Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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31 of 36 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great exploitation film. Repeat: EXPLOITATION!, October 28, 1999
A lot of folks have trouble with this film. They are turned off by the over-the-top violence, mayhem, and sex. What they don't understand is that it is nothing more than a really well-made exploitation film. Remember those? Movies which had no higher agenda than providing plenty of fun, cheap thrills, like gratuitous sex and violence? Many of them were made in the late '60s and throughout the '70s? Like Women In Prison films? Blaxploitation? Car-racing movies? Slasher films? Russ Meyer movies? Anyone? Well, for those who DO remember, and who don't need every flick they see to contain lofty statements about the nature of mankind and the universe, you will love this movie. The cast is great: I mean, come on, Harvey Keitel, Juliette Lewis, Fred Williamson... even Quentin, who can't act, is utilized effectively. Clooney has a great role which no one seemed to appreciate, Hayek does a lewd dance with a snake which will make your shorts explode, and Cheech Marin is, as always, a laugh riot. This film is at fever pitch every step of the way and contains plenty of Rodriguez camera-acrobatics and clever Tarantino dialogue. Please understand, people, this film IS trash. Good, fun, doesn't-take-itself-at-all-seriously trash! God love it!
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28 of 36 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"If you make a noise, Mr. 44 makes a noise...", November 7, 2003
Having trouble finding a good vampire flick that's exciting and scary? Looking for something that doesn't abide by regular horror genera rules? "From Dusk Till Dawn" may be the one to choose. With a sizzling screenplay by Quentin Tarantino and perfectly directed by Robert Rodriguez, this is a horror/thriller to remember.The Gecko brothers are two extremely violent criminals who end up taking a family hostage. The family is forced to drive the notorious brothers to the end of the border. They end up making a pit stop at a Mexican bar, where the brothers are supposed to meet their contact. However, things get out of hand when it turns out that the place is contaminated with vampire strippers and truckers. You add all of those elements together and you get one hell of a ride that you'll never forget. I'm not the biggest fan of vampires, but I thought this was an EXCELLENT movie. It's unpredictable and exhilarating. You have no idea where the movie will take you until it's all said and done. This is not your ordinary vampire flick, and that's what makes this movie so great. It's a breath of fresh air and so much more. The acting really makes the movie what it is. George Clooney gives a remarkable performance (this was before he was the big star that he is today). Quentin Tarantino does a great job of contributing dark and chaotic humor to the film with his role. Other major players include Harvey Keitel, Juliet Lewis, Cheech Marin and plenty more. The screenplay by Tarantino is great and never misses a beat. It's packed with snappy dialogue that one would not expect to hear in a horror movie. Rodriguez does an exceptional job of directing as well. I don't have the fully loaded version of the movie, so I am stuck with the plain version for now. The picture quality looks pretty good, considering that it isn't enhanced for widescreen TVs. The sound is really lacking, though. I had to keep fumbling around with the volume controls throughout the movie, as it kept going from being quiet to extremely loud. That might be reason enough to get the Collector's Edition of the film. A theatrical trailer and teaser trailer are both included on the DVD, but those are the only extra features you'll find on this DVD version. "From Dusk Till Dawn" is a wildly entertaining flick that really stands out from the others. It has some extremely funny moments, as well as some very scary and exciting sequences. This movie pretty much has it all. If you're looking for a horror/thriller movie that isn't like the rest, give this one a try. This is definitely one of my favorites.
