I am here today to pour love all over my favorite film of all-time; “From Dusk til Dawn”. This movie is a masterpiece in genre movie-making. At the time of making this film you had two of the biggest young directors in Hollywood come together as writer (Quentin Tarantino) and director (Robert Rodriguez). The genius behind this film is the plot. Two brothers, on the run from the law, hijack a family in a winnebago, who in turn help the brothers smuggle themselves across the Mexican border. Now all they have to do, the family and the brothers, is survive the night in a sleazy Mexican bar that isn’t quite what it seems. The last part of the last sentence, “survive the night in a sleazy Mexican bar...”, is where the genius comes in. Apparently, the bar’s proprietors are vampires.
What starts off as a highly entertaining crime picture turns into this grotesque horror film that keeps right on entertaining. Robert has his on unique way of shooting a film and it fits perfectly here. The dialogue is superb, like any Tarantino film has, but is the way that Robert plays with reactions to the dialogue that makes this film great. Also, There is a no-holds-barred on the violence throughout the whole film, from the opening shoot-out sequence right to the crazy bar fight with the vamps at the end. This movie grabs hold of you and does not let you go.
The cast is fantastic. The one you will look at and say “WTF” about is Quentin Tarantino playing Richard Gecko, brother to Seth, George Clooney’s character. Believe me, it works. Quentin may not be the best actor, but he wrote this character for himself and so the acting was just second nature. You can see in George Clooney’s eyes that he was ready to be a movie star and Robert made sure of it here. Even when Clooney isn’t talking he makes his presence know on the screen. Both of these men had to act there asses off against the legend that is Harvey Keitel. Harvey was able to take all that energy he brings to a role and covers it just below the surface as the quiet, reserved, faith-in-crisis, Jacob. Juliet Lewis is at her best in a role that was not very big, but when she was on screen she made every minute count. I think that the secondary characters are what truly make this a dream of a movie. Cheech Marin plays three different parts in this that works beautifully within the film. Horror icon Tom Savini is perfect in his role as Sex Machine along with Blaxpliotation star Fred Williamson. But the coolest character as well as actor was Texas Ranger Earl McGraw played by Michael Parks. I had never seen this veteran actor in anything before and when he shows up at the beginning of the film you almost hope the movie is about him, he is that good. Michael goes on to play the same role in several other Tarantino films.(Kill Bill and Deathproof as well as Robert’s Planet Terror). Jesus, I almost forgot Salma Hayek. Her role as Satanico Pandemonium is one of the sexiest she has ever done. If you don’t like woman built like Salma, you have something seriously wrong with you.
This is one of the most goriest, over the top action/horror movies I have ever seen. The story is perfect. The execution is perfect and the cast is divine. You will watch this one with the smile on your face. It is that good. Now go and watch! You will thank me later.
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