Mexico Trilogy

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.

Mexico Trilogy
A man carrying a guitar case in one hand and a gun in the other
Official trilogy DVD cover artwork
Directed byRobert 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 byColumbia 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)

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
Film U.S.
release date		 Directed by Written by Produced by El Mariachi
Screenplay by Story by
El Mariachi February 26, 1993 (1993-02-26) Robert Rodriguez Robert Rodriguez Robert Rodriguez and Carlos Gallardo Carlos Gallardo
Desperado August 25, 1995 (1995-08-25) Robert Rodriguez and Bill Borden Antonio Banderas
Once Upon a Time in Mexico September 12, 2003 (2003-09-12) Robert Rodriguez, Carlos Gallardo, and Elizabeth Avellán

El Mariachi (1993)
Main article: El Mariachi

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)
Main article: Desperado (film)

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

Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003)
Main article: Once Upon a Time in Mexico

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 discovers a connection between the marauders and her death.

Television series
SeriesSeasonEpisodesOriginally releasedExecutive producer(s)
First releasedLast releasedNetwork
El Mariachi171March 10, 2014 (2014-03-10)June 17, 2014 (2014-06-17)AXNDaniel Ucros, Juan Pablo Posada, and Gabriela Valentán

El Mariachi (2014)
Main article: El Mariachi (2014 TV series)

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.

  • An empty, dark grey cell indicates the character was not in the film, or that the character's official presence has not yet been confirmed.

Principal cast
Character El Mariachi
(1992)		 Desperado
(1995)		 Once Upon a Time in Mexico
(2003)
"El Mariachi" Carlos Gallardo Antonio Banderas
Dominó Consuelo 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
Film Crew/detail
Composer(s) Cinematographer(s) Editor(s) Production companies Distributing company Running time
El Mariachi Eric Guthrie, Chris Knudson, Álvaro Rodriguez, Cecilio Rodriguez, and Mark Trujillo Robert Rodriguez Robert Rodriguez Columbia Pictures
Los Hooligans Productions		 Columbia Pictures 81 minutes
Desperado Los Lobos Guillermo Navarro Sony Pictures Releasing 105 minutes
Once Upon a Time in Mexico Robert Rodriguez Robert Rodriguez Columbia 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 Mariachi 91% (76 reviews)[20] 73 (9 reviews)[21] –
Desperado 67% (49 reviews)[22] 55 (18 reviews)[23] B+[24]
Once Upon a Time in Mexico 66% (168 reviews)[25] 56 (34 reviews)[26] B−[24]

References
  1. "El Mariachi Franchise Box Office History". The Numbers.
  2. Citron, Alan (January 23, 1993). "A Big Trumpet for 'El Mariachi' : Columbia Budgets $1 Million to Sell $7,000 Spanish-Language Film". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 7, 2023. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
  3. Broderick, Peter (Winter 1993). "A Film for a Song: Robert Rodriguez's Garage Movie". Filmmaker. Independent Filmmaker Project. Archived from the original on November 29, 2022. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
  4. Kim, S.J. (November 7, 2013). Luis Aldama, Frederick (ed.). Latinos and Narrative Media: Participation and Portrayal. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. p. 195. ISBN 978-1-349-47415-8.
  5. Thompson, Anne (April 2, 1993). "The story behind El Mariachi". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on November 12, 2016. Retrieved January 8, 2023.
  6. Leydon, Joe (November 27, 1994). "Cranking Up the Volume: Robert Rodriguez made 'El Mariachi' with a borrowed camera on a wheelchair doubling as a dolly. Now his second film has big stars, a big budget--and lots of really expensive equipment". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on November 1, 2020. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
  7. Patten, Dominic (August 20, 2013). "Sony TV To Produce 'El Mariachi' Series Based On Robert Rodriguez Pic". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on April 13, 2015. Retrieved January 8, 2023.
  8. Hecht, John (August 20, 2013). "Sony to Produce TV Version of Robert Rodriguez's 'El Mariachi'". The Hollywood Reporter. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on January 9, 2023. Retrieved January 8, 2023.
  9. "SOBRE EL MARIACHI" [ABOUT EL MARIACHI] (in Spanish). Archived from the original on March 8, 2014. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
  10. Clarke, Stewart (September 29, 2014). "Sony's El Mariachi hits the Middle East". Television Business International. Informa. Archived from the original on October 20, 2020. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
  11. "El Mariachi (1993) - Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  12. "Desperado (1995) - Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  13. "Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003) - Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  14. D'Alessandro, Anthony (January 27, 2020). "Sundance Alums Elizabeth Avellán & Rana Joy Glickman Launch Tealhouse". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on January 27, 2020. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  15. Fox, David J. (March 21, 1994). "Spirit Awards: A Hollywood Maverick Gets Tamed". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 16, 2023. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  16. Aldama, Frederick Luis (March 15, 2015). Critical Approaches to the Films of Robert Rodriguez. Austin, Texas: University of Texas Press. p. 190. ISBN 978-0-292-76355-5.
  17. 35th Annual Imagen Awards Program Book: The Power of Our Voices. Encino, CA: Imagen Foundation. September 24, 2020. p. 31. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  18. "2004 8th Annual SATELLITE Awards – Motion Picture Nominees and Winners". International Press Academy. Archived from the original on April 4, 2004. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  19. "2004 Taurus World Stunt Awards - Winners & Nominees". Taurus World Stunt Awards. Archived from the original on July 5, 2022. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
  20. "Mariachi (1992)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  21. "El Mariachi Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  22. "Desperado (1995)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  23. "Desperado Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
  24. "Home - Cinemascore". CinemaScore. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  25. "Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  26. "Once Upon a Time in Mexico Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
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