From Dusk till Dawn
| From Dusk Till Dawn | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Robert Rodriguez |
| Written by | Story: Robert Kurtzman Screenplay: Quentin Tarantino |
| Produced by | Robert Rodriguez Quentin Tarantino Lawrence Bender |
| Starring | Harvey Keitel George Clooney Quentin Tarantino Juliette Lewis Cheech Marin Fred Williamson Salma Hayek |
| Distributed by | Miramax |
Release dates | January 19, 1996 |
Running time | 108 min. |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $19,000,000 |
From Dusk Till Dawn is a 1996 action / horror film directed by Robert Rodriguez. Quentin Tarantino wrote the screenplay, which was based on a treatment by Robert Kurtzman of KNB FX (Kurtzman and KNB FX also did special effects work for the movie) and John Esposito (who co-produced the film).
The film was followed by two direct-to-video sequels, From Dusk Till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money and From Dusk Till Dawn 3: The Hangman's Daughter.
Plot
Template:Spoiler The story begins with brothers Seth Gecko (Clooney) and Richie Gecko (Tarantino) on the run from the law. Headed to Mexico, they encounter the Fuller family, whom they take hostage, and then make their way across the border.
In Mexico, they must meet a contact, Carlos (Marin) at a bar called the "Titty Twister" which is open "from dusk till dawn". Carlos will meet the brothers there just before dawn. However, once inside, the Gecko brothers and their hostages, the Fuller family, discover that the keepers of this establishment are not what they first seem, and they must fight them off until dawn in order to survive. Template:Endspoiler Quentin Tarantino wrote the film as a favor for Robert Kurtzman, who provided the special make up effects for Reservoir Dogs. He was influenced by the 1975 horror/action film Race with the Devil starring Peter Fonda when writing the script, and certain dialogue and plot elements are similar in both films.
Labor issues during production
From Dusk Till Dawn employed a non-union production crew, which is unusual for a production with a budget above $10 million dollars. Rodriguez, Tarantino and producer Lawrence Bender defended this choice because it made for a more team like atmosphere on the set instead of people having to stick to their certified jobs. Yet the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts targeted the production for strike action seeking to shut down filming, feeling that the film was a large enough production to warrant a unionized crew. Police were employed on set during some shooting days although no strike or rioting ever took place. This issue is covered in the making-of documentary Full Tilt Boogie featured on the film's DVD.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Harvey Keitel | Jacob Fuller |
| George Clooney | Seth Gecko |
| Quentin Tarantino | Richie Gecko |
| 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 |
Trivia
- Rodriguez originally commissioned one of his favourite painters, Frank Frazetta, to create the one-sheet poster for the film. Although the poster ultimately wasn't used, Rodriguez struck up a frienship with Frazetta and the two planned on working together. This almost came to fruition in early 2004 when Rodriguez was originally hired to direct John Carter of Mars and he brought on Frazetta as the film's production designer. When Rodriguez was forced to leave the film, Frazetta left as well.
- The influence of the poster can be seen on the cover the "Dusk Till Dawn" behind-the-scenes documentary, Full Tilt Boogie. Copies of are sold on Frazetta's website.
- Michael Parks's character Texas Ranger Earl McGraw later appeared in the first volume of Tarantino's Kill Bill, as well as both segments of Grind House.
- Cheech Marin played multiple roles in the movie - the Border Patrol guard, Chet Pussy at the Titty Twister, and Carlos.
- The film has many references to the John Carpenter film Assault on Precinct 13 and Sam Raimi's Evil Dead series.
- The Gecko Brothers is an allusion to Edgar and Alan Frogg, the siblings from The Lost Boys.
- The edited-for-television version of the film featured some of the highest-quality computer rendering and compositing work seen to date. Nude women were clothed and the bar magically became the "Kitty Twister" in all shots of the name, and all sayings of the original name have been dubbed.
- Quentin Tarantino had been asked by Rodriguez to co-direct, but declined to focus more on acting.
- John Travolta, Tim Roth, Steve Buscemi, Christopher Walken and Michael Madsen were all offered the role of Seth Gecko. All five declined due to scheduling conflicts; Buscemi was filming five movies, Walken four, and the rest were filming three.
- After declining the lead role of Seth Gecko, Steve Buscemi and Tim Roth were both asked to portray Pete Bottoms, the liquor store clerk. Despite the small size of this role, both declined due to scheduling conflicts. Roth was filming three movies and Buscemi was filming five, including Fargo and Escape From L.A..
- The Gecko brothers are trying to get to El Ray, Mexico, a reference to Jim Thompson's novel The Getaway where it is a fictional town filled with doomed criminals who have nowhere left to run.
Quotations
Chet Pussy:
“¡Pussy, pussy, pussy!”
“¡All pussy must go!”
“¡At the Titty Twister we’re slashing pussy in half!”
“¡This is a pussy blow out!”
“¡Make us an offer on our vast selection of pussy!”
“¡We got white pussy, black pussy, Spanish pussy, yellow pussy, hot pussy, cold pussy, wet pussy, tight pussy, big pussy, bloody pussy, fatpussy, hairy pussy, smelly pussy, velvetpussy, silkpussy, Naugahydepussy, snappin’ pussy, horsepussy, dogpussy, mulepussy, fake pussy!”
“¡If we don’t have it, you don’t want it!”
—
Chet Pussy
Chet Pussy (yelling into the microphone):
“¡Take advantage of our penny pussy sale!”
“¡Buy any piece of pussy at our regular price, you get another piece of pussy, of equal or lesser value, for a penny!”
“¡Now try and beat pussy for a penny!”
“¡If you can find cheaper pussy anywhere, fuck it!”
—
Chet Pussy
External links
- From Dusk Till Dawn at IMDb
- From Dusk Till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money at IMDb
- From Dusk Till Dawn 3: The Hangman's Daughter at IMDb
- The Quentin Tarantino Archives Unofficial fansite & international community
- The Clooney Network From Dusk Till Dawn Photos
- The Script