Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003)

Director:

Robert Rodriguez

Writer (WGA):

Robert Rodriguez (written by)

Release Date:

12 September 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

The Time Has Come.

Plot:

Hitman "El Mariachi" becomes involved in international espionage involving a psychotic CIA agent and a corrupt Mexican general.

Plot Keywords:

Drug Lord | Extreme Violence | Drug Cartel | Chef | Organized Crime

Awards:

3 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Antonio Banderas	...	El Mariachi
Salma Hayek	...	Carolina
Johnny Depp	...	Sands
Mickey Rourke	...	Billy
Eva Mendes	...	Ajedrez
Danny Trejo	...	Cucuy
Enrique Iglesias	...	Lorenzo
Marco Leonardi	...	Fideo
Cheech Marin	...	Belini
Rubén Blades	...	Jorge FBI
Willem Dafoe	...	Barillo
Gerardo Vigil	...	Marquez
Pedro Armendáriz Jr.	...	El Presidente (as Pedro Armendariz)
Julio Oscar Mechoso	...	Advisor
Tito Larriva	...	Cab Driver
Miguel Couturier	...	Dr. Guevera
Tony Valdes	...	Chicle Boy
José Luis Avendaño	...	Alvaro
Rodolfo De Alexandre	...	Omar (as Rodolfo d'Alejandre)
Natalia Torres	...	Mariachi's Girl
Steve Constancio	...	Right Hand (as Steven Constancio)
Troy Robinson	...	Romero
Ermahn Ospina	...	Qui-Que
Luz María Rojas	...	Pistolera
Mario Simon	...	Cook
Bernard Hacker	...	Blascoe
Cecilia Tijerina	...	Waitress
Carola Vázquez	...	Hospital Administrator
René Gatica	...	Chief Federale
Silvia Santoyo	...	Bachelorette
Juan Pablo Llaguno	...	Bull Fighter
Ignacio Torres	...	Teacher
Rogelio Gonzalez Grau	...	Manny
Jorge Becerril	...	Taco
Víctor Carpinteiro	...	Left Nut
Dagoberto Gama	...	Que Pasa

Directed by
Robert Rodriguez

Writing credits (WGA)
Robert Rodriguez		(written by)

Produced by
Elizabeth Avellan	....	producer
Carlos Gallardo	....	producer
Sue Jett	....	co-producer
Tony Mark	....	co-producer
Robert Rodriguez	....	producer
Luz María Rojas	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Robert Rodriguez

Cinematography by
Robert Rodriguez		(shot by)

Film Editing by
Robert Rodriguez		(chopped by)

Casting by
Mary Vernieu

Production Design by
Robert Rodriguez

Art Direction by
Melo Hinojosa

Costume Design by
Graciela Mazón

Makeup Department
Allan A. Apone	....	special makeup effects artist: airbrush makeup
Troy Breeding	....	hair stylist
Troy Breeding	....	makeup artist
Carmen de la Torre	....	hair stylist
Carmen de la Torre	....	makeup artist
Jake Garber	....	special makeup effects artist
Barry R. Koper	....	special makeup effects artist: airbrush makeup
Robert Kurtzman	....	special makeup effects supervisor
Sandra Miguell	....	hair stylist
Sandra Miguell	....	makeup artist
Gregory Nicotero	....	special makeup effects supervisor (as Greg Nicotero)
Roxie Norman	....	hair stylist
Roxie Norman	....	makeup artist
Ermahn Ospina	....	key hair stylist
Ermahn Ospina	....	key makeup artist
Scott Patton	....	special makeup effects artist
Shannon Shea	....	special makeup effects artist

Production Management
Arturo Del Rio	....	unit manager
Tita Lombardo	....	unit manager
Brian McNulty	....	post-production supervisor
Luz María Rojas	....	unit production manager: Mexico

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Douglas Aarniokoski	....	second unit director
Brian Bettwy	....	first assistant director
Marco Polo Constandse	....	second second assistant director: Mexico
Ricardo Del Río	....	first assistant director: Mexico
Frederic Henocque	....	second assistant director: Mexico
Korey Scott Pollard	....	second assistant director (as Korey Pollard)

