Customer Reviews

Santo vs Frankenstein's Daughter

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It is not an easy task to explain to the average North-American raised on over-priced Hollywood cheese how great these movies are. Don't get me wrong I love Hollywood cheese (I just can't stand waiting in line to get processed food of any kind). That said, Santo, Blue Demon, Mil Mascaras are the three powerhouse icons of this misunderstood genre. It's misunderstood partly because it really isn't a genre, but a clever blending of genres. Only the likes of Quentin Tarantino would be bold enough to explore the novelty of combining genres several years later. It's had a huge payoff.
Mexican Masked Wrestler movies were influenced by Hollywood B-movies of the shlock sci-fi variety of the 1950's. Production values were low because many of these features were independent ventures. There were no Corporate Studios willing to fund such a strange mix. I am not a fan of Wrestling, especially the "WWF smackdown" stuff, but Mexican Lucha Libre (freestyle fighting) was fun to watch. It did not pretend to be real. The masks were clues that these were staged events. It was only a matter of course that fantastic movies would be the next step.
There is a bit of nostalgia tied to many of us who remember growing up with these films. They were made in the language of our Fathers. We could be Superheroes too. Superman was the first. And while I loved Superman for his universal appeal I once read that the Nazis reputedly said he was Jewish. Now don't get me wrong, but I also read that the creators of Superman were Jewish. I still love Superman, but he was supposed to be from Krypton, which rhymes with cryptic, which implies a hidden message. So much for universal appeal. Oddly enough we have come to identify ourselves with Men in masks fighting against impossible odds. That's a whole other sociological issue.
Above all these films are funny. Whether they are intentionally funny or not is a moot point. The reality is that making a movie about a Mexican masked wrestler battling Hollywood monsters is FUNNY. It's not high drama, it is "kitsch". For example: In "Santo & Blue Demon Vs the Monsters" (not in this collection) there is a carchase where the heroes are being pursued by the Monsters. What's so funny about that? The Frankenstein monster is driving! I immediately thought of the late comedian Phil Hartman doing his "Fire baad!" routine in Frankenstein makeup on Saturday Night Live.
These films are not only funny and exciting but pertinent to our sense of being in the world. Larga Vida a Santo, Blue Demon, Mil Mascaras y Huracan Ramirez Tambien!!

Being from Puerto Rico, I was exposed to wrestling all my life, from these mexican wrestlers to the WWF/WCW wrestlers and also to the local wrestling federations (owned by Vince McMahon). Anyway, because of my exposure to wrestling, these films have a great place in my heart. The pure cheesiness of the movies, the terrible acting, the excellent action scenes and wrestling matches, these four movies are entertaining all the way through. A must have for wrestling fans and b-movie fans.

Goofy luchador fun with husky wrestler/superhero Santo squaring off against Dr. Frankenstein's daughter, her monster and an apeman. Whew! The plot makes no sense but watch it for the laughable acting and special effects. You'll enjoy the flick if you don't take it seriously. Would have been better if it were in widescreen but I wouldn't hold my breath for that.

My theater professors would probably be horrified at my enjoyment of Mexican Lucha Libre films. Actually, probably not -- these films don't pretend to be artsy high-brow stuff. They're honest escapist enjoyment. Watch them as such, and you may enjoy them as well.

The female roles in this film are surprisingly strong. Santo's girlfriend du film and her sister can scream in terror with the best Hollywood actresses, but neither sit around waiting for Santo to rescue them. Dr Frieda Frankenstein is a solid villainess, with (gasp!) a reasonable plan. (OK, so she forgets it once Santo snubs her seduction attempt. Can't blame her for being ticked off, though.) The scene where Dr Frankenstein pulls Santo's mask off plays up the violation well, even with the blatant use of a body double for Santo.

The fight scenes are well done, which shouldn't be surprising. The fight between Santo and Ursus in the graveyard may be a little much for younger viewers.

Sería labor de un trabajo filológico o de un estudio sociológico de cultura de masas rastrear la génesis del término "superhéroe". Pero obviando las dificultades intelectuales, el término suele aplicarse a ese clase de hombres extraordinarios, poseedores de toda clase de poderes y fuerzas sobrehumanas y de una moral justiciera incorruptible.
¿Es el Santo un superhéroe? La imagen mítica del Rudy Guzmán (su verdadero nombre) fue creada en celuloide a través de sus entrañables películas de los años 60 y 70 donde el luchador de la máscara plateada se enfrentaba a seres extraterrestres y de ultratumba, hombres lobo, traficantes, mercenarios y mujeres vampiro. Películas que a pesar de ser de bajo presupuesto, o más bien, por ello mismo, son parte ya de la memoria de la cultura popular mexicana como verdadero íconos de la cinematografía.
¿Qué superhéroe norteamericano, europeo o japonés puede regocijarse de haberse enfrentado al hombre lobo, a Frankenstein y a Drácula en el mismo film? ¿Cuándo Batman, el Hombre Araña o Goku han salvado a la humanidad de un ataque masivo de momias asesinas? El Santo, sin embargo, no es ningún superhéroe, porque no poseía ningún superpoder o habilidad mayor que las que tiene un atleta, ni tampoco vivía una doble personalidad, pero sobre todo, porque él fue real: fue un luchador cuyas mejores y auténticas batallas fueron libradas arriba del cuadrilátero, cuyo heroísmo (si es que pudiera aplicarse este término, ya en sí ambiguo) fue mostrado al enoontrarse cara a cara, mano a mano con el Cavernario Galindo, con el Médico Asesino, con la Tonina Jackson o con su archinémesis, el genial Blue Demon. Larga vida al Santo.

This is 4 of the best Santo movies. if you like cheey films this will not disappoint you

For those of you not familiar with the genre, Santo is a very famous Mexican wrestler and quasi-superhero, who has numerous adventures filled with excitement and suspense. At least that's the theory, anyway. What the Santo movies actually contain is a hysterical combination of bad dialogue and silly plot devices only serving to amuse in a kind of John Carradine vs. Hulk Hogan sort of way.

In this film, Santo is pitted against the daughter of Dr. Frankenstein, Freda Frankenstein, and her minions of evil. Mayhem prevails when Santo faces her monster, Ursus, and her plan to enslave him and use his blood for her own diabolical purposes.

I am seriously hoping that the Santo films are not representative of Mexican cinema, in that they are unintentionally hilarious to watch, kind of like "Plan 9 From Outer Space" in Spanish (English subtitles are provided.) As a bonus, every Santo movie has scenes of him wrestling in a no holds barred format, and this is no exception, with two 'championship' matches spliced into the film so poorly that the jump cut will make your neck hurt.

Four stars, for the most wrestler vs. bad guy action since Jesse Ventura became Governor of Minnesota!

yea so i just receive this boxset...and for some reason i didn't get Santo and Blue demon vs frankenstein, or vengeance of the mummy...instead i get Vengeance of the crying woman, and the witches attack??....whats with that? that happen to anyone else or would it just be my luck. really ticked off about that