The Mexico Trilogy: El Mariachi, Desperado & Once Upon a Time in Mexico - Arrow Video Limited Edition

You always remember where you were when you see a great movie. Now, I’m not saying Robert Rodriguez’s Mexico Trilogy is classically great, pretentious filmmaking. They’re not Citizen Kane. They are, however, tremendous fun, wildly influential and groundbreaking pieces of filmmaking that cast a wide shadow. And I remember where I was when I saw all of them, and they all left some sort of lasting impression on me, during various times in my life.

The first of the three movies that I, personally, saw was Desperado. I was nine years old and I came home from school in a terrible mood. I’d had some issues with bullies going on and I was keeping it to myself, because I knew talking about it wasn’t going to help, and fighting back wasn’t an option. When I walked in through the door of my “house”, which was this little single-wide mobile home out in the middle of nowhere, my dad was waiting for me. He was excited to see me and told me he had something to show me and my siblings.

My mom was managing the local video store at the time and she got advanced screener tapes for movies. Based on the strength of those screener tapes, how exciting the movie was, she knew how many copies to order. The screener tapes usually came with little box office tidbits and financial breakdowns, too, so the studio could make a point that this movie made a killing at the box office, it probably will on home video, too!

This week, she’d gotten a copy of Desperado and after watching the opening scene, she and my dad decided, let’s stop the tape and wait for the kids. They’re gonna LOVE this! And I did. My bad mood, it melted away, and I was lost in this ridiculous, over-the-top film that combined myth and legend and cartoony violence. Before I realized it, I’d watched an entire movie, just mere minutes after walking in through the door of my house. I loved it. And I still do to this very day.

I’ll always remember when I watched the other two films, El Mariachi and Once Upon a Time in Mexico, but I’ve bloviated enough. Let’s get down to brass tacks.

El Mariachi (1992) – 4/5
The first in the trilogy, El Mariachi, has a reputation that precedes it, for it was the famous movie that took the Sundance Film Festival by storm in 1992 for being self-financed for a mere $7,000. Whenever El Mariachi is mentioned, the first thing people discuss is its extreme low budget.

The film tells the simple, no-nonsense story of a down-on-his-luck mariachi, wandering from town to town, armed with nothing but his guitar and a song in his heart. In a case of mistaken identity, some gangsters take him for a vengeful assassin, whose trademark is that he carries a series of weapons in a guitar case. Soon, the mariachi finds himself fighting for his life.

El Mariachi stands up on its own merits. Yes, it cost a fraction of what some Hollywood production would have cost, while still providing the goods, like a compelling story, exciting action, and even a few genuine laughs along the way. Robert Rodriguez’s freshman film, which he raised money for through medical testing, displays a nearly preternatural talent for filmmaking—he has this talent of being able to solve problems on his feet using his creativity. He can shoot the film and know exactly how he’s going to edit it later.

El Mariachi is a must-see for any budding filmmaker. It emphasizes the power of creativity over the need for fancy, expensive tools. All you really need is a camera, some lights, imagination and a hell of a lot of talent to pull something like this off. For me, El Mariachi made filmmaking accessible. It made the artform real and tangible, not some far away, ethereal thing only for the richest people. Suddenly, people of all walks of life could conceivably make their own movies.

Desperado (1995) – 4.5/5
Now, I could be clouded by nostalgia in electing Desperado as my favorite. Fine. In either case, it’s hard to deny how electrifying it is. Columbia, who picked up El Mariachi, were so thrilled with its success that they wanted a sequel. Rodriguez has wanted to do a straight remake, so they split the difference. Desperado borrows some plot elements from El Mariachi (like the love interest who’s linked with the Big Bad), but it stands on its own, while furthering the story began by its predecessor.

The nameless mariachi, now played by Antonio Banderas, is no longer some musician, out of his element, defending himself from wave after wave of assassination attempts by drug lords, he’s an aggressor, who’s resigned himself to a life of violence. A life of revenge. He’s become a legend, and whisperings of his exploits hover around criminal bars like some ghost story being spun at a campfire.

While El Mariachi and Once Upon a Time in Mexico are DIY projects from Robert Rodriguez, who worked as a one-man crew, Desperado is the closest thing to a real, genuine Hollywood project from this trilogy. The original film famously cost $7,000 to make, so the sequel cost $7,000,000. Still paltry for most movies of its scale, but a giant leap forward. And so Rodriguez was able to hire some professional crewmembers, like cinematographer Guillermo Navarro, one of the best DPs in the industry and an original score written and composed by Los Lobos.

I think Rodriguez is a fine DP and a hell of a guitar player, but Navarro and Los Lobos add this incredible flavor and energy to the film. Then, you’ve got the chemistry between Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek, one of the all-time great screen couples. Simply put, Desperado just works. I think El Mariachi was a revelation, but Desperado proves that it wasn’t just some fluke, that this kid’s really got it, and it’s an incredible work in its own right, one of the defining action films of the 1990s.

Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003) – 4/5
Once Upon a Time in Mexico is a return to form for Rodriguez, as he once again works as a one-man crew, who, according to the movie’s credits, shot, chopped and scored the movie himself. Sony gave Rodriguez an unprecedented amount of creative freedom on his third entry of the Mexico Trilogy shooting it like a Sergio Leone epic. He began filming with a completed script and was able to move quickly due to the use of brand-new high-definition digital cameras that had a real cinematic quality to them. Sometimes Once Upon a Time feels more like a demo reel for digital video, but there’s so much energy and excitement, that all is forgiven, especially because Rodriguez is able to stretch his legs with the series and make it unlike his previous two films.

El Mariachi and Desperado feel very similar to each other. They take place in the same town (they’re even filmed in the same town), the plot is essentially familiar. But Once Upon a Time in Mexico elevates the legend into myth. “El” the mariachi played by Antonio Banderas, is now something beyond human. He’s almost like a fabled Jedi. And his role in this movie shares equal parts with a larger story about corruption and politics in Mexico. There are crooked double agents and attempted coup. All in a day’s work for El.

Because Robert Rodriguez was able to work very quickly on this production, and for not very much money, he was able to bring life to the story through his writing in new ways, unique to the film series. Johnny Depp, as the CIA agent Sands, steals just about every scene he’s in. The entire cast is brimming with talent, and actors having so much fun with all of their roles: Willem Dafoe, Mickey Rourke, Rubén Blades, Danny Trejo… on and on and on.

Once Upon a Time in Mexico feels larger than the previous two films, with a political relevance that doesn’t feel preachy. It also feels separated from those two films, like they happened a lifetime ago, with passing references that don’t feel like empty fan service. They feel like allusions to legends, like Mickey Rourke’s little white chihuahua named “Moco” (the Spanish word for booger), after the villain from El Mariachi.

Vital Disc Stats: The Blu-rays and Ultra HD Blu-ray
Arrow Video’s release of Robert Rodriguez’s Mexico Trilogy is presented in 1080p HD for all three films, however Desperado gets the 4K UHD/Dolby Vision treatment in addition to is Blu-ray, presumably because it’s the only one of the three shot on a format appropriate enough for it (35mm, and was restored from its original negative for this release). El Mariachi was shot on 16mm film and Once Upon a Time in Mexico was shot digitally in 1080p at the time of its release.

El Mariachi is available in both in its original, uncompressed Spanish language version and an English dub in lossless stereo. Desperado and Once Upon a Time in Mexico have audio tracks in DTS-HA MA 2.0 stereo and 5.1 surround.

The packaging for this box set is staggering in its detail. All three films have reversible cover art, from newly commissioned covers specific to this release, and original poster artwork from their original releases. Inside each individual movie’s case is a small lobby-sized poster that also contains the new artwork on one side and original poster on the other side.

Inside the box set is also a booklet containing production details about each movie along with essays. There is also a large poster containing Robert Rodriguez’s original design for what he envisioned to adorn the El Mariachi VHS release when he was imagining it to go straight to the video market in Mexico.

El Mariachi - 4/5
El Mariachi looks fantastic in this presentation on Arrow’s release of the Mexico Trilogy on 1080p Blu-ray. It was shot on 16mm for a very low budget, and this transfer honors the look and feel of its original release, while making it look as good as possible for a modern home video release. The colors are rich and vibrant. There’s a healthy, natural film grain present throughout. There’s just something about it that looks warm and welcoming in the film tones, but also the various imperfections throughout, like losing focus during a chaotic action sequence, or some overblown highlights here and there.

El Mariachi looks rough around the edges, and it should look rough around the edges. It’s got a homemade punk rock aesthetic that works for it, but as rough as it is, it looks professionally made. Robert Rodriguez knew how to put his film together and Columbia’s $1,000,000 clean up they performed for its blow-up and theatrical release back in 1992 certainly helped.

