Film

El Mariachi Directed by Robert Rodriguez

id you ever wonder what the wild west

is really like? Well, here you have it in

a thrilling shoot’em up with weird and wonderful overtones. El Mariachi (The Guitar Player) is the first movie from university stu- dent/film-maker Robert Rodriguez and it is, quite simply, a blast.

Set in a town somewhere on the U.S.- Mexi- can border, the film chronicles the ups and downs of a down-on-his-luck guitar player on his quest for fame and fortune. Arriving in town full ofhopes and dreams, he finds himself in the middle of a bloody drug feud, facing men with whom his only connection is his resemblance to the local drug lord’s main target.

Needless to say, this sensitive young musi- cian needs protection, and he finds it in the person of a beautiful young barmaid just crazy (and smitten ) enough to take him in. Unfortu- nately, she also happens to be involved with the drug lord in a big way, but ... well, the rest has to be seen to be believed.

This is an action movie- those seeking spar- kling wit will be disappointed; however, it isnot your typical shoot’em up, either. Slap-stick humour, generously interspersed amongst chases and gratuitous violence, balances the movie and gives it a slightly madcap flavor. Director Rodriguez uses the humor to air some of his views on the effects of technology on society and even pokes fun at the whole shoot’em up genre. There is also a definite sense of hot- blooded Hispanic style evident in the film’s tense close-ups and rapid pace. This is the kind of movie that makes you want to pull on your snake-skin cowboy boots and ride your Harley off into the sunset.

Perfomances in this film were uniformly

well-done, with special mention given to Consuelo Gomez, who is rivetting as the sultry barmaid. Carlos Gallardo draws all the audi- ence’s sympathy as the guitar player and Reinol Martinez is funny as the guitar player’s lookalike, mainly because he is so straight-faced about the

. whole mix-up.

I highly recommend this movie to anyone who wants a change from the usual Hollywood fare but who feels an ‘‘alternative’’ movie would be over their heads (or below their stand- ards). Though this film will not be seen at the cinemas in the mall, it is thoroughly entertain- ing, especially if you love action.

Film-maker Rodriguez probably won’t be going back to university now that he has a two- year deal from Columbia motion pictures under his belt. It is a testament to his belief in himself and hard work that such a thrilling and success- ful movie can be made by a relative unknown.

El Mariachi will be seen 7pm ‘ hursday Oct. 21, 9pm Friday Oct. 22, 7pm Saturday Oct. 23, and 9pm Sunday Oct. 24 at City Cinemas.

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32/X-Press/October 21, 1993

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Available at: HENDERSON & CUDMORE, 101 Grafton St.