The el rey hideout in mexico was taken from the getaway, a 1958 crime novel by jim thompson. Earl mcgraw became a recurring character in rodriguez and tarantino's works, later appearing in kill bill, planet terror, and death proof as an easter egg. Chango beer and sex machine's codpiece gun are references to rodriguez's 1995 film desperado.

Seth gecko also says the line: From dusk till dawn (1996) starring: Quentin tarantino, salma hayek, george clooney, harvey keitel, and juliette lewis.