A True Desperado: The 10 Best Moments Of Robert Rodriguez’s Career

5) Where It All Started (El Mariachi)

When you look at El Mariachi, you don’t see a movie that cost $7,000. Well, OK, you might VISUALLY see a movie that cost $7,000 to make, but it feels like so, so much more. If you’ve ever read Rebel Without A Crew, a legitimate must-read for any independent filmmakers, you’ll learn how Rodriguez did almost everything on set, mainly because he couldn’t act and film at the same time. So many corners were cut between location scouting and editing, yet based on raw talent alone, the film went on to be picked up by Columbia Pictures, spawning an “El Mariachi” franchise that includes Desperado and Once Upon A Time In Mexico.

Rodriguez gets credit here because not only does he present a master-class in independent filmmaking, but he also created a fun action movie by using camouflaged water guns and local extras. You can’t deny Rodriguez’s skills, and they all started on a successful indie he claimed to only make as “practice.”

Damn, if only my level of “practice” was on par with Rodriguez’s…