Customer Reviews

El Mariachi (Special Edition)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I first watched "Once upon a time in Mexico" with my brother because he had told me it was so good. Soon after that i learned that movie was the third in the El Mariachi Trilogy.
I rented El Mariachi just yesterday and watched it last night. I was amazed!!!!Everything in this movie is great, the acting, the actors, the action, and the story istelf!! It was good to watch actors i had never seen before. I loved Carlos Gallardo as the mariachi, he was very good. The storyline was relatively simple, but Robert Rodriguez gave it an edge i doubt i would find anywhere else. But what truly amazes me is that this movie's budget was only $7,000 and that it was shot with no second takes (I've never heard of such a thing before). I advize people to watch this movie, they'll remember it forever. I know i will!!

this film is great. You've read about the budget and limitations, so don't go into it expecting Die Hard. Just enjoy it for what it is. Yes, some things, like the dreams, don't make a lot of sense, and it does kind of speed up a bit at times (the plot, not certain scenes) and maybe jumps a bit, but overall, it's entertaining and fun.
Absolutely worth watching. And you have the additional bonus of Consuelo Gomez! A VERY sexy woman. Why hasn't she made more films?

El Mariachi started out as a property, meant solely for the direct to video market, in Mexico. But when a major studio executive saw the film, he liked it so much, director Robert Rodriguez, soon found out, the film would go into wider release. All of this, of course, was a good thing and led to two more sequels Desperado and Once Upon A Time In Mexico.

While earning room and board for a song, a down-on-his-luck musician (Carlos Gallardo) gets into some heavy duty trouble after he's mistaken for a guitar case-toting hitman in a small Mexican town. Soon, the exploits of El Mariachi, will become the talk of the town, as he must face one bad guy after another.

Thanks to this film, Roderiguez's do it yourself style of filmmaking, has become a more accepted practice. It is very clear that while he wants the audience to have fun, he also wants to give the action film an edgier tone. While not as well known as Atonio Banderas, the man who repaced him in the next 2 films in the series, Gallardo does a credible job getting things started. The character is an anti-hero in every sense. Roderiguez has mixing up genres with a cross between the Spaghetti westerns and say Michael Mann's Heat It's fun all the way. The film was named the Audience Award winner at the Sundance Film Festival

The special edition DVD of the movie boasts an all new souped up print of the film, supervised and approved, by Rodriguez. The director also sat down to record a fine audio commentary. It is both fun and informative as always. Viewers also get to see a short film of his called "Bedhead", and starring members of his family, that's fun too. You get to attend, what the director calls "10-Minute Film School" and see a now outdated sneak peek of Once Upon a Time in Mexico, that acts as a bloated commercial for the film.

A fun ride, like all the films in the trilogy, that comes recommended.

"El Mariachi" is something of a legendary film, not only because it marked the debut of writer-director Robert Rodriguez, but because it was made for $7,000. Even 10 years ago, this was phenomenally inexpensive, and -- when you adjust for inflation -- this is probably the most impressive $7,000 film you'll ever see.

Rodriguez has done remarkable things with his camera, editing and actors, making the picture look considerably more expensive than it was. From that standpoint, it's a must for film students, and that's who the DVD is targeted at.

General moviegoers, on the other hand, will find themselves mired in a silly adventure tale that would have failed even with a $200 million budget.

The story is centered on a Mariachi who finds himself marked for death after being mistaken for a legendary gangster. Despite his musical roots, he proves handy at combat and makes his way through action scenes with the destructive power of Arnold Schwarzenegger's "Terminator" robot.

Rodriguez says the film was meant as parody, but his tone is too serious to make that point. Nevertheless, "El Mariachi" won the audience award at the Sundance Film Festival and garnered mostly positive reviews. Perhaps the tiny budget spawned generosity among critics.

Fortunately, the DVD extras are better than the film. Included is a short educational segment in which Rodriguez offers tips on low-budget filmmaking. This is terrific, and it reminds that he's an excellent technician. Also included is a great feature-length director's commentary, a sneak peak at Rodriguez's next feature, "Once Upon a Time in Mexico," and one of his short films, "Bedhead."

If you're a film student, buy the disc. If you're not, skip it.

First of all. I love "Desperado" and "Once a Upon ..." films. I bought El Mariachi on the assumption that the film was up to the par with the sequels. It's not. The quality of this film reminds me when my small town's local theater would show cheap mexican movies where the acting and editing were poor even to the untrained eyes.

