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

Although written nearly a century ago, McCulley's romantic pulp adventure remains engaging and entertaining. Even though the identity of the masked vigilante is no surprise to contemporary listeners, one can't help but be thrilled at the ironic twists the story takes. Narrator Armando Duran breathes life into the character of Don Diego Vega: by day an effete aristocrat, by night a dashing defender of the poor. Duran draws on his stage experience, his ethnic memory, and his joyful vigor as he tells the story of Se–or Zorro's courtship with Lolita Pulido while bloodying the noses of corrupt government officers. This adaptation of the classic story is delightful from start to climactic finish. S.E.S. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award, 2013 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine