The Body Snatcher (1957) Ladrón de cadáveres (original title)

Director:

Fernando Méndez

Writers:

Fernando Méndez (story)
Alejandro Verbitzky (story)

Release Date:

26 September 1957 (Mexico)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Plot:

A wrestler and a detective team up to stop a mad scientist who is kidnapping athletes and replacing their brains with those of animals to make them stronger and live longer. |

Plot Keywords:

Mad Scientist | Wrestler | Brain Transplant | Gorilla | Wrestling

Cast

Columba Domínguez	...	Lucía
Crox Alvarado	...	Capt. Carlos Robles
Wolf Ruvinskis	...	Guillermo Santana / El Vampiro (as Wolf Rubinski)
Carlos Riquelme	...	Don Panchito / The Mad Doctor
Arturo Martínez	...	Felipe Dorantes
Eduardo Alcaraz	...	Police Chief
Guillermo Hernández	...	El Lobo (as Guillermo Hernández Lobo Negro)
Yerye Beirute	...	Cosme Ramírez
Alberto Catalá	...	Rubio, Felipe's assistant
Lee Morgan
Ignacio Navarro
Alejandro Cruz	...	El Tigre (as Alejandro Cruz Black Shadow)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Armando Acosta	...	Ring Spectator (uncredited)
Salvador Lozano	...	Minister (uncredited)
Héctor Mateos	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Roberto Meyer	...	Forensic Doctor (uncredited)
Pepe Nava	...	(uncredited)
Óscar Ortiz de Pinedo	...	(uncredited)
Antonio Padilla 'Pícoro'	...	M.C. (uncredited)
José Pardavé	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Jesús Murcielago Velázquez	...	El Vampiro's Ring Opponent (uncredited)

Directed by
Fernando Méndez

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Fernando Méndez		story and adaptation
Alejandro Verbitzky		story and adaptation

Produced by
Sergio Kogan	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Federico Ruiz

Cinematography by
Víctor Herrera

Film Editing by
Jorge Bustos

Production Design by
Gunther Gerszo		(as Gunther Gerzso)

Makeup Department
María de Jesús Lepe	....	hair stylist
Margarita Ortega	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Armando Espinosa	....	production chief

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Américo Fernández	....	assistant director

Sound Department
James L. Fields	....	sound supervisor
Javier Mateos	....	dialogue recordist

Special Effects by
Juan Muñoz Ravelo	....	special effects (as Juan Muñoz)

Camera and Electrical Department
Rafael García	....	still photographer

Music Department
Galdino R. Samperio	....	music recordist (as Galdino Samperio)

Other crew
Javier Carreño	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Internacional Cinematográfica

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (????) (USA) (theatrical) (Spanish language)

Other Companies

• Estudios Churubusco Azteca S.A.  studios and laboratories

Also Known As:

"Ladrón de cadáveres" - Mexico (original title)

Runtime:

80 min

Country:

Mexico

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Mexico

Company:

Internacional Cinematográfica

Wrestlers and Horror?! More than welcomed!

I like the opening of the movie very much because it tries to set the tone for the rest of the running time. It's a graveyard at night, when suddenly a grave digger pops out of a grave. I must admit that I didn't expect the scene!. Anyways, soon we are introduced with a mad doctor that steals corpses of athletes (mainly wrestlers) for "evil" purposes. Soon after we know the diabolical plans, we are introduced with our hero. The wrestler starts the special mission because this grave digging and stealing is getting national attention.

The settings of the movie are pretty damn good and tend to create a creepy atmosphere which later is turned into a fantasy world. The wrestlers are more than welcome in the plot! But I didn't buy their dialogs. Well, they weren't very good actors in the first place.

The acting of the rest of the cast is pretty good for it's time and for the movie's plot. Rubinski (not Rubinskis as listed on IMDb) delivers a solid and believable performance. The main problem with the movie is that it gets boring after the half. There aren't that many emotions or action. Still, it worths a watch.