Desperado (1995)

The continuing adventures of the mariachi with the guitar case full of guns (Antonio Banderas) and his quest for vengeance.

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When animator Frank Tashlin made the switch to live-action in the late 50s with films like The Girl Can't Help It, Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? and the Martin & Lewis vehicle Artists and Models, cineastes stood up and took notice the world over. His films were like nothing they'd ever seen before - CARTOONS COME TO LIFE! Anything could happen, physics be damned. I say all this because, though it might be considered sacrilege among the Cahiers du Cinema crowd, I like to think that if Tish ever directed a Mexican action flick, it would be Desperado. Think about it. You know it to be true. That gag when Salma Hayek causes two cars to crash just by crossing the street? Picture it with Jayne Mansfield. Or the way El is able to whip bullets around corners with a flick of the wrist. And let's not forget the machine-gun and rocket launching guitar cases. Isn't that really only a few steps removed from Wile E. Coyote? This is why I love Robert Rodriguez, he makes cartoons for the big kids.