Mexican Wrestling and More: "Super Amigos" directed by Arturo Perez Torres

Super Amigos, directed by Arturo Perez Torres

"In Mexico City, five real-life "social wrestlers" have capitalized on the popularity of Mexico's larger than life Lucha Libre wrestlers to fight for social justice rather than trophies. Wearing custom masks, costumes and capes like the wrestlers who inspired them, these anonymous grassroots superheroes protect their metropolis against injustice. Super Animal challenges bullfighters to leave the bulls alone and fight him instead. After a savage beating kills his boyfriend, Super Gay becomes a champion of gay rights, fighting rampant homophobia. Ecologista Universal battles environmental destruction of every kind, all on foot. Super Barrio is the defender of poor tenants, helping them resist evictions by slumlords cashing in on gentrification. With a mixture of live action, comic book-style animation and a surf guitar soundtrack inspired equally by mariachi music and Batman, Super Amigos shows that with a little imagination, a good heart and the right mask, anyone can activate their communities to triumph over evil."

Tex[t]-Mex Halloween Treat! A British (Jonathan Ross) Homage to El Santo Movies!

More Luchador/Mexican Wrestling Goodness from Carlos Avila | LUCHA LORDS EDITION

For the rad LUCHA LORDS site, hit the image above; and also be sure to check out Scarlett Johansson (as BLACK WIDOW) rip-off Mexican Wrestling moves in Iron Man II in this HDclip:

Luchador/Wrestling Allegories from Jack Teagle and Carlos Avila

first, jack teagle--hit the luchadores for his rad site...



and, now, from Carlos Avila, two rad, cinematic, luchador bonbons--the fusion of performance, street culture, and dance in the videos signals an evolution in what can now be rightly called a lucha libre aesthetic or luchador imaginary (a tip of the sombrero to Jacques Lacan!)

Heather Levi's THE WORLD OF LUCHA LIBRE

...Just time for a quick link, hit it opposite, to a 2008 Duke University Press volume called The World of Lucha Libre: Secrets, Revelations, and Mexican National Identity; I am in debt to pulpCINEmaven Carlos Avila for bringing this volume to my attention. More on Levi's study shortly.