Like many of you reading this, I have a soft spot for Robert Rodriguez’s Mexico trilogy. The three films centred around a guitar-playing mariachi (first played by Carlos Gallardo, then by Antonio Banderas) who becomes a killer after a case of mistaken identity. The three films put Rodriguez on the map as one of the most exciting directors of his generation, and the story of how he turned a $7000 action movie made for Mexican home video into a worldwide smash is legendary (as he documented himself in the classic book “Rebel Without a Crew”).
Now, Rodriguez’s loose trilogy, which consists of El Mariachi, Desperado and Once Upon a Time in Mexico, are coming to Arrow Video in a special features-laden box set which includes commentaries, new interviews, deleted scenes and more. However, the catch is that of the three films, only Desperado is getting a 4K disc.
Why?
Well, here’s the thing – the elements don’t really exist to put the other films on 4K disc. El Mariachi was shot on 16mm film for $7K, so a 1080p HD transfer is about as good as it gets for that movie. Once Upon a Time in Mexico, despite having the biggest budget, was an early movie shot on HD digital, meaning the maximum resolution is 1080p. It would have to undergo a major restoration (or revisionist transfer) to look good in this format (this is the dilemma likely facing Sony and Danny Boyle with 28 Days Later). Desperado was the only one shot on 35mm film, so it has the best elements and will likely look amazing in 4K.
Whatever the case, the set is loaded with extras, as revealed by our friends over at Arrow Video. Check em’ out:
DISC 1 – EL MARIACHI (BLU-RAY)
Original uncompressed Latin-American Spanish stereo audio, plus an English dub in lossless stereo
Optional English subtitles, plus English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
Commentary by writer-director Robert Rodriguez
Big Vision Low Budget, a newly filmed interview with Rodriguez
The Original Mariachi, a newly filmed interview with producer/star Carlos Gallardo
The Music of ‘El Mariachi’, a newly produced featurette on the music in the film, featuring interviews with composers Eric Guthrie, Chris Knudson, Alvaro Rodriguez and Marc Trujillo
Ten Minute Film School, an archive featurette produced and narrated by Rodriguez
Bedhead, a 1991 short film by Rodriguez
Theatrical trailer and TV spot
DISCS 2 & 3 – DESPERADO (BLU-RAY / 4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY)
New 4K restoration from the original camera negative by Sony Pictures
Original uncompressed stereo audio and DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround audio
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
Audio commentary by writer-director Robert Rodriguez
Lean and Mean, a newly filmed interview with Rodriguez
Shoot Like Crazy, a newly filmed interview with producer Bill Borden
Kill Count, a newly filmed interview with stunt coordinator Steve Davison
Lock and Load, a newly filmed interview with special effects coordinator Bob Shelley
Game Changer, a newly filmed appreciation by filmmaker Gareth Evans (The Raid: Redemption)
Ten More Minutes: Anatomy of a Shootout, an archive featurette narrated by Rodriguez
Textless opening (“Morena de mi Corazón”)
Theatrical trailers
DISC 4 – ONCE UPON A TIME IN MEXICO (BLU-RAY)
Original DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround and 2.0 stereo audio
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
Commentary by writer-director Robert Rodriguez
The Revolution Will Be Digitized, a newly filmed interview with Rodriguez
Troublemaking, a newly filmed interview with visual effects editor Ethan Maniquis
Eight deleted scenes, with optional commentary by Rodriguez
Ten Minute Flick School, an archive featurette narrated by Rodriguez
Inside Troublemaker Studios, an archive featurette on Rodriguez’s studio in Austin
Ten Minute Cooking School, an archive featurette in which Rodriguez shows you how to cook Puerco Pibil
Film is Dead: An Evening with Robert Rodriguez, a presentation by the director given in 2003
The Anti-Hero’s Journey, an archive featurette on the arc of the Mariachi
The Good, the Bad and the Bloody: Inside KNB FX, an archive featurette on the film’s special effects
Theatrical trailers
Will you be picking up the Mexico trilogy? Let us know in the comments! Here’s a look at the set, which streets on August 27th in the US and Canada.
The post Robert Rodriguez’s Mexico Trilogy getting a deluxe Arrow release (but only Desperado will be 4K) appeared first on JoBlo.
