From Dusk Till Dawn

Details

Following a spectacularly violent bank robbery, brothers Seth and Richard Gecko are on the run from the law. With every police officer in Texas searching for them, their only hope of escape is to reach Mexico where a criminal contact is waiting to help them disappear.

After kidnapping former preacher Jacob Fuller and his two children, Kate and Scott, the Geckos force the traumatised family to drive them across the border in their motorhome. Jacob, struggling to come to terms with the recent death of his wife and his own crisis of faith, has little choice but to cooperate if he wants to keep his family alive.

Once safely in Mexico, the group heads for the Titty Twister, a notorious roadside bar frequented by bikers, truckers and fugitives. They have been instructed to wait there until dawn, when Seth's associates will arrive to complete their escape.

As darkness falls, however, it becomes clear that the Titty Twister is hiding a deadly secret. What should have been a simple overnight stop quickly turns into a desperate fight for survival as criminals and hostages alike find themselves battling an enemy unlike anything they expected.

With sunrise still many hours away, old grudges are forgotten as the unlikely group joins forces in a frantic attempt to stay alive long enough to see daylight. From this point on the film becomes an exhilarating blend of action, horror and dark humour that never lets up until its explosive conclusion.

Picture & Sound

Sadly, this DVD does the film very few favours. The non-anamorphic transfer is disappointing, showing noticeable grain, compression artefacts and visible macro-blocking during several scenes. One early sequence featuring a car travelling down a deserted highway is particularly poor, with the image breaking up so badly that it becomes difficult to ignore. Even by the standards of early DVD releases, this is a disappointing presentation.

Fortunately, the Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack is considerably more impressive. Gunfire, explosions and the film's increasingly frantic action make excellent use of the surround speakers, while Graeme Revell's atmospheric score fills the room nicely. Dialogue remains consistently clear throughout, and the soundtrack provides far more of a home cinema experience than the picture ever manages.

Menu & Extras

This Region 2 release is extremely light on bonus material, offering little beyond static menus and scene selection. Considering the popularity of the film, it is disappointing that none of the production material found on overseas editions has been included. Once again, Region 2 collectors have drawn the short straw.

Overall

One of the greatest pleasures of From Dusk Till Dawn is watching it for the first time with absolutely no idea where the story is heading. The dramatic shift in tone is wonderfully handled and remains one of the film's biggest strengths, so the less you know beforehand the better.

George Clooney is excellent as the cool, calculating Seth Gecko, proving he had the charisma to carry a feature film long before becoming a Hollywood leading man. Quentin Tarantino's unhinged performance as Richard is suitably unsettling, while Harvey Keitel provides the emotional heart of the story as the troubled Jacob Fuller. Salma Hayek also makes an unforgettable appearance in one of the film's most iconic sequences.

Rodriguez never allows the film to take itself too seriously. The outrageous violence, gallons of gore and wonderfully dark sense of humour combine to create an exhilarating rollercoaster that horror and action fans alike will thoroughly enjoy. It is ridiculous, excessive and enormous fun.

The biggest disappointment is undoubtedly the DVD itself. With such a poor video transfer, this is one of those rare occasions where the VHS edition may actually provide a more enjoyable viewing experience. Thankfully, the film is strong enough to shine through the technical shortcomings.

From Dusk Till Dawn has deservedly earned cult status over the years and remains one of the most entertaining genre films of the 1990s. If you can overlook the disappointing picture quality - or better still seek out a superior edition - you'll discover a wildly inventive film that's unlike almost anything else in your DVD collection.

Special features

• None