in the business before they do a reading of the next day’s scene. This poignant moment gives us a deeper look into the Dalton character.
It was hard to say goodbye to the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood scene, but it was necessary according to Tarantino.
“That was my favorite scene in the [Once Upon a Time in Hollywood] script, So the idea that that wouldn’t be in the movie was unfathomable. That was my favorite scene in the script. I think it was probably Leo’s favorite scene that he shot. We were in tears. It was the only time— I’ve gotten misty-eyed every once in a while shooting this scene versus that scene. But that scene, I mean, Julia and I were in tears every time we finished every take. We were just really proud of that sequence.”
Tarantino continues, “The reason it’s not in the film is — it’s a two-fold reason. It seems like an ending to the movie, which, actually was OK in the script, because in the script, I looked at everything that happens in February as part of a three-act structure — and then the stuff that happens on the night of the murder as an epilogue. But that was the wrong way to think about it. Once we started putting the movie together, the stuff that happens in August isn’t an epilogue, it’s the third act. We’ve got to look at it that way. And so, they pulled off the scene. The scene is terrific. It’s not about them. But when we really worked on assembly … we realized that after the Spahn Ranch, that ends the February section. There’s no coming back from that. That is the ending of that. And now we can’t just end [Once Upon a Time in Hollywood] with the Spahn Ranch. So the idea is, after Spahn Ranch, we have to wrap up February as soon as we possibly can. And then once we do, then we go into August. And that happens a lot in movies. You drop scenes that are really terrific, but a timeline imposes itself on the cut.”
You can catch a glimpse of the scene in the Sony Pictures commercial for the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood novelization on YouTube.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, written by Quentin Tarantino, was released on June 29th, and is available at all major booksellers in paperback, digital format, and audiobook.
Do you tend to like the book better than the movie? Let us know what you think about Once Upon a Time in Hollywood in the comments below or on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram! You can also continue the convo with me personally on Twitter @bone_angelique. Dread Central is now on Google News!
Categorized:News
