THE DIABOLICAL AXE (1965) ***

The Diabolical Axe hits the ground running with a great opening scene in which a funeral procession lays to rest the body of everyone’s favorite Mexican wrestler, El Santo!  Luckily for his fans, we learn from the date on the tombstone that it’s 1603, so it was really the body of his ancestor.  We then fast-forward to the present where a black-masked executioner named Black Hood (Fernando Oses) attacks El Santo in the ring mid-wrestling match and tries to chop him up with a big axe.  Thanks to a silly-looking machine, El Santo is able to visit the past and learn how his family’s feud with Black Hood began.  This knowledge just might be able to save not only El Santo’s life, but the soul of his past-lives lover (Lorena Velazquez).  

El Santo has a much more pronounced role in The Diabolical Axe than he did in many of his previous entries.  In most of those films, he was coming to the aid of other substitute heroes, but here, he’s front and center for much of the running time.  The screenwriters also concoct an elaborate backstory for El Santo, which is simultaneously longwinded and amusing.  It’s important to note that his origins are similar to The Phantom as his mask (and wrestling skills apparently) is passed down from generation to generation.

The long flashback sequences kind of feel like a forebearer to the time traveling scene in The Vampire and Sex.  Although some of the period scenes are enjoyable, they sure do hog up a lot of screen time and threaten to get in the way of the fun at some junctures.  However, there are still enough oddball touches (like the fact that a Merlin-like wizard is the one who imbues the first El Santo with his mask and powers) to keep them from derailing the proceedings.  

I guess it goes without saying that the present-day scenes of El Santo going toe to toe with Black Hood are a lot more entertaining.  The wrestling scenes are fast-paced and fun too, especially when Black Hood sneaks into the ring.  Later, he possesses El Santo’s opponent, leading to a terrific two-out-of-three falls match that features some fun super slow-motion aerobatics. 

El Santo is as fun to watch as ever, but sadly, the ever-enchanting Velazquez is sorely underutilized.  The film really could’ve used more of her incomparable charms during the sometimes-sluggish flashbacks.  On the plus side, unlike many El Santo flicks, there aren’t any musical numbers to further drag things down.  

AKA:  Santo vs. the Diabolical Hatchet.  AKA:  The Diabolical Hatchet.