DOCTOR OF DOOM (1962)
(a.k.a. LAS LUCHADORAS CONTRA EL MEDICO ASESINO)
Article #528 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing date: 8-25-2002
Posting date: 1-18-2003

A wrestling woman teams up with another wrestling woman and two detectives to find the maniac who killed her sister, a mad doctor known as The Mad Doctor.

Here we have the mythic origins of the wrestling women, where we learn how Gloria Venus meets the Golden Rubi, and how they acquire their respective boyfriends, two detectives intent on protecting them but are more apt to need to be rescued themselves. The doctor has the aid of a human gorilla, a man with a gorilla’s brain in his skull. Does it sound silly? Well, it is a Mexican wrestling movie, so silliness kind of comes with the territory here. I’ve always felt that Mexican wrestling movies were essentially super hero movies, only with super powers replaced by wrestling prowess. They are, like superspy, sword-and-sandal and Elvis movies, essentially matters of taste; either you go for them or you don’t; personally, I find them irresistible, but I wouldn’t make a whole meal of them, if you know what I mean. I do think this one is more energetic and fun than their encounter with the Aztec Mummy, the only other of their movies that I’ve seen. And one thing that is important to remember with these movies; the wrestling scenes aren’t filler, they’re the reason the movie exists.