El Mariachi rights. Columbia eventually spent $200,000 to transfer the print to film, to remix the sound, and on other post-production work. It then spent millions more on marketing and distribution. The success of Rodriguez's directorial debut led him to create two further entries, "Desperado" (1995) and "Once Upon a Time in Mexico" (2003). For the two sequels, Antonio Banderas took over from Carlos Gallardo for the main character El Mariachi, though Gallardo co-produced both films and had a minor role in "Desperado". In 2011, "El Mariachi" was inducted into the Library of Congress to be preserved as part of its National
Mariachi varies depending on the availability of musicians. The usual mariachi group today consists of as many as eight violins, two trumpets and at least one guitar. Traditional mariachi guitars include the vihuela, a high-pitched, round-backed guitar that provides rhythm, and a bass guitar called a guitarrón, which also provides rhythm. Sometimes a Mexican folk harp provides bass and ornaments the melody. All are Mexican variations of European instruments. There is generally no lead singer as in other kinds of group with all players singing choruses and taking turns singing the lead. Often the lead singer is assigned to a certain