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This biography of the woman The New Yorker called "the sex goddess of the '70s" is also an examination of modern black history. Grier was known as the queen of blaxploitation film, the term Variety coined for the violent B movies that cast blacks in stereotypical roles. Quentin Tarantino, a big fan, provides excellent commentary on her career and helps give an education in the subgenre, as scenes from Coffy, which made her a star in 1973, Foxy Brown, and other disturbingly violent films are shown.Eventually, she crosses over to the mainstream, playing a drugged-out hooker--a role she won acclaim for--inFort Apache, the Bronx (1981) with Paul Newman. Grier comes off as smart and well spoken, someone who could star in cheap exploitation films and somehow be seen as a heroine for doing so. --Valerie J. Nelson ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Pam be da bomb!!!!!
Not only is Pam a perfect example of what women should look like, she reeks of class. This fine thing is every man's dream come true. If all women aged this well, then every grandmother would look like Pam Grier or Raquel Welsch. Rock on Pam. ... Read more

Reviews (349)

Fantastic!
Quentin Tarantino's debut film RESERVOIR DOGS broke new ground that many other directors and screen writers were afraid to tread upon. This amazingly well-written, directed, and acted film is about a jewel heist gone wrong and the consequences of each man's suspicions. Harvey Keitel is wonderful as tough but compassionate Mr. White(Each man is given an alias name, no one's real name is used), Michael Madsen is cool and psychotic as Mr. Blonde, Sean Penn delivers a strong performance as Nice-Guy Eddie, Lawrence Tierney is very intimidating as Joe, the crime boss, and Quentin Tarantino gives a great cameo performance as the short-lived Mr. Brown. The really great performances definitely go to Tim Roth and Steve Buscemi. For Roth(Mr. Orange), this was a breakthrough role in which he spends a good deal of the movie drenched in his own blood and in his screams of pain never once goes into an over-the-top performance. It's right on the money. Buscemi is dripping with attitude and gives one of his best performances until FARGO in RESERVOIR DOGS. From the moment he appears on screen, you know its gonna be a bumpy ride. A must-see for anyone who enjoys lotsa suspense, catchy dialogue and music, and some great action scenes.

Tarantino Makes His Mark
Quentin Tarantino's directorial debut, Reservoir Dogs is a brilliantly written, unique film that paved the way for Mr. Tarantino's breakthrough film, Pulp Fiction. The plot of Reservoir Dogs revolves around a diamond heist that goes afoul. A group of criminals who have never worked together are assembled and given names like Mr. White, Mr. Pink and Mr. Blonde. The film is intercut with flashbacks in which the characters played by Michael Madsen, Harvey Keitel and Tim Roth are explored in more detail. Mr. Madsen is incredible as the psychotic Mr. Blonde and his scene in which he brutalizes a cop in medieval fashion is alternately disturbingly brutal and humorous. Steve Buschemi is a scream as the jumpy Mr. Pink and Mr. Keitel provides the film with its backbone as Mr. White. Mr. Tarantino has keen eye for detail and the opening scene in a diner in which the crooks are discussing everything from what Madonna meant in her song "Like A Virgin" to 70's songs to tipping contains some of the sharpest dialogue in years. Mr. Tarantino also uses music to great effect and he overlays scenes with the voice of comedian Steven Wright as host of a radio show K Billy's Super Sounds of the 70's. Reservoir Dogs is a tremendous debut film and introduced Mr. Tarantino as a force.
The 10th Anniversary Edition is nice a step up in sound and quality from the first edition. The extras are good, but just the overall better sound and picture is worth purchasing this version if you already own the first.

Stylized, intelligent--but someone tell Quentin he can't act
To a degree amateurish, but to an equal degree compelling and original, Reservoir Dogs is a stylistic, gritty look at the gangsters of Quentin Tarantino's imagination. The story, such as it is, is the weak point of the film. The strange tale of an undercover cop who tries to bust up a family-sized gangster ring is just plain silly at times. The strong points, however, are many. Each character has a terrific, interesting voice; the dialogue is snappy and artistic; the music choices are inspired. And that infamous "ear" scene? Frankly, it's one of the few scenes that doesn't work. It just comes off as dumb.

Think of Reservior Dogs as the rough sketch for a movie yet to come: Pulp Fiction. Pulp Fiction is superior in every respect, but it's a treat to see its progenitor.

Bold enough to be a new genre
Quentin Tarantino has done an amazing job at taking a very low budget, and using a unique method of story telling and raw dialogue to turn it around. He was also lucky to get a great cast much like Pulp Fiction did. This film creates a new genre, because his un-chronological and very raw vision will be and is being copied all over the world. Many people criticize Tarantino for worshipping violence and profanity. However, when you examine the film's plot, it is really quite reasonable that characters swear as much as they do. And also, the violence in the movie only seems as bad as you make it in your mind, as the worst parts are only partially shown. This is another one of Tarantino's tricks. Some great performances are had too, for example Michael Madsen. His cold-blooded and partially psychotic character misleads us, up until a scene where he attempts to burn a kidnapped police officer, where our adoration of him turns to hate. However, Quentin quickly balances that out wonderfully. The ending may be a little "off" for some people, but all in all a great film.

Awesome movie. Awesome DVD. Definitely one of the Best!
First and foremost, this is indisputably Quentin Tarentino's best film ever. After having seen it some dozen-plus times, it still captivates and intrigues me with every watching. The way the plot works itself out is ingenius, the suspense is second-to-none. Steve Buscemi, as Mr. Pink, is a highlight of this movie: He plays his character ridiculously well.

