On the 30th anniversary of its premiere, Hasitha Fernando looks at the story behind From Dusk Till Dawn…
From Dusk Till Dawn was one of the most controversial yet radically different horror flicks to be conceived by two of 90’s indie cinemas greatest talents – Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez. Although the effort received somewhat of a mixed response from critics when it debuted, the movie has gone on to become a cult classic which defined the distinct aesthetic of its era with its unique soundtrack, arresting visuals and manic energy. As the film hits 30, we look back at its chaotic production and the behind-the-scenes drama that transpired…
The original story wasn’t conceived by Quentin Tarantino
It might surprise a great many to know that the original story for From Dust Till Dawn was not conceived by Quentin Tarantino but instead came from the mind of special effects makeup guru Robert Kurtzman. The up-and-coming creative began his career in the mid-1980s to pursue his dream of engaging in prosthetic makeup and along with Greg Nicotero and Howard Berger went on to establish KNB EFX Group a few years later. Soon the talented trio garnered a reputation for crafting gory effects by providing their services for horror flicks like A Nightmare on Elm Street 5, Halloween 5 and Gross Anatomy.
It was after Kevin Costner hired them to do create the animatronics for his sprawling western epic Dances with Wolves that KNB EFX Group branched out and broadened their repertoire further. During this period Kurtzman conceived the film’s initial treatment with a mind of creating more opportunities for his special effects company. However, seeing that his draft needed some work Kurtzman paid Quentin Tarantino $1,500 to write the script. Interestingly, this became the uber-talented writer/director’s first paid writing gig before he went big with hits like Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction a few years later.
Quentin Tarantino never had plans to direct the movie from the get-go
Initially Robert Kurtzman wanted to helm his fledgling scripting effort, but his lack of experience directing feature films coupled with the level of violence and genre-mashy weirdness of the story made studios hasty about financing the project. Enter, Quentin Tarantino. Having refined Kurtzman’s draft and following in the wake of Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction’s success, studios were clamoring to bankroll Tarantino’s next film. And he responded in kind, by approaching Miramax and stating his next project would be From Dust Till Dawn. However, since he wanted to focus more time on his acting role and script related duties, Tarantino suggested his good friend Robert Rodriguez for the gig and Miramax agreed.
From Dusk Till Dawn was George Clooney’s breakout role
Before From Dusk Till Dawn, George Clooney was mostly known for playing the male lead in the popular NBC medical drama ER. For his portrayal of the suave and charismatic emergency physician Dr. Doug Ross, Clooney even went on to receive multiple Prime Time Emmy nominations. But it was with From Dusk till Dawn that he cemented his status as a bona fide leading man in Hollywood feature films, effortlessly transitioning from the small screen to the big leagues.
Prior to Clooney’s casting, numerous other actors were considered for the role of Seth Gecko. These include the likes of John Travolta, Jeff Goldblum, James Woods, Robert De Niro, Antonio Banderas as well as Tarantino regulars such as Tim Roth, Michael Madsen and Steve Buscemi. All passed over the project due to scheduling conflicts, with Travolta outright declining the opportunity. As a result Clooney nabbed the role and the rest, as they say, is history. Today the actor is considered one of the most iconic and influential Hollywood performers with numerous awards and accolades to his name.
Salma Hayek had to undergo therapy prior to the snake dance sequence
Starting out her career in the Mexican small screen Salma Hayek quickly transitioned to Hollywood feature films with Robert Rodriguez’s Desperado, playing the feisty female lead opposite Antonio Banderas. Following her breakthrough role Hayek found further success in genre flicks like Fools Rush In, The Faculty and critically lauded affairs such as Traffic and Dogma. The actress received further acclaim for her portrayal of Frida Kahlo in Julie Taymor’s biographical drama Frida, making her the first Mexican actress to gain an Oscar nomination.
