Machete is the name of a fictitious movie trailer depicted in the film Grindhouse (2007), released by Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino. This fake trailer captured the attention of many that saw Grindhouse because a large group of people immediately inquired about the release of the film Machete. Motivated by the success of the fake trailer, Rodriguez produced the film Machete in 2010. After the development of controversial law reforms against undocumented Latino immigrants in the state of Arizona, Rodriguez next created an unofficial trailer for the Machete movie in response to those reforms. This unofficial newly developed trailer is titled Machete: Special Cinco de Mayo Message to Arizona. After presenting a summary of the fake movie trailer Machete: Special Cinco de Mayo Message to Arizona, this paper will study the implications of some of the statements made by the characters as well as the cultural connotation of some of its images. This paper will also examine the trailer’s depiction of the Latino woman, positive and negative aspects of the trailer, as well as Rodriguez’s purpose in making the trailer.
Machete: Special Cinco de Mayo Message to Arizona is very controversial due to its violent content, as well as its racial, ethnic, and migratory issues that affect the Latino population. The approximately three minute long unofficial movie trailer begins with the main character declaring, “This is Machete, with a special Cinco de Mayo message to Arizona.” The trailer proceeds to display a series of short scenes where Machete, a renegade former Mexican Federal Officer, roams the streets of Texas searching for a job as a casual laborer. While on his search, Machete meets Michael Benz, a local businessman who tells him that the corrupt Senator McLaughlin is sending hundreds of illegal immigrants out of the country. Benz proclaims that McLaughlin must be killed and offers Machete $150,000 to complete this task. After accepting the murder contract, Machete attempts to assassinate the senator at a political rally, but he is “double-crossed” and shot by Benz's henchman. The Senator is also shot by the same man. Machete soon realizes that he has been framed by McLaughlin and Benz to appear as an outlaw illegal Latino immigrant that tried to assassinate the senator. He learns that McLaughlin orchestrated the attempted assassination to gain widespread public support for his cruel xenophobic laws. Machete must now escape and run from the law. While Americans get ready to elect McLaughlin, Machete and three allies go after McLaughlin, Benz and the other corrupt members of the government. He rallies a group of illegal immigrants and they begin to hunt for the people who “double crossed” him. The trailer ends with Machete leading the Latino immigrants to the base of the border patrol and a bloody confrontation begins.
During the political rally in this trailer, McLaughlin speaks about undocumented immigrants. In the trailer he states, “We are at war, every time an illegal dances across our border it is an act of aggression against this sovereign state, an overt act of terrorism” (2010). Also a cheering American holds a sign that displays the phrase “I want you to speak English” (2010). This particular scene is very dramatic due to its xenophobic content. An American politician announces his contempt against Latino immigrants and compares them to terrorists, motivating the mass to feel his same disdain for Latino immigrants. The scheme in this trailer is very similar to the actual occurrences in the state of Arizona after the approval of anti illegal immigration measures. An offensive reform against immigrants in Arizona Senate Bill 1070 includes that it is a state crime to be an illegal immigrant. Another reform is that it is illegal for a foreign person to be in Arizona without carrying the required immigration documents (Arizona State Legislature, 2010). This controversial state bill has created a division between Americans and Latinos, causing them to battle each other. It also disrupts the security and stability of the state and its population.
