Die Azteken-Mumie gegen den Menschen-Roboter

Yet another K. Gordon Murray import from Mexico aimed mainly at kids, but actually fun for anyone who fancies humanoid robots controlled by mad scientists, or ambulatory mummies. It entertains on about the same level as those old movie serials. Great black and white photography, nice ominous atmosphere. All the actors offer sincere performances, but deserving of special honourable mention is Luis Aceves Castaneda as the gleefully wicked Dr. Krupp; rarely has an actor enjoyed a mad scientist role so much! The English dubbing is another matter, but if you enjoy old-fashioned mummy/musty crypt horror films, you could do worse.

This film has two of the most devious characters ever to enter Mexican cinema: Dr. Krupp,who is as evil as he is fat, and his hapless sidekick Bruno. Dr. Krupp IS actually quite the evil genius. During a flashback in the film, we find that he is clever enough to disguise himself as pro wrestling bad guy The Bat(who would ever suspect a mad scientist could be a pro wrestler?!? It's pure genius!!)and escapes the Aztec Mummy and his own snake pit trap(He was probably very happy that built that secret escape and had his keys with him). And Bruno is one of the few VERY loyal sidekicks I've ever seen in any film. The guy puts up with being punched by the Aztec Mummy, having acid thrown into his face and becoming deformed, and tolerating a boss who thinks he's a wrestler. Besides in the dubbed version, Bruno delivers the classic line "You devil! You devil!" better than anyone!

Despite having a very pretty leading lady (Rosita Arenas, one of my boy-crushes), the acting and the direction are examples of what NOT to do while making a movie.

Placed in southern Mexico, Popoca, the Aztec Mummy (real Aztecs, by the way, DID not made mummies) has been waken up by the lead characters and starts making trouble in Mexico City suburbia, during the first movie (The Aztec Mummy). In this second part, the leading man and woman want to find th mummy and put it in its final resting place (a fireplace would have been my first choice...)

Into this appears The Bat, a criminal master-mindless stereotype of a criminal genius who creates a "human robot" (some idiot inside a robot SUIT) to control Popoca and (get this) take over the world. The final match between the robot and the mummy is hilarious, some of the worst choreography ever witnessed. The funniest part is that this movie was made and released by a serious Mexican movie studio!

The acting is just as awful hearing the movie in Spanish as it is in English (they dubbed the over-acting!). You should watch this movie through MST:3000. The comments are even funnier.

... although the more surreal aspects of this movie might slip by them. I can imagine a theater full of Mexican kids forty years ago just loving this stuff. The production level is on a par with the lesser Saturday Matinée serials of the 40s and 50s, and much of the film is footage from an earlier Aztec mummy film used as flashback, but what the hell. My favorite scene: the villain and two henchmen are stopped in a cemetery by the night watchman who holds them at gunpoint --- and proceeds to stand there doing nothing while one of the goons, in plain sight, calmly walks around behind him and conks him cold with a blackjack. The mind reels! Later on the poor chump gets fried by the radioactive clampers of the titular robot and runs screaming into the night, smoke pouring from the blanket draped over his shoulders, while the camera holds on him for an impossibly long time. A grungy black and white acid trip of a movie.

I have watched this movie twice in the past six months (what I go through so you don't have to).The first viewing left me half crazed and babbling.The second viewing at 5am on a rainy morn was a little better.I only screamed in agony once.

Seems Pocona (The Aztec Mummy)had the hots for a certain Aztec Princess who was"supposed to keep her maiden".Obviously they gave each other the business and were put to death for it.(Now that is severe!).But before they are the film tries to put us to death with a screeching Aztec ceremony.The singing will make your ears bleed.

Anyhow there is the usual reincarnation nonsense. Not to mention a treasure map on a breastplate & bracelet guarded by that swathed slob,Pocona.By this time Pocona looks like he's been on a 2000 year bender and is after the defilers of his tomb.His groans & moans sounds like he has a bad case of Montezuma's revenge(or he read the script for this movie).That will make your breath stink.

An evil Dr Von Krupp appears wanting the Aztec treasure(possibly to finance acting lessons & screenwriting classes for cast & crew).He is called The Bat because in The Curse Of The Aztec Mummy he wore a bat like cape, hat and something like a ski mask over his face.Guess it's better than the Laughing Fat Man.

The Bat in typical mad scientist fashion wants to rule the world. He stresses this by rolling his eyes,laughing maniacally and chewing the scenery.He has cobbled together an invincible robot.Looks like the 'bot was made from a garbage can, a chandelier and the grill of a 1957 Buick.This will make your eyes bleed.A company even takes credit for making this tin can!

Well the mighty showdown between Pocona and the Robot takes place in the Mummy's new crypt having been made homeless earlier.

About half of this movie is culled from "La Aztec Momia"never released in the US in its original form but in a chopped atrocity from Jerry Warren(see my review on "Attack Of The Mayan Mummy") and "Curse Of The Aztec Mummy".The robot is frankly stupid as are most of the characters.If that and the plot doesn't make you howl with laughter nothing will.

My first impression was so bad it would have gotten a one. But after seeing "Mayan Mummy"(which is a movie deserving of being burned) and watching "Robot" again, it garners a 3.You have to watch this with no expectations at all. Then it can be naively pleasant.