The Panther Women (1967) / The Bat Woman (1968) (Indicator)

[MifuneFan]

Indicator / Powerhouse Films will be releasing two classic Mexican films from René Cardona, The Panther Women (1967), and The Bat Woman (1968) on March 26th. Each are being released separately as Limited Editions with 80-page books.

The Panther Women (1967)

https://www.powerhousefilms.co.uk/co...er-women-le-us

INDICATOR LIMITED EDITION BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES

• 2K restoration from the original negative
• Original Spanish mono audio
• Audio commentary with the publisher of From Parts Unknown and screenwriter of Los campeones de la lucha libre, Keith J Rainville (2024)
• Let Them Fight! (2024, 15 mins): the Killer Film, el critico enmascarado (the Masked Critic), lucha libre specialist, and filmmaker behind the Monterrey female wrestlers documentary La femenil, discusses the protagonists of the film, the cine de luchadoras, and the controversial story of Mexican female wrestling
• Cat Fight (2024, 24 mins): academic and Latin American horror specialist Valeria Villegas Lindvall, also known as Morena de Fuego, examines the struggle for empowerment and the subverted representation of the female characters in the film
• Original theatrical trailer
• Image gallery: promotional and publicity material
• New and improved English translation subtitles
• Limited edition exclusive 80-page book with a new essay by Iain Robert Smith, archival essays by Janina Möbius and Ricardo Cárdenas Pérez, an archival interview with Guillermo Calderón, and full film credits
• UK premiere on Blu-ray
• Limited edition of 8,000 individually numbered units for the UK and US

(René Cardona, 1967)
Release date: 26 March 2024
Limited Edition Blu-ray

Gothic horror and lucha libre collide in The Panther Women (Las mujeres panteras), which showcases a host of Mexico’s top female stars, including Elizabeth Campbell, Ariadne Welter, and Yolanda Montes aka Tongolele.

The Panther Women are a witch cult who resurrect their leader by sacrificing the descendants of the family which murdered him. As the cult seeks to kill the youngest descendent, they are taken on by fearless luchadoras Loreta Venus (Welter) and the Golden Rubí (Campbell).

Directed by René Cardona (Night of the Bloody Apes), scripted by Alfredo Salazar (The Bat Woman), and produced by Guillermo Calderón (Santo vs. the Riders of Terror), The Panther Women is an action-packed and influential classic of the cine de luchadoras.

THE PANTHER WOMEN [Las mujeres panteras] (René Cardona, 1967) excerpt from 2024 INDICATOR Blu-ray - YouTube

The Bat Woman (1968)

https://www.powerhousefilms.co.uk/co...at-woman-le-us

INDICATOR LIMITED EDITION BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES

• 4K restoration from the original negative
• Original Spanish mono audio
• Audio commentary with film historian and Mexican cinema specialist David Wilt (2024)
• Adventures in Mexicolour (2024): journalist, writer and indie editor of Belcebú, and formerly DC Comics, Mauricio Matamoros Durán examines the position of The Bat Woman within the Mexican and international pop and comic-book culture of the time
• Fantastique Creatures (2024): José Luis Ortega Torres, film critic, teacher, and author of the book Mostrología del cine mexicano, explores the representation of monsters in early Mexican genre cinema
• Original theatrical trailer
• Image gallery: promotional and publicity material
• New and improved English translation subtitles
• Limited edition exclusive 80-page book with a new essay by Dolores Tierney, archival essays by Doyle Greene and Andrew Coe, archival interviews with Maura Monti, and full film credits
• UK premiere on Blu-ray
• Limited edition of 8,000 individually numbered units Blu-rays for the UK and US[

(René Cardona, 1968)
Release date: 26 March 2024
Limited Edition Blu-ray

Wrestlers, mad doctors, and human-fish hybrids abound in The Bat Woman (La mujer murciélago), a colourful showcase for the talents of Italian Mexican sex symbol Maura Monti.

When Acapulco’s wrestlers start being murdered and their pineal glands mysteriously extracted, the wealthy luchadora Gloria (Monti) adopts her crime-fighting persona of the Bat Woman. Donning her disguise of shiny blue mask, cape, and micro-bikini, she teams up with agent Mario (Héctor Godoy) to foil the evil Dr Williams (Roberto Cañedo) in his dastardly plan to create an army of amphibious ‘fish-men’.