Throughout the trailer, the “machete” is a significative image used to portray characteristics of the Latino culture. In Latin America, the “machete” is a symbol of revolution and it is depicted in this manner throughout the artwork of poet and sculptor Jose Manuel Torres Santiago. According to Valle (2003), Torres has an exhibition of religious figures where “kings carry machetes as a symbol of Puerto Rican revolution for national independence” (p. 37). Puerto Ricans are not the only Latino group using the “machete” as a symbol of revolution. Cubans also symbolize revolution using this image. In a 1959 rally, Fidel Castro pronounced the “machete” as the symbol of revolution (McPherson, 2003, p. 55). Throughout time, people have used the “machete” as a tool to earn a living, but after suffering many years of subjugation and mistreatment the machete became an emblem of protection for peasants and peons working in sugar plantations in Guatemala (Gogol, 2002, p. 272). At all moments during the trailer, the “machete” is a symbolic representation of the Latino revolution. At the political rally for immigration reforms, statements made by McLaughlin as well signs displayed by Americans are comparable to the subjugation and mistreatment that caused revolutions in countries such as Puerto Rico, Cuba, and Guatemala. During these times of subjugation and mistreatment, these Latinos used the machete as an instrument and symbol of revolution. In the trailer, Machete, both the person and the object, are symbolic representations that Latinos need a revolution during this time of unfair treatment and xenophobic sentiment.
The use of Latino symbols and signifiers in Machete: Special Cinco de Mayo Message to Arizona proves that Rodriguez has an in depth knowledge of Latino history as well as its culture. Rodriguez reaches deep into the essence of the Latino culture when depicting the role of women in the trailer’s characters. A taco seller named Luz proves to be a brave Latino woman through assisting Latino immigrants and fighting against American oppressors. Even more important is the role of Sartana, a Latino woman that symbolizes the characteristics of female strength and leadership in the Latino culture. It is illustrated throughout the history of the Latino culture that women are considered leaders in the household and in daily life. The Latino woman holds her family together while the Latino man works outside of the home to provide food for his family. In a research study conducted by CATALYST, it has been shown that Latino women are better leaders than Latino men (2006). Latino women are also good organizers, speakers, and have the ability to convince, motivate, and lead groups of people. The portrayal of Latino women in the trailer as strong and dominant leaders is a very significant aspect of the female gender in the Latino culture.
To further understand Rodriguez’s illustration of the Latino culture, it is also important to examine the positive and negative implications of the trailer. One positive aspect of the trailer is that it provides public awareness and educates people about the social issues of repression against Latinos in America. This trailer presents a major obstacle for Latinos in this country, which is new the development of discriminatory immigration laws. It highlights that the unfair treatment of a sector of the population has disrupted social order and led humanity to a major heterogeneous juncture. On the other hand, the trailer negatively depicts the Latino culture as violent. The trailer is very gruesome and shows both Americans killing Latinos and Latinos killing Americans. Using violence and death as a solution to ending Latino immigration or the American oppression toward Latinos might be viewed as the final solution to these debates. Despite this trailer showing the needs and problems of the Latino population, it does not prescribe a positive remedy to the problem of immigration nor to xenophobic issues. In addition, the trailer ends at the beginning of a bloody confrontation between the Latino and American populations. It leaves the viewer with a feeling of further unrest regarding this battle over immigration, and also provides the sense that Latino people will resort to violence. This negative portrayal of the Latino population might mislead viewers to believe that this cultural group is violent.
The purpose of this trailer is not just to provide publicity for the movie Machete, but it is also to deliver the revolutionary message that the government of Arizona should not “mess with” immigrants. Because of Rodriguez’s implementation of many signifiers and connotations of the Latino culture, it shows that he attempted to represent the culture thoroughly as well as depict the feelings of Latinos regarding the reform laws. The trailer is a protest and a visual Latino revolution against every law and every person that has xenophobic ideas. Furthermore, it portrays the mistreatment of the Latino population in America. The images show the Latino population’s need for acceptance, social equality, and improved immigration laws. It also makes apparent that the mistreatment of the Latino population will cause social instability, create revolution, and generate conflicts between Latino people and Americans.
I strongly recommend that people view Machete: Special Cinco de Mayo Message to Arizona as well as the movie Machete. People must view both of these visual displays with open minds. It is essential to do this in order to understand that nobody should or would want to experience the mistreatment and violence that is portrayed in the trailer and in the movie, and therefore in the lives of Latinos in America. In addition, I encourage viewers to remember that most of the citizens and residents in the United States have a foreign heritage and that their ancestors also immigrated to this country.
To be continue...
No comments:
Post a Comment