Rodriguez Declares The Godfather Cinema's Only 'Perfect' Film
The acclaimed Mexican filmmaker shares his thoughts on Coppola's masterpiece while discussing his remarkable journey from $7,000 debut to Hollywood success, plus details about his mysterious century-long film project.
Here's another name for the "how are they still so young when they've been making movies forever" file: Mexican filmmaker Robert Rodriguez, who's somehow only 57 despite creating the gritty western El Mariachi back in 1992 and following it with the Antonio Banderas blockbuster Desperado three decades ago. Hollywood time apparently moves at its own pace, or maybe it just proves that raw passion combined with serious talent can get you directing major motion pictures before you hit 23.
From School Football to Hollywood Fame
Rodriguez's journey started at age 11 when he got his hands on his first video camera. In a brilliant twist of fate, he actually got kicked off filming his school's football games because he approached it like a movie director – capturing parents' emotional reactions and dramatic close-ups of the ball soaring through the air instead of just recording the action straight.
Throughout college, he kept making short films and developing his unique visual style. A prize-winning short in 1991 gave him the platform he needed to create El Mariachi the following year with just $7,000. That tiny budget film eventually pulled in over $2.5 million when it got proper distribution. The success opened doors for the sequel, which brought in Banderas, Salma Hayek, and a much bigger production budget in 1995.
Tarantino Partnership and Career Evolution
His work caught the eye of rising star Quentin Tarantino, and the two became close collaborators. Their 1996 vampire horror flick From Dusk Till Dawn, written by Tarantino and directed by Rodriguez, became a massive hit. After a brief quiet period, Rodriguez returned with the family adventure Spy Kids in 2001, again featuring Banderas.
He then shifted into darker territory with comic book adaptations and grindhouse-style movies, starting with Sin City in 2005. This phase included the splatter horror Planet Terror and the ultra-violent Machete in 2010, followed by another Sin City installment four years later.
The Perfect Film and Future Projects
While Rodriguez has previously cited influential films like Ridley Scott's Blade Runner, Hitchcock's Notorious, and Spielberg's Jaws, he reserves his highest praise for one particular mafia epic. "The Godfather, because it's about family. It's just a perfect film. Five-act structure… It's just amazing. Coppola just did the coolest stuff with that," he explained.
This admiration led to Rodriguez interviewing Coppola for an hour-long episode of his show The Director's Chair in 2015, where they discussed the legendary filmmaker's career, including the well-known production challenges and casting difficulties surrounding both The Godfather films.
Currently, Rodriguez is juggling several projects, including a TV remake of the 1980s action movie Cobra, originally starring Sylvester Stallone. Most intriguingly, he's completed a film written by John Malkovich called 100 Years – but there's a catch. Dubbed 'the movie you'll never see,' this mysterious project is locked in a bulletproof safe and won't be released until 2115.