Robert Rodriguez Reveals His Pick for the Only Flawless Film
Robert Rodriguez, famed for El Mariachi and Sin City, shares his admiration for The Godfather, calling it the only perfect film. He also discusses his career, a TV reboot, and a mysterious project set for release in 2115.
It’s hard to believe Robert Rodriguez has been a fixture in the film world for over three decades, yet he’s still only 57. The Mexican director burst onto the scene with his neo-western El Mariachi back in 1992, and followed it up with Desperado, starring Antonio Banderas, just a few years later. Despite the years, Rodriguez’s energy for filmmaking hasn’t faded. He got his start young, picking up his first video camera at 11. In a classic case of taking the mickey, he was actually sacked from filming his school’s footy matches for making them too cinematic—zooming in on parents’ reactions and tracking the ball mid-air.
Rodriguez kept at it through uni, making short films and eventually winning awards. That led to El Mariachi, shot on a shoestring budget of $7,000, which ended up pulling in over $2.5 million after a proper release. The success opened doors, and the sequel brought in Banderas, Salma Hayek, and a much bigger budget. Not long after, Rodriguez caught the eye of Quentin Tarantino, and the two became fast mates. Their collaboration on From Dusk Till Dawn in 1996, with Tarantino writing and Rodriguez directing, turned into a cult hit among punters.
Building a Unique Career
After a quieter patch, Rodriguez returned with the family adventure Spy Kids in 2001, again featuring Banderas. He then shifted gears, diving into darker territory with comic book adaptations and grindhouse flicks, starting with Sin City in 2005. He kept the momentum going with splatter horror Planet Terror and the over-the-top Machete in 2010, before circling back to Sin City for a sequel four years later.
Rodriguez has never been shy about his influences, often mentioning films like Blade Runner, Notorious, and Jaws as shaping his style. But there’s one film he holds above all others. When asked about his top pick, he didn’t hesitate.
“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.”
His admiration for Coppola’s work even led to a sit-down with the director in 2015, where they chatted for an hour about the ups and downs of making The Godfather and its sequel, including all the behind-the-scenes headaches and casting dramas.
New Projects and a Film for the Future
Rodriguez isn’t slowing down. He’s currently working on a TV reboot of the classic 1980s detective flick Cobra, which originally starred Sylvester Stallone. But perhaps his most intriguing project is a film written by John Malkovich, with a twist: it won’t see the light of day until 2115. Titled 100 Years and dubbed ‘the film you’ll never see’, the details are a closely guarded secret, with the finished product locked away in a bulletproof safe for the next century.
For now, Rodriguez continues to keep audiences guessing, balancing nostalgia with fresh ideas and a knack for storytelling that’s kept him relevant for decades.