From Dusk Till Dawn (Dimension Collector’s Series) Reviews

4 Comments

1. MetallicRaider17

   October 20, 2010 at 8:48 am

   Review by MetallicRaider17 for From Dusk Till Dawn (Dimension Collector’s Series)
   Rating:
   This movie starts out as an outlaw type movie with two guys on the run. It definitely has the feel of Pulp Fiction in certain scenes early on in the movie. George Clooney and Quentin Tarantino are that their best in this movie. The story is excellent and moves along at a good pace. There are plenty of sub plots and decent character development. Things really pickup and take a different turn at the bar in Mexico. The movie then switches to horror mode. There is plenty of dark humor throughout this movie and it is very original. The acting is superb from the entire cast and the movie is very enjoyable to watch. This movie is not for children or the faint of heart since there is plenty of violence and gore. This is definitely George Clooney’s best piece of work other than O’Brother Where Art Thou. As for Quentin Tarantino this is his best work other than Pulp Fiction. The 5.1 Dolby audio track is spacious and the rear channels as well as the sub woofer are utilized frequently throughout the movie. The Non-Anamorphic widescreen transfer is above average with only slight color bleeding and only in the darkest scenes. There are plenty of extras with this version. The second disk contains the documentary Full Tilt Boogie. It is approximately 90 minutes long and very interesting. It presents the making of the movie from various aspects such as Assistant Director, Grips, and even the food service crew.

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2. Rein Engel

   October 20, 2010 at 8:08 am

   Review by Rein Engel for From Dusk Till Dawn (Dimension Collector’s Series)
   Rating:
   I first caught this movie from the opening credits, right after the “World O Liquor” get’s blown up, and was hooked. For me this movie was different from anything else I have ever seen. It starts out setting up a kidnapping plot, but takes such a sharp turn in the middle of the movie, you’re left breathless. Another thing I really liked was the fact that all you’re good guys don’t save the day and walk out of the movie breathing, only Seth and Kate remain, which played for a really cool ending. The soundtrack is also kewl, I found the cover theme “Dark Night” by The Blasters to be a very good song, as most made-for-movie songs are not.You really should pick this movie up or at least rent it. You’ll find it a very different film.

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3. cookieman108

   October 20, 2010 at 7:37 am

   Review by cookieman108 for From Dusk Till Dawn (Dimension Collector’s Series)
   Rating:
   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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4. Michael Crane

   October 20, 2010 at 7:00 am

   Review by Michael Crane for From Dusk Till Dawn (Dimension Collector’s Series)
   Rating:
   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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