El Mariachi: The Theme of Rapid Change in Life and Culture

El Mariachi: The Theme of Rapid change in life and Culture

El Mariachi is a film filled with overt symbolism and imagery. One of the less pronounced themes in the film is how fast life truly moves. Film Director Robert Rodriguez does an impeccable job of conveying this idea. This essay will focus on the different methods which Rodriguez uses to convey the idea of rapidly changing world through the eyes of the mariachi.

The movie moves in a linear structure, conveying the theme of how fast life changes in several different ways: verbally, through cinematic techniques, through the mariachi’s dreams, and with objective symbolism. (How Movies Work p.67)

“What happened to the days when the guitarists were gods, like my ancestors?”…. “Technology has robbed us of our culture, and crushed us.” This quote by the mariachi is the first and most direct way that Rodriguez conveys the fast passed passage of time in the world. The mariachi’s quote is said in such a way that implies that the days when guitarists in Mexico were reverenced as an important part of culture were not far behind him, but had somehow vanished almost overnight. Rapid changes like the ones seen in the film have been characteristic of Mexican culture for a long time; in early Mexican history Cortez conquered the Aztecs. In less than two years until an entire civilization was uprooted and reconstructed. (Class notes: 9/9/11).

The motif of change was reinforced in a scene where the mariachi tries to find work in a bar. The bartender replies “why would I want one mariachi when I have a full band?” the scene continues with a man setting up a keyboard and quickly developing a rhythm that could barely be described as “good” music. Rodriguez intentionally has the man play off key music on the keyboard with lots of sound effects to provide a striking contrast. The expensive keyboard expels sound that is subpar compared to the mariachi’s skills on a cheap guitar. The scene shows how society wants the newest technology available, even if is not actually a thing of value. This is a stark contrast from the society the mariachi grew up in, where tradition was reverenced.

Throughout the film different scenes are periodically sped up faster than life actually moves. An example of this is when the mariachi checks into a motel and the innkeeper immediately calls Moco to report. The whole phone call is exaggeratedly increased in speed, once again to emphasize the idea of a hectic and fast moving society. This same scene is repeated twice in the film for the same effect.

The Mariachi has a reoccurring dream throughout the film in which he runs atop and through the gravestones of the dead. He never walks, only runs. Rodriguez makes use of the character’s dreams to serve as a metaphor for life. Life changes and moves very quickly, the gravestones represent death and the mariachi running through them represents

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