The Mark of Zorro

Cunning, suave, fearless, and a friend to the poor, the masked El Zorro first appeared in the pulp magazine ALL-STORY WEEKLY in 1919. This sparkling full-cast audio adaptation of the original short story, "The Curse of Capistrano," provides the sounds of plenty of swords clashing and bullets ricocheting. Where the real sparks fly is in the wonderfully honed playful dialogue, performed by an A-List Hollywood cast. Val Kilmer uses subtle vocal changes to play both the aristocratic idler Don Diego de la Vega and Diego's alter ego--the dashing El Zorro, who easily bests the villainous and foolish Captain Ramon and Sergeant Gonzalez, played with great energy by Keith Szarabajka and Meshach Taylor. But Zorro is no match for the stinging words of the lovely, proud Lolita Pulido, played with fiery grace by Ruth Livier. Good-natured fun. B.P. (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine


Narrator Bill Homewood gives his voice a hint of a Spanish accent and more than a hint of melodrama as he narrates Johnston McCulley's classic tale. Listeners first meet Zorro on an ominous "evil night" as he confronts the authorities in the pueblo that will someday be modern Los Angeles. Today's audience likely already knows that Zorro is the "lifeless" noble Don Diego, but the familiarity of the story works well with Homewood's narration. Listeners can thrill to the fight scenes, be amused at Don Diego's courting attempts, and look on as Zorro romances the same woman, the second time more successfully. In the end, it's certain that Zorro will right the wrongs and win the lady's heart. J.A.S. � AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine