VAMPIRES IN HAVANA

Vampiros en la Habana

Director Juan Padron / 1985 / Cuba

Vampisol is a potion invented by Professor Dracula that allows vampires to survive in daylight and therefore lead a normal life. As might be imagined, such a product could revolutionise the nocturnal activities of these maligned creatures, not to mention their penchant for raw throats.

In the feature-length animation, Vampires in Havana. Joseph, a carefree trumpet playing vampire, is unaware of his bloodsucking origins and living proof of the success of Vampisol. However, he soon sees the light in relation to his ancestors and the effect of his father's invention. As does his distressed girlfriend - and more importantly, two international vampire factions: the European vampires who seek to exploit its potential for profit and the Chicago vampires who wish to destroy it to protect their already thriving business interests in underground casinos.

As irreverent as Fritz the Cat and possessing the cult potential of Yellow Submarine, Vampires in Havana has a self-mocking style which sends up the vampire/gangster movie mythology in presenting a tale of politics and capitalism. But perhaps most surprisingly, as Variety reported it's "A lively bawdy effort on the whole. This is certainly not the sort of film one expects to be produced by a state controlled industry."

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