Product Description

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Ent Release Date: 11/27/2007

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #53251 in DVD
• Brand: Sony
• Released on: 2003-08-26
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Box set, Closed-captioned, Collector's Edition, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English, French, Spanish, Portuguese
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish, French
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 184 minutes

Amazon.com
Before Robert Rodriguez's El Mariachi, Mexicans in North American action films were typically maids, drug dealers, or prison inmates. Even if the Cisco Kid was a friend of yours, you handled a dust cloth or a Mac-10 if you lasted in Hollywood longer than a New York minuto. But when El Mariachi crossed the border in 1992, things changed. Granted, it still involved a drug lord in a shoot-em-up, bang-bang, but this time the good guy was a Mexican. Austin-based Rodriguez made El Mariachi for a fistful of pesos and a little help from his friends. He wrote, directed, coproduced, edited, and operated the camera. Plus, he assembled a cast that had never acted before to work por nada. All for a paltry $7,000, a milagro without a beanfield war.

Desperado continues the outrageous action adventure. Working with a much bigger budget, Rodriguez returns the nameless mariachi to nonstop action. Again thrust into a world he never made, the hero takes his guitar-case arsenal deep into the criminal labyrinth of Bucho (Joaquim de Almeida), el gran chingon of the Mexican drug lords. With an amigo (Steve Buscemi) and a beautiful bookstore owner (Salma Hayek), el mariachi confronts an outrageous cast along the way, including a bartender (Cheech Marin), a drug deal pick-up guy (Quentin Tarantino), and the original mariachi (coproducer Carlos Gallardo) as a new-found compa'. Antonio Banderas has the lead this time, and if he's not quite up to the challenge, it's probably because he's Spanish, not Mexican, a distinction not lost by anyone raised on what the popular media now calls "ethnic food." That said, Desperado is not to be missed. Using intelligence, romance, and humor--as well as plenty of explosive, surreal violence--Rodriguez again showcases the timeless struggle between the forces of darkness and light. And, in the process, he's recasting the mold for the contemporary action hero--kids now argue about who gets to play the Mexican. --Stephan Magcosta

DVD features
The double-disc box of Desperado and El Mariachi offers a number of worthwhile features: interesting commentary tracks by director Robert Rodriguez on both films, his short film "Bedhead," and two 10-minute featurettes. Note, however, that they're almost exactly the same as those on the previously released two-sided disc; the only differences are the addition of a four-minute preview for the follow-up, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, and a new transfer of El Mariachi presented in a slightly wider aspect ratio (1.85 instead of 1.66). The new transfer has richer colors, but hasn't gotten rid of scratches and fuzziness. If you don't already have the two-sided disc, this box is worth the purchase because of the slightly improved quality and significantly lower price, but if you have the other there's no compelling reason to upgrade. Those who don't care about the features and just want Desperado in the best picture and sound should opt for the Superbit DVD. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews

How to make cool movies on a shoestring budget!
All right, let's be clear here, the movies on this dvd are both cool. EL MARIACHI is a stunning achievement. Robert Rodriguez filmed the movie for $7000.00, most of which was spent buying film! DESPERADO was filmed for $7 million, but it looks like a $30 million action flick. How did he do it?

He tells you all about it on the director's commentaries for both movies. A lot of director commentaries are an instant cure for insomnia. But Robert Rodriguez is NEVER boring. He explains how he accomplished various shots. He tells you how he made El Mariachi for only $7,000! He tells you how to make a little money go a long way. This is a new or aspiring filmmaker's dream and for those of us who are simply curious, it's fascinating to hear. On top of that, there are two ten minute featurettes. On the EL MARIACHI side you get an awesome 10 Minute Film School and on the DESPERADO side you get the Anatomy of a shootout. It's amazing to see how Rodriguez made the movies. Also fun is the short BEDHEAD, which Rodriguez filmed several years prior to EL MARIACHI.

This dvd belongs on every movie fan's shelf. And as a note to any directors out there who plan to do commmentaries--listen to Rodriguez first to see how it's done!

"It's easier to pull the trigger than play guitar..."
This is the package to get if you're thinking about checking out the two movies, "El Mariachi" and "Desperado." Why buy both separately when you can get them both for a great price? The "Desperado/El Mariachi" Collector's Box Set is a great offer that gives you plenty of action and thrills for a more than reasonable price. Not to mention that the set includes the "Special Edition" DVD versions of the two movies.

"El Mariachi" is the directorial debut from Robert Rodriguez that became an instant classic and received critical praise. The film is about a Mariachi who gets into trouble when a case of mistaken identity forces him into a violent and bloody conflict. "Desperado" is the sequel that's filled with outstanding shootouts and amazing action sequences. The film continues the story of the Mariachi and his plan for revenge. The two films together equal a very entertaining time.

Both of the DVDs included are "Special Editions" that are loaded with some cool extras. Extras that can be found on the DVDs are commentaries, featurettes, trailers and more. "Desperado" is mastered in High Definition and provides a very clear picture, while "El Mariachi" has a new film transfer that was supervised by the director.

This box set is really the way to go if you're thinking about purchasing the two movies. I have a feeling that the set will be even more popular with the recent release of "Once Upon a Time in Mexico." You get two great movies for a very low price. It's almost like paying for one DVD and getting the other one free. The "Desperado/El Mariachi" Collector's Box Set offers the best quality DVD versions of the two films. If you're looking for action and excitement, this is the place to be. A definite worthy purchase, if you want my opinion. -Michael Crane

The finest DVD I own
If you are even an avid fan of action films, you cannot be without this incredible double-feature DVD. Robert Rodriguez shines with his Mariachi films, "El Mariachi" and "Desperado. El Mariachi, filmed on a bare-bones budget of 7k, is one of the most spectacular action films I have ever seen. Mainly for it's flawless script, and the amount of depth it gives the characters, the film really keeps you on the edge of your seat. Desperado, the big-budget hollywood feature, is considered sub-par by many, but I throughly enjoyed the action sequences for what they were: A bunch of people shooting each other. And Antonio plays his character beautifully, so I didnt take the time to anylize the acting of the other cast members, or the effects, I just watched and enjoyed. If you watch Desperado for anything, watch it for Cheech, Tarentino and Trejo. Why are you even reading this? You cannot go without having this DVD in your collection, especially with this price.