Film Response:
The readings by Edberg (“Drug Traffickers as Social Bandits”) and Stavans (“Santa Selena”) both describe how the US-Mexico border creates heroes. In your response, explain how they define hero, and explain if they mean the same thing or mean different things by the border creating heroes–that is, do they have the same definition of hero. (1 page total–first page).
Then, watch El Mariachi, and in the rest of your response (2 pages), explain if the main character in the film (the mariachi musician) is a hero in the sense that either Stavans or Edberg (or both) is talking about. To do this, you will have to refer to specific scenes in the film, describe what about the scenes explain the point you want to make about the hero. (For instance, you could explain the dialogue in a scene–citing some of it would help. Or you could describe the setting, specific plot points, visual aspects of a scene, or characters.). You should be as explicit as possible by using phrases like: “this scene supports Edberg’s idea of the hero when [DESCRIBE SCENE]” or “the action in this scene supports Stavan’s idea because [DESCRIBE ACTION].” You should refer to the movie at least five times. If you do not think el mariachi is the same kind of border hero, you must then explain very specifically how he is different from Edberg’s and Stavans’ idea of the border hero, again by referring to the film.
CITING FROM THE WORKS: When referring to reading, cite as a parenthesis at the end of the sentence (Stavans, p.9). For the movie, the minute counter like this: (El Mariachi, 23:45) (El Mariachi, 46:00-48:15).