Santo contra los Cazadores de Cabezas

Santo vs. the Headhunters

Mexico 1969
produced by
Miguel Zacarías for Producciones Zacarías
directed by René Cardona
starring Santo, Nadia Milton, Freddy Fernández, René Cardona, Enrique Lucero, Enrique Pontón, Guillermo Hernández, Manuel González, Margarito Luna, Antonio Miranda, M.Moreno Orozco, Sergio Llanes, Víctor Almazán, Carlos Suárez, René Barrera, Carolina Barret, Gloria Chávez, Arturo Silva
written by René Cardona, Adolfo Torres Portillo, music by Luis Hernández Bretón

El Santo

review by
Mike Haberfelner

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Don Grijalva (René Cardona) and professor Castro (Enrique Pontón) get worried after Grijalva's daughter Mariana (Nadia Milton) receives several death threats typical of the Jivaro, an indigenous tribe considering itself the original descendants of the Inkas. So Grijalva and Castro do the only reasonable thing to do in such a situation - call wrestler Santo for assistance. Before Santo even arrives though, Mariana is kidnapped by Grijalva's own butler Husca (Enrique Lucero), a Jivaro himself. Mariana is to be sacrificed to some god or other, but it's a long and perilious journey through the jungle to the sacrificial spot, a journey that takes many days - meaning Santo and company have plenty of time to catch up. Of course, our heroes are faced with every peril the jungle has to offer, including leopards, caimans, piranhas, vampire bats and even electric eels - but Santo masters them all, even if several of his party including the professor have to lose their lives and one of the guides is revealed to be a Jivaro spy. Santo and friends arrive at the sacrificial spot just when Mariana is about to get killed, and considering they are vastly outnumbered, they hold their own pretty well. But Santo knows the only way to really turn the situation in their favour is to challenge the Jivaro chieftain to a fight to the death. Santo wins of course, but refuses to kill the chieftain, knowing the man is good in his heart but has been deceived by Husca. So everything ends happily ...

Santo the wrestler fighting headhunters in the jungle - now in writing, the concept sounds like lots and lots of fun ... but unfortunately on film it's not so much so. Basically, the film is based on a way too linear and thus rather boring script, and no attempt is made to milk the Santo-in-jungle situation to the fullest. Add to this one of René Cardona's lesser, more uninspired directorial efforts, and you've got yourself a dull movie - which is a pity given the concept that seems to suggest high camp almost by definition.

review © by Mike Haberfelner

 

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