Plot Details: This opinion reveals major details about the movie's plot.

Noted film critic Roger Ebert was remarked that when he sees a truly bad movie, he wonders what a documentary shot behind the scenes would be like.
His comment brings to mind Hearts of Darkness: A Film Maker's Apocalypse, the stunning documentary about Apocalypse Now (a great film, by the way, but one plagued with disaster and difficulty).

Full Tilt Boogie is just what Ebert has dreamed of (although, to be fair, the film it chronicles isn't REALLY bad, just not perfect).

When Robert Rodriguez (El Mariachi) and Quentin Tarrantino (Pulp Fiction) were making From Dusk Till Dawn, their Vampire/Crime flick, they allowed Sarah Kelly to film this documentary behind the scenes.

It follows the making of the movie from preproduction to completeion, and includes interviews with Tarrantino, Rodriguez, George Clooney (Three Kings), Julliette Lewis (Natural Born Killers), Tom Savini (Dawn of the Dead) and others. Harvey Keitel is strangely absent for most of the film; showing up only for two minutes toward the end, but then he is known for declining interviews and not hyping his own work.

The film opens with a funny sequence featuring Tarrantino and Clooney. It is a take off on This is Spinal Tap, recreating the famous scene where Spinal Tap gets lost and cannot find the stage. In the process Saturday Night Fever is also lovingly lampooned.

Some of the most interesting parts of the film deal with the union strike of the shoot. The union was unhappy that Rodriguez and Tarrantino had chosen to use on non-union crew on this low budget exploitation movie, and threatened a strike.

The behind the scenes looks at the tensions that arise are fascinating.

Both Tarrantino and Rodriguez come accross as funny, frenetic, high energy, good tempered guys. They talk just as you imagine them doing after seeing their films.

Ms. Lewis seems a bit scrambled, but utterly lovable. She has, over the last few years, become one of my favorite actors. She always seems to choose challenging, interesting roles. Seeing her be herself was a pure joy.

It is also interesting to see Clooney before he was a huge star. When this film was made he was still on ER, and this was his first major film role.

If there is a downside to the film it is that at times you get the feeling that some participants are posturing for the camera. When seeing something like this I always long to see what would have happened had they believed the camera was off. That's when real personalities emerge.

All in all Full Tilt Boogie is both fun, and interesting. For those with a passion for film, and a need to see the mechanics behind the magic this is a great way to spend an evening.


Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age