From Dusk Till Dawn - Gory Good Time or Schlock With A Budget?

Rating: 9/10 (7 February 2019)

From Dusk Till Dawn is a 1996 action horror film edited and directed by Robert Rodriguez and written by writer and director of Pulp Fiction, Quentin Tarantino, and make-up artist Robert Kurtzman. It stars George Clooney in his first lead film role, Quintin Tarantino, Harvey Keitel, Juliette Lewis, and Ernest Liu. Also starring in supporting roles are Fred Williamson (M*A*S*H, Black Caesar), Tom Savini (make-up effects artist for Friday the 13th and various George A. Romero films), and Robert Rodriguez regulars Cheech Marin, Danny Trejo, and Salma Hayek. The story follows two criminal brothers, played by Clooney and Tarantino, and their hostage family (Keitel, Lewis, and Liu) arriving at a bar in Mexico for temporary refuge, only to find out it's a vampire den. From there, they must survive the night until the brothers' contact can meet them in the morning. Upon its release, reviews could be considered fairly mixed, with critics like Roger Ebert calling it "a skillful meat-and-potatoes action extravaganza with some added neat touches" and other critics calling it "a triumph of vile over content; mindless nihilism posing as hipness". The film had a modest success at the box office, grossing $25.8 million against a $19 million budget, and has since obtained cult status. But is it really worth the praise, or is it truly nothing more than big budget trash?
As the movie begins, you're probably expecting a traditional cold open for a horror film. The standard "killer gives the audience a couple intro kills before the credits" type of deal. However, this isn't quite like other horror films. As it opens on a tense situation in a Texas liquor store, where The Gecko brothers, Seth (Clooney) and Richie (Tarantino) are introduced to the audience, the style and atmosphere is less vampire horror, and more akin to Robert Rodriguez's neo-Western action films El Mariachi, Desperado, and Once Upon a Time in Mexico (known together as the Mexico Trilogy). Now, while most horror film fans will be disinterested at this first half, which is where the film is more crime thriller than horror, it's actually a good way for us to get behind these characters, who are really bad people doing bad things. The first half shows their struggle realistically, as well as gives the brothers very humorous and distinctive personalities. The chemistry between Clooney and Tarantino is also very good, which makes them believable as brothers. This may also be the only film role in George Clooney's career in which he plays a true badass character, and not like his other characters who are only charming and charismatically awesome. Later in the film, for example, he gives some great one-liners that would make Arnold Schwarzenegger jealous and kills vampires in awesomely bloody ways. But, back in the first half of the film, we are also introduced to the Fuller family, consisting of former minister father Jacob (Keitel), daughter Kate (Lewis), and son Scott (Liu). They are on vacation via RV after Jacob's wife passes on in a car accident, an event which has caused Jacob to lose his faith. While Jacob's loss of faith subplot may seem to turn part of the film into a faith-based film at first, it works well within the story, even leading to the use of "I swear to God in Jesus Christ's name" as a pretty cool line. Of course, the Fuller's end up coming across the Gecko brothers, who take them hostage and have them drive the RV through the border into Mexico without getting caught by the law. This whole first half has great character development between both the criminal brothers and their hostage family, good humor, and fantastic acting, especially between George Clooney and Harvey Keitel. The characters become likeable and sympathetic, and we end up finding ourselves rooting for these criminals. Then as they cross the border into Mexico and the second half of the film, the crime thriller starts to get left behind and the action horror starts to begin.