Desperado 4.5/5
The only one of the bunch to receive the 4K UHD/Dolby Treatment, Desperado predictably looks the best. Desperado didn’t have a massive budget for Hollywood standards, but it was roughly 1,000x the size of El Mariachi’s which allowed Robert Rodriguez to hire a professional cinematographer like Guillermo Navarro, who puts in some incredible work here.

Skin tones are warm and the colors of the Mexican location are rich and vibrant. Shootouts, cloaked in darkness in seedy dive bars, illustrate incredible use of composition, depth and contrast. Desperado has always looked great, but it looks even better, especially now, through its HDR grading.

Once Upon a Time in Mexico - 3.5/5
I love what Once Upon a Time in Mexico represents, in terms of freedom with digital video technology, and the ability to shoot on the fly without being tethered by the limitations of film, but it’s also the ugliest looking of the trilogy. Video technology on this level was still new and being developed and refined in 2003, so sometimes it can look a bit flat. The color timing isn’t quite there. And some of the motion interpolation looks like a cheap soap opera.

Still, I think it’s a small price to pay for Rodriguez being able to afford the amount of freedom he was able to enjoy on this production. At the time that it was made, nearly 21 years ago, the video aesthetic was cutting edge, so my gripes are in hindsight. Video just didn’t look as good as film then, not even 16mm. But, because of pioneers like Robert Rodriguez, video has come a long, long day. This movie was essential in helping push through a filmmaking revolution.

Presenting Once Upon a Time in its original 1080p format, without 4K upscaling or HDR grading feels more authentic for it, and I respect Arrow’s decision. Would it have been nice to get a 4K/Dolby Vision presentation for all three films? Sure! But I think having it only for Desperado, with 1080p Blu-ray for the other two, is a wise decision, appropriate for their visions.

El Mariachi - 4/5
El Mariachi is presented in uncompressed Latin-American stereo, with an optional lossless English dub. I didn’t listen to the English dub for the purpose of this review, I only watched it with its original language track and English subtitles.

Given El Mariachi’s famously low budget, its production values are rife with technical errors, so I’m grading on a curve here. Although, I have to give it lots of praise where it’s due. It’s a damned good audio track, especially considering how inexpensive the film was to make. There’s an omnipresent ambient score that sets the mood of every scene so well. Gun battles have well placed effects and LFEs that never overpower the crisp audio.

Robert Rodriguez explains that the dialogue sounds so good for its budget because the camera he used did not allow audio, and he would have to record dialogue after filming. He was able to get the microphone right up to the actors’ mouths, so in mixing everything together, their dialogue was clear and free of background noise or other issues you might have with a microphone being too far out of frame.

Desperado - 4.5/5
Right out the gate, from its opening scene, the DTS HD-MA 5.1 sound mix for Desperado shows that it’s not messing around. Los Lobos’ score dominates the front and rear speakers and raises pitch and energy as an enormous gun battle erupts. Bullets ricochet across the soundstage, throughout the back. Explosions rumble through the subwoofer.

There is also an optional uncompressed stereo mix available for viewers, too. I toggled back and forth between the two and I vastly preferred the 5.1 mix, but I have the luxury of owning a home theater setup. If you’re just using your TV’s speakers or a 2.0 soundbar, the stereo mix might be a better option for you. And it’s worth noting that the stereo mix is no slouch. For all its frantic goings on and cacophonic mayhem, dialogue is always clearly audible throughout. You would be reaching for the remote to turn down the TV for fear of a sudden, unexpected explosion.

Once Upon a Time in Mexico - 4/5
I briefly considered giving Once Upon a Time in Mexico a slightly lower score for its audio, but I didn’t want to pick on it too bad, after having picked on it for its video quality. My problem with its DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround mix is that it is obnoxiously always on. Subtlety is not a thing that exists here. Rear speaker activity is at a constant, in a way that doesn’t feel particularly natural. Offscreen henchmen whisper to each other, in a rear speaker effect not available in its alternate 2.0 stereo mix, which is kind of neat, but the whisper is so over-the-top loud it sounds like I’m being prepped for a jump scare in a horror movie.

