Santo vs. the Killers from Other Worlds (1973)

This Santo film features color and a jazzy soundtrack. It’s the same old Santo, except that it lacks the civilian population cast that other Santo flicks employ. Typically, a family or other grouping of ordinary folks face an evil menace and Santo is called to provide relief by means of outstanding wrestling moves.

Santo vs. the Killers from Other Worlds, however, opens with a succession of deaths-by-blob-attacks. The identities of the victims are unstated; their backgrounds mostly unknown. The blob, too, is initially unexplained. (Special effects-wise, it’s obviously just two individuals in a wet grey tarp. But if you work at suspending your disbelief hard enough, it’s slightly menacing.)

Following the blob-killings, we cut to police chief O’Connor’s headquarters. The phone rings with reports of the murders. It’s a job for Santo. Santo arrives.  He pores over the autopsy reports. Then a man with a Vincent Price moustache appears on the television and demands $10 million in gold bars in 24 hours, otherwise, more will die.

Exactly 24 hours later, Santo sits at a conference table with representatives of various law enforcement agencies. The clock ticks down slowly. At precisely the 24-hour mark, a relieved O’Connor rashly announces that the whole scheme was a fake. Santo eyes him quizzically. Three murders by the sack-shaped blob follow. This time, the villain gives them 48 hours.

Santo vs. the Killers from Other Worlds lacks the sympathetic center that most Santo films enjoy since it focuses entirely on law enforcement responses. It also has a shortfall in wrestling ring scenes. Santo wrestles, of course, but not in the ring. Malkosh, the villain, captures Santo and arranges for him to battle three successive wrestlers. Malkosh observes from his golden throne. That’s the closest we get to public wrestling interludes.

The villainous wrestlers take on Santo one by one. First, there’s a Hercules with blue shorts and a mace. Next, there’s gladiator with a net and a pike. Finally, there’s a dude in a hazmat suit armed with a flame thrower. It sounds great, but it’s all a bit monotonous.

Not worth watching unless you’re a Santo complete-ist.