How does Once Upon A Time In Hollywood differ from Tarantino’s past work?

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Once Upon A Time In Hollywood Presents a Departure from Tarantino's Previous Films

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood distinguishes itself from Quentin Tarantino's earlier works by shifting its thematic focus from vengeance and anger to love and sweetness, embodying an "old school white cowboy hero code of honour." While previous films like Django Unchained and Inglourious Basterds utilized cinema as a vehicle for wish fulfillment to alter history driven by a desire for retribution, this latest offering explores a similar narrative device but with a fundamentally different emotional core. This film is characterized as potentially Tarantino's warmest and most tender movie to date, a notable contrast to the often more confrontational and overtly violent tones of his past cinematic endeavors.
A Shift Towards Warmth and Sweetness

Unlike the core emotions of anger and vengeance that fueled earlier Tarantino successes such as Django Unchained and Inglourious Basterds, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is described as being driven by love and sweetness. This thematic shift positions the film as potentially Tarantino's most affectionate work, a sentiment echoed by comparisons to Jackie Brown. The narrative centers on characters like Rick Dalton, a fading Western star, and his stunt double Cliff Booth, allowing for a more introspective and character-driven exploration. The film luxuriates in the quiet moments of its characters' lives, creating an elegiac mood piece rather than a plot-heavy thriller.
Championing Outdated Values

The film embraces and champions values that are presented as having become outdated in the contemporary climate of social justice discourse and political correctness. This is exemplified by the film’s focus on an "old school white cowboy hero code of honour," which serves as its central thematic element. This code of conduct, deeply rooted in classic Western archetypes, contrasts with the often morally ambiguous or overtly transgressive characters found in Tarantino's filmography. The narrative, set in 1969 Hollywood, allows for an exploration of these values within a specific historical and cultural context.
Cinema as Wish Fulfillment with a Different Tone

Similar to how Django Unchained and Inglourious Basterds employed cinema as a means of wish fulfillment to rewrite historical wrongs, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood utilizes this same narrative mechanism. However, the emotional tenor of this wish fulfillment is distinct. Instead of channeling anger and retribution, the film uses cinematic fantasy to explore themes of love and honour. This approach is further enhanced by the film's visual style, which features warm, sunny color palettes and meticulous attention to period detail, contributing to its fairy-tale-like quality.

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How does Once Upon A Time In Hollywood differ from Tarantino’s past work?

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