Search - El Mariachi on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Graphic Violence, Adult Situations, Questionable for Children Movie Release: 1992 DVD Release: 08/26/2003 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV - Closed Captioned Edition: Dual Layered,Special Collection Audio Tracks: French, Spanish Subtitles: English, French, Korean, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 21 mins Studio: Columbia TriStar Members Wishing: 0 Genres: Action, Action Thriller, Gangster Film

Filmed in two weeks on a budget of 7,000 dollars, El Mariachi was one of the singular pleasures of the 1993-1994 movie season. Kind-spirited guitarist El Mariachi (Carlos M. Gallardo) simply wants to wander through life as his father and grandfather did, with a song in his heart and a smile on his lips. He wanders into a small mob-run town, guitar case in hand. It so happens that the local criminal element is awaiting the arrival of vicious hit man Azul (Reinol Martinez), who is well known for carrying his weapons in...a guitar case. Just when you think you've got a lock on what's going to happen next, director Robert Rodriguez throws us for a loop, unexpectedly alternating whimsical comedy with graphic violence. Rodriguez later retooled the plot of El Mariachi for his far more expensive (and far less satisfying) Antonio Banderas vehicle Desperado (1995). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Carlos Gallardo - El Mariachi
Consuelo Gomez - Domino
Reinol Martinez - Azul
Peter Marquardt - Mauricio Moco

Robert Rodriguez's feature-length directorial debut, the famously ultra low-budgeted El Mariachi comes to DVD with a widescreen anamorphic transfer that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1. Spanish and French soundtracks are rendered in Dolby Digital Stereo. English, Spanish, French, and Korean subtitles are accessible. Supplemental materials include a commentary track recorded by Rodriguez. Although this commentary has appeared on other home video editions of the film, those unfamiliar with it will find it highly entertaining. Rodriguez goes into great detail about how he stretched his miniscule budget. Also included is something called the ten-minute film school in which Rodriguez shows off some of his original videotape final cut that was purchased by Columbia. The short film Bedhead and a preview of Once Upon a Time in Mexico rounds out this excellent release from Columbia/TriStar. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide