Once Upon a Time in Mexico comes out on Blu-ray the same day but it will be getting it's own individual release. There doesn't appear to be an edition available which boxes these releases together (unfortunately).

I was going to complain that you're paying extra for a movie that won't benefit from HD (El Mariachi), but Amazon's listing it for $14.99, so you know what? No complaints from me.

I think Rodriguez should pay me for having seen Once Upon A Time In Mexico. What unadulterated crap.

El Mariachi was shot on 16mm. Given the production circumstances, I wouldn't expect a huge upgrade from DVD, but there should still be some improvement.

It was? I always thought it was shot on SD video.

No, 16mm. With a Bolex camera Rodriguez found at a pawn shop, I believe. No live sound recording.

I don't understand the hate for OUaTiM but I haven't watched it in years. I'll be getting the Blu-Ray, though.

I liked it, too.

Amazon Pre-Order for El Mariachi/Desperado @ $12.99

^ I saw that - ordered!!

Rodriguez transferred all the raw footage to video and did his initial edit with this footage between two VCRs. This was when he only planned on releasing it directly to the Mexican home video market and when it was acquired by Columbia it was re-edited on film. That plus the advertising campaign were the main sources of all the "it didn't really cost $5000" backlash. It's all documented in "Rebel Without a Crew" which should still be available.

On the DVD extras (which were ported from laserdisc extras I believe) he talks about how the outtakes from the original VHS edit look better than the film edit, or at least the current video transfer at the time, I would hope that any HD-era transfer would be closer to the original film elements.

Columbia/Sony also ponied up for a new soundtrack. Because the movie was shot without live audio recording, everything was ADR'ed and foleyed after the fact. Most of the gunshots and explosions came from library CDs. The studio had all sound in the movie re-recorded and remixed from scratch, which cost a considerable bit more than the reported $5,000 budget.

None of which is to downplay the remarkable result that Rodriguez managed to achieve for extremely little money, of course.

Rebel without a crew is a great book for any intrested in making their own film. Really inspires you to go out there and do it yourself.
I was lucky enough to get my copy of it signed by Robert a while back when he was here at work for a premiere.

I don't suppose anyone knows of any deals on these two.

....I think $12.99 is a deal enough for El and Desperado.....

I agree, and for the package you get with Once Upon a Time?

Both are very generous prices,

eh....13.99 is too much JUST for OUATIM......or 12.99 or whatever it came to by due date..

Bought El Mariachi/Desperado for $12.99 at Amazon. Will wait for OUATIM to drop to the $7 range (it will eventally)

BTW... is there any word on whether they went back to the original 16mm master for El Mariachi or is it sourced from a 35mm blowup? (probably the later)

I don't get all the OUATIM hate. It's my favorite of the three and "Desperado" is actually my least favorite.

UGH, Once Upon a Time in Mexico is pretty bad, I'm a big Rodriguez fan - but I could never get into it...I might give it another try down the line, but I am in no hurry.

what makes it a better movie over Desperado? CUz.....Desperado is complete badass. OUATIM is like....an epic Desperado that lacks impact on all the shots fired.

In regards to budget and scope the "Mariachi" trilogy parallels the "Evil Dead" trilogy but with "Evil Dead 2" at least Raimi knew he was practically remaking the first movie (and yes, both "Evil Dead 2" and "Desperado" are technically sequels even if they are dangerously close to remake territory) and took it in a comedic direction and I just don't feel Rodriguez did anything really interesting with "Desperado".

Don't get me wrong, it's a perfectly entertaining and fun movie but to me "Desperado" has never been much more than "El Mariachi" with more money behind it. I think Rodriguez was on autopilot when he did "Desperado", having followed his career I think he could do something like "Desperado" in his sleep. With "Once Upon a Time In Mexico" it's like he at least tried something somewhat ambitious.

Also, as much as I dig the Mariachi character I don't think he really loses anything when his screen time is diminished by having to share a movie with other characters. Like a lot of superhero origin stories once the origin is established the character becomes one-dimensional and I don't think there was really much more you could do with the character beyond "Desperado". As such I find his reduction in "OUATiM" completely appropriate. I agree, the character is "completely badass" in "Desperado" but my problem is that I can't say I'd be all that thrilled to see a "Desperado 2" that exists for no other reason than to show the character doing more "completely badass" stuff.

Although technically a sequel, Desperado was intended primarily as a remake. Rodriguez knew that 99% of the audience for the movie would never have seen or even heard of El Mariachi. Hence the reason the movie isn't titled "Mariachi 2." Unlike, say, "Evil Dead 2."

Desperado is the movie that Rodriguez wanted El Mariachi to be, if he'd had any real money to put it together in the first place.

Considering that Desperado was only his second feature as a director, and really his first "professional" film that he was actually hired and paid to make, this complaint doesn't hold much water. Rodriguez was nobody until he made Desperado. He was just some kid who'd made a fun home movie that convinced people he might have some potential. Desperado was his calling card into the industry. It was the movie that established what a "Robert Rodriguez film" was supposed to be.

If Rodriguez was on autopilot anywhere, it was during Once Upon a Time in Mexico, which is a lazy rehash of the first two Mariachi movies without any of the fun. It's painfully clear when watching it that Rodriguez had no interest at all in making it. He only directed it out of obligation to the studio and to Antonio Banderas, both of which were desperate for a "Desperado 2." Mexico takes everything that was entertaining about Desperado and grinds it into the dirt, then spits on it. It's a terrible, terrible movie, and an instant franchise killer.

Sorry I have to respectfully disagree with you, especially with your last comment, OUT was always intended to be the closing act of the Mariachi saga, so to say it was a franchise killer is definately not accurate when there was never any intention to do another one. And even if there are some people who dont like it, there are quite a few who really do enjoy it for what it is, a fun action pack rodriguez flick. And while you might not agree that it was a hit, the fact of the matter is that it made a nice little profit durring its theatrical run.

Sooo everything else Josh Z said was right? I'm not sure if i agree on all those points in that bolded paragraph that don't mention OUATIM sucking..cuz it did. I liked Johnny Depp in it and that's it...that's pretty sad.

While YOU and a fucking small minority might find it fun....that doesn't change that it's not a good film. Being entertained and it's correlation w/ the actual quality to the source of the entertainment is irrelevant. They don't need to be together.

OUATIM to me is RR's test film for the HD cameras. He wanted to see wtf he could do w/ them and he did do something with them.

Harry Knowles from Aint it Cool even dislikes OUATIM, so you know it has to be bad...that dude rides the nuts of everything ever made.

That being said, I'm going to give it another chance on blu-ray in the coming weeks.