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[TV Review] “From Dusk Till Dawn” Episode 2.01: ‘Opening Night’

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From Dusk Till Dawn

Tonight’s premiere of El Rey’s From Dusk Till Dawn begins the “official” sequel that the movie never got to have! The series got off to a rocky start last year, but the final three or four episodes raised the stakes and were a lot of fun. If you watched the first season, you’ll know that it ended a little differently than the 1996 film did, with several characters that died in the film still left alive in the show (Scott, Richie, Santánico, to name a few). It also expanded on the mythology on the Culebras a great deal. So how did tonight’s premiere compare to the first season? Pretty well, for the most part, but the show still has some kinks to work out.

Much of the draw of “Opening Night” comes from the fact that we are finally past the remake of the first film that was the first season. It’s not 100% compelling yet, but there are more things working in this premiere than not, so that’s something.

Definitely working for the show is Santánico. Eiza Gonzalez is great in the role and imbues the character with a sense of humanity that she wasn’t fully able to convey last season. Her sojourn in the meat-packing plant with Richie wasn’t particularly interesting (though the fight scene with the uber-vamp in the main room while all the workers were oblivious was a nice bit of physical comedy), but their growing relationship is one of the more fascinating aspects of the series. It is a little odd that Richie is more sane as a Culebra than he was as a human, though.

The flashbacks that revealed Lord Amancio Malvado (new cast member Esai Morales) was the man who turned her into a Culebra (in the opening scene of the pilot) was a nice turn of events. I’m not sure if this show needs another bad guy, especially since Danny Trejo’s “The Regulator” was awoken at the end of the episode, but at least that gives Santánico’s mission a personal stake that the audience can relate to.

Less interesting (and by less interesting I mean not interesting at all) is everything else happening at the Titty Twister. Scott is chained up and doesn’t get much to do. Carlos is bearded, rips out his fangs, and gets himself a sword (which…alright). The aformentioned Lord Amancio Malvado does get a cool entrance (wearing a coat made of faces, I might add) by ripping the face off of another Culebra, but other than that nothing else really happens.

Kate’s mission to find her brother is sort of a mixed bag. On the one hand, I’m loving this new, tough-as-nails Kate. She has agency and Madison Davenport is owning the role (it’s a far cry from her Mormon character on Shameless). On the other hand her end goal is to locate her brother, who doesn’t have much of a presence. Hopefully that will be remedied as the season continues.

Seth is now a heroin addict, and while the eventual reveal that the hotel manager was a Culebra was a nice (and the only) twist for the episode, the real meat of his story came from his meeting with Sonja (Briana Evigan, Sorority Row), a tattoo artist who also forges passports. Again, not much was shown with her character, so it’s difficult to make any snap judgments.

This was a mostly solid premiere that was stretched out a little too thin. Now that all of the characters are spread out into their own sub-plots, From Dusk Till Dawn will have to work a little bit harder to give each character defining moments that make us care about what happens to them. Here’s hoping the series keeps improving!

Random Notes

  • Welcome to my weekly reviews of From Dusk Till Dawn everyone! I know the first season was rough, but I’m looking forward to where this season is headed. Sorry this review is so late. It’s been a crazy week.
  • “Balthazar Ambrose. Wow, are you a Hannah Barbera Character or something? -Richie, when discovering the meat-packing plant manager’s name.
  • “I’m fine! I was just reading the Bible and….praying.” -Kate, after the motel clerk checked to see if she was alright.
  • “I am not wearing that.” -Santánico, after seeing the meat-packing plant uniform.
  • Santánico’s original name was Kisa, in case you were wondering.
  • I was surprised when Gonzalez showed back up. His subplot is not particularly interesting. Jesse Garcia is a fine actor, but on a show full of Culebras and outlaws, Gonzalez is the most boring character on this show.

A journalist for Bloody Disgusting since 2015, Trace writes film reviews and editorials, as well as co-hosts Bloody Disgusting's Horror Queers podcast, which looks at horror films through a queer lens. He has since become dedicated to amplifying queer voices in the horror community, while also injecting his own personal flair into film discourse. Trace lives in Austin, TX with his husband and their two dogs. Find him on Twitter @TracedThurman

Books

‘In Search of Darkness’ Book Review: A Must-Have for ’80s Horror Fans

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In 2019, the documentary of 80s horror In Search of Darkness became an instant hit with horror fans. Now, a beautiful coffee table style companion book is available and is a must-own for all fans of one of horror’s greatest eras. The book is a walk down the horror aisle of the best mom and pop video store in the heyday of VHS, featuring full color photos, poster art, insightful essays and more. More than just a nostalgic throwback, In Search of Darkness is the kind of book I wish I’d had back in my years as a burgeoning horror fan but is also satisfying for the film fanatic I have become in the years since.