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38 of 51 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
"You're telling me I'm not good enough to drink here?!", March 8, 2005
I've seen quite a few films featuring writer/producer/director/actor (that last credit is given grudgingly) Quentin Tarantino's involvement in some form or other, my favorite being True Romance (1993) and my least favorite being Natural Born Killers (1994), both of which he wrote. One thing I've noticed throughout is Tarantino must be one of the biggest movie fans (he seems to thrive on the exploitive) I've ever seen, perhaps even bigger than me. How do I figure this? Because his films seem to be comprised of many other films, hucking parts of them into a blender, adding a dose of his own, skewed originality, a pinch of spunk (figuratively or literally, whichever you prefer), and hitting purée. Many adore him, many hate him (I fall somewhere in-between), but for me, he does entertain, and what more could you ask (a lot, I suppose, but you probably ain't gonna get it)? From Dusk Till Dawn (1996) features a screenplay by Quentin Tarantino, and directed by Robert Rodriguez (Desperado, Sin City). The film stars George Clooney (O Brother, Where Art Thou?), Harvey Keitel (The Piano), Juliette Lewis (What's Eating Gilbert Grape), and Tarantino himself. Also appearing is a myriad of notables including the very curvaceous Salma Hayek (Frida), Cheech Marin (The Shrimp on the Barbie), character actor Danny Trejo (Con Air), special effects artist and actor Tom Savini (Dawn of the Dead), 70's blaxploitation star Fred Williamson (Hell Up in Harlem, Black Caesar), Michael Parks (Escape from Bogen County), John Saxon (Enter the Dragon), and Kelly Preston (Mischief).
The film begins with two brothers, Seth (Clooney) and Richard (Tarantino) Gecko, on the run from the law. Seems these two have been very bad boys, first robbing a bank, and then killing a number of law enforcement agents during their escape (the brothers being the ones escaping, not the law enforcement agents...geez, why would law enforcement agents be trying to escape? Stay with me here). As we spend time with the brothers, we learn that the killings probably occurred at the hands of Richard, as he seems to be on the violent and unstable side (great combo, by the way), while Seth appears to be the brains, and possessing a much more firm grasp on reality. Anyway, the boys make it to Texas, their intent being to take the money from the bank job and live a life of luxury south of the border. Only problem is the law enforcement types, especially angered at the death of a few of their own, have thrown up a dragnet, and are closing in on the pair. Seeing their chances of making it across the border on their own ranging from slim to none (and slim just left town), the pair hitches a ride with Jakob Fuller (Keitel), his daughter Kate (Lewis), and Jakob's adopted son, in the family's recreational vehicle. The group does manage to slip through the border, and end up in the seediest biker bar you'll ever see, where Seth and Richard await contact with an associate who'll take them to the promised land, that is if they can survive the night as the bar turns out to be the equivalent of a vampiric roach motel, humans check in, but they don't check out.
I can see where this film might put some off, and I'm not just talking about the copious amounts of graphic violence (the film was actually toned down in this regard, if you can believe it. Look for the deleted scenes in the special features section to see what was cut). The movie starts off as one film (and action-type thriller), and then about an hour in, breaks off into an entirely different film (vampires, and those who kill them). The transition isn't entirely seamless, but I went with it anyway. Probably the best element in the film is George Clooney, as he not only has many of the best lines, but also delivers them in a convincing manner. Harvey Keitel is certain worth watching, yet he seemed to take his part just a bit too seriously at times, in my opinion, but this was offset by Clooney and his underlying jovialness. Lewis, whom I don't care for in general, did alright, and actually looked kinda cute, albeit a trifle skinny for my tastes. Tarantino was probably the weakest element in the film, but at least he and director Rodriguez had the good sense to populate the film with enough talent to offset this factor. If you're not a fan of the graphic violence, then you should avoid this one, as its loaded with visceral goriness (I read they decided to go with green blood for the vampires as to get much of the violence past the censors). I thought the direction by Rodriguez to be very strong, as he kept the film rolling along at a swift pace, and set the mood wonderfully not only with well thought out shots, but also a lot of interesting and applicable musical selections. I especially liked the song played during Selma Hayek's seductive dance routine. It was as beautiful as the actress herself...and speaking of Hayek, I don't think I've ever seen anyone fill out a bikini as well as she does...that scene might be worth the price of the disk alone.
The non-anamorphic widescreen (1.85:1) picture is very good, and the audio is superior. Special features include a commentary track by Tarantino and Rodriguez, along with ads, two music videos, outtakes, three featurettes, still gallery, deleted/alternate scenes, and cast/crew bios. Also included is a 2nd DVD with a full-length feature titled Full Tilt Boogie, a film shot during the shooting schedule of From Dusk Till Dawn. The film was followed by two direct to video sequels, From Dusk Till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money (1999) and From Dusk Till Dawn 3: The Hangman's Daughter (2000). There is a box set with all these movies, but compare the price against the individual releases (I think the latter is cheaper).
Cookieman108
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