NEUTRON, THE MAN IN THE BLACK MASK (1962) ***

 

Wolf Ruvinskis stars in the first of five movies as Neutron, the Man in the Black Mask.  Unlike his Lucha Libre counterparts like El Santo, Blue Demon, and Hurricane Ramirez, Neutron doesn’t wrestle in the ring.  While I was at first a bit dismayed by the fact we weren’t going to see Neutron strutting his stuff in the ring, the film as a whole is so entertaining and fast-moving that it becomes a relatively minor quibble in the long run. 

A brilliant scientist creates a neutron bomb that will turn human beings to dust.  When his unscrupulous assistant, Dr. Walker (Claudio Brook) tries to murder him and steal the discovery for himself, the bomb is detonated, leaving Walker hideously scarred.  Another scientist is working on a similar project, and Walker teams up with a masked mad doctor named Dr. Caronte (Julio Aleman) to steal the formula and replicate the experiment.  It’s then up to Neutron (no relation to the bomb that’s so hotly sought after), the mysterious masked man to foil the evildoers’ plans. 

Even though there isn’t any professional wrestling to be had in Neutron, the Man in the Black Mask, our hero still finds time to body slam and suplex a bunch of bad guys and monsters outside the ring in places like living rooms and mad scientist labs, so it’s all good.  Unlike, say, El Santo, Neutron is leaner, faster, and lighter on his feet, which gives him his own unique fighting style.  You do have to wait a good half hour or so before Neutron arrives on the scene, which is a bit weird.  However, there’s enough scenes of mad scientists, dwarf assistants, zombies, and Mexican rock n’ roll to keep you entertained until he finally shows up.

The credit must be given to director Federico Curiel, who does a fantastic job creating a creepy atmosphere, especially during the laboratory and castle scenes.  The scene where Caronte first displays his zombie army is particularly well done.  Incredibly enough, this was his first film as a director and he already shows complete command over his craft.  He would later go on to direct many El Santo, Black Whip, and Nostradamus movies, but this is the one that started it all.

AKA:  Neutron and the Black Mask.  AKA:  Neutron, the Atomic Superman and the Black Mask.  AKA:  Neutron, the Black Mask.  AKA:  Neutron vs. the Black Mask.