Night of the Bloody Apes (1969)

In the shadowy corners of Mexican cinema lurks a reimagined spectacle of horror, a chilling retelling of Cardona's Doctor of Doom (1962) - 'Night of the Bloody Apes'. Enlivened with a peppering of unclothed scenes, real medical footage, female wrestling, and budget-friendly gore, this film opens with a visually arresting scene. A demonic-looking masked wrestler, Lucy, unleashes her wrath on a red-clad femme fatale, uncannily reminiscent of Catwoman. Lucy's opponent is thrown from the wrestling ring and rendered unconscious - a sight too distressing for Lucy to bear, despite reassurances from her police officer lover that it's all part of the spectacle. Simultaneously, a narrative of desperation and scientific daring unfolds. Dr. Krellman, a scientist teetering on the edge of madness, seeks to cure his son's leukemia in a most unorthodox manner - an unprecedented 'ape-to-human' heart transplant. He commands his assistant to ready the gorilla, intending to replace his son's failing heart with that of the beast. Actual footage of an open-heart surgery heightens the raw intensity of the operation scenes. The consequences of this audacious medical feat are as horrifying as they are unforeseen. The boy is transformed into a grotesque man-ape, his appearance distorted by excessive facial hair and his demeanor reflecting the wild ferocity of his new heart's donor. In the blink of an eye, he transforms into a bloodthirsty beast, embarking on a savage rampage, ripping clothes off women and faces off men. This is truly the 'Night of the Bloody Apes' - a cinematic journey that chillingly blurs the lines between science and savagery, humanity and monstrosity.

Night of the Bloody Apes is a horror movie featuring José Elías Moreno.

Night of the Bloody Apes is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on Cineverse and Tubi TV and it's also available on Amazon Prime Video, Fandor Amazon Channel and Midnight Pulp.

It is also possible to buy Night of the Bloody Apes on Amazon Video and Vudu.