Monster Demolisher

Plot

Professor Dolan (Domingo Soler) is engaged in a battle of wits with Nostradamus (German Robles), a wicked creature of the undead who is related to the famous French prophet of the same name. Nostradamus wants Dolan to use his influence to help clear the name of his besmirched ancestor, but he refuses. The evil vampire pledges to kill innocent people until he gets his way, so he starts sending Dolan letters telling him the names of his next victims and it's up to the good Professor and his youthful friend Anthony (Julio Aleman) to intervene. Though he has a hunchback who watches over his crypt, Nostradamus converts a convict on death row into vampirism as well, giving him another slave to help carry out his diabolical plans. The Professor is on the board of directors for a committee that is fighting superstition in the culture, though his public statements about the existence of vampires are causing his fellow chairmen to question his sanity. When he pleads with the committee to help him fight the menace that is Nostradamus, they scoff and he tenders his resignation with impudence. Soon he joins forces with Igor (Jack Taylor), a mysterious man descended from a long line of vampire slayers who is actually immune to their attacks. Can they stop this army of the undead? Monster Demolisher was originally part of a Mexican horror serial that was dubbed into English and compiled into four feature-length films for American television. Other titles in the series include The Curse of Nostradamus, The Blood of Nostradamus, and Genie of Darkness. ~ Fred Beldin, Rovi

Review

While not as outlandish as bizarre Mexican horror gems like Night of the Bloody Apes or The Brainiac, the Nostradamus vampire films are gently amusing, invoking the aura of classic Universal Studios monster tales and careening from one goofy subplot to the next. Because it comes third in the series, the audience is dumped right into the middle of the story as Monster Demolisher begins, with the hunt for Nostradamus already in effect. From then on, the supporting characters change every 15 minutes or so depending on the whim of the action, making casual viewing a puzzling experience. For a weekly kids spook show, it isn't too bad, though German Robles isn't terribly frightening as a vampire (he looks more like a butler) and the budget is poverty-level. Each of the dubbed Nostradamus films were unleashed by veteran exploitation producer K. Gordon Murray, who distributed dozens of similar Mexican genre films in the United States. To really appreciate the full scope of this vampiric saga, one should view all four Nostradamus films in succession and absorb the story in one sitting, though doing so may end up being even more confusing than watching just one. ~ Fred Beldin, Rovi

Cast

Julio Aleman; German Robles; Domingo Soler

Credit

Federico Curiel - Director

Previous:	Monster Camp: The Story of Nero Seattle (2007 Film), Monster Brawl (2011 Film)
Next:	Monster Dog (1985 Film), Monster From Bikini Beach (2008 Film)