As the gang reach the rendezvous location, a dive bar called the Titty Twister (yes, it's THAT kind of place), something begins to feel off. Maybe it's just how rowdy the outside of the place is, or the way the place is very out-of-the-way, or the very temple-like interior, or maybe it's the "truckers and bikers only" rule. Whatever the case is, the gang end up sitting down for a drink. After another great exchange between Seth Gecko and Jacob Fuller, we get to the part everyone remembers. The infamous dance scene of Salma Hayek's Santanico Pandemonium (a name which Tarantino lifted from the VHS cover of a Mexican horror film at the video store he used to work at) to Tito & Tarantula's "After Dark" is what is the most remembered scene in this film. From the dark and somewhat foreboding lighting, to the sensuality of the song, to the shots of the crowd being absolutely captivated (including some of Santanico's fellow dancers), to the freaking python around her, it's no doubt one of the most famous dance scenes in film history. However, the film can't all be this, since after Santanico's dance ends, three bar workers confront the Geckos for the previous outside assault of one of them. After they seemingly dispatch them, Richie's reopened hand wound stirs something in Santanico and with that, we finally get our first vampire.
The vampire makeup and the following gore effects during the bloody massacre of the patrons were designed by co-writer Robert Kurtzman, as well as Greg Nicotero and Howard Berger. Nicotero and Berger would later work on future Rodriguez projects, as well as The Walking Dead TV show, so you know these effects are the best of the best. Though some of the shots of the vampires melting away during death look very cheesy, it fits well with the B-movie tone of the film, so it's not too distracting from the rest of the practical effects and incredible makeup. It is here, when the bloodsuckers are revealed, that the film becomes somewhat of a vampire version of Assault on Precinct 13, which is fitting as Ernest Liu's Scott wears a shirt bearing "Precinct 13" throughout the film. It's also here where you can see that this film is more action than straight-up tense and terrifying horror, with the gang dispatching vampires via pool cues and table legs as wooden stakes, as well as one character wielding a whip.
As the gang, along with two bikers named Frost (Williamson) and Sex Machine (Savini), prepare to survive the night, we get more of the great dynamic between Seth and Jacob, as well as a humorous conversation on what can and how to kill vampires. It's here that I have to again commend the acting in this film. It's superb for the type of film this is. These great actors could just as easily phone all this in, but they give it their all, despite the story's tone and subject matter. While I'm at it, the cinematography in this is also very good; even though it does borrow various Tarantino-esque camerawork styles. But the action is shot very concise and clear, making it easy to make out.
As the film approaches the final act, it's all the crazy B-movie vampire fighting action you want to see. Here, we get a makeshift cross out of a baseball bat and a shotgun, holy water balloons out of condoms, and George Clooney wielding a stake mounted on a pneumatic drill. It's fun, ridiculous, gory, badassness from start to finish. By the time everything wraps up, the film has dished out a beautifully, albeit flawed, thrill ride.
Though much praise has been sung so far, it's time to look at some of the cons. One of them is Richie's tendencies to rape. While it is never shown, it's discussed a few times in the first half, but not in any fully graphic detail. Ultimately, however, this really doesn't do much to add to the story at all, and could be considered unnecessary. As much as the main characters are fleshed out, the supporting cast sometimes feels almost sidelined, even to the point where Fred Williamson's Frost never has his name stated in the film until the end credits. As said before that the first half is very different from horror, and the second half is more action horror than tense and terrifying horror. This very much alienates any traditional horror fans looking for something along the lines of 30 Days of Night or Blood for Dracula. The B-movie feel would also lose people looking for something more serious and suspenseful. Some may find some of the close-ups of T&A (mostly T) at the Titty Twister sleazy, but it stills fits the B-movie, drive-in, grindhouse-like style. As does the graphic gore. The film's shift in style can be very jarring and both halves feel like very different movies. The film also suffers from a few uneven pacing issues because of this, as well.
All in all, From Dusk Till Dawn may have some problems, but the B-movie action horror tone and its' style is something that you really just don't see in modern cinema anymore, or at least not done too well. If anybody can do movies perfect for drive-in spectacle like this, its Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino. And it is something they would later prove again and again on other projects. However, where the film fails, it makes up for by having great characters, bloody good action, a damn good soundtrack, and makeup effects that are both awesome and scary. If you're looking for a fun, big budget B-movie full of action, humor, and blood, look no further because this party is open from dusk till dawn.