Thursday, May 9, 2013

La Buena, La Mala, y El Vulgar: A conversation with Christian Gonzalez.

So about 3 weeks ago I had a pretty cool chat with legendary Mexican filmmaker Chrisitan Gonzalez via Skype. His awesome wife Patricia set the whole thing up since she figured me and him should talk about his latest movie which is the remake of La Cumbia Asesina. After we talked about the remake, we pretty much just conversed about his other movies. Here's a snippet of what we talked about.
(picture from facebook)

CG: So, what did you think of the new Cumbia Asesina?
rf13: Well, I did like it to be perfectly honest.
CG: Oh, yeah?
rf13: Yeah, I did like it. However, there were parts I didn't like. It also seemed rushed in various parts. Its like it was just done with one take (for certain parts).
CG: Yeah, we were pretty rushed in filming it actually. It was filmed in about 3 weeks.
It also didn't (exactly) come out like the original because I didn't produce it. Like with the original; I was able to film it in a real morgue with real dead bodies & everything. With the new movie and not me producing it, acquiring a real morgue was out of the question..


rf13: Very Interesting. but yeah, Like I said though, I did like it but I do like the original way more. The original has a unique spirit & life to it, unlike the new movie..
CG: Oh yes, and it had more energy to it.
rf13: Yeah, exactly.
rf13: I also wasn't a big fan of the whole "Dracula dad" thing...
CG: Oh yes, I'm glad you mention this because the producer (Martinez Solares) wanted to write this in the new screenplay because he wanted to show why Dracula is 'muy malo' (very bad).

CG: So what did you think of the new Dracula overall?
rf13: I liked the new Dracula. He was still as evil as Sebastian Ligarde's portrayal. The whole dad thing was strange though...
CG: I'm telling you, it was the producer's idea for that.

CG: Which Carmen (new one/old one) do you like?
rf13: Well, I like the new Carmen to be honest (haha). Tania Robledo is quite an attractive woman. Eva Garbo was attractive as well. Can't forget her.

CG: What did you think of the new Combi?
rf13: I didn't like him much really. He wasn't the same as Jorge Luke's portrayal.
CG: Yeah, Jorge Luke's portrayal was very charming.

CG: And Moco?
rf13: I didn't like him at all. He seemed rather childish or something; whereas the old Moco was a badass & a punk. I also loved those scars or burns on his face. They're burns actually, right?
CG: Yep, his faced is burnt.


From there, we ended up conversing a little about 45 Expansiva & even got it confused with another movie since it has a similar title (38 Expansiva). Afterwards, we talked very little about Furia De Barrio.


CG: So what is some other movies of mine you like??
rf13: Well, there's La Cumbia Aessina ('91), Furia De Barrio, and now 45 Expansiva.

CG: 45 Expansiva? Ahh, really?
rf13: Yeah, I got the copy with me now. Let me show you.
CG: Oh, yes. There's Jorge Luke on the cover.
rf13: Yeah, I really liked that movie.
CG: What exact version of this movie do you have? The other title is 38 Expansiva --
rf13: This one I got is just called 45 Expansiva. Is there some difference with this one and 38?
CG: Actually no. This one you got is about 2 assassins. 38 is a completely different movie and a rough one at that.

rf13: Yeah, this one is just about a couple of assassins and it stars Mara Ybarra.
CG: Ah yes, unfortunately Mara Ybarra is no longer with us.
rf13: Oh really? That's a big shame.


rf13: I also did really like Furia De Barrio. That movie ends happy for everyone and that I like for some reason (haha).
CG: Yeah, I also really like that movie. It's very Street Fighter inspired.
rf13: Indeed.
CG: Yeah, I made that movie a long time ago.
rf13: 1996, correct?
CG: '93 actually.


After that, we pretty much discussed his various cholo movies like the La Ley Del Cholo series and La Banda Del Tandito. I mentioned to him that I've seen an intriguing DVD pack with most of his cholo movies on there. I pray that the DVD pack is still at the furniture store where I saw it at. I do need to get it & all!


Well, that's pretty much it. It was a brief convo and its quite disappointing that we didn't talk about his other movies (El Destazador, Mujeres De Media Noche, etc.). Perhaps next time around we will? If he's down to talk again, then I'm down to talk again as well.

Again, thank you Patricia for putting the Skype chat together and of course many thanks to Christian for being so kind & informative. Til we talk again!