SANTO VS. THE VAMPIRE WOMEN (1962)

 

PHENOMENALITY: *marvelous*
MYTHICITY: *poor*
FRYEAN MYTHOS: *adventure*
CAMPBELLIAN FUNCTION: *metaphysical*

For this review I watched the dubbed version done for the American market, which was originally titled "Samson vs. the Vampire Women," probably in order to trick patrons into thinking they were going to see a movie about a Biblical muscleman.

This was the first of two Santo movies directed by Alfonso Corona Blake, coming right on the heels of Blake's other vamp-film WORLD OF THE VAMPIRE. Santo had just finished SANTO VS. THE ZOMBIES, which essentially set the pattern for all later "Silver Mask" outings, allowing the caped wrestler to run around defeating criminal masterminds and vile monsters.

Whereas ZOMBIES only featured one leading lady, a helpless femme played by Lorena Velazquez, VAMPIRE is replete with many robed lovelies, who are essentially the ones in charge of a centuries-old vampire cult. Velazquez is back as well, this time playing Zorina, head of the cult, which includes both slinky females and bulky males garbed in bat-capes. The film opens with the vamps awakening after centuries of sleep, but in the script's most dubious conceit, Zorina's first mission upon waking up is to find her replacement, who will take her place in the cult while Zorina descends to Hell to meet up with her diabolical master. Though I realize the core of the vampire mythos is all about innocents being seduced so as to lose their identities, it seems counter-intuitive for Zorina to wake up just to go to Hell. As a vamp, isn't she condemned to go to Hell when her undead life is terminated?

Sadly, the only thing Velazquez does here is to put her Liz Taylor-profile on display, not leaving the crypt while sending a subordinate female, Tundra (Ofelia Montesco) to do all her dirty work. Tundra is also the only vamp seen to use hypnotism or to fang victims, though her male bully-boys at least can also change into bats. Tundra's task is simplified by the fact that Zorina only wants one replacement: modern girl Diana, whose ancestress was almost selected to be the cult-leader centuries ago, only to be saved by an ancestor of Santo's. Once Diana and her family become aware of the threat, they summon the modern-day Santo, who wastes no time getting into brawls with the bully-boy vampires.

There are a few atmospheric touches here and there, and a few brawls worth watching, but overall Blake's outing with the Silver Mask feels dilatory. The climax is particularly odd. When Santo ventures into the crypt to rescue Diana, Tundra and her goons capture and chain him. He's totally at their mercy, but Tundra gets so wound up in torturing the hero that she misses the sacrificial ceremony. More, many of the vamps are incinerated by the rays of the sun because-- they just leave a window open??? 

VAMPIRE is only noteworthy as the first Santo flick that really jazzes up the wrestler-hero's appeal with tons of pulchritude.