Film students just love this film because it was made on $7K budget. It is an amazing film for such a low amount but it's not a great film for the average moviegoer. Mr. Rodriguez shows promise in this film and he has fulfilled them in the sequels but the accolades from 4-star reviews are misleading.

Until you watch the "10-Minute Film School" featurette that shows you how REALLY low-budget this film is, the actual movie itself won't give you that much of an indication of how little it cost. This action-packed film is well-shot, clever, paced well, and altogether entertaining-- and even at times moving. Give "El Mariachi" a whirl.

This 1992 film is best known for its cost of production, which was a mere $7,000. The feature on the DVD was fascinating as the writer-director, Robert Rodriguez, showed us how he planned his shots and then expertly put them all together.

As far as the film itself goes, however, it was a rather slow and simple story of mistaken identity. A young mariachi, played by wide-eyed Carlos Gallardo, comes into a Mexican town carrying a guitar case. Little does he know that there is a gang war going on and that a bad guy is murdering the men of the local warlord. The young mariachi is mistaken for the bad guy and soon everyone is after this innocent young man. Along the way he meets a woman, Consuelo Gomez, who hides him in her room and their romance is inevitable.

Personally, I found the whole thing silly, especially since the film contained unnecessary dream sequences that did nothing to further the action. As a matter of fact, I found myself rooting for the bad guy. Good thing the film was only 81 minutes long.

"El Mariachi" is one incredible debut from director Robert Rodriguez. Despite it being made on such a low budget, the impression we are given is that it was shot by a pro and not by a first-time director. Rarely do we get to bare witness to such an outstanding debut from a promising director that has all the right ingredients in it.

The story centers around a simple man with a certain passion--to be a well-established "Mariachi." He dresses in black and carries a guitar case with him everywhere he goes. A very passive individual, the Mariachi wants to be at peace without having to deal with any troubles. Well, trouble comes looking for him when there's a case of mistaken identity. Another man that dresses in black and carries a guitar case is causing major problems for a well known drug-dealer. The difference with this person is that in his guitar case is not a guitar--it is filled with numerous types of weapons, from firearms to knives. Forced into an inconceivable conflict, the simple life of the Mariachi turns into one that is filled with violence and bloodshed.

This very well-constructed independent film resembles a modern day Western. The film quality may not be at its absolute best, but the feel of the film is one that gives you an impression of a very talented director. You never know what's going to happen next in this unpredictable film. The film is not in English, so you will have to deal with subtitles if you don't know Spanish. Still, do not let that scare you away. The subtitles are very easy to follow and the movie flows nicely with them. It may feel odd for the first few minutes, but in very little time you will find yourself not even noticing that you're watching subtitles. That's how involving the movie is, and that is the kind of power that it holds.

With a cast full of "unknowns," the acting is very solid and makes the story work. Carlos Gallardo is superb in his role of the "Mariachi." He looks like a very innocent person but then can transform into a vicious fighter when pushed into a tight corner. Rodriguez does a remarkable job with this movie. You can tell that he is a man who knows what he wants in a movie. He also proves to be quite the storyteller. He was able to do a lot with such a low budget. It's ironic that big budget is almost always spent on the most horrendous movies nowadays (not all, but a fair amount).

The DVD has some cool things to offer. It's been remastered in a new film transfer that was supervised by the director. The picture looks more than decent, and I am sure that it looks much better than it did when it was first released. Extras included are commentary, a "10-Minute Film School" featurette, a sneak peak of "Once Upon a Time in Mexico," and a couple of trailers. Overall, a very nice DVD package for a film made on a budget this.

Robert Rodriguez's "El Mariachi" is a stunning film that's both thrilling and dramatic. It's a great film to watch if you're tired of the usual "rubbish" out there and want something new and fresh. This film has a wonderful mix of story and action and never seems to be unbalanced at any time. Don't let the low budget fool you--a great movie is hidden within. A definite classic. -Michael Crane

This film is a masterpiece!!! And this baby only cost $7,000 to make!!!Robert Rodriguez is a superlative director!!! A movie miracle!!! It's much better than many huge budget films!!! Sure it's filled with unknowns, but who cares, it's got a great story,great action and believe it or not great acting considering the microscopic budget!!! And the DVD has some very cool extras,including a director commentary,10 minute film school(Great stuff here!!!),His short film:Bedhead,and more!!! Two thumbs up!!! Five stars!!! A+

I love this movie for its simplicity, location and photography.
image quality is average.
No difference between the regular issue (the Desperado / El Mariachi editon)and this so called special edition, except for the previews of Roberto Rodriguez's other movies.