The entire two hours of this film are violent, disturbing, riveting, captivating, and raw: All said, this film is like a cinematic car accident - you rubberneck, you gasp, you feed this primordial urge to see violence and power. The story of five men - Mr. Blue, Mr. Pink, Mr. White, Mr. Brown, Mr. Blonde - converge when they are called into do a jewelry store heist. However, theyf ind out that one of their fellow gangsters has set them up: That the heist failed because someone among them had ratted them out.
The entire movie unfolds as, really, a two hour dialogue between Mr. Blonde, Mr. Pink, and Mr. White - as well as with the subsequent intruders into the wharehouse. The entire film, essentially, takes place in a wharehouse with sporadic flashbacks and cuts to other instances which lead up to the final scene.

This DVD is an awesome buy. It comes with a fullscreen and widescreen edition, as well as lots of special editions: trailors, posters, picture galleries, etc. Definitely, this movie is an excellent addition to anyone's DVD collection. One of the best values I have in my collection! ... Read more

Reviews (6)

full-tilt
no

Behind the scenes
If you had a chance to take a behind-the-scenes look at any movie made during the last ten years, "From Dusk Till Dawn" probably wouldn't be your first choice. Yes, the 1996 horror show was directed by Robert Rodriguez ("El Mariachi") and written by Quentin Tarantino. And, yes, such notables as George Clooney, Juliette Lewis, Harvey Keitel and Tarantino himself appeared in a major roles. But with all due respect to everyone involved with that fang-in-cheek action-adventure about hungry vampires at a remote Mexican cantina, "From Dusk Till Dawn" wasn't exactly the sort of cinematic triumph that evokes a burning urge to witness the creative process at work.

Even so, Sarah Kelly's "Full Tilt Boogie" is not without interest. Kelly, who previously worked as a production assistant on Tarantino's "Pulp Fiction," did not have entirely free access, or even full co-operation, as she made this movie about the making of a movie. (Keitel granted only a five-minute interview during his final day on location.) And a few scenes -- most notably, the mock-macho entrance of Clooney and Tarantino -- obviously were staged for Kelly's cameras.

At its occasional best, however, "Full Tilt Boogie" vividly and accurately conveys the day-to-day, "hurry up and wait" drudgery of moviemaking. Cast and crew heartily party when the day's work is done. And even during the actual shooting, there's a sense of play along with the practice of craft. By and large, however, you're left with the impression that working on a film can be as exhausting -- and, yes, sometimes as boring -- as working on an assembly line.

Here and there, Kelly catches flashes of revealing detail. Clooney seems amiable but oddly disengaged, as though he doesn't want anyone -- least of all a documentarian -- to get too close. (In a brief, unguardedly teary moment, his personal assistant indicates that he may not be such a nice guy after all.) In sharp contrast, Tarantino comes across as a kind of court jester, especially during his rant about the lack of beer at a location party. Throughout it all, Rodriguez looks extremely worried. He also looks like he wouldn't want to be anyplace else.

Waste of time, money and everything else!!
I got this docu as a "pack-in" when I purchased the Collector's Edition of "From Dusk Till Dawn", it was listed as part of the "bonus material" with the DVD. Let me say this: what a pointless endevour! Who needs to see Tarantino's and Clooney's assistants sitting around talking about their employers like star-struck high school girls? They looked and acted like a bunch of grade 8 girls waiting to see who would ask them to the prom. George Clooney, Salma Hayek and Harvey Keitel never even bother to give direct interviews, so how can a docu be a docu when it excludes some of the most important characters? It generally follows the little people who tell us such important details as how Quentin likes his coffee and the mug he likes it in. Then they get into the IATSE strike because FDTD was using non-union help. Big deal! If I wanted to see a bunch of labor garbage, I would go down to my local Teamster's hall and listen to them spout off. The makers make a long drawn out point of trying to show how they got in contact with Lyle Tractenberg about his side of the dispute that consumed what felt like 10 minutes, only for him to speak off camera only. Overall this is a forced, directionless effort that adds nothing to the film, whether you are a fan or not. If you want a decent docu of something, go shoot one yourself, you'll do a better and more interesting job! And for God's sakes, don't even think about wasting money on this, rent or steal are your only logical options if you insist on seeing it.

Interesting and Entertaining Behind the Scenes Look
Full Tilt Boogie is a documentary by Director Sarah Kelly bringing us behind the scenes from the movie From Dusk Till Dawn. The 1996 criminals-on-run-meet-vampires movie brought together writer Quentin Tarantino with director Robert Rodriguez.

The film starred actors George Clooney, Harvey Keitel, Juliette Lewis and Salma Hayek, and Cheech Marin. Cheech appears in multiple roles, playing a border guard, a strip club barker with a hilarious "pussy for a penny" spiel, and a mexican mobster.

What is nice about the documentary, is you not only get to "meet" the stars and director, but also the folks behind the scenes, the grips, the assistants, and the other "little people" who make the movie magic reality. About halfway into the movie, the film starts looking at the troubles the flick went through when Rodriguez made the flick with a non-union cast and crew. It's intriguing to follow the union portion of the documentary.

