The Bat Woman (1968)

“La Mujer Murcielango” is definitely not a bad outing

For years, we had made mention about this Mexican film that amounted to the first film outing of the Batwoman. Recently we managed to see this on YouTube, and while it won’t give even the 1966 Batman movie a run for its money, it still manages to provide good entertainment.

Filmed in the spring of 1967, when Batmania was still under way north of the border, The Bat Woman debuted two weeks after the end of the 1966 series. The Batwoman, played by Italian actress Maura Monti, is a wrestler who solves crimes when not in the ring. She is called upon to solve the murder of wrestlers whose body fluid is being used to create a sort of amphibious monster. She soon is pitted against a deranged scientist who clearly acts as if he belongs in Bellevue Hospital in New York.

This low-budget outing, to its credit, has a decent plot that is easy to follow along. And it also has some very good underwater sequences as well. While the monster may look a little laughable, remember that this is in Sixties Mexico, and the resources weren’t as great as they were in the United States. That said, it also has some good acting, and good fight scenes.

The costuming for the Batwoman is interesting, in that she spends a bit of time in her bikini. Reportedly, the bikini bottom was very uncomfortable for Ms. Monti, as it was super tight in the crotch and in the rear, giving her wedgies. Her cowl lacks the details of the Adam West cowl, which it emulates, and when she’s in full costume, there’s no Bat symbol on her chest. She also drives a black 1957 Ford Thunderbird, a cool touch not unlike the 1957 Corvette used by Batgirl in the Batman: Thrillkiller graphic novel of the 1990s.

One mention should be the release date of the movie, 28 March 1968. This was two weeks after the end of the 1966 series. The Bat craze had subsided by this time in the United States, but was perhaps going strong or just beginning in some of the Latin American countries where it would have aired. As of this writing, we don’t have any special details on this, but the timing seems interesting nonetheless.

All in all, this is definitely worth a watch. Don’t expect anything terribly fast-paced or any major special effects. Just take it on its own terms, and I think it may be worth your while.