Nacho Libre

Today we headed out to one of the many markets of Oaxaca. The first one we were going to this morning was the organic market located in the ancient aqueducts of the city. On going to the market, we saw a movie set outside one of the arches of the duct. I thought it was just some Mexican movie being shot, so we continued on our way and went to the market. We got there and were looking around when Sherry tells me she forgot her camera. I gave her the keys to the car and that was that.

A few minutes later, she comes back and says to me, ¨Guess who is the producer of the movie! Jack Black!!¨ I didn´t really believe her, but I got excited anyway. So we hurry what we were doing and go back to the set. She had told me that she saw JB dressed as a monk. We get to the set, and I see this Mexican guy dressed as a monk. I´m thinkin, GREAT! This Mexican actor has stolen another actor´s name! I did think it strange though, all the producers and the director were english speaking white guys.

So we stand in the background listening to the director (Jared Hess) and the producers talk. We watched Jared Hess in action directing the scene. Just for relativity, Jared Hess is the guy who directed Napolean Dynamite! So I´m waiting for them to stop talking so I can ask what the movie is about. I was sorta scared that if I asked them they would kick us away from the set. But Sherry jumps right in and asks what it´s about. When the producer is telling us what it´s about, I remember reading somewhere about it. Nacho Libre is about a half Mexican man (Jack Black)who goes to Mexico (or was he already there?) to learn to become a monk . Unfortunately, he falls in love with a beautiful Mexican nun, which is obviously forbidden if he´s to be a monk. So to show his manliness, at night, he becomes a Mexican wrestler named...NACHO LIBRE! So we film more and take pics and the producer INVITES US TO SIT DOWN IN THE MOVIE PEOPLE CHAIRS!! HOW AWESOME!!

Anyway, we´re waiting for Jack to show up, and the producer is being nice and asking questions about Sherry, me, and Gwyn. Then we see JB coming up! It was really cool to watch him cause the crowd parted for a short chunky guy in a monk suit. So they get started with this part of the film. What JB was supposed to do was to sneak up one of the arches, peek around and come back, take some nachos out of his pocket, run around the corner, throw the nachos and run back. I´m sure it´ll make more sense when the film comes out. We watched these takes five times. There was the whole ¨ACTION!¨ and ¨CUT!¨ and ¨QUIET ON THE SET!!¨

After all this, JB and the producer talk a little bit and they start rearranging the set. Apparently they don´t need JB for a bit, so he whips out his Nintendo DS (Yes Vince and Joey, he has one) and starts to play. I ask the producer if it would be okay if we went over to go get a picture with him. The producer thinks and said he would go ask JB if it would be okay. Next thing we know, he´s standing up and coming towards us!! It was really COOL! Unfortunately, he did look a little put out of coming over, but we were grateful anyway. So I introduce myself, Sherry, and Gwyn and he asks us how long we´re going to be here, etc. Just basic stuff. So we get our picture taken with Jack Black! He may look heavy, but he´s SOLID as a rock! We even got VIDEO!! We were just blown away that of all places to produce a movie, they choose OAXACA MEXICO!! Apparently they filmed the week we were gone to the beach in the park that´s right across the street from our home. Also in the towns of Mitla and Etla all of which we´ve been!

So that´s our day. I´ve been almost EXPLODING to get this out! HERE ARE DA PICS!! Oh, NACHO LIBRE! IN THEATERS JUNE 2006!