Directed by Robert Rodriguez (DESPERADO) and written by Quentin Tarantino (PULP FICTION), this horror crime film bubbles over with cool. It plays out in two distinct parts — the first is a kidnap story and the second is a vampire yarn. Though completely different, Rodriguez brings a unifying style to the two halves and Tarantino writes the in a dramatic way where "good guys" and "bad guys" must come together to conquer a common enemy. Oh, and it's cool as hell… but I already mentioned that.
Seth (George Clooney, O' BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU?) and Richard Gecko (Tarantino, DESPERADO) are escaped bank robbers trying to flee to Mexico. Bumps happen along the way mainly due to the extremely unpredictable and unstable behavior of Richard. The Gecko Brothers end up taking hostage the Fuller family, which includes ex-minister Jacob (Harvey Keitel, THE GREY ZONE), teenage daughter Kate (Juliette Lewis, CAPE FEAR) and his Chinese son Scott (Ernest Liu, THE WESTING GAME). They end up at the Titty Twister bar where the management turns out to be blood-sucking vampires.
As mentioned before, the film is really two films in one. The first 2/3s is a darkly humorous crime story and the other 1/3 is a gory vampire flick. Tarantino had written his script long before he did his first film RESERVOIR DOGS. A group of make-up effects guys wanted a script to show off their skills. In turn, Tarantino got their services on DOGS. Well, the make-up guys could never get the money together to make their gore fest, that's until Tarantino hit the big time and Rodriguez needed a film to follow up DESPERADO. The rest is history.
The film contains the Tarantino's trademark dialogue and Rodriguez's slick and intriguing editing. I especially love the editing of the scene where Seth comes back to the hotel and discovers the mess that Richard has made. The quick flashes of shots really define Seth's mental state and add to the horror of what happened.
Clooney makes cool look easy, even when he's playing a bastard. Tarantino gives the best performance of his acting career. Keitel, who is always good, is the emotional core. And though her role isn't substantial one will have a hard time forgetting the beautiful Salma Hayek.
This film is a piece of pop art that wallows in its excesses and smiles at its own wit. It's a fun, funny and thrilling ride that knows how to walk the line between tension and humor. Do not be tempted by the cruddy sequels. You won't get any better than the original.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