What I didn't like about the film was the lack of Tom Savini in the documentary. Tom, one of the industry's most well known makeup/special effects artists (Creepshow, Friday the 13th, Dawn & Day of the Dead, etc) played Sex Machine in the film, and I was disappointed to not have any input from him in the documentary.

Another disappointment was the almost total absence of Harvey Keitel in the documentary. According to the narration, he was not interested in making the documentary, only From Dusk 'Till Dawn, but did do a painfully brief interview with Quentin, which left me wanting more.

The final thing that bothered me is while you do get to "meet" the folks behind the scenes, it doesn't go very far, and I was left wanting to know more about these interesting folks who made the movie happen.

But all in all, if you enjoyed From Dusk 'Til Dawn, you still will want to check out this documentary.

At the time of this review, the price is rather high (over a $100), but you have access to a DVD player, you may want to get the From Dusk Til Dawn: Dimension Collector's Series DVD, which includes this featurette along with a ton of other extras for around 25 bucks until the price drops on the VHS.

Fun, interesting look at what it's like to make a movie
I saw this film two years ago at the SXSW film festival and thought it was fabulous. I was thrilled to see it in my video store last night. For a good time...watch From Dusk Til Dawn and then see Full Tilt Boogie. ... Read more

Reviews (94)

The Most Super of Superbit DVDs
This week I had an opportunity to take a look at the new Superbit DVDs from Columbia Tristar. Of all the Superbit DVDs we looked at the one which clearly delivered on the Superbit promise is Desperado Superbit with a version clearly superior to the initial release. From the first scene in the movie on, the picture is remarkably improved over the original version. To give you an example of how big the difference is, when Steve Buscemi's character walks into the bar, it looks like it is lit in a murky brown light, whereas in the Superbit version the bar is clearly and evenly lit by a dark red light. I was like, "Oh, so that's what it's supposed to look like!" I found myself comparing a good number of scenes in Desperado, and clearly across the board the Desperado Superbit looked better. The key scene I selected compare between the two versions in Desperado was the one where Carolina (played by Selma Hayek) sings a song on the bed of El Mariachi (Antonio Banderas). Some of the notable differences I could see:

• Skin tone! Wow! In the Superbit version there's a dramatic difference in skin tone, it looks a lot richer and is a much truer color.
• As the camera pans over to Selma's face you can see much more detail in her face and on her skin.
• The colors of El Mariachi's guns are much different and they glimmer in the Superbit version. In the original version they are a dull metallic color.

The DTS audio track is as dramatic a difference as the picture. Most noticeably is when El Mariachi jumps backward from the top of the building firing his pistols. In the DTS audio track you hear a thud as he lands, something I didn't hear in either the old or new Dolby Digital tracks. Of all the Superbit Titles, Desperado is the easiest to recommend as a 'replacement' DVD for someone who already owns the original version. The improvements in the Superbit version are significant enough to warrant a purchase and you don't give up anything going to Superbit, as the original release didn't have any special features. However, there was also a double feature release (yep, Superbit makes release #3), which had Desperado on one side and El Mariachi on the other, so that's a pretty huge special feature to give up (and the only way to own El Mariachi on DVD).

[Geoffrey Kleinman, DVDTalk.com]

"El Mariachi" with a budget
As far as revenge flicks go, this one plays by all the rules....and still delivers the goods. The main draw of this film is (and ought to be) the promise of some amazing action scenes. With Robert Rodriguez directing, you know you'll get what you paid for. Revenge flicks also need an angry lone hero out to get anybody for a past wrong. And here we have Antonio Banderas in (what I consider to be) his breakout role. His is really the only character that has the amount of depth usually reserved for more weighty films. But then again, we're talking about a Robert Rodriguez movie. And Banderas is a damn fine actor. He is perfectly cast as the nameless "Mariachi." Salma Hayek is lookin' good as the love interest, but aside from being Salma Hayek (something no man can quibble over), she isn't given much to work with. Still, there is a hilarious throwaway role filled past the brim by the inestimable Steve Buscemi; Cheech Marin appears as "the Bartender." Quentin Tarantino even pops up to tell an obscene joke (can you imagine?). The one debit this film has going against it, besides the one-dimensional -- though highly entertaining -- characters, is the fact that the huge climactic gunfight at the ranch never is shown! (If you've seen the film, you know what I'm talking about.)

I suppose I should summarize.... "Desperado" rocks. Plain and simple, if you're looking for an above-average action thriller with lots of goofy humor, this is the way to do it. And if you're really ambitious, I highly recommend seeing "Desperado" and "El Mariachi," Rodriguez's original feature debut, in one sitting and comparing the two films. "El Mariachi" is much better, but since it was filmed on a shoestring budget, it doesn't feature some of the more mind-blowing fight sequences you can find in "Desperado." It's up to you to decide which is better, but for sure, "Desperado" is one of my top picks for a guilty pleasure. 4 of 5 stars.

West Side Story...South of the Border
OK, may be the plot isn't relative and the weaponry a little more state-of-the-art, but the choreography.....better!

This violent, shoot-um-up-to-the-max was definitely 'death dancing to it's own rhythm'.

I viewed the Superbit DVD, but never having watched either of the previous two DVDs nor the video, I can't make any comparison. I can say the DTS was awesome. The picture quality was excellent. It doesn't get any better than this, especially since the tiny shrinking cinemaplex theaters have made my surround-sound and 32" TV the theater of choice.

