Machete’ director Rodriguez see no chance of wining an Oscar

‘Machete’ director Rodriguez see no
chance of wining an Oscar
on october 22, 2013 at 11:10 am in home video
people
MORELIA (AFP) – US film-maker Robert Rodriguez,
director of the bloody action sequel “Machete Kills,”
readily admits his wild flicks will not win him an
Oscar.
While his style has been compared to that of his
friend and Oscar-decorated collaborator Quentin
Tarantino, Rodriguez recalled with a smile that he
was never nominated for an Academy Award.
“I’ve achieved so much in my career which is so
different from the Hollywood path that they don’t
even give awards for that,” he told AFP in an
interview on the sidelines of the International Film
Festival of Morelia, a city in western Mexico.
“Yeah, there’s no chance” of getting an Oscar, said
Rodriguez, who left the Directors Guild of America
because he disagreed with its rules.
Rodriguez defended his brand of cinema, insisting
that “movies are supposed to be fun” and that a
director who wants to do something out of the
ordinary must ignore Hollywood rules and take an
“unorthodox” path.
His career was launched by his widely acclaimed
1992 low-budget film “El Mariachi” about a Mexican
musician who takes up arms to combat a gang after
being mistaken for a criminal. The film won an
award at the Sundance Film Festival.
This led to a career that includes the vampire thriller
“From Dusk Till Dawn,” the dark action film “Sin
City” and the child-friendly “Spy Kids” franchise.
“Machete” stars Danny Trejo as a former Mexican
‘federale’ (policeman) who wields blades to hack
down countless enemies. In the follow-up, Machete
is recruited by the US government to stop an arms
dealer from launching a weapon into space.
The sequel debuted in fourth place at the North
American box office last week with $3.8 million
despite a star-studded cast that includes Mel
Gibson, Michelle Rodriguez, Charlie Sheen and Lady
Gaga.
His films are often a mix of US and Mexican
flavors, reflecting his own heritage as a Texan of
Mexican descent.
“Being a Mexican American, I like being able to use
both sides,” Rodriguez said.
“I can make a very American film or I can make a
very Mexican film, or something in between. I kind
of like the in between where it’s a little of both,” he
said.
“A lot people are like that in the United States. They
have very mixed identities. This, I think, helps them
say ‘Oh, that’s like me’ and I think they can enjoy it
on a different level.”
Many of the actors in “Machete Kills,” which was
partially filmed in the Mexican Pacific resort of
Acapulco, are either from Latin America — like
Mexico’s Demiam Bichir or Colombia’s Sofia
Vergara — or have Latino heritage, such as Sheen,
Rodriguez or Jessica Alba.
“Robert is the one who has done more for Latinos
in cinema in the last 50 years,” said Trejo, a long-
haired former convict of Mexican descent.
Other recurring characters is in his movies are
voluptuous and dangerous women who sometimes
shoot down rivals with brazier guns.
“I love having strong women in my movies,” he
said.
“I choose really strong women because I think
that’s what’s sexy. You don’t have to exaggerate,
just make them strong and beautiful.”