Note: “Películas completas” means you can find these titles on streaming platforms, DVD, or digital rental — though availability varies by region.
Here is where the search becomes a collector’s obsession. Arau’s directorial filmography is sparse but bizarre.
El Águila Descalza (The Barefoot Eagle) (1970) : His directorial debut. A counter-culture, psychedelic western shot in Mexico. This is the rarest of the rare. It is a surreal, comedic, and violent film that bombed upon release. Finding a complete version (uncut and with original audio mix) is considered a holy grail for Mexican film collectors. Most circulating copies are muddy VHS rips missing 15 minutes of footage. peliculas completas de alfonso arau zayas
Mojado Power (1981) : A Chicano exploitation film about immigration and gang violence. Arau directed this under a pseudonym (Agustin A. Zayas). It is gritty, low-budget, and politically charged. The "complete" cut—which reportedly had a longer, bleaker ending—was lost for decades until a 35mm print was found in a Texas archive in 2019.
A Walk in the Clouds (1995) : His Hollywood stab. Starring Keanu Reeves as a WWII soldier posing as a pregnant woman’s husband in Napa Valley. While commercially successful, Arau has publicly lamented that the studio cut was not the "complete" version. The director’s cut (which adds 12 minutes of magical realism flashbacks) is vastly superior but rarely broadcast. Note: “Películas completas” means you can find these
A cult classic. Arau directed and starred in this film about a Mexican immigrant who gains superpowers. It is a metaphor for the undocumented struggle, blending "Superman" with border politics. It is raw, cheap, and brilliant.
Like Water for Chocolate
Arau’s directorial debut is a bizarre, psychedelic western. Difficult to find, this is the holy grail for collectors. It features slapstick violence mixed with revolutionary politics.