Sex and guns and music from Los Lobos interwoven with campy humor, Antonio being...well Antonio (ladies, need I say more), with great support from the likes of Steve Buscemi (in one of his best roles I think), Cheech Marin, and the sultry Salma Hayek; what more could you want in an action movie. I found this film far superior to and much more enjoyable than 'Dawn To Dusk'.

Now that 'Desperado II - Once Upon A Time in Mexico'is in the works for a 2003 release with the return of Antonio and Salma and the addition of Johnny Depp and Enrique Iglesias, once again under the direction of Robert Rodriguez, we can look foward to finding out just where the loving couple rode off to into the sunset.

Seems I repeatedly say these two things:

I am not your run-of-the mill young western fan - wrong gender, wrong age, but I enjoyed it anyway;

and also reminding those who picked-at the flaws, degraded and jeered at the plot (?), questioned the reality, and just plain didn't get the campiness, to just let yourself go!

Don't take yourself and the movies so seriously. Enjoy the humor. Enjoy Antonio or Salma, whichever one sets your pulse-to-racing. Heck, just enjoy the movie!

It Was Good, But ...
I was disappointed with the ending. Of course, I loved the twist, but the conclusion to the twist wasn't what I was hoping for. But hey, if you enjoy "out on a vendetta" movies as much as I do, you'll enjoy the ride.

A GREAT ACTION FILM FOR THE AGES!
I am a big fan of the "action" genre and the whole Mariachi Trilogy tops my list.Especially with Desperado my favorite.I showed this film to my friend and they were extreamly impressed.Some people say that this movie's no good because it's too too unreal.This movie wasn't meant to be real it was meant to be fun.Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek really give this movie a "spice" to the screen.Desperado is filled with bullet-flying action,humor,and a romance.Those who've seen this movie will know what I'm talking about.If you're not into actio movies,or violent movies than Desperado is defenetley not for you.For those who are into action movies and haven't seen this movie yet,SEE IT NOW!I gaurentee you won't be disappointed. ... Read more

Reviews (112)

Excellent, Keep Em' Comin!
I saw this movie for my birthday last year and it was everything I expected it to be. He was the one that has started it all and is still doin it. This is one of his "Happy Madison" movies (Adam Sandler's Movie Company). Happy Madison has made Deuce Bigalow Male Gigolo, Joe Dirt, and The Animal. All of his movies has a certain kick to it, and Little Nicky does. When you really watch it, you can tell they really had a lot of fun making it. All of the scenes are really funny. I think the chemistry between Nicky(Sandler) and Valerie(Arquette) was quite terrible, she didn't fit the roll. Though all of the humour made up for it's lack.

As for the DVD itself, it was spectacular. First it has 21 deleted scenes and an alternate ending. Feature length commentary by Sandler director Steven Brill and Co-Writer Tim Herlihy. Also another commentary by the cast featuring Michael McKean, Jon Lovitz, Kevin Nealon, Henry Winkler, Ozzy Osbourne, and many more. A special look behind the film "Adam Sandler Goes to Hell". "Satan's Top 40", a look at hard rock music with on camera interviews with Ozzy Osbourne, Gene Simmons, Ronnie James Dio, and others. POD's music video "School of Hard Knocks" which was the openeing song on the opening credits(kick...song). Cast & Crew Filmographies, and theatrical trailer.

If you have a computer the DVD-ROM features are quite all right as well. A Script-To-Screen which allows you to read the original script while watching the film. I was quite suprised at how much they changed the movie as they filmed it. Also the Orignal Website will be available to check out on the DVD.

There are also some DVD easter eggs on the DVD. One is a theatrical trailer for Lord Of The Rings: Fellowship Of The Ring. To check it out, all you gotta do is go to the special features menu, and just keep scrolling until a halo appears above Nicky's head.

Over all I think this is a must buy for any Adam Sandler fan. I was happy to see many bonus features that should have been on his previous films DVD's. Though you should buy his original classics first. One of the best!

Hell has never been so much fun....
I will admit that when I first saw the previews for this movie I was somewhat offended by it, because I am a Catholic and I thought that the movie poking fun at christianity and making hell seem like an ok place would offend me, but after watching it, I actually seemed to enjoy it. It pokes fun at both heaven and hell but not in a way that is too insulting. Adam Sandler is hilarious as Little Nicky the son of Satan, although I thought that his performance was funny, his speech impediment got a little bit on my nerves after awhile. Harvey Keitel's performance as Satan was devilishly funny and witty, he did an amazing job. It was great to see Sandler being reunited with a lot of his costars from previous movies including Allen Covert as his flamboyantly gay roomate and aspiring actor and Clint Howard as the nipple rubbing man which just cracked me up. While the humor gets a little bit out hand at times such as Jon Lovitz being humped by a big black bird and one of the devils getting boobs on his head, it still proves to be funny. Look out for other great cameos by Rodney Dangerfield as Lucifer, Patricia Arquette as Little Nicky's girlfriend Valerie and Dana Carvey as a basketball referee.

Help
I thought the movie was great but i cant find out what the song was when the two guys are walking into the cop shop to turn nicky in. I really like the song and if anybody knows what it is could you please tell me beermasterking@yahoo.com

I really didn't know they made movies that were this awful
I thought Sandler's "Mr. Deeds" and "Happy Gilmore" were awfully stupid movies, but then I had the misfortune to sit through "Little Nicky." I realize now that "Mr. Deeds" & "Happy Gilmore," by comparison, were absolute artistic masterpieces.