For the erotic table-top snake dance sequence in the film, Hayek did not have a dance choreographer as the snake’s movements were too unpredictable and erratic. Instead, on director Robert Rodriguez’s suggestion, she decided to improvise her movements whilst having the live snake wrapped around her neck. Prior to shooting the sequence Hayek, who had an intense phobia for snakes, spent two whole months in the company of therapists to overcome her fear and nail the scene. Rodriguez convinced Hayek to do the impossible by lying to her and saying that Madonna was ready to grab the part she was ready to decline.
Juliette Lewis’ character in the film was a far cry from the roles she usually took
Juliette Lewis has made a career of playing offbeat characters and drawing critical acclaim for her performances in films like Cape Fear, Natural Born Killers, Kalifornia and Strange Days. But when it came to this movie Lewis took on a role that was quite unlike any she had taken on before – playing a regular, god-fearing individual at the mercy of the Gecko brothers. The young actress was cast in the movie because of her friendship with Tarantino, who took a liking to Lewis after seeing her work on Natural Born Killers.
The “Titty Twister Bar” was based on the Colonel Kurtz Compound in Apocalypse Now
The “Titty Twister Bar”, which functions as the main setting of From Dusk Till Dawn, was built from scratch on the Calico Dry Lake Bed, in the Mojave desert, California. In the story this Mexican biker bar was built on top of an ancient Aztec temple and served as the feeding ground of a group of vampires. The exterior look of the structure was certainly inspired by the gateway arch of Labna replete with other Mesoamerican motifs. Another source of inspiration for the Titty Twister Bar was the infamous Colonel Kurtz compound in Apocalypse Now. Shooting on this set proved to be a challenge due to the frequent dust storms that took place and at one point the set even caught fire and burned down, causing major delays in filming.
The budget constraints inspired the filmmakers to be more creative
The sequences that transpired at the “Titty Twister Bar” required extensive makeup and special effects, to transform its patrons into hideous vampires and pull off the bloody aftermath that followed. Because of this the production budget approved by Miramax proved to be something of a challenge at first, but the filmmakers became creative to work around this problem and as both Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino came from indie film backgrounds the above obstacle was easily overcome. For example, production could only afford six full body vampire costumes or suits, so Rodriguez used editing tricks to make this limited number seem more by rearranging them in shots and having the actors kill the same vampires over and over again.
Controversy, mixed reviews, a cult legacy & the birth of a franchise
Made on a production budget of $19 million From Dusk Till Dawn went on to become a modest box-office success by raking in $59.2 million by the conclusion of its theatrical run. The film was banned in Ireland by censors due to its gratuitous violence chiefly because the movie’s release in UK took place shortly after the Dunblane school shooting in Scotland.
During its debut the flick received mixed reviews from critics with Roger Ebert giving a positive review and describing it as a “skillful meat-and-potatoes action extravaganza with some added neat touches” and Entertainment Weekly’s Owen Gleiberman awarding the movie a “B” and expressing, “In From Dusk till Dawn, they (Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino) put on such a show of cooking up popcorn that they make pandering to the audience seem hip”. Come awards season George Clooney even went on to win the MTV movie award for Best Breakthrough Performance and the Saturn Award for Best Actor whilst the movie bagged Best Horror Film.
Despite the moderate performance at the box-office From Dusk till Dawn went on to become a cult classic amongst cinemagoers due to its unique premise, radical genre subversion and grindhouse sensibilities. This inadvertently led to the creation of a franchise of two direct-to-video sequels, Texas Blood Money (1999) and The Hangman’s Daughter (2000) and a short-lived television series, which expanded on the film’s mythology and ran for three seasons between 2014-2016. Even a PC video game for Windows, which picks up where the original’s story left off, was released in 2001. Regardless of your opinion on From Dusk Till Dawn, there’s no denying the movie was a unique effort birthed from the collaboration of two of 90’s indie cinemas greatest talents doing what they do best.
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Hasitha Fernando is a part-time medical practitioner and full-time cinephile. Follow him on Twitter via @DoctorCinephile for regular updates on the world of entertainment.
