The Real Mexican Wrestlers: Lucha Loco

Posted on August 24, 2006

Photographer Malcolm Venville reveals the secret life of Mexican wrestlers in his upcoming book of photography, Lucha Loco. We have seen Jack Black's comic portrayal of these wrestlers in Nacho Libre but the Mexican wrestlers are very real and wear dramatic and unusual costumes.

Publisher Penguin Random House says Venville fell in love with the sport after catching a show in Mexico. He says the subjects have unique identities and taglines.

Among the subjects are an accountant and a doctor by day—but Super Pinocchio and Astro Boy by night. They offer such gems as: "American wrestling is more about the lighting," "My character is the fastest in Mexico, but not when I’m making love," and "I combine wrestling with stripping but wrestling’s my passion."

You can see several of the photographs on The New Yorker. Some of the photographs actually look even more ridiculous than Jack Black's costume in the film. Mexican wrestling is definitely a very expressive form of entertainment.

Lucha Loco is now in bookstores and available for purchase on Amazon.com.

• Jungle Cruise Tops Weekend Box Office



• A Quiet Place Part II Tops Memorial Day Box Office



• Godzilla vs. Kong Tops Box Office



• Disney to Offer Cruella and Black Widow on Disneyplus Same Day as Theater Release



• Raya and The Last Dragon Tops Box Office for Third Consecutive Weekend