Quentin Tarantino Vs. Robert Rodriguez: Which Filmmaker Is Best?

Round 2: Best Debut Feature Film - Reservoir Dogs Vs. El Mariachi

There is no doubt that the minute Tarantino and Rodriguez released their debut films to unsuspecting film critics and fans via film festivals and home video markets in 1992 and 1993, not only were two great careers launched, but the face of independent cinema was changed forever.

Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs has been hailed the greatest independent film of all time. There is certainly no doubting its story-telling and dramatic brilliance, which makes the fact that it was Tarantino's first film all the more insane. The cast, which includes respected actors of the time like Harvey Keitel, Steve Buscemi and Michael Madsen, is very impressive for a first time, inexperienced director to have at his command. Tarantino's confidence behind the camera can be seen as the majority of the film is bravely set in a single room and the film is told in a non-chronological order.

This makes the film a landmark in cinematic history and Tarantino's career, so much so that even now, 20 years later and with Oscar-winning films under his belt such as Pulp Fiction and Django Unchained, many people still hail Reservoir Dogs as Tarantino's finest.

Upon El Mariachi's release in 1992, the film went on to win multiple international film awards and has even been inducted into the United States Library of Congress and will forever be preserved in the National Film Registry. This achievement emphasises the film's major importance and influence on film and filmmakers. The film's focus on a gun-toting criminal with a guitar case full of weapons ultimately became the foundation film for what went on to become Rodriguez's El Mariachi Trilogy, which included the much more high-profile and star-studded Desperado and Once Upon A Time In Mexico.

However, despite all this acclaim El Mariachi has never received the same attention or respect that Reservoir Dogs has, and while Dogs is still deemed a must watch for film buffs to this day, El Mariachi seems to have been forgotten and remembered as only Rodriguez's first film. This may be because the film was shot for only $7000, which is both a praise as it gave hope to many other budding directors that action packed films could be made for very cheap and go on to make an impact in the world of cinema, as well as a critique as the film looks very cheap and has not stood the test of time. It may even be because the film is spoken in Spanish rather than English, meaning that the majority of American and British viewers would have to read subtitles to fully enjoy the film, which is a no-no for many lazy film-goers.

Regardless of reasons why El Mariachi has not been as fondly remembered as Reservoir Dogs, there is no doubt that Reservoir is the superior film, from its story-line, acting, visual quality and amazing script, therefore making it the winner of this round.