Home/Episodes/Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood
‘Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood’ Live From Sundance With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Chris Ryan
February 6, 2020 · Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood (2019) · Comedy · Drama · 1:22:29 · ▶ Listen on Spotify
Categories
Most Rewatchable Scene
Bill SimmonsMultiple scenes including Sharon Tate watching her own movie at the theater, Cliff picking up the hitchhiker, Rick's freak out/breakdown scene, and Cliff going to the Spahn Ranch▶ 31:11
Chris RyanAny scene of driving in this movie - every scene where people are just driving around listening to the radio▶ 30:31
Sean FennesseyRick practicing his lines at his house by the pool and Rick's freak out scene (which he says will win the category)▶ 33:23
What's Aged the Best
Bill SimmonsRick Dalton's house, the dog Brandy, how they recreated 1969 Hollywood, production design and costumes, the Playboy Mansion, Bounty Law, 1960s airplanes, El Coyote restaurant, Rick's Italian movies, Fat Leo, and the extended cast▶ 40:39
Chris RyanThe accumulated works of Rick Dalton - all the Bounty Law stuff, the FBI episode, the Italian spaghetti westerns, Operation Dynamite▶ 45:25
Sean FennesseyThe purposeful storytelling choices like the painting of Rick in his driveway (inspired by Lee Van Cleef's house), and Rick Dalton as an ode to actors like Macarrus and Chakarrus who could have been Steve McQueen but didn't get the chance▶ 44:51
What's Aged the Worst
Bill SimmonsDamien Lewis as Steve McQueen - feels miscast due to baggage from his roles in Billions and Homeland, and the ogling Sharon Tate scene doesn't work▶ 50:44
Chris RyanAgrees Damien Lewis is not good and miscast, also criticizes how the character is written as 'Mr. Exposition'▶ 51:09
Sean FennesseyAgrees Damien Lewis is miscast as Steve McQueen and it's one of the only things in the movie he doesn't like▶ 51:13
Casting What-Ifs
Bill SimmonsBurt Reynolds — Discusses multiple casting what-ifs including Burt Reynolds for Bruce Dern's role, Jennifer Lawrence originally approached for Sharon Tate, Al Pacino role written specifically for him, and mentions having a choice for who should have played Dern's character but doesn't reveal it▶ 52:34
Chris RyanBruce Dern — Fine with Bruce Dern over Burt Reynolds, discusses Tim Roth and James Marsden being cut, mentions rumors about Samuel L. Jackson and Tom Cruise possibly being considered for roles▶ 52:58
Sean FennesseyBruce Dern — Prefers Bruce Dern over Burt Reynolds because Reynolds would have been too much like Rick Dalton, while Dern was always the bad guy in Westerns▶ 53:01
Joey Pants Award
Bill SimmonsClifton Collins Jr. — Clifton Collins as the vaquero and Danielle Harris (little girl from Halloween 4, now a grown up Manson family lady)▶ 57:36
Chris RyanJames Remar — James Remar as Ugly Owl Hoot on Bounty Law (known from 48 Hours and The Warriors)▶ 57:29
Sean FennesseyDamon Herriman — Mentioned Rebecca Gayhart, Damon Harriman from Justified, and Clue Gallagher (bookstore owner who sells Tess of Ubervilles)▶ 57:54
Probably Unanswerable Questions
Chris RyanCritiques the Jake Gyllenhaal/Gerard Butler suggestion, notes their physical differences and age gap, suggests Matt Damon and Ben Affleck as alternatives▶ 1:03:07
Sean FennesseyDiscusses the role flip scenario and suggests Jake Gyllenhaal and Gerard Butler as alternative casting▶ 1:02:40
Half-Assed Internet Research
Bill SimmonsPresents multiple trivia facts including Brad Pitt's ad-libbed line, Leo's genuine flamethrower reaction, Michael Madsen's Cadillac from Reservoir Dogs, Tarantino owning the Eros Theater, Mad Magazine prop details, and Leo owning The Maltese Falcon used in the film▶ 1:04:14
Chris RyanSpeculates the actor who gave Brad Pitt encouragement was Rappaport from True Romance, saying 'you're Brad fucking Pitt'▶ 1:04:38
Sean FennesseySuggests Saul Rubinek as the actor who encouraged Brad Pitt, and notes Trudy character has some Jodie Foster inspiration due to her professional Western TV appearances▶ 1:04:45
Apex Mountain
Bill SimmonsOcean's Eleven — Ocean's Eleven for Brad Pitt (initially suggested Moneyball but changed after discussion about him dating Jennifer Aniston)▶ 1:08:14
Chris RyanOcean's Eleven — Ocean's Eleven for Brad Pitt (argued against Moneyball due to box office, brought up the Jennifer Aniston dating timeline)▶ 1:07:59
Best Quote
