The first Quentin Tarantino book

I am a Quentin Tarantino super-fan. So, I read his first book which is a detailed re-telling of his last movie and also named the same - 

Once upon a Time in … Hollywood

Tarantino tries to paint a picture of 1969. He does it perfectly in the movie but the book; I'm not so sure. It is one of my favorite period movies(the kind of movies which you watch over and over) Not sure, if he does a good job because I had watched the movie multiple times before reading the book. So, I already know the picture/frame what he was trying to paint.

 

But, unlike the book, there is a deep-dive into the characters, especially Cliff Booth, played by Brad Pitt in the movie. In the movie, Cliff is just a good looking war veteran who has allegedly murdered his own wife and is trying to be a full-time stunt man. But, in the book, we learn that Cliff is a badass war veteran who has killed a lot of people and definitely killed his wife. He is this macho guy who watches a lot of movies, not just for entertainment value. He actually thinks about the technical aspects of the movies he watches which makes him relatable to me. But, the 'killed-his-own-wife' part makes him a bad guy but I almost forgot that part while reading the book because he was just so cool and badass and masculine and macho and romantic and flirty and loving-towards-animals and everything that every guy aspires to be(or maybe just me).

 

Rick Dalton(Leo DiCaprio's character) comes out more rude in the book that in the movie. In the movie, he is very vulnerable guy who is trying to stay afloat in the show-business and trying very hard to not be a 'has-been' of Hollywood.

In the book, we get to learn he is almost bipolar. He's like a happy kid when everything's going right and he's almost depressed when things are going wrong for him. He's also an alcoholic which explains everything he does throughout the book.

 

The best part is the story of Charlie manson and his cult. Charlie is cunning and manipulative but he's equally stupid and victim of his own image because everybody he's trying to impress is skeptical of his cunning and manipulative methods.

Don’t judge me for saying below things - but - I am almost a fan of how Charlie Manson traps all the women in his cult without even making them feel trapped. He's like a leader who manipulates people's minds and makes them do things for his own benefit but makes them feel like it is for their own benefit; just like some political leaders(ring a bell.. Hmmm). And this quality is just amazing.

 

That's it. These were my takeaways. I know this was like comparing the movie to the book but that's what happens when you write a book inspired by one of the best movies of that decade. 

The book is very funny and you have many surprising moments. Also, there is one irritating thing that you might observe that Quentin adds a lot of names of many different characters from 1960s to make it relatable but as an Indian reader, it just doesn't make any sense unless you have some knowledge about Hollywood actors and directors of the 1960s.

 

So, overall it is a 3/5 book; can be used as a research book of the 1960s Hollywood. Read it, you will enjoy it.

If you are a Quentin Tarantino fan like me, it is 4/5 book.

If you want VIBES, read the book while watching the movie over the course of a week. You’ll get the VIBES.

Bro Out.