Cuadecuc, vampir
Director: Pere Portabella
Writer: Pere Portabella, Joan Brossa
Based on: Count Dracula, which is in turn based on Bram Stoker‘s Dracula
Cast: Christopher Lee, Herbert Lom, Soledad Miranda

Plot:
Cuadecuc, vampir [literal translation: Worm Tail, Vampire] tells the well-known story of Count Dracula but with behind the scenes footage and scenes that where filmed along the actual shoot of Count Dracula.

The film provides a sometimes fascinating look behind the scenes, but I think that an actual behind the scenes documentary would have been nicer – clandestinely shooting the same film with the same actors for a second time might sound cool on paper, but doesn’t really work in the execution. (Or at least not in this execution of it.)

First, let me admit something: I have never actually read Dracula. I have it on my bookshelf, I have seen so many movie versions of it that it feels like I did, but it is one of those books that are still lacking in my reading education. Anyway, despite not having read it, I’m very familiar with the story – and I am glad that I am because without that knowledge, I think I would have been completely lost in the film.

With that knowledge I could make out the story that was being told, even though it took me a bit to realize that yes, they are really telling us the same story again. Which I honestly think is a fun idea to do as a kind of behind the scenes thing, but in this case it was very tiring.

There were perfect moments in it. When Christopher Lee reads the ending to us (making me briefly wish for an audiobook before remembering that I’m unable to listen to audiobooks for longer than a couple of moments before completely losing focus), that was a nice way to end the entire film. And when we get little glimpses in the actual work behind the camera – like when the count is basically wrapped into spiderwebs in his coffins. Those are the things that work about the film and provide us with a look behind the curtain that was pretty amazing.

But other than that, I was quickly bored by the film and extremely glad that it was rather short.

Summarizing: I would have prefered a less creative Behind the Scenes documentary.