Art Department
Carlos Benassini	....	assistant art director
Kevin Berve	....	first assistant props
Kelly Bogdan	....	property assistant: reshoots
Alisarine Ducolomb	....	art department coordinator
Steve Joyner	....	property master
Marcus LaPorte	....	props: reshoots
Joe McCusker	....	construction coordinator: additional photography
Darren Patnode	....	on-set dresser
Jeff Poss	....	head prop fabricator
Kara Sutherlin	....	stand-by scenic

Sound Department
Thomas Appel	....	first sound assistant
Dean Beville	....	sound designer
Dean Beville	....	supervising sound editor
Matthew C. Beville	....	foley editor (as Matt Beville)
Matthew C. Beville	....	sound effects editor
Mike Chock	....	sound effects editor
John Dunn	....	sound effects editor
Brad Engleking	....	stage re-recording engineer
Kevin Globerman	....	sound recordist
William Jacobs	....	sound designer
Val Kuklowsky	....	dialogue editor
Sean Landeros	....	sound recordist
Patricio A. Libenson	....	sound effects recordist (as Patricio Libenson)
James J. Mase	....	boom operator
Carey Milbradt	....	foley recordist
Chris Navarro	....	adr recordist
Ed Novick	....	production sound mixer
Tim Rakoczy	....	first assistant sound editor (as Timothy Rakoczy)
Sergio Reyes	....	sound re-recording mixer
Robert Rodriguez	....	sound effects editor
Robert Rodriguez	....	sound re-recording mixer
Charles Ewing Smith	....	dialogue editor
Eric Thompson	....	adr mixer

Special Effects by
Eric Allard	....	special effects assistant
Rodney Brunet	....	animatic artist
William Dawson	....	special effects assistant (as Bill Dawson)
Chiz Hasegawa	....	coordinator: KNB EFX Group
David Heron	....	special effects set supervisor (as Dave Heron)
Geoff Heron	....	special effects supervisor: second unit (as Geoffrey Heron)
Sergio Jara	....	special effects coordinator: Mexico
Marcus LaPorte	....	mold maker: reshoots
Brian Montgomery	....	special effects technician: second unit
Dan Nelson	....	special effects shop foreman
Pierre Raymond	....	visual effects executive producer
Mike Reedy	....	special effects coordinator
Glen Thomas	....	special effects assistant

Visual Effects by
Toader Alex	....	digital artist: Troublemaker Digital Studios (as Alex Toader)
Jean-Yves Audouard	....	CG animator: Hybride
Patrice-Alain Barrette	....	digital compositor: Hybride
Michel Barrière	....	digital compositor: Hybride
Romain Bayle	....	CG animator: Hybride
Sébastien Bergeron	....	visual effects production supervisor
Keefe Boerner	....	visual effects coordinator
Mathieu Boucher	....	CG animator: Hybride
Marc Bourbonnais	....	CG animator: Hybride
Marc Bourbonnais	....	lead technical director: Hybride Technologies
Xavier Bourque	....	digital compositor: Hybride Technologies
Wayne Brinton	....	digital compositor: Hybride Technologies
Rodney Brunet	....	digital artist: Troublemaker Digital Studios
Michael Cozens	....	CG animator: Hybride
Thierry Delattre	....	visual effects production supervisor
Anouk Deveault-Moreau	....	visual effects production coordinator: Hybride (as Anouk Deveault Moreau)
Mathieu Dupuis	....	digital compositor: Hybride
Thierry Fortier	....	digital compositor: Hybride
Yanick Gaudreau	....	CG animator: Hybride
Richard Gentner	....	digital imaging operator
Paul Hill	....	producer: color correction and digital intermediate
Gael Hollard	....	digital compositor: Hybride
Nadinie Homier	....	digital compositor: Hybride
Darren Jones	....	digital imaging engineer
Joseph Kasparian	....	CG animator: Hybride
Joseph Kasparian	....	lead digital textures
Joseph Kasparian	....	lighting artist
Mathieu Lalonde	....	CG animator: Hybride
Nicolas Langlois-Demers	....	CG animator: Hybride
Nicolas Langlois-Demers	....	technical director: 3D character setup, Hybride
Jean Lapointe	....	digital compositor: Hybride
Daniel Leduc	....	visual effects producer: Hybride
Daniel Leduc	....	visual effects supervisor: Hybride
Francois Leduc	....	digital compositor: Hybride
Natasha Leonnet	....	digital film colorist
Ethan Maniquis	....	visual effects editor
Chris Olivia	....	digital artist: Troublemaker Digital Studios
Jonathan Paquin	....	3D animator: Hybride Technologies
Steve Pelchat	....	digital artist: Hybride
Pierre Raymond	....	visual effects executive producer: Hybride
Robert Rodriguez	....	executive producer: Troublemaker Digital Studios
Robert Rodriguez	....	visual effects supervisor
Frederic St-Arnaud	....	CG animator: Hybride
Frederic St-Arnaud	....	digital effects artist
Guillaume St-Aubin-Seers	....	digital compositor: Hybride
Ken Steel	....	CG animator: Hybride
Sean Stranks	....	digital compositor: Hybride
Philippe Theroux	....	CG supervisor
Gaetan Thiffault	....	CG animator: Hybride
Marco Tremblay	....	CG animator: Hybride
Jean Frédéric Veilleux	....	digital compositor: Hybride
Jessy Veilleux	....	CG animator: Hybride
Jessy Veilleux	....	matte painter
Yanick Wilisky	....	computer graphics supervisor: Hybride
Michael Cordova	....	film scanning and recording supervisor (uncredited)

