6.4 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
El Santo helps an undercover agent take down a gang of drug smugglers.
Starring: Santo (III), Joaquín Cordero, Fernando Osés, Enrique Zambrano, Gina RomandForeign | 100% |
Crime | Insignificant |
Adventure | Insignificant |
Action | Insignificant |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.67:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.66:1
Spanish: LPCM Mono
English
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 2.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Joselito Rodríguez's "Santo vs. Infernal Men" (1961) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films. The supplemental features on the release include Viviana García-Besné's documentary "Perdida"; archival materials; and more. In Spanish, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.
Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.67:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Santo vs. Infernal Men arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films.
The release is sourced from a 4K master that was prepared after Santo vs. Infernal Men was fully restored in 4K from the original camera negative. I think that the overwhelming majority of the film looks very good. While different segments of it were clearly shot under different conditions, delineation, clarity, and depth usually range from very good to excellent. The grayscale is very convincing as well. The blacks are solid but not boosted while the grays and whites are wonderfully balanced. Grain exposure is very nice and, I think, as even as it could be. What does this mean? There are a few spots that reveal slightly blotchy grain, but it is because of inherited surface imperfections. A few frames are missing too, so, during skips or transitions, you will notice small unevenness in grain exposure and distribution. There are no traces of any problematic digital adjustments. All in all, despite a few obvious source limitations, I think that the 4K makeover of Santo vs. Infernal Men is very nice. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).
There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: Spanish LPCM 1.0. Optional English subtitles are provided for the main feature.
The dialog is clear and easy to follow. However, like the video, the audio reveals various minor but noticeable fluctuations that are inherited. Sometimes the audio abruptly becomes a bit thin. Sometimes there is minor dynamic unevenness. In a few areas, I even noticed small instability in the upper register. I do not think that these fluctuations will affect your viewing experience, but you will be able to tell that the audio has aged.
Santo vs. Infernal Men has an undeniable historical value, but what about its entertainment value? I found the footage from old Havana very intriguing, but Santo's antics were quite underwhelming. Does this mean that Santo vs. Infernal Men is a bad film? I certainly would not describe it as a good film because it looks quite rough and uneven, plus its attitude toward Santo is very suspicious. (The real star of the film is an undercover detective that goes to work to take down a gang of contrabandistas). However, it appears that the Mexican crew that shot it had to prematurely end their work as Fidel Castro's gangs approached Havana, so the real Santo vs. Infernal Men film was never made. At least this is my take on the situation that produced the current version of the film, which may not be entirely correct but explains why this version looks as it does. The release we have reviewed is included in Indicator/Powerhouse Films' Enter Santo: The First Adventures of the Silver-Masked Man two-disc set, which is Region-Free and available for purchase in the United Kingdom as well. (See our British listing here). RECOMMENDED to diehard Santo fans only.
(Still not reliable for this title)
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