My God, how does a movie as uniformly awful manage to get past even the executives that approve a script for production? It just boggles the mind how bad this was, on every level. How respectable actors such as Harvey Keitel could associate themselves with this cinematic vomit is also mind-boggling.

This was a truly painful movie to sit through, and is angling for a spot on my hallowed list of 10 All-Time Worst Movies (alongside Mannequin & Baby Geniuses). I still feel the nausea induced by this garbage.

The best Sandler Movie.
This movie Rules! I can't say enough good things about it! It puts Rodney Dangerfield, Ozzy Osbourne,Quentin Tarrentino and Henry Winkler in the same movie. Sandler makes a very convincing metalhead. Hilarious from start to finish. Great soundtrack, really helps out the movie. All of the usual faces from Sandler films are here. The special features are great too. Satan's top forty is a good intro for non fans of metal, but provides us metalheads with nothing new. The film documentary is way cool, and the commentaries are hilarious, overall just a great DVD. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

full-tilt
no

Behind the scenes
If you had a chance to take a behind-the-scenes look at any movie made during the last ten years, "From Dusk Till Dawn" probably wouldn't be your first choice. Yes, the 1996 horror show was directed by Robert Rodriguez ("El Mariachi") and written by Quentin Tarantino. And, yes, such notables as George Clooney, Juliette Lewis, Harvey Keitel and Tarantino himself appeared in a major roles. But with all due respect to everyone involved with that fang-in-cheek action-adventure about hungry vampires at a remote Mexican cantina, "From Dusk Till Dawn" wasn't exactly the sort of cinematic triumph that evokes a burning urge to witness the creative process at work.

Even so, Sarah Kelly's "Full Tilt Boogie" is not without interest. Kelly, who previously worked as a production assistant on Tarantino's "Pulp Fiction," did not have entirely free access, or even full co-operation, as she made this movie about the making of a movie. (Keitel granted only a five-minute interview during his final day on location.) And a few scenes -- most notably, the mock-macho entrance of Clooney and Tarantino -- obviously were staged for Kelly's cameras.

At its occasional best, however, "Full Tilt Boogie" vividly and accurately conveys the day-to-day, "hurry up and wait" drudgery of moviemaking. Cast and crew heartily party when the day's work is done. And even during the actual shooting, there's a sense of play along with the practice of craft. By and large, however, you're left with the impression that working on a film can be as exhausting -- and, yes, sometimes as boring -- as working on an assembly line.

Here and there, Kelly catches flashes of revealing detail. Clooney seems amiable but oddly disengaged, as though he doesn't want anyone -- least of all a documentarian -- to get too close. (In a brief, unguardedly teary moment, his personal assistant indicates that he may not be such a nice guy after all.) In sharp contrast, Tarantino comes across as a kind of court jester, especially during his rant about the lack of beer at a location party. Throughout it all, Rodriguez looks extremely worried. He also looks like he wouldn't want to be anyplace else.

Waste of time, money and everything else!!
I got this docu as a "pack-in" when I purchased the Collector's Edition of "From Dusk Till Dawn", it was listed as part of the "bonus material" with the DVD. Let me say this: what a pointless endevour! Who needs to see Tarantino's and Clooney's assistants sitting around talking about their employers like star-struck high school girls? They looked and acted like a bunch of grade 8 girls waiting to see who would ask them to the prom. George Clooney, Salma Hayek and Harvey Keitel never even bother to give direct interviews, so how can a docu be a docu when it excludes some of the most important characters? It generally follows the little people who tell us such important details as how Quentin likes his coffee and the mug he likes it in. Then they get into the IATSE strike because FDTD was using non-union help. Big deal! If I wanted to see a bunch of labor garbage, I would go down to my local Teamster's hall and listen to them spout off. The makers make a long drawn out point of trying to show how they got in contact with Lyle Tractenberg about his side of the dispute that consumed what felt like 10 minutes, only for him to speak off camera only. Overall this is a forced, directionless effort that adds nothing to the film, whether you are a fan or not. If you want a decent docu of something, go shoot one yourself, you'll do a better and more interesting job! And for God's sakes, don't even think about wasting money on this, rent or steal are your only logical options if you insist on seeing it.

Interesting and Entertaining Behind the Scenes Look
Full Tilt Boogie is a documentary by Director Sarah Kelly bringing us behind the scenes from the movie From Dusk Till Dawn. The 1996 criminals-on-run-meet-vampires movie brought together writer Quentin Tarantino with director Robert Rodriguez.

The film starred actors George Clooney, Harvey Keitel, Juliette Lewis and Salma Hayek, and Cheech Marin. Cheech appears in multiple roles, playing a border guard, a strip club barker with a hilarious "pussy for a penny" spiel, and a mexican mobster.

What is nice about the documentary, is you not only get to "meet" the stars and director, but also the folks behind the scenes, the grips, the assistants, and the other "little people" who make the movie magic reality. About halfway into the movie, the film starts looking at the troubles the flick went through when Rodriguez made the flick with a non-union cast and crew. It's intriguing to follow the union portion of the documentary.

What I didn't like about the film was the lack of Tom Savini in the documentary. Tom, one of the industry's most well known makeup/special effects artists (Creepshow, Friday the 13th, Dawn & Day of the Dead, etc) played Sex Machine in the film, and I was disappointed to not have any input from him in the documentary.

