Man, is this even worth a micro review?!
John Saxon‘s contribution to Robert Rodriguez‘s vampiric Mexi-mash is so fleeting it’s hardly worth commenting on at all.
Nonetheless, we’re gathered here today to rejoice in the great man’s work – The John Saxon Project aims to review every film in the man like Saxon’s filmography and so, significant or no, From Dusk til Dawn needs a mention.
Saxon plays the chief FBI agent chasing George Clooney and his barking mad brother, Quentin Tarantino as they seek refuge in the Titty Twister – a Cheech Marin infested shit hole on the other side of the Mexican border. On screen for all of two minutes, Saxon appears on a fuzzy TV news report, utters two lines vaguely promising retribution for some cop killing and then promptly vanishes never to be seen or referred to again.
John Saxon is on the microphone...
That Saxon is included in a wealthy cast of genre stalwarts (Fred “The Hammer”Williamson, Marin, Michael Parks and Tom Savini) should be commendable – simply as a gesture of respectful reference, but unlike his peers, Saxon’s involvement can only barely be considered cameo. Sheesh, had Rodriguez not seen Apocalisse Domani?! If there’s one thing John Saxon can do, it’s surely going up poker faced against a bunch of flesh chewing monsters!
Personally, I’d have liked to have seen Saxon ham it up in the role of Sex Machine. Turns in stuff like the camp-tastic My Mom’s a Werewolf highlight just how much Saxon can bring the Kink, but sadly the opportunity here is wasted.
Saxon is unlikely to complain though: half an hours worth of work and a credit in a QT backed production mid 90s was not to be sniffed at. Though barely registering amid the torn limbs and witty dialogue of Rodriguez’s free for all, Saxon’s inclusion (albeit minuscule) serves to underline his legacy within trashy horror hybrids (to which From Dusk til Dawn is clearly indebted to), and that’s probably just about enough…
