Famous Filmmaker Robert Rodriguez - Essay Example

Famous Filmmaker Robert Rodriguez Today Robert Rodriguez is regarded by many as the most important active Chicano filmmaker. While Rodriguez started out as an independent filmmaker his work was eventually accepted by Hollywood executives. Subsequently, Rodriguez has been involved in a series of large budget pictures, including Spy Kids, Sin City, and From Dusk Till Dawn. The popularity of these films has not only endeared Rodriguez to Mexican Americans, but has brought him fans throughout nearly all demographic groups. Rodriguez innovative filmmaking style has allowed him to work with an array of seminal actors and directors, including Antonio Banderas and Quinton Tarantino. While Rodriguez today has achieved tremendous critical acclaim this was not always the case. Rodriguez started from humble beginnings and in-large part carved the path for his own success. This essay examines Chicano filmmaker Robert Rodriguez. Robert Rodriguez is Chicano American, with both of his parents -- Rebecca Villegas and Cecilio G. Rodríguez – being of Mexican descent. While many people struggle to discover their path in life, from a young age Robert Rodriguez knew he was interested in artistic production. In his autobiography Rodriguez indicates that, “I associate my earliest memories with the movie theatre” (Rodriguez, p. 1). Here there is the recognition that Rodriguez formative youth was occupied by his life at the movie theatre. One considers the understanding that oftentimes foreign languages are difficult to learn late in life. Rodriguez early youth obsession with the cinema seems to have profoundly affected his cognitive development. Rodriguez indicates that his mother took him to the Olmos Theatre in San Antonio and he would watch classic films (Rodriguez, p. 1). While many mothers allow encourage their children to read books, Rodriguez mother was unique in that she encouraged the future filmmaker to watch these classic films. Rodriguez’ ability to watch classic films was a great benefit for the filmmakers, as the Olmos Theatre was a rare art-house theatre. Rodriguez access to these films then further shaped his development as a filmmaker. Rodriguez first great break as a filmmaker came after he filmed the short ‘Bedhead’. This short film featured a girl and her brother. The film had a very simple plot, with the boy having disarranged hair. The boy’s disheveled hair causes him to come into a number of conflicts with his sister, as her fastidious behavior is at odds with the boy’s awkward appearance. While this film’s narrative was highly simplistic, the short demonstrated the beginnings of Rodriguez’ filmmaking style. If one has witnessed a Robert Rodriguez’ film the style is easily discernible. Specifically, Rodriguez frequently implements editing techniques. Rather than the traditional editing techniques implemented in Hollywood films, however, Rodriguez’ use of editing is fast-paced and very essential to the plot. Additionally, Rodriguez films implement frequent jump cuts, zooms, and pans. Rodriguez style has caused film critics to refer to him as the ‘anti-realist’ (Biskind, p. 30). The main consideration here is that Rodriguez frequent use of these stylistic techniques places his films firmly in the formalist school of filmmaking. In this way one can contrast Rodriguez’ filmmaking to directors such as Orson Welles who used deep focus techniques where the film camera remain in one place and did not attempt to call attention to itself. Ultimately, however, it was Rodriguez’ formalist filmmaking style that would make him famous. After making ‘Bedhead’ Rodriguez entered it into a local university film exhibition (Rodriguez, pg. 8). The film was a resounding success among people who attended and it quickly spread by word of mouth to many film enthusiasts. The film was even more significant for Rodriguez as it got him admitted into the film program at the University of Texas-Austin (Rodriguez, pg. 11). The Austin, Texas film scene during this period was a vibrant culture. In addition to Robert Rodriguez, fellow independent filmmaker Richard Linklater was producing films in the area. Linklater’s films Slacker and Waking Life would go on to bring the filmmaker and the Austin, Texas film scene great acclaim throughout the nation. Notably, Linklater’s realist style is at direct odds with Rodriguez highly formalized approach to film. Rodriguez admittance to the university’s film program then is recognized as having a tremendous impact on the filmmaker’s artistic development and potential. Rodriguez’ success with his short film and his film school connections would naturally lead him to his next project. After gathering $7,000 Rodriguez set about independently filming ‘El Mariachi’ (Rodriguez, pg. 80). While the film has put together on credit cards and virtually no budget the quality of the filmmaking is truly spectacular. Through his formalist techniques Rodriguez was able to bring the low-budget film to a highly engaging action-adventure. Many times filmmakers will produce low budget films that are later ignored by audiences, but appreciated by critics. With ‘El Mariachi’ Rodriguez was able to accomplish the rare feet of gaining critical and popular success. After the film was viewed by an executive at Columbia Pictures the studio agreed to purchase the movie and to invest $300,000 in refurbishing the film stock (Rodriguez, pg. 99). In 1993, the film was then entered in the prestigious Sundance Film Festival. At only 23 years of age, Robert Rodriguez would win the festival’s Audience Award. When one considers Rodriguez humble Chicano beginnings, and his age and film budget, this success was truly astonishing. Robert Rodriguez’ success with El Mariachi would propel his career to new and fantastic heights. Rodriguez’ next project was the sequel to El Mariachi, Desperado. While on his short films and his first feature film Rodriguez was largely restricted to amateur and local actors, on Desperado Rodriguez finally gained access to elite actors. In these regards, Rodriguez cast Antonio Banderas in the film’s lead role. Again, Rodriguez achieved tremendous success with this project. Rodriguez success with these projects would open the door to larger scale Hollywood productions. While the filmmaker’s early films were characterized by an abundance of violence, he would surprisingly decide to film a children’s movie, Spy Kids. Rodriguez indicated that his decision to make this film was so that his children would have something of his to watch, as he was hesitant to show them his gory early films. Sky Kids would achieve incredible success and ultimately gross over $100 million dollars at the box office ("Box Office Mojo"). This film would then propel Rodriguez to the forefront of Hollywood directors. Another major project Rodriguez became involved in was the 2005 film Sin City. This film, based on Frank Miller’s graphic novel, combined gritty urban realism with a comic book style. Again the film would gain great critical and popular acclaim, further solidifying the Chicano filmmaker’s position in Hollywood. Perhaps more notably, in both Desperado and Sin City Rodriguez would cast Latino Americans in lead roles. This has led critics to indicate that, “Rodriguez has become Hollywood's most influential Hispanic by putting Latinos in top roles and broadening the definition of what a Latino role is” (Thomas). In this way Rodriguez has not simply used his success to advance his own interests, but is a truly remarkable Chicano filmmaker because of the way he has resisted and changed American stereotypes of Latino identity. In conclusion, this essay has examined Chicano filmmaker Robert Rodriguez. Within this spectrum of investigation, the essay has demonstrated that since a young age Rodriguez has demonstrated a propensity towards artistic production. After gaining admittance to the University of Texas film school he went on to make the seminal film El Mariachi. This film would propel Rodriguez to national attention and solidify his reputation in filmmaking communities. Ultimately, while Rodriguez mainstream success is impressive, it his way of restructuring the boundaries of possibility for Chicano filmmakers that is truly resounding. Works Cited Biskind, Peter. Down and Dirty Pictures: Miramax, Sundance, and the Rise of Independent Film. New York: Simon and Schuster. 2004. Rodriguez, Robert. Rebel Without a Crew. New York: Plume. 1996. "Spy Kids." Box Office Mojo. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Dec 2012. . Thomas, Cathy. "Robert Rodriguez: The Offbeat Moviemaker." Time. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Dec 2012. . Read More