Another disappointment was the almost total absence of Harvey Keitel in the documentary. According to the narration, he was not interested in making the documentary, only From Dusk 'Till Dawn, but did do a painfully brief interview with Quentin, which left me wanting more.

The final thing that bothered me is while you do get to "meet" the folks behind the scenes, it doesn't go very far, and I was left wanting to know more about these interesting folks who made the movie happen.

But all in all, if you enjoyed From Dusk 'Til Dawn, you still will want to check out this documentary.

At the time of this review, the price is rather high (over a $100), but you have access to a DVD player, you may want to get the From Dusk Til Dawn: Dimension Collector's Series DVD, which includes this featurette along with a ton of other extras for around 25 bucks until the price drops on the VHS.

Fun, interesting look at what it's like to make a movie
I saw this film two years ago at the SXSW film festival and thought it was fabulous. I was thrilled to see it in my video store last night. For a good time...watch From Dusk Til Dawn and then see Full Tilt Boogie. ... Read more

Reviews (94)

The Most Super of Superbit DVDs
This week I had an opportunity to take a look at the new Superbit DVDs from Columbia Tristar. Of all the Superbit DVDs we looked at the one which clearly delivered on the Superbit promise is Desperado Superbit with a version clearly superior to the initial release. From the first scene in the movie on, the picture is remarkably improved over the original version. To give you an example of how big the difference is, when Steve Buscemi's character walks into the bar, it looks like it is lit in a murky brown light, whereas in the Superbit version the bar is clearly and evenly lit by a dark red light. I was like, "Oh, so that's what it's supposed to look like!" I found myself comparing a good number of scenes in Desperado, and clearly across the board the Desperado Superbit looked better. The key scene I selected compare between the two versions in Desperado was the one where Carolina (played by Selma Hayek) sings a song on the bed of El Mariachi (Antonio Banderas). Some of the notable differences I could see:

• Skin tone! Wow! In the Superbit version there's a dramatic difference in skin tone, it looks a lot richer and is a much truer color.
• As the camera pans over to Selma's face you can see much more detail in her face and on her skin.
• The colors of El Mariachi's guns are much different and they glimmer in the Superbit version. In the original version they are a dull metallic color.

The DTS audio track is as dramatic a difference as the picture. Most noticeably is when El Mariachi jumps backward from the top of the building firing his pistols. In the DTS audio track you hear a thud as he lands, something I didn't hear in either the old or new Dolby Digital tracks. Of all the Superbit Titles, Desperado is the easiest to recommend as a 'replacement' DVD for someone who already owns the original version. The improvements in the Superbit version are significant enough to warrant a purchase and you don't give up anything going to Superbit, as the original release didn't have any special features. However, there was also a double feature release (yep, Superbit makes release #3), which had Desperado on one side and El Mariachi on the other, so that's a pretty huge special feature to give up (and the only way to own El Mariachi on DVD).

[Geoffrey Kleinman, DVDTalk.com]

"El Mariachi" with a budget
As far as revenge flicks go, this one plays by all the rules....and still delivers the goods. The main draw of this film is (and ought to be) the promise of some amazing action scenes. With Robert Rodriguez directing, you know you'll get what you paid for. Revenge flicks also need an angry lone hero out to get anybody for a past wrong. And here we have Antonio Banderas in (what I consider to be) his breakout role. His is really the only character that has the amount of depth usually reserved for more weighty films. But then again, we're talking about a Robert Rodriguez movie. And Banderas is a damn fine actor. He is perfectly cast as the nameless "Mariachi." Salma Hayek is lookin' good as the love interest, but aside from being Salma Hayek (something no man can quibble over), she isn't given much to work with. Still, there is a hilarious throwaway role filled past the brim by the inestimable Steve Buscemi; Cheech Marin appears as "the Bartender." Quentin Tarantino even pops up to tell an obscene joke (can you imagine?). The one debit this film has going against it, besides the one-dimensional -- though highly entertaining -- characters, is the fact that the huge climactic gunfight at the ranch never is shown! (If you've seen the film, you know what I'm talking about.)

I suppose I should summarize.... "Desperado" rocks. Plain and simple, if you're looking for an above-average action thriller with lots of goofy humor, this is the way to do it. And if you're really ambitious, I highly recommend seeing "Desperado" and "El Mariachi," Rodriguez's original feature debut, in one sitting and comparing the two films. "El Mariachi" is much better, but since it was filmed on a shoestring budget, it doesn't feature some of the more mind-blowing fight sequences you can find in "Desperado." It's up to you to decide which is better, but for sure, "Desperado" is one of my top picks for a guilty pleasure. 4 of 5 stars.

West Side Story...South of the Border
OK, may be the plot isn't relative and the weaponry a little more state-of-the-art, but the choreography.....better!

This violent, shoot-um-up-to-the-max was definitely 'death dancing to it's own rhythm'.

I viewed the Superbit DVD, but never having watched either of the previous two DVDs nor the video, I can't make any comparison. I can say the DTS was awesome. The picture quality was excellent. It doesn't get any better than this, especially since the tiny shrinking cinemaplex theaters have made my surround-sound and 32" TV the theater of choice.

Sex and guns and music from Los Lobos interwoven with campy humor, Antonio being...well Antonio (ladies, need I say more), with great support from the likes of Steve Buscemi (in one of his best roles I think), Cheech Marin, and the sultry Salma Hayek; what more could you want in an action movie. I found this film far superior to and much more enjoyable than 'Dawn To Dusk'.

