El Mariachi

Co-writer/director Robert Rodriguez made his first feature film, a Spanish-language comedy-thriller called "El Mariachi," for $7,000, using a hand-held 16mm camera.

When Columbia pictures bought "El Mariachi" and decided to give it a major theatrical release, the studio spent $100,000 to remix the sound, redo the subtitles and build 35mm prints from the 16mm original — and then came up with another million dollars for advertising.

Now that's irony.

Rodriguez has been the darling of the independent movement since January when his ultra-low-budget effort won the dramatic competition Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival.

The movie is mired in movie cliches and silly sentiment — and Rodriguez himself admits that he made the movie quick and dirty, with no intention of it ever being so widely seen. But it's lively and funny enough to indicate that this is a young filmmaker to watch for in the future. (He's signed a multi-picture deal with Columbia.)

The story is familiar, a mild-mannered singer (well played by boyish Carlos Gallardo, who co-wrote the script), dressed in black and carrying a guitar case, wanders into a small border town looking for work. He goes into a bar, is turned away and, disappointed, heads for the next potential venue for his talent.

As he leaves, another stranger in town, also dressed in black and carrying a guitar case, steps into the same bar. But this guy is a professional killer, a drug lord who has escaped from prison to get revenge on his ex-partner. He unloads his guitar case, which is loaded with weaponry, and mows down the men in the bar.

The obvious mistaken identities and chases ensue, with an odd and sometimes uncomfortable mix of Sergio Leone ("The Good, the Bad and the Ugly"), Sam Peckinpah ("The Wild Bunch") and Blake Edwards ("The Pink Panther"). There is an unlikely lack of law enforcement, despite all the mayhem in the streets in broad daylight, not to mention an ending with more serious resonances than you might expect (or than the film deserves).

Still, the energy that propels the action and the style and humor of the film and its players makes "El Mariachi" an entertaining ride. And when you consider that $7,000 price tag, it's an amazing journey.

"El Mariachi" is rated R for considerable violence and profanity.