Produced by Guillermo Calderón (Santo vs. the Riders of Terror) and directed by René Cardona (The Panther Women), The Bat Woman is an eye-popping, high-camp blend of lucha libre and superhero action.

THE BAT WOMAN [La mujer murciélago] (René Cardona, 1968) excerpt from 2024 INDICATOR Blu-ray edition - YouTube

[Rzzzz]

No English dub on Batwoman? Looks like I'll stick with my VCI blu. The dubs make these campy films even more fun and I can watch them with my grandkids. Any chance of an Indicator release of this?

[darkness2918]

I have the VCI release but will definitely upgrade to these.

[mclellandj]

Outside of the obvious mild T&A are these all-ages affairs?

[nin74]

From a post on Indicator collectors group, Facebook:

"THE EPIC JOURNEY OF THE BAT WOMAN: A DRAMA THAT CLAIMS A TRIUMPHANT ENDING.

In 2018, with much effort by Charles Horak and other friends, we undertook the challenging task of acquiring the rights to my family's films for which I had a special love. My mission was not only to restore them on par with the great classics but also to give them a new identity and redemptive purpose and remind the world that this cinema also has a vital place in the hearts of the audience.
Everything was progressing perfectly: we had signed a contract with Kino Lorber to release the first collection of Luchador@s films on Blu-ray, thus beginning a collaboration that promised to restore and share many more gems with fans and reach a new audience.

I built a castle in the air: I imagined all the possible combinations between genres, divided the films into collections, and made hundreds of extra contents in my head. Everything collapsed on me in a second. I remember in detail when I saw on my phone that VCI had released the Blu-rays of "The Bat Woman" and "The Panther Women". This was an unexpected and devastating turn because they also promised that their versions were restored in 4K from the original negative. Overnight I went from living in a rainbow to wanting to lock myself in a cave and bury all my big dreams...
The shame I went through with Kino Lorber was horrible. The cancellation of the contract and the tremendous stain on my reputation. And all because those who sold me exclusive rights resold them mercilessly, taking advantage of my vulnerability and my lack of resources to sue them. VCI, for its part and in its desire for profit, lied by claiming to have access to the original negatives that only I had, once again deceiving all those who trusted its sales strategy and questioning from the rooftops whether I, in fact, I had access to the original negatives.

In a limbo of desperation, I lost my investment and credibility.
Five years after that dark tragedy, on the eve of my 50th birthday, thanks to Indicator comes redemption: the true 4K restoration, born from the original negative and lovingly restored by an intimate but passionate team, composed of me, my partner Peter Conheim and Andrew Drapkin.
This Blu-ray is not only the best version of the film that exists to date, but it is also a testament to resilience, dedication, and love for cinema. It is full of wonderful extras and respect for those who will collect this limited edition.
If you want to be part of a dramatic fight and be on the side of justice, please buy the Blu-ray and witness the quality of our work. Each purchase supports this project and drives us to overcome obstacles and continue our complex mission with a renewed spirit. Long live The Bat Woman and the great Maura Monti who inspires me and many other women to fight for what we believe."

/Viviana García Besne (related to the Calderon family, film producers Cinematografica Calderón).

[Thomas Veil]

I ended up getting them all anyway....I have no willpower and I always cave if I can get a better version.

[Rzzzz]

Originally Posted by mclellandj

Outside of the obvious mild T&A are these all-ages affairs?

I haven't watched Panther Women yet but Batwoman is kid friendly. My 5 year old grandson asked me if what Batwoman was wearing was "appropriate" and I laughed and said "Of course, that's what women wear when they go to the beach!" Haha. I not sure how much the kids enjoyed it but I thought it was great!

[Dragon78]

Interesting.

[WaverBoy]

This is really cool, but it also really sucks that there’s no English dub for The Bat Woman.

[gbm82]

Originally Posted by WaverBoy

This is really cool, but it also really sucks that there’s no English dub for The Bat Woman.

As far as I can tell the only dub that exists was recently created.... There's no reason to include it

[WaverBoy]

Originally Posted by gbm82

As far as I can tell the only dub that exists was recently created.... There's no reason to include it

Ah, I thought it was vintage. Never mind.

[Nailwraps]

Originally Posted by gbm82

As far as I can tell the only dub that exists was recently created.... There's no reason to include it

Doesn't mean it shouldn't be included. Arrow even included the recent English dub for Daimajiin Strikes Again.

