7 Films to Watch If You Loved Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
We tell you which films are really close in plot, idea and atmosphere.
The Disaster Artist
The film is based on the autobiography of Greg Sestero, the co-writer and close friend of Tommy Wiseau. According to Sestero, Wiseau felt that only two actors could embody him in the film – James Franco or Johnny Depp. At the heart of the story is the unlucky filmmaker Greg, who meets the freakish director Tommy Wiseau at the start of his career.
The two become friends and together they set out to conquer Hollywood. To get into character, Franco gave Tommy Wiseau-style instructions throughout the filming process. Seth Rogen noted that working with Franco was not easy, as he had to get used to his funny accent.
Hail, Caesar!
Another film set in the hollywood Dream Factory of the 50s. Eddie Mannix, played on screen by Josh Brolin, works in the famous film studio as a “fixer” who deals with difficult situations. His main task is to protect celebrities from unwanted journalistic attention, get rid of the stars’ “dirty laundry” and stop gossips that can ruin their reputations and damage their careers. Note that the fictional Capitol Pictures studio was previously featured in Barton Fink, another Coen Brothers film.
Zeroville
Another James Franco comedy-drama, based on Steve Erikson's book of the same title.
Franco came to the Venice Festival in 2014 and announced that he was directing an independent film that he would probably present in Venice next year. Franco plays an excommunicated seminarian who dreams of working in the film industry and goes to Los Angeles in the late 60s. Caught up in the challenging times of the Hollywood film industry, he finds himself immersed in a world of sex, drugs and rock'n'roll.
Café Society
Let's now time-travel back to the Hollywood of the '30s, brought to the screen by cult director and screenwriter Woody Allen. A guy called Dorfman, played on screen by Jesse Eisenberg, comes to Los Angeles from New York and tries to get a job in the film industry with the help of his uncle Phil, played by Steve Carell.
Woody Allen mentioned that his goal was to make a film structured like a literary work. The film was the most expensive of all the director's films. The estimated budget was $30 million.
Hitchcock
Director Sacha Gervasi's biopic focuses on the relationship between Alfred Hitchcock, played by Sir Anthony Hopkins, and his wife Alma Reville, played by Dame Helen Mirren, during the making of Psycho in 1959.
Hitchcock is a truly legendary director unafraid to experiment. For many years, his trademark was high-budget films in the original suspense genre. But then, out of the blue, Hitchcock decided to make a black-and-white film called Psycho. During the filming process, the maestro of suspense was making use of new techniques to make people shiver.
Life
Anton Corbijn's film follows the legendary Hollywood actor James Dean's thorny path to international success and his friendship with photographer Dennis Stock. The film features some of the most controversial and famous actors of our time. Dennis Stock, an employee of the Magnum Photos agency, is sent to photograph Dean before the release of East of Eden. A friendship is forged between the two as they travel together from California to New York and Indiana.
Entourage
Doug Ellin's film is a sequel to HBO's Entourage series.
Movie star Vincent Chase, with the support of his friends, decides to challenge the controversial and sometimes ruthless world of Hollywood. The film received unflattering reviews from critics but grossed over $44 million at the box office.