Mexico Trilogy

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Mexico Trilogy
Mexico Trilogy DVD cover.jpg
Official trilogy DVD cover artwork
Directed by Robert Rodriguez
Written byRobert Rodriguez
Produced byRobert Rodriguez
Carlos Gallardo
Elizabeth Avellan
StarringCarlos Gallardo
Antonio Banderas
CinematographyRobert Rodriguez
Guillermo Navarro
Edited byRobert Rodriguez
Music byEric Guthrie
Chris Knudson
Álvaro Rodriguez
Cecilio Rodriguez
Mark Trujillo
Los Lobos
Robert Rodriguez
Distributed by Columbia Pictures
Dimension Films
Release dates
1993–2003 (theatrically)
2010 (home video)
Running time
289 minutes
CountriesUnited States
Mexico
LanguagesEnglish
Spanish
Budget$36,007,000 [1] (3 films)
Box office$125 million [1] (3 films)

The Mexico Trilogy (also known as the Desperado Trilogy on some released DVD products) is a series of American/Mexican contemporary western action films written and directed by Robert Rodriguez. The series' plot tells the continuing story of El Mariachi, a man who painfully lives alone after seeing all of his loved ones die. El Mariachi was portrayed by actors Carlos Gallardo and Antonio Banderas. The films were originally released in theatres from 1993 to 2003, and later on home video as a collection in 2010.

Contents

Development

The trilogy began with the 1993 ultra low-budget production of El Mariachi . The film was made on a budget of only US$7,000 using 16-millimeter film, was shot entirely in Mexico with a mostly amateur cast, and was originally intended to go directly to the Mexican home-video market (a process detailed in Rodriguez's book Rebel Without a Crew ). [2] [3] Rodriguez got some funds for the film by serving as a human guinea pig to science labs. [2] Other finances came in the form of prize money won by his short student film, Bedhead , at film festival competitions. [4]

Executives at Columbia Pictures liked the film so much that they bought the rights to it for American distribution. They eventually spent several times more than the film's original production budget on 35 millimeter-film transfers, a marketing campaign, and the eventual distribution/release of the film. [2] [5] It was so well received that they eventually chose to finance the second part of the trilogy, Desperado , [6] and subsequently the final chapter, Once Upon a Time in Mexico .

Films

FilmU.S.
release date
Directed byWritten byProduced byEl Mariachi
Screenplay byStory by
El Mariachi February 26, 1993 Robert Rodriguez Robert RodriguezRobert Rodriguez and Carlos Gallardo Carlos Gallardo
Desperado August 25, 1995Robert Rodriguez and Bill Borden Antonio Banderas
Once Upon a Time in Mexico September 12, 2003Robert Rodriguez, Carlos Gallardo, and Elizabeth Avellán

El Mariachi (1993)

El Mariachi travels through Mexico as a musician. He arrives in a small town hoping to find work in the cantinas and clubs. Troubled locals mistake him for a recently escaped convict who has been hunting down his former associates, and killing them with weapons carried in his guitar case. El Mariachi falls in love with a woman who helps hide him, but he sees her killed by those hunting him. He seeks revenge for her death.

Desperado (1995)

The unfortunate adventures of El Mariachi continue, following his quest for love and his thirst for revenge.

Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003)

A failed coup attempt on the President of Mexico is stopped by the heroic actions of El Mariachi. He sets out to avenge the murder of his wife and daughter, and discovers a connection between the marauders and their deaths.

Television series

SeriesSeasonEpisodesOriginally releasedExecutive producer(s)
First releasedLast releasedNetwork
El Mariachi 171March 10, 2014 (2014-03-10)June 17, 2014 (2014-06-17) AXN Daniel Ucros, Juan Pablo Posada, and Gabriela Valentán

El Mariachi (2014)

In August 2013, Sony Pictures Television announced a TV series adaptation of El Mariachi. [7] Filming took place in Mexico with Iván Arana as the lead and Martha Higareda and Julio Brancho in supporting roles. [8] Initially set to premiere on Sony Entertainment Television, the Spanish-language series premiered on AXN across Latin America on March 20, 2014. [9] El Mariachi ran for one season consisting of 71 episodes—airing on MundoFox in the United States and MBC Action in the Middle East. [10]

Cast and crew

List indicator(s)

This section includes characters who will appear or have appeared in more than two films in the series.

