From Dusk Till Dawn (released in theaters on Jan. 19, 1996) remains one of the most audacious bait-and-switch experiments in cinematic history. Born from the minds of director Robert Rodriguez and screenwriter Quentin Tarantino, the film begins as a gritty, high-stakes crime thriller before violently careening into a supernatural bloodbath.
It is a film that perfectly bridges the gap between Tarantino’s sharp, dialogue-driven cool and Rodriguez’s love for stylized, “B-movie” chaos. The result is a cult classic that redefined the vampire mythos through a lens of exploitation cinema and sheer, unadulterated energy.
The story follows the Gecko brothers—the cool, calculated Seth (George Clooney) and his unstable, paranoid brother Richard (Tarantino)—who are on a desperate run toward the Mexican border following a violent bank heist.
After leaving a trail of bodies in their wake, the brothers kidnap a vacationing family to ensure a safe crossing. The family consists of a disillusioned former pastor, Jacob Fuller (Harvey Keitel), and his two children, Kate (Juliette Lewis) and Scott.
The tension of the kidnapping drama reaches its peak when the group arrives at a seedy, neon-lit biker bar in the middle of the Mexican desert where they are supposed to meet a contact played by Cheech Marin.
However, just as the audience settles into a crime-noir groove, the film takes a legendary turn.
During a mesmerizing performance by the dancer Santanico Pandemonium (Salma Hayek), the bar staff and performers reveal themselves to be a hive of ancient, grotesque vampires.
The second half of the film transforms into a frantic siege as the survivors—joined by a motley crew of tough guys—must fight through the night.
Using improvised religious relics and heavy weaponry, Seth and the Fuller family must hold off the undead horde until the sun rises, testing their faith and their will to survive in a literal battle against the darkness.
Kelly Preston, Michael Parks, Tom Savini, John Saxon, Danny Trejo, John Hawkes and Fred Williamson round out the cast.
Salma Hayek in From Dusk till Dawn (Photo/Miramax)
Reception for From Dusk till Dawn
From Dusk till Dawn grossed $10.2 million on its opening weekend, finishing No. 1 at the box office.
The film would gross $25.8 million in its theatrical run.
Roger Ebert gave From Dusk till Dawn three out of four stars in his review.
Legacy
The legacy of From Dusk Till Dawn is synonymous with the “twist” that redefined how modern audiences view genre boundaries.
It is famously remembered for launching Clooney from television heartthrob to genuine movie star, proving he could lead a gritty action film with effortless charisma.
Hayek’s iconic dance sequence remains one of the most celebrated moments of 90s cinema, cementing her status as a global icon.
The film spawned a sprawling franchise, including sequels and a television series, but the original remains the gold standard for “midnight movies.”
