Desperado is a film made in 1995 directed by Robert Rodriguez. The film stars Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek. It is the sequel to El Mariachi, and the second entry in the "El Mariachi" trilogy, which ended in 2003 with Once Upon a Time in Mexico.

Banderas plays El Mariachi, a former guitarist who seeks revenge on the man who killed the woman he loved. His quest leads him to battle with a dangerous drug lord. Along the way, he also falls in love with Carolina (played by Hayek), a woman who works for the drug lord.

Desperado helped enhance the fame of Antonio Banderas and introduced Salma Hayek to the American audiences. Salma Hayek's role in the film is the first starring role for a Mexican actress in a Hollywood film since Dolores del Rio in the 1940s. The studio initially wanted a blonde to play the role; after her screen test, Hayek was the clear choice for the character.

Rodriguez's friend, writer/director Quentin Tarantino also appears in a cameo, playing the character 'pick-up guy'.

Technical data

• working titles: El Mariachi 2, Pistolero
• writing credits: Robert Rodriguez
• music: Tito Larriva, Los Lobos
• runtime: 106 minutes
• sound: Dolby SR / SDDS
• aspect ratio: 1.85 : 1
• release dates: May 1995 (Cannes Film Festival, France, premiere), August 25, 1995 (USA)
• budget: $7,000,000
• total gross (USA): $25,625,110
• distibutor: Columbia Pictures
• MPAA rating: R

See also

• 1995 in film

External links

• IMDb entry for Desperado (http://imdb.com/title/tt0112851/)
• All Movie Guide entry for Desperado (http://www.allmovie.com/cg/avg.dll?p=avg&sql=1:134790)
• The Quentin Tarantino Archives (http://www.tarantino.info/) Inofficial fansite & international community