Quentin Tarantinohas been the most prominent cheerleader for cinematic violence, and he is no stranger to criticism when it comes to his graphic depictions of such. Even in films where he isn’t sitting in the director’s chair, Tarantino manages to catch controversy. He was merely an actor and screenwriter behindRobert Rodriguez’From Dusk Till Dawn, a film that waseventually banned in Ireland. More than its violent scenes, most of which are relatively tame, it was its ill-timing in the wake of real-life tragedies that caused it to be prohibited. In turn, this move added to the ever-raging debates on the relationship of bloody film representations with real-life crimes.
What Is ‘From Dusk till Dawn’ About?
From Dusk till Dawntells the story of two criminal brothers Seth (George Clooney) and Richie (Quentin Tarantino) Gecko. While both individually sinister, Richie proves to be the loose cannon of the two, even going as far as murdering and sexually assaulting a female hostage. They run into the family of Jacob Fuller (Harvey Keitel), a pastor who is experiencing a crisis of faith. The pair forcefully asks them to cross them over the Mexican border. Fuller, left with no choice, duly complies. They are asked by Seth to stop by a bar called “The Titty Twister,” where the brothers will be in a rendezvous with their associate, Carlos (CheechMarin). The bar closes at dawn, and that is exactly when Carlos agrees to show up to split some of the profits they had from their recent heist. They stop at the bar, enter the sleazy establishment, and enjoy a few refreshments.
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A bar fight ensues involving Richie, and things start to become really ugly. The Gecko brothers and the Fuller family discover that the entire workforce of this seemingly innocuous bar are actually vampires, and they are in serious danger. Richie is quickly bitten by one of them and becomes a vampire himself. The rest of the picture becomes a half-horrific, half-amusing bloodbath. Using techniques they learned from the movies about exterminating vampires, the surviving patrons team up against these foul beasts. In the ensuing fiasco, only Seth and Jacob’s daughter Kate (Juliette Lewis) are the only ones standing. Carlos then arrives to blast the door open, letting the sunlight kill all of the creatures of the night. Seth gives Kate a stack of cash and urges her to go home while he and the gang go to El Rey.
‘From Dusk till Dawn’s Violence Isn’t That Realistic
Under the lens of those who are enamored with movies in general, there is nothing ultra-violent aboutFrom Dusk till Dawn.One can argue that there is nothing out of the ordinary when it comes to the bloodshed in the second half of the picture. However, The Irish Film Institute has been notorious for itsovertly strict guidelines when it comes to its film censorship. Pictures such asBad Lieutenant,A Clockwork Orange, andMonty Python’s Life of Brianwere infamously barred from being seen on Irish screens. As a matter of fact, another Tarantino-written feature inNatural Born Killerswas alsoprohibited to be shown in the country. This was mainly due to the Irish government being so closely linked to the Catholic Church. As Ireland has become further separated from the church, its film censorship is not as strict today.
The banning of theOliver Stonepicture may have had some semblance of merit. Its protagonists Mickey (Woody Harrelson) and Mallory (Juliette Lewis) were a more sadistic Bonnie and Clyde, committing heinous acts along the way without any fear or remorse. However,From Dusk till Dawnwas a horror film that apart from Richie assaulting their female hostage, was bereft of any “realistic” notion of violence. Why then was it banned?Natural Born Killersmay have been censored because of itsalleged inspiration from real-life crimes, but Rodriguez’From Dusk till Dawnwas banned because of events that preceded its showing. The Irish Film Censor Board saw the film’s violence as quite irresponsible because it happened to be in the wake of two unfortunate events.
Why Was ‘From Dusk till Dawn’ Banned in Ireland?
On July 20, 2025,one of the most despicable crimes was committed in the Scottish town of Dunblane. Dressed in fatigues and armed with four guns, disgraced scout leader Thomas Hamilton went into the local primary school and started shooting. 16 children and their teacher were killed before the criminal turned the gun on himself. The infamous Dunblane massacre led to gun reform in the United Kingdom, but the pain still remains to this day. Only a month after,another mass shooting occurred in the Australian state of Tasmania, in the tourist town of Port Arthur. Martin Bryant, a psychologically troubled man, brought out a semi-automatic rifle from his tennis bag and started shooting people in a café. He was eventually arrested by the authorities when he was forced to run out of a cottage he set on fire. Bryant killed at least 32 people. Like the events that transpired in Dunblane, the Port Arthur Massacre led to policy changes in gun control in Australia. Semi-automatics and pump-action firearmswere eventually bannedin Australia, but the suffering brought upon by the crime persists.
According toThe Irish Times, due to these preceding events, Mr. Sheamus Smith, the Irish film censor at the time, branded the showing ofFrom Dusk till Dawnas an irresponsible act due to its gratuitous violence. He goes on to mention that somebody has to make a move and fully stop the extraordinary and copious amounts of violence on the silver screen. Smith certainly has a point that he wants to make. Looking back, it can also be construed as a necessary response in light of recent events.
However, it honestly feels mistaken to blame the movies once again for the encouragement and proliferation of crimes. It is a horror movie after all, and the protagonists are aiming to vanquish the forces of evil, rather than being representative of evil itself. If anything, viewing the picture may very well be a case to strengthen one’s faith, as Jacob Fuller’s last stand in the film shows. Despite its controversies, the filmwas eventually released in 2004, giving Irish filmgoers the opportunity to finally see whatFrom Dusk till Dawntruly is: a fun and exhilarating horror classic from the minds of Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino.
