SANTO
VS. THE RIDERS OF TERROR (1970)Director: René Cardona
Rise Above Entertainment
SANTO
VS. THE RIDERS OF TERROR (1970)Like SANTO IN THE TREASURE OF
DRACULA which had a lost alternative version entitled "El Vampiro y el
Sexo," SANTO VS. THE RIDERS OF TERROR is the second Santo film directed
by René Cardona to have a sexier version shot for "export"
purposes. The alternative title translates to "The Lepers And Sex,"
and with a group of diseased vagrants and busty bordello gals roaming around,
you can only imagine the fun and frolic we're missing out on
.
Well, at least this version of the film has surfaced to view by the English-speaking
public.
The movie opens up with a small group of lepers escaping from a sanatorium and entering a western town. They rob some of the houses for food, and later hide out in a cave. The villagers are furious since most of their contaminated homes have to be burnt down, and a gang of crooks plan to exploit the lepers by making them a double-crossing offer in which they are framed for murder and robbery.
After
more than 20 minutes into the film, El Santo shows up to challenge a brute in
the ring (set up as an outdoor traveling sideshow attraction). Of course he
wins the bout, and donates his winnings (10,000 pesos) to some thankful nuns
who run an orphanage. Santo (who wears the same shirt and pants throughout the
whole show) is called to the troubled town by the sheriff. Santo is sympathetic
to the fugitive lepers and gives them the benefit of the doubt, as he tries
to get to the bottom of things in typical heroic fashion.
SANTO VS. THE RIDERS OF TERROR
is a straightforward western with some touches of horror added to it, and very
little ring action. The lepers are quite horrifying 
(the
makeup jobs are actually effective), but soon made out to be rather misjudged
outcasts and not monsters (one is even given a romantic side-story). Santo here
acts something like a South of the Border Lone Ranger, and there are a few bloody
shootings, making one think what a Santo film would look like had it been directed
by Sam Peckinpah (well, maybe not). Cardona's uninspired direction is at least
tolerable in this less than 80-minute package.
Rise Above Entertainment presents SANTO VS. THE RIDERS OF TERROR on DVD for the first time to a U.S. audience, and it contains optional English subtitles over the original Spanish language dialog. The full frame image is serviceable with some print damage apparent and the color palette is satisfactory. The Spanish mono audio is rendered fine with no noticeable defects.
Extras include (again) "The Best of Santo" which is about two minutes of clips from various Santo adventures, a trailer for the new Santo film (SANTO: INFRATERRESTRE), newly-created trailers for several other Santo epics, and a brief black & white still gallery. Excellent liner notes by David Wilt are included in an insert booklet, and he gives some interesting information about the various cast members. (George R. Reis)