Stunts
David Barrett	....	stunts
Cheryl Bermeo	....	stunt double: Salma Hayek
Cheryl Bermeo	....	stunts
Tony Lee Boggs	....	stunts (as Tony Boggs)
Mark Brooks	....	utility stunts
Joe Bucaro III	....	stunts (as Joe Bucaro)
Jeffrey J. Dashnaw	....	stunt coordinator (as Jeff Dashnaw)
Dino Dos Santos	....	stunts (as Dino Frenkiel)
Tom Harper	....	stunts
Toby Holguin	....	stunts
Josh Kemble	....	stunts
Khristian Lupo	....	stunts
Alex Madison	....	stunt double: Salma Hayek (as Gail Monian)
Alex Madison	....	stunts (as Gail Monian)
Dustin Meier	....	utility stunts
Norman Mora	....	stunt double: Antonio Banderas
Norman Mora	....	stunts (as Norman Mora)
Ken Moreno	....	stunts
Jimmy Ortega	....	stunts
Steve Picerni	....	stunts
Rex Reddick	....	stunts
Shawn Robinson	....	stunts
Troy Robinson	....	stunt coordinator
Gilbert Rosales	....	stunts
Thomas Rosales Jr.	....	stunts (as Thomas Rosales)
James Ryan	....	stunts (as Jamie Ryan)
Mario Simon	....	stunt driver
Dana Stein	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Mark Burnett	....	camera operator: additional camera
Greg Dellerson	....	assistant camera
Sean Fairburn	....	camera operator: high definition video
Juan Fernando Guzmán	....	electrician
Jimmy Lindsey	....	director of photography: second unit
Fernando Moreno	....	gaffer
Robert Rodriguez	....	camera operator
John 'Fest' Sandau	....	chief lighting technician
Joel Schwartz	....	first assistant camera
Stefan Tarzan	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Joaquin Tlaxcalteco	....	dolly grip
Rico Torres	....	still photographer: specials
Joel Schwartz	....	additional camera operator (uncredited)

Animation Department
Ken Steel	....	lead animator

Casting Department
Edna Arriola	....	extras casting coordinator
Armando Guerrero	....	extras casting assistant
Jorge Guerrero	....	extras casting: Mexico
Leticia Loza Marquez	....	extras casting assistant
Shalimar Reodica	....	casting assistant
Rafael Reyes	....	extras casting assistant
Claudia Rosete	....	extras casting secretary
Jay Scully	....	casting assistant
Galleger Sitz	....	extras casting secretary
Francisco Veyro	....	extras casting assistant
Arturo Zárate	....	extras casting coordinator
Arturo Zárate	....	extras casting: Mexico

