El Mariachi Movie Review

Robert Rodriguez kept it simple for his first film and, as a result, plunged head first into the movie business with a splash at age 24. All El Mariachi (Carlos Gallardo) wants is a chance to sing. All drug dealer Azul (Reinol Martinez) wants is a chance to avenge himself on Moco (Peter Marquardt), his former partner. Unhappily, El Mariachi and Azul are identically dressed in black and each carry a guitar case, but Azul's case…does NOT carry a guitar! Consuelo Gomez is sexy Domino, who thinks El Mariachi is cute, but the bloodthirsty Moco thinks Domino is cute, so that's a problem. In 1995, Rodriguez directed Desperado, his own expensive 106-minute remake of this violent, funny little film, but it's the $7,000 81-minute original version that everyone will remember. Filmed in Acuna, Mexico.

1993 (R) 81m/C MX Carlos Gallardo, Consuelo Gomez, Peter Marquardt, Jaime de Hoyos, Reinol Martinez, Ramiro Gomez; D:Robert Rodriguez; W:Robert Rodriguez, Carlos Gallardo; C:Robert Rodriguez. Independent Spirit Awards ‘94: Best First Feature; Sundance Film Festival ‘93: Audience Award; Nominations: Independent Spirit Awards ‘94: Best Director (Rodriguez). VHS, LV, 8mm, DVD