Mark Berryman reviews From Dusk Til Dawn the tv series.
I remember the first time I saw From Dusk Till Dawn, I had been waiting for it for ages. I’ve been a massive Quentin Tarantino fan since I first saw Reservoir Dogs. I wasn’t disappointed. It has to this day remained one of my favorite films. When I heard that Robert Rodriguez had decided to remake it for a TV show, I was excited. I wondered how he would stretch the story out for a whole season. Turns out, quite spectacularly. Rodriguez has said that the TV show is the novel of the movie. He was able to go back and expand on all the stories that he and Tarantino had originally wanted to tell, but couldn’t because of the restraints of the movie running time.
I didn’t envy the people who would be stepping into the shoes of George Clooney and Quentin Tarantino, as Seth and Ritchie Gecko. Boy did they cast well, DJ Cotrona as Seth and Zane Holtz as Ritchie are perfect. The series starts at the convenience store where things go from bad to worse pretty quickly. Don Johnson this time plays Sherrif Earl McGraw and while the scene starts the same you immediately find out that this show is not going to be the same as its parent. Rodriguez takes what we already know and then change it and for the better.
One thing the series does do is delve deeper into Ritchie and exactly what is wrong with him. Immediately we find out that he is connected to the oncoming vampires in a much bigger way. He gets visions of Santanico Pandemonium played by the stunning Ezia Gonzalez, asking him to “set her free”.
The story takes the course we recognize as the brothers make their way to Mexico, while at the same time showing us a much bigger picture and that the brothers, unknowingly are key to everything. When they reach the Titty Twister and Ezia Gonzalez leaves you saying “Selma who?” after showing us her version of “the dance” you are soon realizing, you have no clue as to what is to come.
I cannot say enough good things about this show. I can’t wait to watch it all back in one go to see it in it’s full glory. For me the age of the TV remake of a movie is better than anyone could have imagined it could be. Teen Wolf, Hannibal, Bates Motel, Fargo and now From Dusk Till Dawn are all showing that maybe there is life in the old dog yet. Not all remakes have to be bad as TV is showing.
So if you’re a fan of the film, don’t be put off. Everyone I’ve spoken to who has seen the film and then watched the TV series all seem to agree, this is a far superior telling of the story. Season 2 will be out next year, can’t wait!
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