Experimental Video: Mexicans With Guns (Hispanic, Indians, town)

[markintosh]

Hey June, were you involved in the making of this video? Was it shot on a DSLR?

[JuneOf48]

No, I didn't have anything to do with making the video, but I remember when the casting call went out a few months ago. I believe that the director/producer/editor is Brian Torres Kofolowsky, now based out of Philadelphia. Here is the blurb from his myspace page:

""System D-128" was created to meet a challenge: to create media in the name of progress and development, with respect for people and the current environment,uniting determination, innovation,growth and performance,D-128 is ready to ride. A Sound&VideoMan/Editor/Producer/Director/Movie,Record,Multiform Media Collector/DJ/Photographer/Projectionist/Set & Stage Designer/Writer/Artist/Choose You Own Adventure, Born New York City raised in St.Croix USVI and dropped off in the Central Florida Swamps, currently located in North Philadelphia."

Yeah, the "magic cowboy" with the dust is a strange figure, but maybe it has some kind of local valence. I know that there's lost of magic-related lore going around in SA--my students tell me about it all the time. And while the face paint may not be a local practice, I'm pretty sure that those ladies are done up to resemble sugar skulls--an SA icon par excellence.

And yes, the name of the "band" is Mexicans With Guns, but that's an ironic nod to anti-Mexican hysteria in this country (and this state), I imagine. (Dopo's immediate association makes the point exactly.) I do know that the guy behind that name is a super chill man with a wife, kids, a record label, a job as a high school teacher, and a long history of DJ'ing in SA. He's one of the most well known local producers. Here's his bio from his label's site (Exponential Records):

[SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=1]"My name is Ernest Gonzales and I am a "Hyphenated American" aka Hispanic, Chicano, Latino, or Mexican - Whatever you want to call it. I grew up next door to the Alamo, but my Spanish is muy pequito. I am the only child of an electrician father and a Home Depot customer service rep mom. Latch-key only child = video games, drawing trees, making bow and arrows, too much MTV, and pizza pockets. Somehow in between engineering camps I decided to go to art school but I have no plans on painting the Virgen de Guadalpe. During that time I used extra scholarship money to buy my first drum machine. See kids...it does pay off to make good grades. All this leads to music production. I have no plans on making any raggaeton beats. So I leave you, Ernest Gonzales, a Hyphenated American making music. Hip Hop, Experimental, Electronic - whatever you want to call it.[/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE]"
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[doss1]

I wanna see this one lol:

[torero]

It is great that people are doing creative stuff here in San Antoino. In a word, I thought the video was strident, but I liked a lot of the imagery.
The styling of the women reminded me of Gwen Stefani's video Luxurious.
By the way, the phrases in spanish should be:
"Que esta pasando POR su cabeza" and not "Que esta pasando EN su cabeza"
also...
"ESTAS loco" and not "ERES loco"
But maybe the incorrect grammar is done on purpose to be more accurate in terms of the type of spanish spoken in the streets?
Good job in any case.
A link to Stefani's video...
YouTube - ‪Gwen Stefani - Luxurious ft. Slim Thug‬‎

[Dopo]

Originally Posted by torero

By the way, the phrases in spanish should be:
"Que esta pasando POR su cabeza" and not "Que esta pasando EN su cabeza"
also...

When I saw it, I thought it should have been:
"Que esta pasando en tu cabeza?" = "What's going on in your head?"

[torero]

Originally Posted by Dopo

When I saw it, I thought it should have been:
"Que esta pasando en tu cabeza?" = "What's going on in your head?"

Yes, that would make sense if the protagonist is being addressed: "... en TU cabeza?" but if the viewer is being addressed then "... en SU cabeza?"

At least in Mexico, it is common to say "Que esta pasando POR tu cabeza!?" as an expression when someone is doing something irrational. I think it is equivalent to the expression "What were you thinking?!"
You would not hear people saying "Que esta pasando EN tu cabeza?!" Not that it is necesarily wrong gramatically, but it just does not sound right.
If you do a google search "que esta pasando POR tu cabeza" and you will find 44,000 results, versus only 2,000 results with "que esta pasando EN tu cabeza"

[kranix]

"como se te ocurre", "que te pasa", "que estabas pensando"

[Dopo]

Originally Posted by torero

Yes, that would make sense if the protagonist is being addressed: "... en TU cabeza?" but if the viewer is being addressed then "... en SU cabeza?"

