Television: "You can do whatever you like. I'm going back down to the cellar . . ."

Before Stacie made the stick-figure-horror thing the cornerstone of her vast media empire, there was this:

Movies: Santo, fun-sized.

In 2004, Cartoon Network managed to produce a handful of animated Santo clips. This somewhat obvious step of animating the lucha legend is actually a remarkable achievement in that the Santo estate has been notoriously gunshy about signing up with American companies. Anybody who has seen "Sampson versus the Vampire Women," the chopped up and name-changed Americanized version of "Santo vs. Las Mujeres Vampiro" might understand why. Still, however this coup came about, we're all winners.

The shorts, a series of five quick flicks that make a nod to Santo's beatdowns of various stalwarts of the Universal horror stable, collectively tell the story of Santo versus the Clones. These shorts, to my knowledge, have never been featured with subtitles or been dubbed. However, I don't think you need to speak Spanish to enjoy them.

Screamers and Screamettes, here's Santo, "El Enmascarado de Plata," the Hero of the Multitudes, in Santo versus the Clones, episodes 1 through 5.

Enjoy.


Santo versus the Clones, Episode 1




Santo versus the Clones, Episode 2




Santo versus the Clones, Episode 3




Santo versus the Clones, Episode 4




Santo versus the Clones, Episode 5