One thing (of many) that I love about Hispanic Heritage Month is the focus on just how diverse and eclectic “Hispanic Heritage” actually is.
Case in point: the absolute legend that is Robert Rodriguez. His projects are both inherently Mexican, but also universal in a way that very few other filmmakers can truly capture.
And, while people are always talking about Spielberg, Tarantino, and Scorsese (and for good reason!), I think it’s time for us to finally give Robert Rodriguez his flowers, too. Because he certainly deserves the whole bouquet.
His Low Budget Entry Into The World Of Cinema Is A Case That Should Be Studied
How amazing is Robert Rodriguez’s debut movie, El Mariachi? So amazing, that the director himself even wrote a book about the production of the film titled, Rebel Without a Crew: Or How a 23-Year-Old Filmmaker With $7,000 Became A Hollywood Player.
In fact, while El Mariachi is a fine film in its own right (and one that spawned two sequels in Desperado and Once Upon a Time in Mexico), the most impressive thing about it is just how professional it is, especially given its extremely low budget (In fairness, Columbia Pictures did spend some extra money on it once they decided to distribute it).
Rodriguez is one of those ‘90s directors who, like Kevin Smith, and yes, like his pal, Tarantino, exploded onto the scene with his very first movie. But, unlike those two aforementioned directors, who pretty much started off with great bottle movies, Rodriguez’s El Mariachi feels a bit more ambitious in scope, what with its action sequences, and its mistaken identity plotline.
Yes, much has already been said about the success of El Mariachi (It even holds a Guinness World Record for the lowest budgeted movie to ever make $1 million dollars at the box office), but I really do think that even more people should talk about it, as it really is quite something.
He Made A Grindhouse Movie Long Before He Actually Helped Direct Grindhouse
Before Grindhouse was split up into two separate movies for home distribution, those being Death Proof (which is my least favorite Tarantino movie, but I digress), and Planet Terror, the movie was a delightful double feature when it hit theaters back in 2007.
However, Rodriguez made a modern-day grindhouse movie long before 2007 with 1996’s From Dusk till Dawn. The film concerns two bank robbers who take a family hostage, only to end up at a bar that is swarming with vampires.
1992’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and 1994’s Interview with the Vampire came out at a time when vampires seemed to be taken seriously all of a sudden. But, then came Robert Rodriguez with a movie where a dude (Tom Savini!) has a penis gun, and Selma Hayek does one of the sexiest dances ever put to film (and she did it in a trance, no less!)
In a lot of ways, Planet Terror built off the foundation that was set in place with From Dusk Till Dawn, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
At The Same Time, Kids All Over The World Love His Movies, Too
It took me by surprise when I found out that George Miller, director of the Mad Max movies, also directed Happy Feet, as you don’t usually see directors who make hard-R movies also delve into the realm of children’s cinema.
That said, Rodriguez does it all the time. In fact, by the end of his career, whenever that may be, he may have contributed even more to children’s cinema than adult cinema. And, that’s mostly because of his Spy Kids series, but also his movie The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl (as well as its spiritual successor, We Can Be Heroes).
What makes Rodriguez a master filmmaker is that he can ostensibly jump between both adult and children’s cinema in the blink of an eye. For example, do you want to know the movie he made before Sharkboy and Lavagirl? Sin City. And, do you want to know the movie that he made after it? Planet Terror.
Even so, I have absolutely no problem introducing my children to Robert Rodriguez because I know a segment of his filmography is completely kid-friendly. How many other major filmmakers can you say that about? I’m waiting.
He Was Even Deep In The Television Scene With El Rey Network For A Little While
When I think of people starting their own TV networks, I think of Oprah Winfrey. I think of Ted Turner. But, do you know who I never thought about before I wrote this article? Robert Rodriguez.
That’s only because even though I had heard of El Rey Network before, which started back in 2013 and ended in 2020, I never really connected it with Rodriguez, who founded it.
El Rey’s mission was to produce exploitation-type entertainment and target English-speaking Hispanic audiences. It did so with shows such as Matador, From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series, and the wrestling outfit, Lucha Underground, just to name a few.
It's no longer a network, but how cool is it that Rodriguez could get something like this off the ground in the first place? The man pretty much knows no bounds.
Plus, He's Still At It
I love Robert Rodriguez, but one movie of his that I had no interest in whatsoever was Alita: Battle Angel. I don't know. It just didn’t appeal to me. But, one of my friends kept asking me at every barbecue that I would see him at if I had seen the movie yet, and I kept telling him no. Until, that is, I eventually saw it, and let me tell you. It's freaking awesome.
Rodriguez would like to make a sequel. In fact, he is always working. His last movie was 2023’s Spy Kids: Armageddon, and he has a whole slew of unrealized projects that he could possibly dip into if he ever finds the budget and studio backing to make one.
The fact, though, is that despite coming onto the scene back in 1992, Rodriguez is still very much at it. Now, if only we can all live long enough to watch his already filmed sci-fi movie, 100 Years, which is set to come out in…2115!? Well, I guess I’ll get in line now then.
But, until that day, we’ll keep you posted on any other Robert Rodriguez movies, so make sure to stop by here often!