At least in Mexico, it is common to say "Que esta pasando POR tu cabeza!?" as an expression when someone is doing something irrational. I think it is equivalent to the expression "What were you thinking?!"
You would not hear people saying "Que esta pasando EN tu cabeza?!" Not that it is necesarily wrong gramatically, but it just does not sound right.
If you do a google search "que esta pasando POR tu cabeza" and you will find 44,000 results, versus only 2,000 results with "que esta pasando EN tu cabeza"

Calm down, I'm not gonna get on google to check on that,
I have a few relatives that are Spanish grammar cops that can help me with that.

[Merovee]

Most people in town would use 'Que esta pasando en tu cabeza?' as Dopo has.

They would also use tu and not su if speaking to someone. The main difference being one of respect such as tu and usted.

Su can also be used in place of yall or his, her, its, and their, so when speaking to a group or about someone else.

[huckster]

Perhaps your answer that you do not see clearly is that hispanics are already stereotyped as thugs and thieves, banditos and the like. This is the negative stereotyping that already exists. This famous movie quote says it very succintly " Badges ? We don't need no stingking badges ! " It has been in two films, Treasure of the sierra madre and blazing saddles, famously uttered by hispanics. That is why these same famous lines was in the racially stereotyped satire and western spoof Blazing Saddles . Not to mention the fact that hispanics are not even represented through the mainstream media anywhere. There are blacks and whites but never any latinos in remote proportion to the population. IN fact nearly not at all. Not one single leading major male role model at all. All negative, role models for children. This is direct exclusion from any serious roles.
Edward James Olmos said in an interview " There are more of us now
but there are less of us in movies than 70 years ago. It is bad. "As for your statement- a general portrait of Mex's or Latino youth- does not need to be stated, it is already implied in stereotyping that has already existed for a very long time now and here it is being portrayed again.
Have you missed all this media subliminal imaging, you are unaware of all of this, you do not know of this, have never heard of this negative "bad guy " sort of role model ?
As for Schwarzeneggar -that is ridiculous he isn't even American born and his diction and enunciation are very bodd. But he is white, and as for the exaggerated heroics of John Wayne movies-well- I will leave those for you to watch. Wayne, refusing to serve in world war two , even when urged by Ford and others in Hollywood, Wayne just wouldn't enlist. But, he had no problem portraying war heroes.
Mexican Americans had the highest percentage of medal of honor winners
per ethnic group serving in the miltary in world war two. Would this be positive image be portrayed by at least one movie ? No.
Ever heard of an obscure character portrayed by James Olmos by the name of Gregorio Cortez ? Cortez, small time horse thief from Karnes County,
just south of S.A., whom perhaps comitted the biggest feat of daring do
in the old west is ignored. Retaliating and immediately killing the sheriff after witnessing of the murder of his brother, he fled by horse back toward Mexico. Knowing the consequences of his actions, Cortez eluded 500 armed men on a 150 mile chase to the border. Disarming one posse rider and then taking his horse whiel on the run , he made it. Even while the famed Texas Rangers were telegraphing ahead to intercept him en route . He turned himself in after hearing his wife and children were kept incarcerated in Karnes City.
Eventually proved innocent, he was first imprisoned for a few years.
It is an improbably fantastic tale, and true, so I e-mailed the history channel after watcing " Real Stories of the Old West" program. The story was a part of a doctoral thesis by Amerigo Paredes on the Mexican Border ballad called a Corrido, one song that was created is based on this story. "Thanks for your interest in the History Channel." was their reply, so I mailed them again. " Perhaps this sort of programming does not suit your target audience? "
I recieved no response.

Originally Posted by JuneOf48

I don't know why you assumed that this was a "stereotype" of a "group." We only saw a few people in this video--it didn't claim to be a general portrait of "Mexican-Americans" or "Latino youth." There is a clearly troubled couple, who respond to their tumultuous situation with violence and stepping beyond the bounds of the relationship. Aside from the vivid portrayal of local places and cultural practices (i.e., the face paint, the tequila, the food, the magic powder, the missions, the specific tattoos), this could've involved people anywhere. Domestic violence, infidelity, and suicide certainly happen just as much in my home town of Chicago as they do in San Antonio.

A small minority of people do that in ALL cultures, pretty much. I think the one who stereotypes in this case is the viewer, if she "chooses" to. All we see are some individuals doing troubling things--and not all of them are of Mexican descent, either. (A few of the actors are friends of mine.)

Either way, this video is clearly in the stylized spirit of a Guy Ritchie film, except that the action takes place here rather than in London. I guess it helps a bit if you know something about the person who made the music, as well as the people in the video. Either way, I'm super impressed. Kudos to San Antonio culture-makers!