The Edificio Rialto brings back VAMPIR-CUADECUC, the experimental film directed by Pere Portabella in 1970. Shot in black and white, this work reuses footage from Jesús Franco’s El Conde Drácula (1970) but transforms it into a cinematic essay that challenges traditional horror narrative.
What is VAMPIR-CUADECUC
VAMPIR-CUADECUC is not a conventional making-of but a radical intervention on the original material. Portabella strips away colour, replaces the soundtrack, and restructures the images to create a reflection on cinema, power, and representation. The 66-minute film premiered at the Directors’ Fortnight of the Cannes Film Festival in 1971 and has since become a landmark of Spanish experimental cinema. Its title—cuadecuc means "worm’s tail" in Catalan—evokes the idea of an appendix or alternative version, like a shadow of Franco’s film.
Cast
Though the film uses footage from El Conde Drácula, the commercial production’s cast appears in VAMPIR-CUADECUC as raw material. Key performers include:
- Christopher Lee (Drácula).
- Klaus Kinski (Renfield).
- Herbert Lom (Van Helsing).
- Soledad Miranda (Lucy Westenra).
- Fred Williams (Jonathan Harker).
- María Rohm (Mina Harker).
Screenings and introduction
The film will be shown in two sessions:
- 15 October 2026 at 20:00: with an introduction by Ramón Alfonso, film critic at the Institut Valencià de Cultura.
- 18 October 2026 at 18:00: screening without introduction.
Admission is free and no prior booking is required.
Context and style
VAMPIR-CUADECUC is a key work for understanding the shift in Spanish cinema toward more experimental approaches. Portabella, known for his commitment to auteur cinema, uses this film to question the boundaries of genre and industry. The absence of dialogue, black-and-white visuals, and minimalist soundtrack reinforce its status as a visual art piece rather than a conventional film.
