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FROM DUSK TILL DAWN (1996)

Director: Robert Rodriguez

George Clooney, Quentin Tarantino, Harvey Keitel, Juliette Lewis, Ernest Liu, Salma Hayek, Cheech Marin, Danny Trejo, Tom Savini, Fred Williamson, Michael Parks, Brenda Hillhouse etc

This is said to be the last of the Quentin Tarantino scripts from his video store days. Tarantino also stars in the movie. He plays a psychotic blood-loving sex offender alongside George Clooney playing his older brother, who's slightly more laid back and rational but still loves a good shooting.

Tarantino and Clooney are on their way to the Mexican border with money they have just stolen. After losing various hostages (due to Tarantino's lust for killing) they come across Harvey Keitel and his two children (one of which is played by Juliette Lewis in her usual seemingly innocent but deep down longing-to-be-corrupted role) in a rather inviting camper van. They hi-jack the van and take Keitel and his children hostage in order to cross the border.

Up until now I was beginning to wonder how's this suddenly going to turn into a vampire movie, I mean, so far it's had the usual Tarantino gangster style image with its fair share of blood and humour, but suddenly turn into a vampire movie it does, when our heroes arrive at the Titty Twister night-club. It's pretty surreal actually. It's as if the cast have suddenly been transported into the wrong film. It now becomes Evil Dead with Tarantino characters and is very amusing but does have its fare share of special effects and horrific moments and is quite capable of scaring the shit out of you. Also Tarantino gets to do a bit of toe sucking.

I thoroughly enjoyed this film, it was a perfect way to spend the '100 Years of Cinema Celebration'. I do think some people will feel it's all a bit silly and over the top, but if that's the case then I'm afraid you simply don't get it.

JOHN MARSHALL - 8 June 1996