Quentin Tarantino has declared 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' his finest film, describing it as his best work during a recent interview on Howard Stern's SiriusXM show. The director, who previously avoided ranking his films, stated unequivocally that the 2019 feature is his favourite.
Released in 2019, 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt as fading actors in 1969 Los Angeles, with Margot Robbie portraying Sharon Tate. The film grossed $374 million worldwide and earned 10 Oscar nominations, winning Brad Pitt the Best Supporting Actor award.
Tarantino's high regard for the film stands in stark contrast to his opinion of the current cinematic landscape. On his 'Video Archives Podcast', he argued that the present era, alongside the 1950s and 1980s, constitutes 'the worst era in Hollywood history'. He has previously criticised the dominance of superhero movies, telling the Los Angeles Times he would never direct a Marvel film because such projects require 'hired hands'.
The filmmaker also reflected on his most misunderstood work, 'Grindhouse' (2007), a double feature he co-directed with Robert Rodriguez. He admitted that audiences lacked the necessary context to appreciate the exploitation film homage, which bombed at the US box office.
Tarantino is currently promoting his new collection of film essays, 'Cinema Speculation', now available for purchase.
