Once Upon A Time In Hollywood Scene Captures 1969 and Will Hook You
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Once Upon A Time In Hollywood Scene Captures 1969 and Will Hook You
There are some years that shift the cultural landscape, and because of that, 1969 was a watershed year.
Quentin Tarantino’s film Once Upon A Time in…Hollywood is set in 1969 and explores what was happening in the creative scene 50 years ago.
This scene within the first 20 minutes of the movie, captures the spirit of the swinging 60’s and the Hollywood lifestyle of celebrities in 1969. Tarantino’s deft selection of hits from that era for the soundtrack effectively transports you into that time period.
I was already sleepy when I started watching this movie, so I dozed off after only 5 minutes, but then this scene started and I woke to the sounds of Hush (Deep Purple) — suddenly I was alert and riveted for the rest of the movie.
If you’re a Pop culture vulture, or a history buff, this early scene is sure to capture your interest and get you ready for a 3 hour trip into Tarantino’s imagined history.
This period piece is centered around the Charles Manson murders. The tragedy set off a fascination with Hollywood true crime and revived a phenomenon known as Helter Skelter. The Helter Skelter scenario is a theory put forth by Vincent Bugliosi, lead prosecutor in the Tate–LaBianca murder trial, to explain the series of murders committed by the Manson Family. His book Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders explains how Charles Manson often spoke to the members of his “family” about “Helter Skelter” in the months leading up to the murders of Sharon Tate and Leno and Rosemary LaBianca in August 1969. It’s a vision of an apocalyptic war arising from racial tensions between blacks and whites, which involved references to music of the Beatles, particularly songs from their 1968 double album The Beatles (commonly known as “the White Album”), and to the New Testament’s Book of Revelation.
Movie Character Factoids
Rafal Zawierucha plays Roman Polanski, the director, who in the late 60’s was better known for the ground breaking horror film, Rose Mary’s Baby. Polanski is also infamous for being a fugitive in the United States. On February 1, 1978, after 42 days in jail, Polanski fled the US while awaiting final sentencing, having pleaded guilty to statutory rape with a minor.
Margot Robbie plays Sharon Tate, an actor who made her film debut in the 1961 film, Barabbas, starring Anthony Quinn.
Tate’s most memorable performance was as Jennifer North in the 1967 cult classic film, Valley of the Dolls, a role that earned her a Golden Globe Award nomination.
Tate’s last completed film, was released posthumously in 1969. Two years before her death she performed in the film The Fearless Vampire Killers, which was directed by her future husband, Roman Polanski.
Damian Lewis, as his character, Steve McQueen, tells a tale about a love triangle in this Playboy Mansion scene.
Emile Hirsch plays Jay Sebring, a celebrity hair stylist, and the founder of the hairstyling corporation Sebring International.
Rebecca Rittenhouse plays Michelle Phillips, the singer, songwriter, and actor who ascended to fame in the mid 1960’s as a vocalist in the musical quartet The Mamas and the Papas.
It’s a family affair
Michelle Phillips’ daughter is Chynna Phillips, a famous member of the vocal group Wilson Phillips, and is the half-sister of Mackenzie Phillips and Bijou Phillips.
Chynna Phillips is married to one of the famous Baldwin brothers: actor William Baldwin.
Mackenzie Phillips Is known for her roles in American Graffiti; the sitcom One Day at a Time; and for the Disney Channel science fiction show So Weird.
Bijou Phillips Is an actor, model, socialite, and singer. She began her career as a mode at the age of 13, becoming one of the youngest persons ever to appear on the cover of Italian Vogue.
Bijou Phillips’ spouse is Danny Masterson, an actor and disc jockey. He is best known for the role of Steven Hyde in That ’70s Show.
Several other events happened in 1969 that still reverberate to this day.
1969 was a memorable year distinguished by the Apollo 11 moon landing, the Boeing 747, and the creation of the internet and many other Pop Culture happenings.
The Internet, then known as ARPANET, was brought online on Oct 29, 1969 connecting crude computers at Harvard, MIT, and UCLA. The result of some visionary thinking by people in the early 1960s that saw the value in computers sharing information.
The Beatles last live performance
The British band which stormed the world and resulted in mania gave their final live performance on the roof of the Apple building in London, England.
The surprise rooftop performance lasted for 42 minutes and marked the last time that John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr would all publicly perform together.
Mister Rogers goes to Washington, DC
Fred Rogers, known to millions as Mister Rogers from “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” testified before Congress to try and stop then President Richard Nixon from slashing funding for public media.
The beloved TV star offered a moving speech in which he explained what he tried to accomplish with his show.
Gay rights milestone
The Stonewall uprising in New York City during the summer of 1969 shifted the fight for LGBTQ rights.
World Pride was held in New York City this year and celebrated the anniversary of the pivotal, historical event.
‘The Godfather’ begins
The novel by Mario Puzo was first published in March 1969 and led to the iconic 1972 film of the same name.
Woodstock
Held between August 15 to 18, this outdoor concert attracted hundreds of thousands to a dairy farm in upstate New York and set the lineup bar for all music festivals that have followed.
More than 30 acts performed during the weekend, billed as “three days of peace and music,” in the midst of the Vietnam War.
Woodstock became one of the symbols of counterculture and strife at the time.