The VCI Santo Blu-ray Box Set: Disc Two

 

This is my review of the second of the four discs included in VCI's Santo Blu-ray box set. It features two films starring the famed Mexican masked wrestler. 

SANTO VS. THE RIDERS OF TERROR (original title SANTO CONTRA LOS JINETES DEL TERROR) was made in 1970. The entire film is set sometime in the Old West of the 19th Century. Despite this, Santo still wears his mask the entire time, he still gets a chance to wrestle...and yes, he even gets to ride a horse (and he looks quite comfortable doing so). The "riders of terror" refers to a group of inmates who have broken out of a leper colony. The unfortunate fellows are being used by a bandit gang to inflict crimes against the locals. Good guy Santo sets out to capture those responsible, while at the same time, he tries to prevent the townsfolk from taking revenge against the lepers. 

THE RIDERS OF TERROR tries to have things both ways--the movies shows the lepers' disfigured faces in various shock close-ups, while also wanting the audience to feel sorry for them. (The makeup for the lepers here is rather mediocre--it looks as if someone stuck globs of pasta sauce on their faces.) The wild world of El Santo actually transfers very well to an Old West setting--and this time we know who that masked man is. 

SANTO IN THE VENGEANCE OF THE MUMMY (original title SANTO EN LA VENGANZA DE LA MOMIA) was also made in 1970. Santo joins up on an expedition to the jungles of Central America to find the remains of what the English language dub track calls an "Apache prince". Of course there's a curse on the mummy, and of course members of the expedition are being killed--but has the ancient corpse really come to life? 

What is striking about VENGEANCE OF THE MUMMY is the body count. It's not a gory film by any means, but nearly all the main cast gets knocked off. The title mummy here is much creepier looking than the usual Universal Egyptian ones, and apparently he's much more of a threat as well. Tagging along for the ride is Santo's real life son as the young boy who accompanies the expedition. 

Both of these films on this disc were directed by Rene Cardona Sr. These pictures are not superb, but they are entertaining in a goofy, pleasant way. Both films are hurt by the English language dubs provided them--the voice performers speak in an overly dramatic manner that sounds sarcastic. 

Both films are in color, and the framing appears to be 1.85:1. VENGEANCE OF THE MUMMY looks much better overall, while THE RIDERS OF TERROR lacks sharpness and clarity at times. 

This second disc is the one that has a featurette in which Dr. David Wilt gives a concise history of the Santo movie franchise. He also discusses the Cardona family, which played a large role not just in the Santo series, but in Mexican cinema overall. Wilt also gives introductions to both films.