REVIEW: Santo and Blue Demon vs. Dracula and the Wolf Man (1973)
What kind of can of worms did I just open up? Mexican wrestler horror? Yes please!
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I was completely unaware that something like this existed, but it shouldn’t have been that big of a surprise. I mean, I watch a lot of trashy Asian horror - it just makes sense that there would be something equally as trashing from LATAM.
And thanks to my mate at Movies and Mania for the recommendation, you were spot on with this one.
I learned something yesterday. There are two men out there called El Santo and Blue Demon who starred in dozens of action adventure movies, separately and together, in Mexico from the 60s and 70s where they kept their lucha libre masks on during the entire production.
Not only that, but there are non-sequitur cutaways throughout the movies of full wrestling matches. This is cinema insanity at its best. The purists who love The Shawshank Redemption and Drive My Car need not apply for a ticket to watch this one!
PLOT
After seven moon and sun eclipses have passed since the death of Dracula at the hands of Cristaldi The Magician, the last male in the Cristaldi bloodline, Professor Cristaldi, is killed in order to resurrect the Wolf Man.
Wrestlers El Santo and Blue Demon are tasked with protecting Professor Cristaldi’s daughters and granddaughter from the clutches of Dracula who is desperate to wipe out the Cristaldi bloodline once and for all!
Mwahahahaha!
ABOUT THE FILM
Firstly, the version I watched is available for free on YouTube (embedded below!) and it has been dubbed into English, which means it’s brought its own set of issues independent from the original released in 1973.
The voice dubbing is horrendous and is full of mistakes. The voice actor will stop halfway through a sentence to correct themselves, or the lines are too long for the scene, and on top of that the music is cut out and looped, with minimal sound effects. It’s truly hilarious and adds to the campiness of the film.
But what of the film itself?
Well, it’s a product of its time. Blatantly sexist and oozing some of the cheapest visual effects you’ll see such as the flying plastic bat that doesn’t move it’s wings or the three-edit resurrection scene where Dracula turns from skeleton to human, complete with fresh and clean new clothes!
Then there is the general ridiculousness of it. The concept is so wild, but clearly it was made for the audience enjoyment in mind, and for El Santo to add another movie notch to his belt.
Where else on celluloid will you see two burly men in wrestling masks sitting at a table deeply enthralled in a game of chess while waiting for Dracula to make a deadly move on a couple of helpless women? You’re welcome. And just for context, if online records are accurate, this is the 37th film in the El Santo series, with 16 more movies made after this one!
WATCH THE FULL MOVIE BELOW!
What are my overall thoughts?
Being my first El Santo movie, I am not sure how good this one is compared to the dozens of others.
All I know is I had fun watching it. And that’s what movies are about to me!
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Genre Action Adventure Horror (with accident Comedy elements)
Director Miguel Delgado
Starring Santo, Blue Demon, Aldo Monti, Nubia Marti
Original Title Santo y Blue Demon vs Dracula y el Hombre Lobo
Country of Origin Mexico
Release Date 26 July 1973
santo blue demon dracula and the wolf man hombre lobo mexico lucha libre wrestling action adventure horror movie review 1973