Having just caught The Losers, a sort of the 80s action and ‘splotions throwback in earnest stupidity with the stylistic nudge-nudge-wink-wink most definitely not in that era, my first point of entry into the films blend of super-cool-posturing and bantering snark was Robert Rodriguez’s big(ger) El Mariachi sequel/reboot Desperado. And it was not just the ‘keep moving the plot along’ speed of the film, like all the interstitial guts were removed in the editing process, but also the Zoe Saldana – Jeffrey Dean Morgan sex scene seems to be very much like the abridged Salma Hayak – Antonio Banderas candle lights and slo-mo playboy spread.
But enough of comparisons, let us talk of the indomitable Steve Buscemi! Here is a character actor who can be goofy overkill (watch how he puts out is cigarette) and confiding and very serious but also be quite self-aware. Basically, Buscemi’s body language is (more-or-less) the tone of the film. Heck, his character is even named “Buscemi.” In the below scene he is fishing for information by putting himself in a dangerous situation, a bar full of idle criminals and thugs, and proceeds to insult them without exactly insulting them, and intimidate them (as much as Buscemi can be intimidating, a joke likely borrowed by the casting agent of Con Air) not by his own presence, but by being harbinger of El Mariachi (but here re-invented a vengeance driven superhero). Hey don’t shoot the messenger!
Watching Buscemi enter the bar (comically full of trophy antlers), take a seat despite a distinct lack of hospitality, and be pleasant and intimate with the bartender is exactly the sort of weightless fun we like in a big silly action picture. Although it adds just an extra touch of goofy that had the (in my experience in talking with action-nuts) effect of actually putting people off the film. Much like Kick-Ass, the line of what you are willing to take in terms ‘wanting real’ and ‘wanting fantasy’ and the suspension of disbelieve varies from audience to audience. But still, you can’t knock the pure promise of fun and mayhem that is offered in the opening sequence of Desperado, and Rodriguez’s willingness not to ever get to serious with his premise. Throwaway fun? Sure. But cotton candy is good once in a while.
I’m with you on that scene – hardly a work of art, but it goes down a treat. I used to love the film in general back when I was a teenager (and loved the hell out of Salma Hayek). It’s well due a revisit.
I’ve seen this movie a thousand times. This opening bit never gets old. Ever.
This is Robert Rodriguez’s good movie.
While SIN CITY was certainly a notable upswing in quality, I can’t disagree that Rodriguez seems to regress as a filmmaker rather than improve. I have little interest in his kids movies (I’ve seen the first SPY KIDS, and despite a wealth of great actors in bit parts, the movie is dreadfully bad. I can’t imagine the sequels are any better, and SHORTS looked downright bad. Did Shark Boy and Lava girl even get a theatrical, or did it go straight to DVD?
Finally, as entertaining as Planet Terror is, outside of Rose McGowan, it was not all that great. It certainly pales in comparison to the headliner, DEATHPROOF.
So, is RED SONJA still his next film.
Actually Sin City is also a good movie, and so is From Dusk Till Dawn, but they’re almost good in spite of Rodriguez, whenever I think of them, I can’t think of anything about Rodriguez that made those movies better. Probably not making a lot of sense, but Desperado is the one movie where Rodriguez is being all-out himself where it actually works. The rest of the ones where he does it are bad.
Yea, I still dig From Dusk Till Dawn. It was Grindhouse (with the same two directors) before Grindhouse.
There is something about R. Rodriguez which gets prime talent involved in his films. He always has a tonne of great actors involved (case in point for Dusk – Harvey Keitel and George Clooney are both awesome in this. As is Fred Williamson, and for a brief moment, Michael Parks.
Well it’s usually because he can get some great actor in for 3 days and just shoot a shit-ton of scenes.
I mean yeah, Harvey Keitel is great in Dusk, but is he better than in any other movie? It’s the character that’s cool.