Sant in the Wax Museum Review (1963) Worth Watching?

It’s about that nimble, beloved silver-suited wrestler, Santo!

Santo in the Wax Museum (aka Samson in the Wax Museum) was co-directed by Alfonso Corona Blake (Santo vs. the Vampire Women) and Manuel San Fernando (the Johnny Sokko and His Flying Robot television series). It stars Santo, the Silver Maskman (as himself) and Claude Brook (The Exterminating Angel) as Dr. Karol, along with Norma Mora, Roubén Rojo, and Roxana Bellini.

Can Santo solve the mystery of the kidnappings originating out of the wax museum?

This black and white film opens with a back-street kidnapping of an unsuspecting young man. His disappearance has the authorities befuddled. Then, there are more kidnappings.

Next, the action flips to a smooth-voiced, debonair tour guide/museum owner leading well-heeled society folks through his wax museum. He introduces the wax statues: Gary Cooper, Gandhi, Stalin, Pancho Villa – then into the dark basement for the monsters – Mr. Hyde, Frankenstein’s creature, Quasimodo, and a Tibetan man bitten by the abominable snowman.

Dr. Karol, the debonair guide, is a bit intense. A tad too into his work. And a tad too into the pretty journalist (Susan) documenting his museum, who also disappears, perhaps another kidnapping victim.

Now we cut to the ring: Santo is doing what he does best. An Asai moonsault. A package piledriver. Et cetera.

After the match, Santo agrees to help Dr. Karol locate the kidnapper. But is Dr. Karol himself the kidnapper?! Santo will discern the truth – he’s as good a detective as he is a lucha libre wrestler.

Most Santo films are perfectly paced. Santo in the Wax Museum is no exception.

It seems that Dr. Karol was an Auschwitz prisoner who, post-war, was disfigured in a laboratory explosion. But Dr. Karol’s face is unscarred. He looks too good. So, suspicion spreads to Susan’s sister’s fiancé, Ricardo. But then Dr. Karol reveals his super-scarred chest! Who’s the kidnapper? Dr. Karol or Ricardo?

Before we can decide, Santo is called to the ring for another match. Watch out for the Busaiku-Knee-Kick! Here comes Santo’s Tree-of-Woe Double-Foot-Stomp. Ooof!

Some may chuckle at the low budgets, bizarre dubbing, and cheesy earnestness. But 21^st century Hollywood could learn a lot from these tightly plotted tales. And from Santo’s glitter-capes.