This year has been an exciting one for El Paso, especially when it comes to movies. From superheroes to a superstar wrestlers, cinema holds an exciting place for comics and characters from the Sun City.
Although the movies were not filmed in El Paso, they can still be a beacon to draw more attention to a city that may be forgotten by most.
Popular titles like “Blue Beetle” and features like “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe,” have ties with El Paso. The first was adapted from a comic series where the main character is a teen from the “915”, while the second takes place in El Paso during the 1980s. Another movie, “Cassandro,” features a character based on a real-life El Pasoan, actually shot some of its scenes in El Paso.
These movies have El Pasoans talking, like Isis Sepulveda, an architecture student in El Paso.
“I think it’s a good thing that more movies and comic books are set in El Paso (because the city) has a lot of cool things,” Sepulveda said. “The other day, our professor was explaining to us that El Paso (has) a lot of buildings that are like the first for things in Texas or even the (country). I think having forms of popular media like movies, books (and) comic books are good for El Paso because (it) has a lot of places nobody knows about.”
Apart from iconic cityscapes, the attention these movies are drawing to El Paso can also play a big part in the careers of writers or directors in the city. Some might not think of El Paso as a destination for the arts, but these movies may be able to change that perspective. Media attention like this can also uplift many artists based in the city and it could allow them to show their work to people across the country.
“El Paso is amazing, but not the most applicable for people in the arts,” said Vianah Vasquez, a junior in communication studies with a minor in creative writing at UTEP. “Most artists, including myself, would likely move to bigger cities with more work opportunities. I see this rise in attention in a positive way. I believe it can open so many doors for other artists. That said, artists here embrace this city’s culture more than anything and I believe (we) would be pleased to see it properly projected onto movies and used for movie adaptations. This attention may have its downsides but for artists, attention means opportunities that we could all benefit from.”
These movies have already made their debut on the silver screen, opening to audiences all over the U.S. Not only will these films give others a chance to see El Paso but will give audiences a chance to see the culture that exists in the people and the Mexican culture of the border city. From out-of-towners to native El Pasoans, many will be gearing up to see El Chuco represented through action-packed and coming of age stories.
Elisha Nuñez is a staff reporter and can be reached at [email protected]
