When Robert Rodriguez's "El Mariachi" was released back in the early '90s, it received a tremendous amount of press because it was made for a measly $7,000. Thanks to about a million dollars of marketing, the film exploded first onto the indie scene, then into mainstream cinema. With two expensive sequels, 1995's "Desperado" ($7 million) and this fall's "Once Upon a Time in Mexico" ($30 million), the original film has garnered even more attention.
"El Mariachi" tells a simple tale of mistaken identity. The protagonist and title character is a mere wandering mariachi looking for work, until he is confused with an escaped prisoner. Then of course, all hell breaks loose. Bullets fly and the fun begins.
Strictly on its cinematic merits, "El Mariachi" is not as great as you have probably heard. The story, as I described, is nothing special. The acting doesn't detract at all from the movie, but no one stands out either. There are a number of continuity errors; shots within individual scenes are inconsistently lit; some of the cuts seem unusual; and the special effects are elementary. The technical aspects, except the necessarily innovative cinematography, are not quite up to Hollywood standards. All of this would not seem to add up to a classic independent film.
But the borderline crude nature of all these pieces add up to a fascinating film, and they do that for one reason: Robert Rodriguez. His creativity and vision collide with his lack of money to produce a fascinating film. Filling virtually every major role on the crew, he creates a style all his own. Within this style, all of the "problems" are transformed into resourcefulness and creativity, the product of which is a consistent look akin to what he forged in Once Upon a Time in Mexico and his other films.
This uniformity alters one's perspective on the entire film and its parts. A basic story somehow grabs your attention. There is a charm to the naivete of the actors. The lighting often proves to be a refreshingly unique change from the norm. Continuity problems can willingly be ignored. Even the meager special effects aren't much of a distraction. The almost dizzying editing actually enhances the tale's frenetic nature. On top of all of this, Rodriguez utilizes unique zooms, angles, frame rates, and film speeds that give the flick an playful visual look not often found.
Bottom Line: While none of these aforementioned pieces would work all that well individually, Rodriguez uses these tools to morph a dusty Mexican fable into a cartoonishly enjoyable story that dollar-for-dollar may be the best movie ever made. 8 of 10.
(Side note: The new DVD is one of the best I've seen. Not necessarily in scope, but in content. Rodriguez's nonpareil information about a remarkable piece of filmmaking is simply superb. Well worth your $15.)
"El Mariachi" tells a simple tale of mistaken identity. The protagonist and title character is a mere wandering mariachi looking for work, until he is confused with an escaped prisoner. Then of course, all hell breaks loose. Bullets fly and the fun begins.
Strictly on its cinematic merits, "El Mariachi" is not as great as you have probably heard. The story, as I described, is nothing special. The acting doesn't detract at all from the movie, but no one stands out either. There are a number of continuity errors; shots within individual scenes are inconsistently lit; some of the cuts seem unusual; and the special effects are elementary. The technical aspects, except the necessarily innovative cinematography, are not quite up to Hollywood standards. All of this would not seem to add up to a classic independent film.
But the borderline crude nature of all these pieces add up to a fascinating film, and they do that for one reason: Robert Rodriguez. His creativity and vision collide with his lack of money to produce a fascinating film. Filling virtually every major role on the crew, he creates a style all his own. Within this style, all of the "problems" are transformed into resourcefulness and creativity, the product of which is a consistent look akin to what he forged in Once Upon a Time in Mexico and his other films.
This uniformity alters one's perspective on the entire film and its parts. A basic story somehow grabs your attention. There is a charm to the naivete of the actors. The lighting often proves to be a refreshingly unique change from the norm. Continuity problems can willingly be ignored. Even the meager special effects aren't much of a distraction. The almost dizzying editing actually enhances the tale's frenetic nature. On top of all of this, Rodriguez utilizes unique zooms, angles, frame rates, and film speeds that give the flick an playful visual look not often found.
Bottom Line: While none of these aforementioned pieces would work all that well individually, Rodriguez uses these tools to morph a dusty Mexican fable into a cartoonishly enjoyable story that dollar-for-dollar may be the best movie ever made. 8 of 10.
(Side note: The new DVD is one of the best I've seen. Not necessarily in scope, but in content. Rodriguez's nonpareil information about a remarkable piece of filmmaking is simply superb. Well worth your $15.)