Coastside Film Society Presents 2 Tales of Confused Identity

When: Fri Oct 26 at 8::00 pm
Where:Methodist Sanctuary
777 Miramontes (corner of Johnston) Half Moon Bay
Donation:  $6:00

Short: DEAD IN THE SIERRA / MUERTO EN LA SIERRA (30 mins)
The specter of Joaquín Murieta still rides in the California countryside. Whoever approaches the legend of this bandit will feel the charismatic force of his gaze." - Pablo Neruda

The California Gold Rush of 1849 occurred in the aftermath of the US-Mexican War, which annexed nearly half of Mexico to the United States.  Amid the greed, suspicion, and fear of that era, many who lost land, family, and their futures fought back.  Told from the Mexican point of view, this is a story of two very different men, both named Joaquín, whose resistance fed the legend of outlaw and rebel Joaquín Murieta.  Beautifully shot in 16mm black and white over three decades, the film sports a superb sound design by Academy Award-winner Richard Beggs (Apocalypse Now).

A film by Film Society Board Member Warren Haack. www.joaquinmurieta.com

Feature: EL MARIACHI (81 mins)
El Mariachi was writer/director Robert Rodriguez’ first commercial film. That is if you call a film made for $7,000, targeted at the direct-to-video Hispanic market, with money raised by volunteering for medical research a commercial release. In spite of its low budget, the movie became a huge commercial success, It won the coveted Audience Award at the 1992 Sundance Film Festival, went on to make millions at the box office, and launched the career of one of our most prolific modern directors (Desperado, From Dusk Till Dawn, Spy Kids, Sin City, Grindhouse, working on Barbarella).

El Mariachi is an action thriller and masterwork of low-cost film making improvisation.  The hero of the film is a mariachi-a singer of traditional Mexican songs.  As the movie opens the mariachi has just arrived in the small Mexican border town of Acua looking for work at local cantina. His misfortune is that a ruthless assassin has also arrived in town at the same moment. Both men wear black and carry guitar cases and of course the musician is mistaken for the assassin.  Life suddenly becomes much more interesting for the mariachi!

For more information see www.hmbfilm.org