With the
constant reliance on remakes and sequels in the film industry, it shouldn’t
come as much of a surprise to see these habits spill over into television. This
past year saw a large number of film-to-television adaptations in every
imaginable genre, from romantic comedy (“About a Boy”) to dark crime films (“Fargo ”) and serial killer narratives (“Hannibal
Those other
characters have been brought back enough times that they could have been easily
adapted to different scenarios, but they are also iconically tied to memorable
performances. While the 1996 was a cult success, it was an easier sell for
reinterpretation with the time that has passed. For those who remember the
film, however, there will either be admiration or irritation at how much has
remained the same. It feels somewhat like watching a remake that is five times
as long and 1/5 the budget. Sometimes less is more, and this series is evidence
of such.
The story, for
those who are unfamiliar, involves brothers and wanted criminals who encounter
a coven of vampires in a strip club when they escape to Mexico
The one area
where the film allows a great deal more narrative to seep in is with the
representation of law enforcement. While cops were merely tools for suspense and
targets for bullets in the film, the television series gives a larger role to a
Ranger (Jesse Garcia) hunting them down. This is a small price to pay for a
dragged out narrative, but it does ensure that the last few episodes are full
of great horror action. It is just getting to that point that seems to drag
more than was enjoyable.
The Blu-ray
release for the first season includes all ten episodes on three discs, along
with a plethora of special feature that range from pointless entertainment to
informational featurettes. On one end of the scale is a feature with all of the
season’s best kills edited together and a commercial for the fabricated
Tarantino fast food chain, Big Kahuna. On the other end is an audio commentary
with Rodriguez, joined by additional producers and cast members. There are also
a number of featurettes, including a making-of and several behind-the-scenes
segments created for television. Also included are some promotional commercials
done in collaboration with General Motors and Dos Equis. There is also Q&A
footage from the show’s premiere at Alamo Drafthouse.
Entertainment Value:
6.5/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 7/10
Historical
Significance: 6/10
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