The format is beautifully and simply laid out, with at least a dozen (usually more) movies from each year of the decade presented in order of release accompanied by informative and insightful essays by the authors Heather Wixson and Patrick Bromley. Both authors have been mainstays of film journalism, specializing in horror, for many years. Wixson began her career in 2007 with Dread Central and has spent the past ten years as the Managing Editor of Daily Dead, from which she recently retired to focus on books and other projects. She has devoted the past several years to interviewing and writing books about the Make-up and Special Effects wizards that have brought so much to film over the years, specifically the horror genre.

Bromley is a film journalist and critic whose work can be found all over the place including right here on Bloody Disgusting. He recently provided the commentary for the Vinegar Syndrome release of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 and is known as something of a Tobe Hooper expert. He is also the founder and editor of F this Movie!, an eclectic film website, and host of its accompanying podcast. So, to be clear, the authors know their stuff.

Wixson and Bromley divide writing duties roughly in half and though each has a distinctive voice, their writing styles dovetail beautifully into a cohesive whole. Each author plays to their strengths. Being familiar with both their work I didn’t even have to look at the bylines to know that Heather covered Christine and Terror in the Aisles and Patrick took on The Funhouse and Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers. Wixson’s passion for make-up effects is clear and comes through in many of her contributions. In general, Wixson takes on the “big” titles, the movies that defined the decade the most, and Bromley covers what the more cynical among us might call schlock, but he would likely call pure cinematic bliss. There are exceptions and surprises, of course, as there should be (Patrick covers The Shining for example). Each essay dives into the history behind the film, the major players involved, the reception, and legacy with often surprising aspects drawn from interviews with the filmmakers from various sources and insights from the authors.

For all their in-depth explorations of each film, in general the authors keep their critics’ hats safely stowed, keeping in mind that every entry on the book has its fans. In fact, they may well have sold me on finally hitting play on some of the schlockier offerings of the decade like Evilspeak, Nightbeast, and Blood Diner. Hell, I may even give The Beast Within a spin for shits and giggles. The point is that this book is a celebration through and through. The authors are honest about the critical receptions of the films, which were often unkind, and sometimes let their own opinions shine through, but recognize how beloved even the schlockiest films can become given time and availability. And that is an ongoing theme of In Search of Darkness. What may have been dismissed in its day often becomes revered as the years pass. Variations on the phrase “the years have been kind to…” referring to various maligned projects like The Thing, Halloween III: Season of the Witch, The Blob and many, many others, can be found throughout the book for good reason.

Each chapter of the book also includes a rundown of the top horror movies at the box office for the year as well as the top movies of all genres for context. The final page for each year highlights some of the major news and pop culture events including the top songs, albums, and television shows. There is a large central section that pays tribute to the talent involved with the greatest horror films of the 80s including directors, actors, effects artists, and more. This section includes brief biographies of John Carpenter, Wes Craven, Stephen King, Tom Savini, Barbara Crampton, Robert Englund, and many others presented in a dynamic and engaging fashion.

One of the beauties of the book is that it covers so much ground. Sure, you’ll find Friday the 13th, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Hellraiser, and the Halloween sequels in it, but you’ll also find deeper cuts like The Changeling, The Being, and Tetsuo: The Iron Man. I was happy to find the same love given to Frank Henenlotter and Larry Cohen as to George A. Romero and David Cronenberg. In other words, In Search of Darkness is extraordinarily eclectic, highlighting the diversity that truly defined what is often viewed as a homogenous decade. The authors make the case that the 80s was horror’s greatest decade, and with what they lay out throughout this book, it’s tough to argue against that. I even came across a film or two I hadn’t even heard of before, which has become increasingly rare as the years go by.

At just shy of $85, the cover price may give some horror hounds pause, but believe me, it’s worth every penny. This is a beautiful volume that every fan of 80s horror will want on their shelf or prominently displayed on their coffee table. Filled with favorite titles, hundreds of full color photos, insightful and informative writing, this is simply a must own.

You can order your copy now.

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