Now that 'Desperado II - Once Upon A Time in Mexico'is in the works for a 2003 release with the return of Antonio and Salma and the addition of Johnny Depp and Enrique Iglesias, once again under the direction of Robert Rodriguez, we can look foward to finding out just where the loving couple rode off to into the sunset.

Seems I repeatedly say these two things:

I am not your run-of-the mill young western fan - wrong gender, wrong age, but I enjoyed it anyway;

and also reminding those who picked-at the flaws, degraded and jeered at the plot (?), questioned the reality, and just plain didn't get the campiness, to just let yourself go!

Don't take yourself and the movies so seriously. Enjoy the humor. Enjoy Antonio or Salma, whichever one sets your pulse-to-racing. Heck, just enjoy the movie!

It Was Good, But ...
I was disappointed with the ending. Of course, I loved the twist, but the conclusion to the twist wasn't what I was hoping for. But hey, if you enjoy "out on a vendetta" movies as much as I do, you'll enjoy the ride.

A GREAT ACTION FILM FOR THE AGES!
I am a big fan of the "action" genre and the whole Mariachi Trilogy tops my list.Especially with Desperado my favorite.I showed this film to my friend and they were extreamly impressed.Some people say that this movie's no good because it's too too unreal.This movie wasn't meant to be real it was meant to be fun.Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek really give this movie a "spice" to the screen.Desperado is filled with bullet-flying action,humor,and a romance.Those who've seen this movie will know what I'm talking about.If you're not into actio movies,or violent movies than Desperado is defenetley not for you.For those who are into action movies and haven't seen this movie yet,SEE IT NOW!I gaurentee you won't be disappointed. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Turn On Some Magic!
'Destiny' is a difficult movie to describe, and definitely an aquired taste (see other reviews below). A twisted blend of comedy, romance, action, and magic realism, it stands a lot of traditional movie images on their heads. Yes, Q. Tarantino has a small but pivotal role as Johnny Destiny, a character who changes many of the characters lives for the worse, then reappears to set things right in unexpected ways. Tarantino, however did NOT write or direct (director: Jack Barans), which leads to a sunnier and more romantic sort of movie. Nancy Travis shines as Lucille, an estranged love of main character Julian (Dylan McDermott). There are many great character parts, from James Belushi's 'Twerto', to Tracey Walters' philosophical desert rat, 'Pappy'. If you want something fresh, magical, unpredictable, and laugh-out-loud funny, I do recommend this highly (that's why the 5 stars). Look for McDermott's hilarious entrance on a motorcycle (about midway through the movie)...it makes me laugh every time!

When is the DVD coming out?
I am not a film scholar, and I don't work at watching films. They are a form of entertainment and relaxation for me. Perhaps this is what allowed me to enjoy this film so much. I stumbled across this gem in the rough while checking out what was on cable (actually satellite), which allowed a no-expectations experience of the film, and I really liked it, particularly the use of color. Off-beat and fresh are cliches for indie films, but they both apply to this charming and humorous movie. The imagery was memorable, and the acting was just what this strange and entertaining film called for. I am tempted to call aspects of this movie "experimental", but it is more accesible than most "experimantal films," and, frankly more fun. You don't have to work to enjoy it, you just have to relax. It is a natural for DVD viewing, which allows for experiencing this visually compelling, if somewhat weird, adventure in a low key setting with a glass or two of wine after a long day at work. Watching Tarantino act in the film is another plus, for those who enjoy his directing and writing, as I do. I am looking forward to its being released on DVD, and will certainly purchase it when it does. Who even watches VHS any more?

Watch with someone you Hate
I saw this movie in a free preview and everyone in the theatre had free seats. Halfway through the movie someone yelled out is this movie over yet and when it was finished every clapped that the movie was over. This is from people who got in for free!!!!

Monkeys have tails, and chimpanzees dont
This was a horrible movie. I actually paid to see it in the theater, what was I thinking??!!

The Most Laughable Dialogue
I am a movie buff and love films, especially independent, offbeat ones. So I thought this would be a good one for me . . . well, was I wrong! After watching this movie, I thought that it had to be one of the worse ever made! The plot is worse than OK, but the casting of plain Nancy Travis as "sexy" lounge singer Lucille was unbelievable. Nancy Travis is just not sexy. The worst thing about this movie, though, is the dialogue. The characters refer to Vegas as "this Godforsaken town" so many times, you could make a drinking game out of it! Unless you are the most diehard Tarantino fan, or you just can't get enough of Dylan McDermott, you should probably avoid this movie! ... Read more

Reviews (94)

The Most Super of Superbit DVDs
This week I had an opportunity to take a look at the new Superbit DVDs from Columbia Tristar. Of all the Superbit DVDs we looked at the one which clearly delivered on the Superbit promise is Desperado Superbit with a version clearly superior to the initial release. From the first scene in the movie on, the picture is remarkably improved over the original version. To give you an example of how big the difference is, when Steve Buscemi's character walks into the bar, it looks like it is lit in a murky brown light, whereas in the Superbit version the bar is clearly and evenly lit by a dark red light. I was like, "Oh, so that's what it's supposed to look like!" I found myself comparing a good number of scenes in Desperado, and clearly across the board the Desperado Superbit looked better. The key scene I selected compare between the two versions in Desperado was the one where Carolina (played by Selma Hayek) sings a song on the bed of El Mariachi (Antonio Banderas). Some of the notable differences I could see:

• Skin tone! Wow! In the Superbit version there's a dramatic difference in skin tone, it looks a lot richer and is a much truer color.
• As the camera pans over to Selma's face you can see much more detail in her face and on her skin.
• The colors of El Mariachi's guns are much different and they glimmer in the Superbit version. In the original version they are a dull metallic color.

