El Mariachi

Are you able to identify common Mexican stereotypes in the film?

               There are several stereotypes that are presented throughout the film. The stereotypical “Mexican” look of a thick black mustache and curly black hair is the look of all the main male characters in the film. The violence associated with feuding Mexican drug gangs is the entire plot in the movie, and it is exaggerated through the gun violence running crazy throughout the street.

Is the bandito-violence commonly associated with Mexican culture?

               Bandito-violence and the “Mexican drug cartel” are commonly associated with the Mexican culture. However, in this film I feel that the violence is exaggerated. The shooting scenes in the street, running with large guns throughout the town, and the random killing I feel is not how the violence within these gangs is actually how these scenes depict it. The violence that these gangs are associated with is much more organized and set targets are marked, not a random description that can be associated with several people within the town.

Who is the Mariachi and what is his purpose in life?

               The Mariachi is an icon of Mexican tradition, which travels from town to town to do what they love, play music to entertain people. It shows the importance of the cultures traditions, and the dedication these people have to doing what they are passionate for.  The Mariachi musician gives his all for his music, he wanders from town to town just looking for a place where new groups of people can enjoy his music and where he can have the opportunity to meet new people and have new experiences. The Mariachi represents how passionate people in Mexico are about their traditions and how they love and embrace their culture and their family’s traditions.

Is the role of music important in the film? How? Why?

               The role of music was important in this film, because it depicted how the scene was supposed to feel. If the scene was full of suspense and mystery the music reflected that, or if the scene involved a lot of violence, the music emphasized that violence. The music was also important because it was as if the Mariachi guitar player was narrating the story through his music and his interpretation of the scenes.