From Dusk Till Dawn 3: The Hangman's Daughter

From Dusk Till Dawn 3 (1999)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

After the pretty mediocre part two, the third film in the series strikes back in a very entertaining way and serves as a prequel centering on how Santanico Pandemonium (played by Salma Hayek in the original) became a vampire. As Santanico and her bandit boyfriend arrive at a strange brothel, they're also joined by Civil War vet Ambrose Bierce (Michael Parks) and other characters who are soon battling vampires. FROM DUSK TILL DAWN 3 is certainly a step in the right direction after the previous film, which was disappointing to say the least. I thought this one here was quite rare for a sequel/prequel in that it actually has a brain and tries to do something rather clever. For the most part I think the film succeeds mainly because director P.J. Pearce does such a nice job with the screenplay by Alvaro Rodriguez. The screenplay comes up with a very good story and I especially liked the Western elements that take up 2/3rds of the film. I thought these scenes were very authentic and the director does a great job at building up an atmosphere. Most low budget films have a hard time making you believe they take place in the past but that wasn't the case here. The performances were also quite good with Parks leading the way in his bit. He's actually so good that I wish he had been given even more screen time. I also enjoyed Rebecca Gayheart, Danny Trejo and Temuera Morrison in their roles. FROM DUSK TILL DAWN 3 doesn't have the budget for as many special effects as the first film but I thought what they did have was put to good use and what they were lacking the filmmakers made up with it through some clever tricks. The film certainly isn't perfect or going to be considered a masterpiece but fans of the original should enjoy it.

This third installment to the "From Dusk to Dawn" movies is a prequel, as it takes place in the old West in American history. Initially one might think vampires and the wild West doesn't make for a good combination, but the movie was actually enjoyable. While better than part two, this movie still fell short of part one.

The story in "From Dusk Till Dawn 3: The Hangman's Daughter" is essentially exactly the same as in the first two movies. A band of outlaws and holy men and up at a seemingly deserted tavern in a secluded location. As night falls, the patrons turn into blood-thirsty vampires.

The characters in the third movie were more detailed than those in part two, and as such you get more into the movie and a greater wholeness permeates the overall storyline.

As for the acting talents in the movie, then people were doing fair jobs with their given roles and characters. It is, as always, a treat to have Danny Trejo in a movie, alongside the other familiar faces in the movie.

While better than part two, this is not a movie that will make a lasting impression, nor is it a bright shiny moment in cinema history. "From Dusk Till Dawn 3: The Hangman's Daughter" is exactly what you would expect from a movie of this type. It is enjoyable enough for what it turned out to be.

The first movie stands well on its own. The second movie is just a filler. And the third movie is essentially also just a filler, although it does show the origin of the seductive Santanico Pandemonium character from the first movie.

You know, this film aint too bad at all! this is an entertaining horror flick that returns to the quality of the first film and away from the pure drivel of the second movie. this is set in the past and we see the Vampire club as it was in the past. Like the first movie in this we see no monster action for the first half and pure blood sucking gore for the entire second half of the film. This not to say the first half is poor because it isn't. Again like the first movie the first half is different yet very watchable.

The acting is very good and the special affect are ok if not spectacular.The story is hardly ground breaking but at times this is very funny and in the moments when it was supposed to be, not like in the second movie when it was funny when they were trying to be serious! An above average horror that is hard not to like. 7 out of 10.

I have a problem with the whole fact of Rodriguez and Tarantino doing a sequel, let alone sequels, of a highly original, totally off-the-wall movie like From Dusk Til Dawn. But where #2, "Texas Blood Money," was a waste of film, #3 "The Hangman's Daughter" is the ONLY one they should've attempted. It tells the story of Salma Hayek's character in the first one and actually has a plot, good acting, lasts just long enough and has enough content to be entertaining and not exhausting. I also want to add that Ara Celi is a GREAT substitution for Salma cause she is just as FINE! :)

The movie does suffer from some of the hokey tricks that plagued Texas Blood Money and is campy, but that's half the appeal of these types of movies. They're not Shakespeare, they're to entertain...and bringing back Michael Parks was a stroke of genius and if you want to see how diverse an actor he is, watch this movie and the first moments of the original where he's featured. If you're jonezing to revisit some old friends at the Titty Twister saloon, rent this one and TOTALLY AVOID the second sequel.

Just like the previous sequel, the third entry of the "From Dusk till Dawn" franchise would be another quickly produced straight-to-video sequel that would be somewhat a prequel to the original film. While I didn't think the second entry was as bad that it's usually made out to be, however "Hangman's Daughter" is still a definite improvement over "Texas Blood Money". In a way it kind of plays out more similar to the original, only this time the carnage is set in the early 1900s (where the Old West was coming to an end) to be finally played out once again in the seamy Mexican tavern that harbours blood-gushing surprises for its guests. For most part this horror western comedy is very well executed, as it's brashly pieced with its admirably crafted make-up FX, slickly directed for its low-scale budget and colourfully acted. The sweeping camera has scope framing the moody, sunbaked landscapes and story dramatics with constant flair with that spaghetti western brutality shinning through. It wears its influences quite proudly too. The mellow story starts of episodic --- focusing on an Civil war hero looking to long for some cause while on the other side is an infamous outlaw with a hypnotic runaway beauty whose father (a hangman) follows their trail. But the two while crossing paths during stages, eventually come to be one when they encounter an orgy of alcohol, sexuality and blood at a desolate inn that just happens to be home for the blood-sucking kind. Strangely enough while nasty and kinetic, I thought it became tiring when the survivors of the feeding work together despite their differences and try to fend off the vampires, as I thought the initial build-up was interestingly offbeat with its dry humour and lasting bite despite the systematic staples. Michael Park's wry character Ambrose Bierce is a fascinating one, as he pretty much soaks it up with little effort in which doing so emits an ambiguously tainted air about him. Marco Leonardi is quite a live-wire as the outlaw Johnny Madrid and his combination with the lovely, if pouty Ara Celi comes off. Temuera Morrison provides aggression and then Lennie Loftin and Rebecca Gayheart give out that twitchy energy as a married religious couple. In support is modest turns by Sonia Braga (who looks great!), Jordana Spiro, Orlando Jones and an always worthwhile Danny Trejo.