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Steve Constancio	....	set costumer
Heather Priest	....	assistant costume designer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Joan Kelley Bierman	....	post-production coordinator
Andy Cockrum	....	apprentice editor
Robert Frey	....	post-production engineer
Chris Jack	....	post-production assistant
Lars Jensvold	....	post-production editor
Jay Mahavier	....	assistant editor
Ethan Maniquis	....	associate editor
Jim Passon	....	film color timer
Rob Bonstin	....	assistant colorist (uncredited)

Music Department
Pete Anthony	....	orchestrator
Antonio Banderas	....	composer: song "Y me dejaste tirado en la calle"
Rick Del Castillo	....	composer: additional music "Chingon Music"
Johnny Depp	....	composer: theme "Sands' Theme"
Jay Duerr	....	music editor
Annette Fradera	....	consultant: Mexican music
Pedro Galindo	....	composer: song "Malagueña Salerosa"
Kevin Globerman	....	assistant music editor
Don Grantham	....	orchestrator
Steven Hufsteter	....	composer: additional music "Chingon Music"
Steven Hufsteter	....	musician: guitars
Janet Ketchum	....	music contractor
Christopher Klatman	....	orchestrator (as Chris Klatman)
Penka Kouneva	....	orchestrator
Erik Lundborg	....	orchestrator
Alan Meyerson	....	music scoring mixer
George Oldziey	....	music co-producer
George Oldziey	....	orchestrator
George Oldziey	....	score coordinator
Tim Rakoczy	....	music editor (as Timothy Rakoczy)
Elpidio Ramírez	....	composer: song "Malagueña Salerosa"
Brian Setzer	....	musician: "Malaguena"
Stan Sheldon	....	music preparation
Gary Slechta	....	orchestrator
Carl Thiel	....	music recording engineer
Mike Watts	....	orchestrator
Pete Anthony	....	conductor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
George Bolton	....	transportation captain
Carlos Ponce de León	....	transportation captain
Abiff Salcedo	....	driver
Arturo Saldivar	....	production driver
Mario Simon	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Juan Aguirre	....	assistant accountant
Patricia Aguirre	....	assistant accountant
Allison Baker	....	executive assistant to producers
Ana Ballesteros	....	caterer
Jose Manuel Ballesteros	....	craft service
Steve Beeson	....	production accountant
Mark Burnett	....	engineer: high definition video
Emmanuel Cabare	....	assistant to unit manager
Diane Caliva	....	digital cinema supervisor
John Charles	....	software engineer: Sony DAC
Joshua D. Clark	....	location assistant: re-shoots
Sandra Condito	....	publicist
Martin Corkidi	....	location manager: second unit
Christi Dembrowski	....	assistant: Mr. Depp
Gabi Endicott	....	script supervisor
Santiago Garcia Galvan	....	on-set production assistant
Ernesto Garabito	....	production assistant
Ryan Gomez	....	assistant: Mr. Rodriguez
Alejandro González	....	stand-in: Gerardo Vigil
Omar Arias González	....	location manager
Ray Goynechea	....	stand-in: Enrique Iglesias
Cynthia Graves	....	production coordinator
Travis Hills	....	set production assistant
Carrie Mae Jones	....	assistant production coordinator: Los Angeles
Kelly Kernan	....	location manager: Texas
Dinah Lary	....	assistant: Mr. Banderas
G. Pekas Lozano	....	location manager
Harry Lu	....	armorer
Andrea Martinez	....	script supervisor: second unit
Juan Salvador Melgoza	....	accounting assistant
Tavatha Menendez	....	stand-in: Salma Hayek (as Tabata Mendez)
Angeles Morales	....	location manager
Norberto Nava	....	security coordinator
Norma Ramos	....	assistant accountant
Rashid Rashid	....	production assistant
Arturo Romero	....	production accountant: Mexico
Sara Scarritt	....	production coordinator: Los Angeles
Axel Uriegas	....	assistant co-producer
Axel Uriegas	....	assistant to producer
Jorge Valdés García	....	stand-in: Antonio Banderas
Sue-Allen Villalva	....	assistant production office coordinator
Patricia Zavala Kugler	....	travel coordinator
Mark Shultz	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Quentin Tarantino	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation
• Dimension Films
• Troublemaker Studios