Rear speakers are constantly buzzing with music from the score, soundtrack needle drops, traffic whooshing by, bullets ricocheting, ambient chatter of a restaurant and echoing sound effects throughout. But none of this is mixed well or integrated into the soundstage in a way that feels natural. In a way, this feels like a good movie to watch for someone who just bought a surround sound setup and wants to test it out with a movie with lots of background activity. Thankfully, a lossless 2.0 stereo mix is also available and most of my issues with the surround mix do not exist here. In both mixes, to its credit, dialogue is never lost, even throughout its very busy, crowded soundstage.

In the special features department, Arrow Video’s release of the Mexico Trilogy absolutely does not disappoint. There are a ton of new features, classic features we all know and love like the Ten Minute Film School and Ten Minute Cooking School featurettes, and all-new packaging that really emphasizes the love and attention this box set received in coming together.

LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS

• Illustrated collector's booklet featuring new writing by Carlos Aguilar and Nicholas Clement
• Reversible sleeves featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Paul Shipper
• Double sided posters featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Paul Shipper
• Collectible poster featuring Robert Rodriguez's original poster concept for El Mariachi

El Mariachi

• Commentary by writer-director Robert Rodriguez
• Big Vision Low Budget, a newly filmed interview with Rodriguez (HD, 14:41)
• The Original Mariachi, a newly filmed interview with producer/star Carlos Gallardo (HD, 15:21)
• The Music of 'El Mariachi', a newly produced featurette on the music in the film, featuring interviews with composers Eric Guthrie, Chris Knudson, Alvaro Rodriguez and Marc Trujillo (HD, 12:41)
• Ten Minute Film School, an archive featurette produced and narrated by Rodriguez (HD, 14:38)
• Bedhead, a 1991 short film by Rodriguez (HD, 9:09)
• Theatrical trailer and TV spot

Desperado

• Commentary by writer-director Robert Rodriguez
• Lean and Mean, a newly filmed interview with Rodriguez (HD, 17:19)
• Shoot Like Crazy, a newly filmed interview with producer Bill Borden (HD, 11:21)
• Kill Count, a newly filmed interview with stunt coordinator Steve Davison (HD, 8:10)
• Lock and Load, a newly filmed interview with special effects coordinator Bob Shelley (HD, 8:50)
• Game Changer, a newly filmed appreciation by filmmaker Gareth Evans (The Raid: Redemption) (HD, 6:42)
• Ten More Minutes: Anatomy of a Shootout, an archive featurette narrated by Rodriguez (HD, 10:33)
• Textless opening ("Morena de mi Corazón") (HD, 2:39)
• Theatrical trailers

Once Upon a Time in Mexico

• Commentary by writer-director Robert Rodriguez
• The Revolution Will Be Digitized, a newly filmed interview with Rodriguez (HD, 12:41)
• Troublemaking, a newly filmed interview with visual effects editor Ethan Maniquis (HD, 9:50)
• Eight deleted scenes, with optional commentary by Rodriguez (HD, 7:47)
• Ten Minute Flick School, an archive featurette narrated by Rodriguez (HD, 9:05)
• Inside Troublemaker Studios, an archive featurette on Rodriguez's studio in Austin (HD, 11:24)
• Ten Minute Cooking School, an archive featurette in which Rodriguez shows you how to cook Puerco Pibil (HD, 5:50)
• Film is Dead: An Evening with Robert Rodriguez, a presentation by the director given in 2003 (HD, 13:20)
• The Anti-Hero's Journey, an archive featurette on the arc of the Mariachi (HD, 18:05)
• The Good, the Bad and the Bloody: Inside KNB FX, an archive featurette on the film's special effects (HD, 19:04)
• Theatrical trailers

When it comes to the Mexico Trilogy, your mileage may vary. Not everyone has the same nostalgic appreciation of a series of action films whose roots are in very, very low-budget production. However, I do believe they represent a big turning point for filmmaking in general. Their approachability to what used to seem impossible for regular, everyday artists now became something within reach. The 1990s were an exciting time for writers and artists looking to break into film, with filmmakers like Robert Rodriguez riding a wave of independent talent breaking into the industry and redefining it.

Arrow Video’s release of the Mexico Trilogy is nothing short of incredible work. The video presentations, the multiple audio mixes available on each feature, the seemingly never-ending slew of special features, the packaging. It’s all so lovingly assembled. For fans of these films, independent cinema or  big explosive filmmaking in general, this box set is Highly Recommended