Santo - Jack - Back In Black

After a week in which, holy Toledo, freakin’ glaciers melted in Nepal and all-world all-star champion megawatt entertainers Dolly Parton and Tim Curry passed, the question of how the heck Monsieur Blogmeister can write today’s post arises. The answer is. . . NACHO LIBRE!



After all, wrote a Happy Birthday, Jack Black post back in 2022.



Something about this bit involving The Lord's Chips cracks me up.



Yes, Jack Black is clearly a fan of luchador movies, which definitely number among the favorite psychotronic cinema goodies of the gang here. The B-movie devotees at Dark Corners Reviews and The Cinema Snob concur!









The utter cheesiness of the killer robots and grotesque Aztec mummies battling El Santo remains something to behold.





The lucha libre genre was definitely influenced by such robot-filled American B and C studio serials as The Mysterious Dr. Satan and The Monster & The Ape. Did Mexico's professional wrestlers don masks because they saw them in Republic serials?





These productions, regardless of budget (or lack of one), GO FOR BROKE! Pedal to the metal!



Mexico's amped-up answer to American horror films/monster movies and sci-fi feature masked wrestlers, mummies, mad scientists, robots, vampires, werewolves, zombies, extraterrestrials and derriere-kicking wrestling women started in 1957. It resulted in delirium.













The many lucha libre movies include an offshoot genre involving wrestling women and are even more bizarre when dubbed into English. In such enjoyably demented ultra-psychotronic films as The Wrestling Women Vs The Aztec Mummy, doubly deranged mad scientists and robotic ladies who transform into derriere-kicking wrestling wonders are the order of the day. Would double billing this with A Touch Of Evil work? Think so, although both might have to be preceded by The Three Stooges in Grips, Grunts and Groans, plus Bugs Bunny in Bunny Hugged.



The psychotronic and B-film lovin' crew at Mystery Science Theatre 3000 in particular has had lots of fun with luchador flicks. MST 3K has happily roasted The Robot Vs. The Aztec Mummy, Santo Vs. The Aztec Mummy, Santo In The Treasure Of Dracula and Samson Vs. The Vampire Women, among others.











Are there lots and lots of Santo flicks?



Yes, there are lots and lots of El Santo flicks - check out this Santo playlist.



The masked wrestler starred in 52 films!



Now, getting back to Jack Black, the following may be the single funniest, rudest sketch I have seen from SNL in quite some time. Jack spoofs his own over-the-top persona and "take it to the extreme" ethos.



Love the trifecta of SNL stalwarts Kenan Thompson, Ashley Padilla and Jack Black in the following sketch. They are three brilliant comedy performers.



Now, just how the segue from Jack Black to Santo to Lewis Black happens, we at Way Too Damn Lazy To Write A Blog have no idea! So. . . enjoy, on Jack Black's birthday, the satiric, caustic, biting and hilarious comedy of Lewis Black.



Here are some amazing Lewis Black stand-up sets.





Have been aficionados of Black's "The Rant Is Due" videos for quite a few years.



This Lewis Black clip from 20+ years ago strikes the gang here as weirdly like 2026. While the names have changed, the story persists - and Lewis Black enthusiastically skewers all miscreants in his path.



How can we close this incoherent post while still feeling pretty darn heartbroken that the great Dolly Parton and Tim Curry have left us? With a Back In Black playlist from The Daily Show!

Happy Birthday, Jack Black!

Changing focus from 1930's and 1940's cartoons to more recent entertainment, we raise a toast to Jack Black, who is celebrating his 53rd birthday today (and shares the August 28 natal anniversary with Jack Kirby).



Thinking of Jack Black's movies, TV shows and records will bring the music-obsessed gang here much-needed cheer, as we are sad about the recent passing of jazz great Joey DeFrancesco. An excellent way to start cheering up is by watching Jack's impassioned performance from the grand finale of the Late Night With Conan O'Brien show.



After listening to Tenacious D's comedic and wonderfully goofy Beatles Tribute, feel a bit less heartbroken about the loss of the Hammond B-3 wizard.



The 2003 movie School of Rock lifts the spirits as well. As an actor, musician, writer and animation voice artist, Jack Black possesses that rare ability to be endearing, enthusiastic and simultaneously likable and cartoonlike.



The Kung Fu Panda franchise is, paws-down, our favorite of all the 21st century animated features to emerge from Disney, Pixar and DreamWorks.









Have read that a Kung Fu Panda 4 is in the works and slated for theatrical release in March 2024. Don't know if this is fact, rumor or marketing.



First recall seeing Jack in the 1990's as one of the many talented comedians on Mr. Show, which is still hilarious and NSFW.





In 1997, the Tenacious D HBO series debuted and got Jack and bandmate Kyle Gass on the map.





Not surprisingly, the epic story of Tenacious D would be the cornerstone of a feature film.



Jack, quite literally the son of rocket scientists, is among the many overnight sensations who had years of ups and downs auditioning for sporadic parts in TV shows and movies before hitting the big time.



As noted in the previous interview, here's Jack, playing a juvenile delinquent in the Lee Majors TV series The Fall Guy.



And also playing a role in the tremendously treacly Touched By An Angel TV series.



Closing today's post with Tenacious D clips and Cee-Lo Green's rousing rendition of that incredibly catchy Carl Douglas hit Kung Fu Fighting - the theme song from our favorite Jack Black film, Kung Fu Panda.