The DTS audio track is as dramatic a difference as the picture. Most noticeably is when El Mariachi jumps backward from the top of the building firing his pistols. In the DTS audio track you hear a thud as he lands, something I didn't hear in either the old or new Dolby Digital tracks. Of all the Superbit Titles, Desperado is the easiest to recommend as a 'replacement' DVD for someone who already owns the original version. The improvements in the Superbit version are significant enough to warrant a purchase and you don't give up anything going to Superbit, as the original release didn't have any special features. However, there was also a double feature release (yep, Superbit makes release #3), which had Desperado on one side and El Mariachi on the other, so that's a pretty huge special feature to give up (and the only way to own El Mariachi on DVD).

[Geoffrey Kleinman, DVDTalk.com]

"El Mariachi" with a budget
As far as revenge flicks go, this one plays by all the rules....and still delivers the goods. The main draw of this film is (and ought to be) the promise of some amazing action scenes. With Robert Rodriguez directing, you know you'll get what you paid for. Revenge flicks also need an angry lone hero out to get anybody for a past wrong. And here we have Antonio Banderas in (what I consider to be) his breakout role. His is really the only character that has the amount of depth usually reserved for more weighty films. But then again, we're talking about a Robert Rodriguez movie. And Banderas is a damn fine actor. He is perfectly cast as the nameless "Mariachi." Salma Hayek is lookin' good as the love interest, but aside from being Salma Hayek (something no man can quibble over), she isn't given much to work with. Still, there is a hilarious throwaway role filled past the brim by the inestimable Steve Buscemi; Cheech Marin appears as "the Bartender." Quentin Tarantino even pops up to tell an obscene joke (can you imagine?). The one debit this film has going against it, besides the one-dimensional -- though highly entertaining -- characters, is the fact that the huge climactic gunfight at the ranch never is shown! (If you've seen the film, you know what I'm talking about.)

I suppose I should summarize.... "Desperado" rocks. Plain and simple, if you're looking for an above-average action thriller with lots of goofy humor, this is the way to do it. And if you're really ambitious, I highly recommend seeing "Desperado" and "El Mariachi," Rodriguez's original feature debut, in one sitting and comparing the two films. "El Mariachi" is much better, but since it was filmed on a shoestring budget, it doesn't feature some of the more mind-blowing fight sequences you can find in "Desperado." It's up to you to decide which is better, but for sure, "Desperado" is one of my top picks for a guilty pleasure. 4 of 5 stars.

West Side Story...South of the Border
OK, may be the plot isn't relative and the weaponry a little more state-of-the-art, but the choreography.....better!

This violent, shoot-um-up-to-the-max was definitely 'death dancing to it's own rhythm'.

I viewed the Superbit DVD, but never having watched either of the previous two DVDs nor the video, I can't make any comparison. I can say the DTS was awesome. The picture quality was excellent. It doesn't get any better than this, especially since the tiny shrinking cinemaplex theaters have made my surround-sound and 32" TV the theater of choice.

Sex and guns and music from Los Lobos interwoven with campy humor, Antonio being...well Antonio (ladies, need I say more), with great support from the likes of Steve Buscemi (in one of his best roles I think), Cheech Marin, and the sultry Salma Hayek; what more could you want in an action movie. I found this film far superior to and much more enjoyable than 'Dawn To Dusk'.

Now that 'Desperado II - Once Upon A Time in Mexico'is in the works for a 2003 release with the return of Antonio and Salma and the addition of Johnny Depp and Enrique Iglesias, once again under the direction of Robert Rodriguez, we can look foward to finding out just where the loving couple rode off to into the sunset.

Seems I repeatedly say these two things:

I am not your run-of-the mill young western fan - wrong gender, wrong age, but I enjoyed it anyway;

and also reminding those who picked-at the flaws, degraded and jeered at the plot (?), questioned the reality, and just plain didn't get the campiness, to just let yourself go!

Don't take yourself and the movies so seriously. Enjoy the humor. Enjoy Antonio or Salma, whichever one sets your pulse-to-racing. Heck, just enjoy the movie!

It Was Good, But ...
I was disappointed with the ending. Of course, I loved the twist, but the conclusion to the twist wasn't what I was hoping for. But hey, if you enjoy "out on a vendetta" movies as much as I do, you'll enjoy the ride.

A GREAT ACTION FILM FOR THE AGES!
I am a big fan of the "action" genre and the whole Mariachi Trilogy tops my list.Especially with Desperado my favorite.I showed this film to my friend and they were extreamly impressed.Some people say that this movie's no good because it's too too unreal.This movie wasn't meant to be real it was meant to be fun.Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek really give this movie a "spice" to the screen.Desperado is filled with bullet-flying action,humor,and a romance.Those who've seen this movie will know what I'm talking about.If you're not into actio movies,or violent movies than Desperado is defenetley not for you.For those who are into action movies and haven't seen this movie yet,SEE IT NOW!I gaurentee you won't be disappointed. ... Read more