The Film That Lit My Fuse is a Deadline video series that aims to provide an antidote to headlines about industry uncertainty by swinging the conversation back to the creative ambitions, formative influences and inspirations of some of today’s great screen artists.
Every installment asks the same five questions. Today’s subject is Robert Rodriguez, the tall Texan who charmed his way into a major A-list directing career by becoming one of the first breakout filmmakers to emerge as a Sundance Film Festival winner. Rodriguez came with a fun action film, El Mariachi, and tales of running up credit cards and even selling his own blood to raise money to make his first film.
Success quickly followed, and aside from turning that film into a franchise, he’s hatched the Sin City and Spy Kids films. His mix of fun and high-octane action and gore distinguished films from his Quentin Tarantino collaborations From Dusk Till Dawn and Grindhouse.
Rodriguez today opens Hypnotic, the Ben Affleck thriller that took Rodriguez a long time to see through. It will also be in the program of next week’s Cannes Film Festival. Here, he discusses formative influences that infused his distinctive style.
Check out the conversation in the video above.