Principal cast

Character El Mariachi
(1992)
Desperado
(1995)
Once Upon a Time in Mexico
(2003)
"El Mariachi" Carlos Gallardo Antonio Banderas
DominóConsuelo Gómez
Mauricio "Moco" Peter Marquardt
"Azul"Reinol Martínez
Cesar "Bucho" Joaquim de Almeida
Carolina Salma Hayek
Buscemi Steve Buscemi
CIA Agent Sands Johnny Depp
Billy Chambers Mickey Rourke
Ajedrez Eva Mendes

Additional crew and production details

FilmCrew/detail
Composer(s)Cinematographer(s)Editor(s)Production companiesDistributing companyRunning time
El Mariachi Eric Guthrie, Chris Knudson, Álvaro Rodriguez, Cecilio Rodriguez, and Mark Trujillo Robert Rodriguez Robert Rodriguez Columbia Pictures
Los Hooligans Productions
Columbia Pictures81 minutes
Desperado Los Lobos Guillermo Navarro Sony Pictures Releasing 105 minutes
Once Upon a Time in Mexico Robert RodriguezRobert RodriguezColumbia Pictures
Dimension Films
Troublemaker Studios
102 minutes

Reception

Box office

All three films were made using Rodriguez's "Mariachi-style" of filmmaking in which (according to the back cover of his book Rebel Without a Crew ) "creativity, not money, is used to solve problems." Made on low budgets, all three movies have been extremely profitable. El Mariachi was made for $7,000 and grossed more than $2 million in its theatrical release. [11] Desperado was made for $7 million and grossed over $25.5 million in US theaters. [12] Once Upon a Time in Mexico was made for $29 million and grossed over $56.3 million domestically, and an additional $41.0 million worldwide. [13]

Awards and critical reaction

Each installment of the Mexico Trilogy has won various prestigious awards. El Mariachi won the Audience Award at the 1993 Sundance Film Festival and the 1993 Deauville American Film Festival, [14] as well as Best First Feature at the 1994 Independent Spirit Awards. [15] Desperado saw Salma Hayek nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the 1996 Saturn Awards, and was nominated for the Bronze Horse at the 1995 Stockholm Film Festival. [16] Once Upon a Time in Mexico won two Imagen Foundation Awards for performances by Antonio Banderas and Rubén Blades. [17] The film was also nominated for two Satellite Awards, winning Robert Rodriguez an award for Best Song ("Siente Mi Amor") and recognizing Johnny Depp with a nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role, Comedy or Musical. [18] The movie's impressive stunts landed it two Taurus World Stunt Awards nominations. [19]

Film Rotten Tomatoes Metacritic CinemaScore
El Mariachi91% (76 reviews) [20] 73 (9 reviews) [21]
Desperado70% (53 reviews) [22] 55 (18 reviews) [23] B+ [24]
Once Upon a Time in Mexico66% (168 reviews) [25] 56 (34 reviews) [26] B− [24]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Rodriguez</span> American filmmaker (born 1968)

Robert Anthony Rodriguez is an American filmmaker, composer, and visual effects supervisor. He shoots, edits, produces, and scores many of his films in Mexico and in his home state of Texas. Rodriguez directed the 1992 action film El Mariachi, which was a commercial success after grossing $2.6 million against a budget of $7,000. The film spawned two sequels known collectively as the Mexico Trilogy: Desperado (1995) and Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003).

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Salma Valgarma Hayek Pinault is a Mexican, American and French actress and film producer. She began her career in Mexico with starring roles in the telenovela Teresa (1989–1991) as well as the romantic drama Midaq Alley (1995). She soon established herself in Hollywood with appearances in films such as Desperado (1995), From Dusk till Dawn (1996), Wild Wild West (1999), and Dogma (1999).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antonio Banderas</span> Spanish actor (born 1960)

José Antonio Domínguez Bandera, better known as Antonio Banderas, is a Spanish actor and filmmaker. Known for his work in films of several genres, he has received numerous accolades, including a Cannes Film Festival Award and a Goya Award, as well as nominations for an Academy Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards, five Golden Globe Awards, and a Tony Award.

<i>El Mariachi</i> 1992 film

El Mariachi is a 1992 Spanish language American independent neo-Western action film and the first part of the saga that came to be known as Robert Rodriguez's Mexico Trilogy. It marked the feature-length debut of Rodriguez as writer and director. The Spanish language film was shot with a mainly amateur cast in the northern Mexican border town of Ciudad Acuña, Coahuila, Mexico across from Del Rio, Texas, the home town of leading actor Carlos Gallardo as the title character. The US$7,225 production was originally intended for the Mexican home-video market, but executives at Columbia Pictures liked the film and bought the American distribution rights. Columbia eventually spent $200,000 to transfer the print to film, to remix the sound, and on other post-production work, then spent millions more on marketing and distribution.

<i>Once Upon a Time in Mexico</i> 2003 film

Once Upon a Time in Mexico is a 2003 American neo-Western action film written, directed, produced, photographed, scored, and edited by Robert Rodriguez. It is the sequel to Desperado (1995) and the third and final installment in the Mexico Trilogy. The film features Antonio Banderas in his second and final performance as El Mariachi. In the film, El Mariachi is recruited by CIA agent Sheldon Sands to kill a corrupt general responsible for the death of his wife, Carolina.

<i>Desperado</i> (film) 1995 film by Robert Rodriguez

Desperado is a 1995 American neo-Western action film written, co-produced, edited and directed by Robert Rodriguez. It is the second part of Rodriguez's Mexico Trilogy. It stars Antonio Banderas as El Mariachi who seeks revenge on the drug lord who killed his lover. The film was screened out of competition at the 1995 Cannes Film Festival. Desperado grossed $58 million worldwide. It has been cited as Salma Hayek's breakout role.

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