A rocket launched from somewhere south of the U.S. lands on the moon. From there a hydrogen bomb is launched that lands on Earth and destroys an island in the South Pacific. At first the heads of the world aren’t sure where the threat is coming from and are in fear of a third world war.
From his underwater lair in Atlantis criminal mastermind, and former Nazi scientist, Hugo Ulvrich (Ivan J. Rado), who now calls himself Achilles, tells the world that he was responsible for the explosion. He instructs all countries to turn over command of their militaries to him within 10 days. If he doesn’t get his way he will destroy the world by setting off hydrogen bombs all over the world. Under his command Achilles intends on creating a race of super humans and reinstituting the Third Reich. Achilles, who is 100 years old, has found a way to reverse the ageing process and now looks like he’s 40. He is also telepathic.
The Global Security Agency is tasked with stopping the mad man. The only one who has the ability to stop Achilles’ bombs is Professor Gerard (Rafael Banquells). No one knows who Gerard is or what he looks like except Secret Agent X-21. Secret Agent X-21 is also Santo the luchador. The Global Security Agency instructs Pierre Duval (Augustin Martinez Solares) to contact Agent X-21.
During a wrestling match between Santo and Blue Demon, Blue Demon is drugged and kidnapped. Santo, as Secret Agent X-21, tries to save Blue Demon but he barely escapes when his car goes over a cliff. Blue Demon is taken to Achilles’ underground hideout. Achilles is impressed by Blue Demon’s strength and wants him to join his minions. Blue Demon refuses so Achilles brainwashes him and sends him after Santos.
“Santo Against Blue Demon in Atlantis” AKA “Santo contra Blue Demon en la Atlantida” was released in 1970 and was directed by Julian Soler. It is a very low budget luchador spy fantasy adventure film.
Here is where my fondness for stock footage shines. Included are some very notable scenes from Japanese monster movies such as TOHO’s “Invasion of Astro Monster” AKA “Godzilla vs Monster Zero” 1965 and “War of the Gargantuas” 1966, sword and sandal films like “Hercules & the Conquest of Atlantis” 1961, and various other old science fiction films as well as some old black and white mob movies and perhaps even a few cliffhangers tinted green. There’s even a movie within a movie of old newsreels and footage from previous Olympic competitions. In addition there is a musical interlude while Santo is sitting in front of a TV waiting for Agent X-25 to bring him a cocktail. On the television is Cuban entertainer Olga Guillot singing.
There’s only one ring match in the film but there are a whole bunch of Santos battling minions and Blue Demon battling minions and Santo and Blue Demon battling minions and even a Santo battling Blue Demon. There’s probably more fighting then there is dialogue. Although Santo and Blue Demon are cast as friends in the movie, in real life they were far from buddies.
Although the movie was low budget the plot was very impressive. A Neo Nazi with the secret of youth wanting to rule the world with his minions of super soldiers is sending rockets to the moon so he can launch bombs on the Earth from his underwater bunker in Atlantis is being hunted by a secret agent who is a part time masked luchador.
It’s a patchwork of film from various movies, genres and countries. Whoever came up with this movie had a really sharp pair of scissors and a wild imagination.