Santo And Blue Demon vs. Dr. Frankenstein

Santo and Blue Demon vs. Dr. Frankenstein (Santo yBlue Demon Contra El Doctor Frankenstein) (1974)

Runtime: 96 minutes

Directed by: Miguel M. Delgado

Starring: Besides Santo & Blue Demon, there’s Sasha Montenegro, Jorge Russek & Ivonne Govea

From: Cinematografica Calderon S.A.

In the past I’ve seen several pictures starring the most famous lucha libre (Mexican wrestler) star in history, El Santo. However, the last time was during the preceding year’s spooky season so no better time than now to discuss something involving ditzy female detectives, the grandson of Dr. Frankenstein-who found a way to maintain his youth-zombies that he can control, a hulking brute who I hope just happened to be a dark-skinned man rather than that being the reason why the actor got the role, and unsuccessful brain transplant surgery.

It's a silly story I could nitpick if really necessary; then again, it’s a movie world where the heroes are two masked men who always have their faces covered, even while wearing stylish suits or 70’s business-casual wear in public, driving their convertibles, etc. Frankenstein wants Santo’s brain in a hulking brute’s body as that’d help him rule the world, and yada yada yada… there are THREE wrestling matches that fills the time (that’s more than typical) yet there was enough campy charm and standing wrestling brawls outside the ring to entertain me. It is cliché to have a damsel in distress as Santo’s soon to be girlfriend ends up becoming—then again that tends to happen often in the movie starring the man w/ the silver mask.

Sure, there’s some awkward exposition dumps and even more awkward attempts at humor… it’s all so silly that overall I’ll say this is fine. Not the first movie I’d show someone if they wanted to see their first Santo picture, yet thankfully not the worst he ever did either.