Distributors

• Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) (2003) (worldwide) (all media)
• Miramax Films (2003) (non-USA) (theatrical)
• Dimension Films (2003) (non-USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Pictures (2003) (USA) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (Australia) (2004) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International Italia (2003) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2003) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2003) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2003) (UK) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2004) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Cascade Film (2003) (Russia) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2004) (Australia) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2004) (Spain) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2004) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar (2004) (Brazil) (VHS)
• RTL Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (TV) (first national airing) (RTL5)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (2004) (Japan) (theatrical)

Special Effects

• K.N.B. Effects Group (special make-up effects)
• Hybride Technologies (digital visual effects)
• Troublemaker Digital Studios (additional digital visual effects)

Other Companies

• Industrial Light & Magic (ILM)  color correction and digital intermediate
• DeLuxe Laboratories  color and prints
• Industrial Light & Magic (ILM)  main titles
• Milan Records  soundtrack album
• Post Logic Studios  digital film mastering
• Post Logic Studios  end titles
• Skywalker Sound  score recording
• Tequila Mockingbird Studios  adr recorded at
• Tequila Mockingbird  adr recorded at (as Tequila Mockingbird Studios)
• Troublemaker Sound  post-production sound services
• Wilshire Stages, The  adr recorded at

Also Known As:

El Mariachi 3 (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence, and for language.

Runtime:

102 min | Italy:101 min (Venice Film Festival)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) | Malaysia:18SG | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | Iceland:16 | Argentina:13 | Australia:MA | Brazil:14 | Finland:K-15 | France:-12 | Germany:18 | Hong Kong:IIB | Ireland:15 | Italy:T | Japan:PG-12 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15 (DVD rating) | Norway:18 (original rating) | Philippines:R-18 | Poland:18 | Singapore:M18 (DVD rating) | Singapore:NC-16 (original rating) | South Korea:18 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #38421)

Filming Locations:

Guanajuato, Mexico

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

WILHELM SCREAM: during the motorcycle chase.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In the final shootout scene, at the presidential palace, after the general is shot, in both knees and then in the head, he moves his left foot to allow the drug lord to pass by.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Agent Sands: I never heard of him.
Belini: Who?
Agent Sands: The man you recommended.
Belini: The guitar fighter?

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Magic of 'Finding Neverland' (2005) (V)

Soundtrack:

Cuka Rocka

Underrated...

I really enjoyed this film, and while many people say its not got as strong a plotline as El Mariachi and Desperado, I wholeheartedly disagree.

Both El Mariachi & Desperado had rather thin plots with interesting characters and set pieces. While Once upon... hasnt got the same indepth characters as the first 2, it does have a couple of interesting ones. But the actual plot is the difference.

I think the plot is much stronger than people give it credit for and people look down on it because its so different from the first 2.

Its a fairly complex plot, in which a corrupt CIA agent enlists El Mariachi (to kill the General) while informing A drug baron that El Mariachi has resurfaced... The same drug baron has enlisted a rogue General (see above)to overthrow the peoples president who has sworn to put an end to the drug baron... all this and the same CIA agent has convinced a retired FBI agent to put an end to the drug baron who eluded him and both killed and tortured his best friend... and while this is going on El Mariachi goes to get his trusty guitar case and best friends, 2 fellow mariachi's. Finally to add another spin, the CIA agent gets some information which he passes on to his 'friend', a special forces agent, so as to get her a huge commendation if she can take out the drug baron.

Sound confusing? It is, and roll on double cross after double cross. However watch it once or twice and it does make sense, just dont expect your normal 'Mariachi' revenge movie, because its not and infact everyone plays second fiddle to a fantastic Johnny Depp, whose CIA agent is by far the central character.

Much is also made of the 'missing' Salma Hayek who isnt in it nearly enough, now this I do disagree with. Firstly there is the absolutely gorgeous Eva Mendes, who would blow Hayek off the screen anyday of the week, and should be enough for people who only go to see a beautiful girl, and secondly there is no need for her in the plot other than when she does appear.

Personally I would say, you will enjoy this film if its approached right. And I think you would enjoy it more IF you do buy it rather than rent it or watch it on TV as it allows for repeat viewing which is needed for complete clarity!