From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)

Two criminals and their hostages unknowingly seek temporary refuge in an establishment populated by vampires, with chaotic results.

Director:

Robert Rodriguez

Writers:

Robert Kurtzman (story), Quentin Tarantino (screenplay)

Stars:

George Clooney, Quentin Tarantino, Harvey Keitel

4 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
George Clooney	...	Seth Gecko
Quentin Tarantino	...	Richard Gecko
Harvey Keitel	...	Jacob Fuller
Juliette Lewis	...	Kate Fuller
Ernest Liu	...	Scott Fuller
Salma Hayek	...	Santanico Pandemonium
Cheech Marin	...	Border Guard / Chet Pussy / Carlos
Danny Trejo	...	Razor Charlie
Tom Savini	...	Sex Machine
Fred Williamson	...	Frost
Michael Parks	...	Texas Ranger Earl McGraw
Brenda Hillhouse	...	Hostage Gloria Hill
John Saxon	...	FBI Agent Stanley Chase
Marc Lawrence	...	Old Timer Motel Owner
Kelly Preston	...	Newscaster Kelly Houge

Storyline

After a bank heist in Abilene with several casualties, the bank robber Seth Gecko and his psychopath and rapist brother Richard Gecko continue their crime spree in a convenience store in the middle of the desert while heading to Mexico with a hostage. They decide to stop for a while in a low-budget motel. Meanwhile the former minister Jacob Fuller is traveling on vacation with his son Scott and his daughter Kate in a RV. Jacob lost his faith after the death of his beloved wife in a car accident and quit his position of pastor of his community and stops for the night in the same motel Seth and Richard are lodged. When Seth sees the recreational vehicle, he abducts Jacob and his family to help his brother and him to cross the Mexico border, promising to release them on the next morning. They head to the truck drivers and bikers bar Titty Twister where Seth will meet with his partner Carlos in the dawn. When they are watching the dancer Santanico Pandemonium, Seth and Richard fight with ...

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Plot Keywords:

brother | mexico | hostage | vampire | motel | 

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Taglines:

Vampires. No Interviews.

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Horror

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong violence and gore, language and nudity

Details

Official Sites:

Dimension Films Official Facebook

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

19 January 1996 (USA)

Also Known As:

Del crepúsculo al amanecer

Filming Locations:

Austin, Texas, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$18,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£1,645,343 (UK) (14 June 1996)

Gross:

ITL 542,886,000 (Italy) (3 January 1997)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Dimension Films, A Band Apart, Los Hooligans Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS (8 channels) Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to the DVD featurettes, when Sex Machine is throwing around the other characters, Tom Savini actually punches many of the actors, including George Clooney.

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Goofs

In the Titty Twister, Jacob removes his glasses but in the next shot they are back on again.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Pete Bottoms: Hey, Earl
Earl McGraw: Yes, sir.
Pete Bottoms: What do ya know?
Earl McGraw: Well, it's a hot goddam day

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Crazy Credits

Ernest Liu's opening credit is run off the screen by Seth and Richard's car.

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Connections

Referenced in Horror Business (2005)

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Soundtracks

"She's Just Killing Me"
Written and Performed by ZZ Top

User Reviews

Not Your Average Mexican Hay-ride

Although I am not AS lovestruck with this film as many other reviewers are, I did find it an entertaining albeit conscience-churning experience. From Dusk Till Dawn really is two films in one. The first part tells the story of the Gecko boys(Not Geico) played by George Clooney and Quentin Tarentino. They are escapees from the law and have killed over a dozen people brutally already by the time the film opens. For me, this tale of how they kill a gas station guy and finally abduct a preacher and his two children for their RV is the most chilling part of the film. Clooney plays a guy with little moral conscience well. Tarentino does a good job too and you can see his wit throughout the script. I found both men very despicable, so I guess the acting was good. The film falls into parody/farce, however, once the the whole gang(the two Geckos and the preacher and his daughter and son)reach a strip club/bar out in the middle of nowhere in Mexico. What happens here, to the uninformed viewer, will be totally unexpected. Does it work? To a degree, however, the film really loses momentum and credibility it might have had. The acting in general is all acceptable. Harvey Keitel once again shows us why he is such a good actor. Juliette Lewis is also very good in her role as his daughter. Nice to see guys like Tom Savini and Fred Williamson too. Oh, and Salma Hayek IS the highlight of the film.