By Acclaimed director Quentin Tarantino wants this week’s premiere of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood to be spoiler-free. Taking to Twitter on the film’s official account, Tarantino uploaded a typed note that read the following:
I love cinema, You love cinema. It’s the journey of discovering a story for the first time.
The cast and crew have worked so hard to create something original, and I only ask that everyone avoids revealing anything that would prevent later audiences from experiencing the film in the same way.
While this sounds kind of odd, it has to do with the release schedule of the film. The Cannes Film Festival premiere is tomorrow night, but the film won’t be hitting wide release until July 26, 2019. That’s nearly two months later, so there is ample opportunity for fans and critics to spoil every detail of the movie. You could also read it another way, though.
When reviewing a film, it becomes hard to talk about specific points that one either liked or didn’t liked when you can’t “spoil” something. While I’m not going to defend revealing the entire plot during a review, sometimes you need to shed light on moments that could ruin a surprise for those unaware. Typically this is reserved for something like a guest role or even a twist that may otherwise derail the pacing of a story.
Still, I don’t think Tarantino is trying to silence critics with this. I believe he is more reacting to how fans can’t seem to shut up on social media once they see something. I can’t tell you how many times a TV show will air and not even 20 minutes later people are chatting away major plot points without a care in the world. While the quality of a show shouldn’t rely solely on specific moments, one could also have courtesy for people that aren’t able to immediately watch something.
Anyway, if you happen to catch Once Upon a Time in Hollywood tomorrow night, make sure to zip your lips. If you don’t, Tarantino will find you.
‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood‘: Quentin Tarantino Begs Cannes Crowds to Avoid Spoilers [Variety]
