That Guy: Danny Trejo
The Film Yap Presents "That Guy" celebrates those character actors who are instantly recognizable as the glue that holds countless films together, but because they are not huge movie stars, remain largely anonymous by the general moviegoing community. Say their name and you'll get a confused look; say "you know, that guy from XXXX" and you'll get a smile and nod of approval.
With his signature craggy visage, distinct tats and cold look in his eyes, Danny Trejo is your "That Guy" of choice if you want a heartless killer, or stone-cold badass in your film.
Trejo's new film "Machete" represents his first high-profile starring role, but he's been around for years in supporting roles in movies of all types, beginning with voicework in the English dub of "Jackie Chan's Project A," then going on to appear in films like "Maniac Cop 2," "Death Wish 4: The Crackdown," and "Marked for Death." I mean, the guy is such a badass he played himself in Michael Mann's crime opus "Heat" (1995) (okay, so his character was only named "Trejo," but you get the point).
Let's put it this way: if Anton Chigurh ever met Danny Trejo and tried that silly little coin flipping routine, I'd fully expect Trejo to smile, pull out his own coin, drop it on the table and tell him to call it.
Here are some of Trejo's more memorable "That Guy" bits:
Johnny 23- "Con Air"
A vicious rapist who got his nickname because of the number of women he assaulted ("They'd call me Johnny 600 if they knew the truth," he boasts), Johnny has a fixation on pretty prison guard Bishop (Rachel Ticotin). When things hit the fan, though, Cyrus "the Virus" (John Malkovich) warns him, "If your d*ck jumps out of your pants, you jump off this plane," but he's Johnny 23, you think he's going to listen?
Navajas-"Desperado"
If you're looking to kill El Mariachi (Antonio Banderas), the almost mythical guitar-case-full-of-guns carrying outlaw, who do you hire? The relentless knife-throwing killer Navajas is your first call. And he gives El a run for his money, but ultimately El survives, but barely. Trejo would go on to tormet Banderas' guitar-playing avenger once more in the "Once Upon a Time in Mexico" as the villainous Chucuy.
Razor Charlie-"From Dusk Till Dawn"
The Titty Twister's resident affable bartender, you know a guy named Razor Charlie isn't a cat to be messed with. Seth Gecko (George Clooney) isn't either, though, and isn't intimidated by the muscular, tatted bartender, vocally doubting Charlie's claims that the Twister's food is the best in Mexico. As it turns out, Razor Charlie is more than he seems; he's actually an affable bloodthirsty vampire bartender when he's not tending bar, and even when he is. Even death can't stop this guy though, as after dying in the first film, he returns for both "Dawn" sequels.
Bartender-"Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy"
The kindly, Hawaiian shirt-wearing bartender who offers a sympathetic ear when Ron (Will Ferrell) needs to drown his sorrows upon losing his job as lead anchor. Not Trejo's meatiest role, but it's a pivotal one. Okay, it's not, but it was a funny cameo.
Ismael Cruz-"Halloween"
The only guy bad enough to actually be friendly with Michael Myers, Ismael was as an orderly at Smith's Grove Sanitarium when Michael was a resident. Unfortunately for Ismael ran across Mikey when he was in a bad mood and that's that.
Machete-"Grindhouse"
The faux trailers that played between "Planet Terror" and "Death Proof" were arguably more talked-about than the films themselves, fanboy cries that they make actual films from the trailers quickly rang out through the blogosphere,and "Machete was the highlight. The hardcore hitman who is betrayed by the outfit he works for, leading him to break open a keg of whup ass on them all, and get a little tail in the process. "They F**ked with the Wrong Mexican" indeed.