Customer Reviews

Mexican Masked Wrestler And The Monster Filmography

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This book is the bible for fans of masked wrestling films! "Bobb" Cotter's writing style is informal and fun to read yet highly informative. His book is literally crammed with every possible tidbit of information on the wrestlers, directors, producers, actors, and actresses that made the golden age of Mexican psychotronicness possible. He also seems to have a genuine fondness for the personalities behind the cameras; with the possible exception of Doyle Green's for more difficult Mexploitation Cinema, this book is your average fan's only chance to catch a glimpse at what went on behind the scenes at an El Santo film.

Filmography is also an invaluable tool in figuring out what Lucha Libre film's NOT to buy. There are after all over 100 of them! As a fan of the genre who (for the most part) enjoys watching the films, this book has helped me to spend my hard earned pesos on fun films like El Castillo de las Momias de Guanajuato and avoid turkeys like El Aguila Real. Consider this book an investment if you're going to collect some of the films.

If you're only going to buy a single book on the topic, make it this one.

My first exposure to Mexican wrestling movies came from seeing a still in a magazine that showed a match in which one wrestler had a spider for a hand. Any genre that can go that far is worth exploring, and this book does a great job of providing an overview of Mexican wrestling and monster movies. The author has spent a lot of time studying these films, and it shows in the detail. In addition, the subject matter is treated affectionately, rather than as something to be derided. Unfortunately, actually watching these movies can be a chore. They are a lot like Japanese monster films: the buildup is a lot better than the payoff, the acting is atrocious, and you find yourself marking time until the next wrestling match. That this author was able to watch so many films and write about them so entertainingly is laudable. Whether they'd compel me to watch some again...I'm not so sure. I'm content in knowing that I have the best sourcebook available if I ever engaged in a late night debate on Mexican wrestling movies.