From Dusk Till Dawn 3: The Hangman's Daughter

release year: 2000 direct-to-video
genre: horror/action
viewing setting: home DVD, 12/19/06 and 3/30/03 and 3/12/00

synopsis: A cruel hangman, his innocent daughter, a bandit chief, a couple of zealots, and Ambrose Bierce converge to help show the origin story of most of what was seen in From dusk Till Dawn.

impressions: This isn't so much a sequel as a prequel; it has the same flavor, music, camera work, nudity, gore, and bad-ass situations as the first movie. Hell, it feels like it was directed by Robert Rodriguez, though it wasn't. Basically, a variety of different characters all end up in the wrong place at the wrong time. I think it's that basic plot device that I like so much - a mix of innocent and ruthless, competent and victims, all of whom end up in the chaotic bloodbath that marks the film's turning point.

things to watch for: The vampire-revealing barfight, of course.

acting: They were all small names, but the people who played Ambrose Bierce, the Bible-thumper, the bandit, and the hangman all did good jobs with their roles. I wasn't really impressed by any of the female roles, though - maybe they didn't have much to do.

"you've also seen him here" trivia: The guy who plays the hangman went on to bring us Jango Fett in the second Star Wars prequel in 2002.

final word: Rip-roaring entertainment of the bloody-yet-silly sort.

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