EL MARIACHI
US, 1992, 81 minutes, Colour.
Carlos Gallardo.
Directed by Robert Rodriguez.
El Mariachi is a very entertaining Mexican film, written and directed by Richard Rodriguez, a 23-year-old cartoonist and film editor, in collaboration with his friend, Carlos Gallado - the same age. They raised $9000 and made this film in 14 days. The success of the film relies on Rodriguez' success as an editor, putting together short pieces of film to maximum effect. It is an entertaining look at a mariachi singer who is mistaken for a gunfighter - in the vein of the spaghetti westerns. It is also a kind of Mexican ballad, a story of a hero designed for the Spanish-speaking cinema throughout the world. It attracted attention at festivals, attracted the attention of Hollywood - and Rodriguez was given the money by Columbia Pictures to make a sequel. An engaging comedy/drama/spoof.
1. The quality of this Mexican film? Its admiration for western genres? Its vitality?
2. The low budget and the production values, the skill of the writer-director and his editing? The work of young men? The quality of their talent?
3. The homage to spaghetti westerns, to Mexican ballads, to the mariachi singers and players, to the villains of Mexico? The wry and ironic humour of the dialogue?
4. The Mexican locations, prison, the town, the bars, the highway, the villas? The gunfights? The musical score and the playing of the guitar?
5. The title and its focus, the unnamed stranger, the wry mix-up of adventures - and though he loses the girl and his playing hand, he emerges as victor?
6. A succession of picaresque adventures, the young hero, villains, romance, betrayals, mistakes, spoof?
7. The opening situation: Azul and his planning the breakout from jail? Moko and his double-crossing Azul? Moko afraid of Azul's revenge? Azul going to the bar, the shootout - and the gun in the guitar case? The situation for mix-ups? Mistaken identities?
8. The mariachi and his job, his guitar case, going from bar to bar to get a job, his presence at the killings? The message around the town about him? The mix-up? His seeking for a job?
9. The encounter with Domino, giving him a job, the killers pursuing him? Shooting each other, accidents, the mariachi and his skill in shooting villains? His growing reputation?
10. Domino and her suspicions, interrogating him in the bath, his song, her believing him? Minding the guitar while he went for a refund? The picking up of the wrong case?
11. Azul and the guitar, the henchmen and their searching for the mariachi and the gun? The mariachi and Domino - and Moko and his control of the bar?
12. The final mix-ups, the mariachi going to Moko's, being freed? Domino taking Azul to Moko to rescue the mariachi?
13. The High Noon atmosphere - the shootouts, all the deaths? The wounded hand - but the mariachi walking away: and into a Hollywood sequel?
