Santo vs. Doctor Death Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.5

Santo vs. Doctor Death Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf January 19, 2023

Like many films before it, 1973’s “Santo vs. Doctor Death” brings the legendary lucha libre figure to the screen. He’s a man of action in a tight silver mask, tasked with solving crimes, defeating villains, and, when possible, engage in lengthy wrestling sequences. “Santo vs. Doctor Death” maintains the formula of the movie series (with over 50 pictures to enjoy), finding star Santo taking on a determined enemy, which, for this chapter, involves strange happenings in a remote castle owned by a curious art restoration expert. It’s museum activity meets body slams in the endeavor, which maintains a steady pace and interest in physical activity, keeping things compelling while the screenplay labors to generate a diabolical plan for the masked avenger to pull apart with his bare hands.

A valuable painting has arrived in Spain with severe acid damage, though no evidence of package tampering is found. The experts are baffled, putting their faith into Dr. Mann (George Rigaud), an art restoration genius with a background in chemistry, offering the work of art to examine, keeping the treasure in his large, “almost impenetrable” castle. Trying to understand what went wrong, Mexican authorities turn to Santo, a masked professional wrestler and secret spy, who has time to analyze the crime before his next big match in Madrid. He’s joined by Paul (Carlos Romero Marchent), a fellow agent, with the pair launching their investigation, traveling around the globe to get a better idea of potential threats. Dr. Mann is up to no good, losing control of his operation, which involves art forgery and the disposal of bodies, with young models hired to sit for his paintings, never making it out alive.

What Dr. Mann is up to is no secret in “Santo vs. Doctor Death,” with the opening sequence devoted to a museum infiltration, with a member of the gang tasked with spraying a mysterious substance on a famous painting about to be transferred to Spain. An acid attack commences, nearly destroying the work of art, leaving those in charge of the shipment baffled, as nothing seems out of order. Instead of law enforcement taking charge of the situation, the cops call in Santo, who’s something of a James Bond type in the feature, brought in due to his special spy abilities. Of course, he’s easily spotted everywhere, as Santo is a world-famous wrestler with his personal appearances always headline news, but he’s also a detective, dealing with superspy matters of national security. And it just so happens the beefy hero is already about to make his way to Spain, dealing with a wrestling commitment while pursuing potential clues.

“Santo vs. Doctor Death” tracks the wrestler’s movements, following him to Paris to better understand the art world, picking up a partner in Paul along the way. The pair establish trust during a hotel attack, with the twosome using sheer force and some smarts to disarm and pummel goons coming for them. However, forward momentum when it comes to crime-busting is often disrupted to showcase Santo in his natural environment, with the feature taking breaks from storytelling to visit the wrestling ring. “Santo vs. Doctor Death” gives lucha libre fans something to work with, handling large portions of screen time to public events, where crowds go wild for Santo and opponents occasionally resort to cheating to come out victorious.

There’s wrestling and spying in “Santo vs. Doctor Death,” and the masked hero is the main character of the movie, but it’s interesting see how little Santo factors into the picture’s second half. Susan (Mirta Miller) soon comes into play, with this undercover agent sent to Dr. Mann’s castle to pose as a model, getting to understand the layout of the dwelling and the temperament of the owner. Susan’s subplot allows the writing to explore Dr. Mann’s world, which involves a henchman who poses as a blind man, and there’s something going on with the models, who are trapped in a dungeon, fearing for their lives. There’s little Santo in “Santo vs. Doctor Death” around the midsection of the film, and while this is a curious creative choice, Miller offers fine work as Susan, bringing some suspense to the endeavor as her secretive ways are threatened with exposure by the villains. Model activity also permits the production to add some feminine activity to a largely male-driven effort, creating more of a teamwork vibe for the Santo Spies as the wrestler and Paul stay in place while Susan puts her life on the line to save young women from a grisly end.

“Santo vs. Doctor Death” eventually returns to the wrestler and his physical might, with several fight sequences presented to refresh viewers on the power of the luchador, who’s ready to handle baddies coming for a piece of him. There’s also an exploratory angle to the feature, as Dr. Mann has invested in several home protection traps, giving the movie some mild adventuring as a tunnel system rigged with all kinds of dangers is detailed. These little ideas add a lot to the endeavor, helping to boost an occasionally sagging story of art world crime and surgical torture with some strange concepts for danger. And there’s neat stunt work as well, with Santo handling himself during helicopter hanging challenges, which brings a boost of real-world risk to the picture as big ideas for aquatic pursuit are attempted.

Santo vs. Doctor Death Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation is sourced from a 2K scan of the original 35mm camera negative. "Santo vs. Doctor Death" has been gifted a terrific restoration by Vinegar Syndrome, who work to bring out frame details, exploring textured costuming, which ranges from tight wrestling gear to lacy model outfits. Skin surfaces are appreciable, showcasing some wear and tear on Santos perhaps previously hidden on low-res releases. Interiors are dimensional, moving through castle tunnels and visiting rooms, with decoration open for inspection. Exteriors also retain distances. Colors are alert, capturing the silverness of Santo's mask, and period hues are clear, offering rich primaries. Skin tones are natural. Delineation is satisfactory. Grain is fine and film-like. Source is in strong condition.

Santo vs. Doctor Death Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA tracks (offered in Spanish and an English dub) deliver a simple listening experience, with decent clarity on dialogue exchanges. Scoring supports with acceptable instrumentation, with the title theme offering more musical energy. Sound effects are blunt.

Santo vs. Doctor Death Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Video Essay (14:11, HD) is an appreciation piece by Orlando Jimenez.

• Alternate English Title (2:12, HD) is presented.

• Image Gallery (:32) collects poster art and lobby cards.

• And a Spanish Theatrical Trailer (3:26, HD) and an English Theatrical Trailer (3:26, HD) are included.

Santo vs. Doctor Death Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Santo vs. Doctor Death" is just strange enough to work, keeping the wrestler busy as he slaps around bad guys while dealing with an international incident in art forgery. It's an unlikely mix of brutality and refined criminal interests, but the endeavor manages to maintain some pace, and a few bizarre turns certainly help the cause. It all adds up to a fun sit with a most unusual secret agent, with Santo once again saving the world from evil plans while strolling around in a silver mask that nobody acknowledges.