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Why is this considered to be a great movie?

posted 9 years ago by uyenfacebook
20 replies | jump to latest

OK, I want to start by saying that, this is a genuine question that I hope to get an answer for to understand more about cinema history in general, not some kind of smart-ass bashing you usually see on these forums. Here is what I have to say:

I've finally get around to seeing this film on Netflix, seeing how it got a cult following I have some good expectation. Being a film lover, I love all kinds of movies, from budget to blockbuster.

This one starts off really strongly. It feels really interesting. Great characters, great set up, the opening scene at the liquor store couldn't be any more captivating. I couldn't wait to find out whats gonna happen next to these 2 criminal characters and after that the family of the pastor.

But then it kinda went downhill at their arrival at the bar. I had no prior knowledge that this is a vampire movie and it is interesting at first and quite shocking as well. But after that it was just a blood fest with no story just an endless action sequel which really bored me and made me skip ahead multiple times. Now I understand that some movies don't hold their value well compare to today's standard. Like Alien. I watched it again recently and it was not as scary and memorable of a movie as I remembered but I totally understand and can appreciate its value as one of the most unique and influential movies of that genre back then.

But prior to 1996 of From Dusk Till Dawn, hadn't there been any movies similar to this? Was this one that revolutionary and influential in its time?

[–] americanadian25 8 years ago

Strictly based on a filmmaking merits, its far from perfect. But I found this movie so enjoyable I wasn't bothered by its occasional stumbles.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUTw83WX93o

[–] ckuropas 8 years ago

The film is fun, stylish, has some pretty damn good special effects and had an interesting cast.

On top of that, its part crime and part horror.

What don't you like about it?

[–] americanadian25 8 years ago

Oh don't misunderstand, I freakin' love this movie! Its just far from perfect in terms of straight up filmmaking and storytelling merits. The film's dramatic change in tone from the first half to the second is jarring as hell, and most of the actual plot and character development set up in the first two acts goes out the window by the time they get to the bar. Also Tarantino's acting frequently bounces back and forth between brilliant and terrible. For the record, I don't subscribe to the common held opinion that Tarantino can't act. He can, he's just inconsistent.

But yeah, the style, the gore, the witty dialogue, the killer premise, the memorable characters, the killer special effects are so awesome that its easy to overlook the movie's flaws. I did a review for it if you have any doubt that I love this movie. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUTw83WX93o

[–] jcdugger 8 years ago

Hello -- I think you might be slightly mixing up term "Classic" like Rear Window with "Cult Classic" like From Dusk Till Dawn. This is not Citizen Kane material. If you were expecting something like that, I can understand why you were disappointed with it. No, this is more like the following of Troll 2. Certainly not a great movie in cinematic terms...but it is overwhelmingly loved by a small segment of the population, making it a cult classic (and not a mainstream classic).

For me, I rarely hand out a 10 rating, but I give From Dusk Till Dawn a 10. It's just fun to watch. Whenever I throw it on, I get the feeling that I did when I was a kid and the ice cream truck came around. Just puts a smile on my face. I love how its set in the Tarantino/Rodriguez universe, a place dear to my movie-watching heart, Big Kahuna burgers and all. I enjoy looking for hidden items in it...like can I spot anything vampire-like before the bar scenes, seeing if Tarantino can really act -- and trying to figure out why they put a no-name Asian in it! It's just a fun, mysterious movie set in a desert locale with insane characters and an absurd premise. I can watch it over and over again -- and I have! Great stuff.

JD

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