Synopsis
After kidnapping a father and his two kids, the Gecko brothers head south to a seedy Mexican bar to hide out in safety, unaware of its notorious clientele.
Awards and festivals
1996 MTV Movie Awards · Awards Breakthrough Performance — George Clooney 1996 Saturn Awards · Film Best Actor — George Clooney 1996 Saturn Awards · Film Best Director — Robert Rodriguez · nominated 1996 Saturn Awards · Film Best Writing — Quentin Tarantino · nominated 1996 Saturn Awards · Film Best Supporting Actor — Harvey Keitel · nominated 1996 Saturn Awards · Film Best Supporting Actor — Quentin Tarantino · nominated 1996 Saturn Awards · Film Best Supporting Actress — Juliette Lewis · nominated 1996 Saturn Awards · Film Best Make-up — K.N.B. EFX Group Inc. · nominated 1996 Saturn Awards · Film Best Horror Film 1997 Fangoria Chainsaw Awards · Awards Best Actor — George Clooney 1997 Fangoria Chainsaw Awards · Awards Best Make-Up/Creature FX — K.N.B. EFX Group 1997 Fangoria Chainsaw Awards · Awards Best Wide Release · nominated plus 4 more entries on file
Places
Set in Texas · Mexico · Titty Twister, a Mexican bar (fictional) · El Rey (fictional)
Filmed at Los Angeles, California — Reported as the main shooting base; scenes used Texas-looking locations for a Texas-Mexico-border story. Barstow, California — Dusty desert exteriors near Barstow in the Mojave Desert; used for the film's U.S.-Mexico-border/desert setting. California — Wikidata lists California as a filming location; no more specific place in that statement. Mexico — Wikidata lists Mexico as a filming location; no more specific place in that statement. Cast
Harvey Keitel George Clooney Quentin Tarantino Juliette Lewis Richard Marin Fred Williamson Salma Hayek Marc Lawrence Michael Parks Kelly Preston
Themes
Midnight genre cinema cult repertory kidnapping and captivity crime thriller pursuit hypermasculinity desert landscape moral dilemma Vigilante justice
Tone and style
Weird & wild gore fans midnight movie crowd adult genre viewers Edge-of-seat road movie Dark humor action-comedy Tarantino-Rodriguez completists
Technical record
Direction Robert Rodriguez
Writing Quentin Tarantino, Robert Kurtzman
Cinematography Guillermo Navarro
Editing Robert Rodriguez
Music Graeme Revell Spanish release 19 April 1996 Distributor lauren film, s.a. Admissions 1,053,774 ICAA Gross 3,351,623 € ICAA NO RECOMENDADA PARA MENORES DE DIECIOCHO AÑOS· ICAA
Before you go
Suggested age: 18+ strong violence moderate sexual content Prominent substance use A demanding watch Frenetic pacing Great film-club material Has a censorship history A cult film Our own editorial assessment, evidence on file