Vampires in Havana

Rating:
Summary: The Anti-Disney
Review: Thanks to Amazon, this masterpiece can be finally bought at a reasonable price. What I find fascinating about the movie is the way they have created a pro-communist cartoon that uses the symbolism of the vampire myth to create a strong anti imperialist message. Great for comparing with Disney movies and wacky as hell.

Rating:
Summary: A Brilliant Subtle Political Film
Review: Wolfgang Amadeus von Dracula has discovered a formula that will allow vampires everywhere to enjoy the sunlight by day. Wolfgang knows that his formula is successful because he has given it to his nephew for many years and the sunlight does not harm him. The nephew, Pepe, doesn't know he is a vampire. Because Pepe is liberated to enjoy the sunlight, he thinks nothing of enjoying his life as an individual (he is a trumpet player with healthy sexual appetite) and as a revolutionary, a member of a group intent on assassinating a right-wing general. He is, in effect, socialism's "new man."

It is significant that Pepe doesn't initially know he is a vampire. By not knowing his origin, he is able to lead his life unaware and unaffected by the personal nature that the formula transforms. Wolfgang (who is in some respects like Marx) intends to make the formula available to all vampires free of charge. The lack of the formula keeps vampires longing for the ability to enjoy sunlight as well as dependent on wealthy elite vampires who provide them with artificial sunlight for a hefty price. In short, the vampires are not truly liberated but must accept bastardized versions of true freedom

Wolfgang's offer to socialize the formula becomes the occasion for the audience to see the true nature of the vampires. Rival vampire syndicates battle each other and with Pepe and Wolfgang to control the formula. The syndicates (representing competing capitalist elite groups) are composed of two factions: one that wishes to repress knowledge of the formula altogether (thus preserving the status quo as well as their financial interests as peddlers of artificial daytime tropical beaches) and another that wishes to merchandize the formula to vampires for profit. In the end, Pepe broadcasts the formula by radio to all vampires, reminiscent of Castro's radio broadcasts to Cubans near the end of the Batista dictatorship.

This animated film is a must see.