Changes: Samson vs. the Vampire Women (film)

Revision as of 22:54, 16 May 2021

For the MST3K episode, see MST3K 624 - Samson vs. the Vampire Women.

Samson vs. the Vampire Women is a 1962 Mexican horror/wrestling film directed by Alfonso Corona Blake and written by Antonio Orellana, Fernando Osés, and Rafael García Travesi. It stars the popular luchador Santo.

Plot

In The Forest of White Pine, a coven of Vampire women living in a castle has awoken after a sleep of over 200 years.

The first one to awaken is Tandra, the Vampire Priestess, who must prepare to awaken Zorina, the Queen of the Vampire Women. 200 years prior, a woman chosen to be Zorina's successor escaped the clutches of the Vampire Women and their henchmen. That woman's beauty has now been passed down to a current relative named Diana, on the cusp of turning 21. A prophecy has foretold that Diana is to take Zorina's place as Queen of the Vampire Women as Zorina goes to be with her husband, Lucifer.

Tandra and several male henchmen go to Diana's home and spy on her. The young woman almost falls under Tandra's hypnotic gaze. Her father Professor Orlof, and husband-to-be Jorge console her.

Orlof recommends that she lie down, and as Jorge leaves for the evening, Inspector Carlos arrives. Orlof has called Carlos to provide security at a party for Diana's that will take place in a few days, but he will not tell the Inspector exactly what he and his men are to protect Diana from.

The Professor has suspected for some time that his daughter is destined to become the successor to Zorina. A mark on her shoulder shaped like a bat is also a sign of Diana's destiny. Orlof has not told his daughter about the prophecy, hoping to spare her from worry.

Tandra and her henchmen have attacked a couple coming out of a nightclub. The woman has been drained of blood, and her male escort has disappeared. Inspector Carlos looks over the body, and several on-lookers are perplexed about her bloodless corpse. A doorman who saw Tandra turn into a bat and fly off claims that the woman was attacked by a vampire. His declaration causes Carlos to have the man placed under arrest.

Back at the castle, the henchmen drain the kidnapped man of blood and use it to revive the reset of the coven, along with Zorina.

At the Professor's house, the heroic wrestler Santo arrives to speak with Orlof. Orlof tells of the prophecy, and how Diana's relation many years before was saved by an ancestor of Santo. Santo declares that he will do what he can to protect Diana, but has to appear at a wrestling match.

The day of the party, Inspector Carlos has a number of men watching over the residence. However, Tandra and her henchmen detain several attendees and infiltrate the party. The two henchmen nearly succeed in abducting Diana before Santo appears and detains them.

Orlof finally tells everyone of the vampire prophecy. Carlos then formulates a plan: hearing that another couple was attacked at the nightclub like the previous one, he suggests taking Diana there with several of his men to see if the vampire women and their cohorts might show up.

At the castle, Zorina reprimands Tandra for failing to bring her Diana. Tandra then explains that Santo may interfere with fulfilling the prophecy.

The vampires send one of their male henchman to a wrestling match Santo is taking part in. The henchman replaces Santo's opponent, and attempts to defeat Santo in the ring. The henchman's karate moves almost stop Santo, but Santo manages to unmask his opponent, revealing a wolf-like creature. Several officers fire bullets at the man, but he turns into a bat and flies off.

Meanwhile, Diana, Carlos, and several other officers are at the club, when Zorina and Tandra appear in order to observe her. Zorina leaves soon after, and Tandra and her henchmen succeed in capturing Diana. Santo arrives too late to stop them, but manages to chase down one henchman. The henchman bursts into flame upon running under the shadow of a cross.

Carlos returns to Professor Orlof, and demands he quickly finish deciphering the parchments that tell of the prophecy, as he is certain that they must reveal the location of the coven. Orlof manages to deduce that the location is in The Forest of White Pine. Orlof informs Santo by radio, and the wrestler takes off for the castle.

Santo's attempts to infiltrate the castle end with him being trapped and tortured by the henchmen. However, Tandra does not act quickly enough in performing the ritual on Diana and the sun begins to rise. The henchmen and Tandra are burned to death by the sun, and Zorina and the other vampire women take refuge in their coffins.

Santo manages to get free and rescues Diana before burning the remaining Vampire Women in their coffins. He carries Diana outside where she is reunited with Jorge and her father as Santo drives off.

Cast

Santo as El Enmascarado de Plata
Lorena Velazquez as Zorina, Queen of the Vampires
Maria Duval as Diana Orlof
Jaime Fernandez as Inspector Carlos
Augusto Benedico as Professor Orlof
Xavier Loyá as Jorge
Ofelia Montesco as Tandra

Notes

Rodolfo Guzman Huerta achieved an enormous amount of fame in Mexico as professional wrestler El Santo, El Enmascarado de Plata (The Silver Maskman). He was popular because he stood for decency and fair play in additional to his wrestling talents. When movie character El Santo wasn’t wrestling, he was a crimefighter, traveling in the silver Bentley which matched his silver mask and cape. El Santo always wore his mask whenever he was in public, even when he was not performing. When he retired, his son took over the role. He continues to wrestle under the name El Santo, and, like his father, always wears the mask. This movie is the sixth of about fifty movies which have starred El Santo (renamed “Samson” in English language versions).
The name "El Santo" translates to "The Saint" in English.

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 {{Infobox Film
 |name = ''Samson vs. the Vampire Women''
-|image = DTEFposter.jpg
+|image = SVWposter.jpg
 |year = [[1962]]
 |director = Alfonso Corona Blake