One of the (countless) great things about The Mask of Zorro (1998) is how it feels like a sequel to a movie we never saw.

The Mask of Zorro is the story of Alejandro, whos is trained by the old Diego de La Vega to be his successor as Zorro.

The movie starts in the past with Diego de La Vega as an slowly out of his prime Zorro being confronted by governor Rafael, his archenemy. It is very much the last duel of the original Zorro, a conclusion to his story.

But while other movies would showcase every facet of Zorro in this scene, trying to convey the big picture to us, this movie leaves a lot to the imagination. Don Diego and Don Rafael clearly have an old relationship, they have known each other and were probably friends while Diego secretely fought him as Zorro many times. Rafael is clearly in love with Diego's wife. This isn't just exposition, this is a whole world we are only catching a glimpse of. It is kinda like seeing Obi-Wan and Anakin's Mustafar confrontation on Mustafar and then watching a New Hope, there was an entire trilogy there, we just didn't see it.

Just watch this scene and you will notice how it feels like a final confrontation in its own unique movie. Even the music has its own theme which is not repeated later in the movie. The theme is similar to that of the Second Zorro, but it remains different, like that of a different story.

I jst love that the backstory isn't just "back" story, but its own little world that we quickly see before fastforwarding years ahead to the tale of Alejandro, the second Zorro.

Submitted June 28, 2021 at 03:45AM by Mervynhaspeaked https://ift.tt/3zZzDk9