I'll be requesting Indicator to include it ASAP, anyone who likes the dub by chance, I kindly ask you do the same.

[StarDestroyer52]

Grabbed both of these along with the Santo set from Diabolik. Looking forward to watching these.

[fred25_Ca]

Originally Posted by Rzzzz

No English dub on Batwoman? Looks like I'll stick with my VCI blu. The dubs make these campy films even more fun and I can watch them with my grandkids. Any chance of an Indicator release of this?

Oh wow, i'd never heard of The ship of monsters. Just looked it up on google and it looks pretty incredible! Now I gotta see it haha.

[Rayjg]

Originally Posted by nin74

From a post on Indicator collectors group, Facebook:

"THE EPIC JOURNEY OF THE BAT WOMAN: A DRAMA THAT CLAIMS A TRIUMPHANT ENDING.

In 2018, with much effort by Charles Horak and other friends, we undertook the challenging task of acquiring the rights to my family's films for which I had a special love. My mission was not only to restore them on par with the great classics but also to give them a new identity and redemptive purpose and remind the world that this cinema also has a vital place in the hearts of the audience.
Everything was progressing perfectly: we had signed a contract with Kino Lorber to release the first collection of Luchador@s films on Blu-ray, thus beginning a collaboration that promised to restore and share many more gems with fans and reach a new audience.

I built a castle in the air: I imagined all the possible combinations between genres, divided the films into collections, and made hundreds of extra contents in my head. Everything collapsed on me in a second. I remember in detail when I saw on my phone that VCI had released the Blu-rays of "The Bat Woman" and "The Panther Women". This was an unexpected and devastating turn because they also promised that their versions were restored in 4K from the original negative. Overnight I went from living in a rainbow to wanting to lock myself in a cave and bury all my big dreams...
The shame I went through with Kino Lorber was horrible. The cancellation of the contract and the tremendous stain on my reputation. And all because those who sold me exclusive rights resold them mercilessly, taking advantage of my vulnerability and my lack of resources to sue them. VCI, for its part and in its desire for profit, lied by claiming to have access to the original negatives that only I had, once again deceiving all those who trusted its sales strategy and questioning from the rooftops whether I, in fact, I had access to the original negatives.

In a limbo of desperation, I lost my investment and credibility.
Five years after that dark tragedy, on the eve of my 50th birthday, thanks to Indicator comes redemption: the true 4K restoration, born from the original negative and lovingly restored by an intimate but passionate team, composed of me, my partner Peter Conheim and Andrew Drapkin.
This Blu-ray is not only the best version of the film that exists to date, but it is also a testament to resilience, dedication, and love for cinema. It is full of wonderful extras and respect for those who will collect this limited edition.
If you want to be part of a dramatic fight and be on the side of justice, please buy the Blu-ray and witness the quality of our work. Each purchase supports this project and drives us to overcome obstacles and continue our complex mission with a renewed spirit. Long live The Bat Woman and the great Maura Monti who inspires me and many other women to fight for what we believe."

/Viviana García Besne (related to the Calderon family, film producers Cinematografica Calderón).

Wow, we all know how incompetent most VCI releases are but who knew they were so shady.

[darkness2918]

Originally Posted by Nailwraps

Doesn't mean it shouldn't be included. Arrow even included the recent English dub for Daimajiin Strikes Again.

I'll be requesting Indicator to include it ASAP, anyone who likes the dub by chance, I kindly ask you do the same.

You could always just buy the VCI release if you want the dub that badly . If they’d have to delay this to add the dub I’d rather they not do it & release it on schedule.

[bigshot]

The rights to these films are tangled. They've been sold and resold a bunch of times in different countries. Expecting an exclusive is difficult.

[Poya]

Is it too late for Christian Bale to play Bat Woman in a reboot?

[filmlover22]

Originally Posted by Rayjg

Wow, we all know how incompetent most VCI releases are but who knew they were so shady.

What struck me was the comment about Kino. I always thought that they were a pretty straightforward company. What happened with them?

[Thomas Veil]

Originally Posted by filmlover22

What struck me was the comment about Kino. I always thought that they were a pretty straightforward company. What happened with them?

Re-read the post. I didn't get that Kino was at fault for this but VCI and the ones that sold the rights to begin with. It just sounds like VCI released first so that just screwed the deal with Kino.