Sean FennesseyHey, you could do anything you want with him. Shit, throw him off a building, right? Light him on fire. Hit him with a Lincoln, right? Get creative. Do whatever you want. He's just happy for the opportunity▶ 1:13:03
Movies Referenced (52)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moneyball (2011) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | ▶ 5:47 |
| Blood Diamond (2006) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 5:08 |
| Boogie Nights (1997) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 40:49 |
| Ocean's Eleven (2001) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 1:07:59 |
| 1917 (2019) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 3:38 |
| True Romance (1993) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 31:36 |
| Charlie's Angels (2000) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 11:44 |
| Elvis (2022) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:00:49 |
| Fight Club (1999) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 5:55 |
| Halloween (1978) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 58:19 |
| Inside Out (2015) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 17:46 |
| Lincoln (2012) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Sean Fennessey | ▶ 1:13:07 |
Directors Referenced (8)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quentin Tarantino | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 35 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, From Dusk Till Dawn | ▶ 3:56 |
| Roman Polanski | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Chinatown | ▶ 46:21 |
| Baz Luhrmann | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Sean Fennessey | The Great Gatsby | ▶ 1:00:49 |
| John Cassavetes | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Chris Ryan | Rosemary's Baby | ▶ 1:14:58 |
| Clint Eastwood | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Million Dollar Baby, Gran Torino, Unforgiven | ▶ 17:00 |
| Hal Needham | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Smokey and the Bandit | ▶ 16:33 |
| Kevin Smith | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | Clerks, Chasing Amy | ▶ 48:06 |
| William Hoffa | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Limitless, Furious 7, Creed | ▶ 21:04 |
Actors Referenced (69)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brad Pitt | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 41 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | Fight Club, 12 Monkeys, Mr. & Mrs. Smith | ▶ 4:46 |
| Rick Dalton | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 41 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | To Live and Die in L.A. | ▶ 1:47 |
| Bruce Lee | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 18 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | Enter the Dragon | ▶ 25:32 |
| Sharon Tate | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 17 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | Valley of the Dolls | ▶ 2:16 |
| Burt Reynolds | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 11 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | Boogie Nights, Smokey and the Bandit, Striptease | ▶ 16:33 |
| Jude Law | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 10 | Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | The Talented Mr. Ripley, The Grand Budapest Hotel | ▶ 4:07 |
| Steve McQueen | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 10 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | The Great Escape | ▶ 16:13 |
| Al Pacino | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | Dog Day Afternoon, The Godfather | ▶ 4:46 |
| Leonardo DiCaprio | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 8 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Inception, The Wolf of Wall Street, The Departed | ▶ 4:57 |
| Bruce Dern | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | The Hateful Eight, Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood | ▶ 52:37 |
| James Marsden | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | X-Men, Enchanted | ▶ 53:20 |
| Neil Diamond | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 5:08 |
Writers Referenced (3)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackie Files | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 11:42 | |
| Aaron Sorkin | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | A Few Good Men | ▶ 42:17 |
| Ed Burns | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | ▶ 45:53 |