Vampires in Havana

Pepe Amadeus von Dracula works as a trumpet player in Havana's 1930s music scene, while secretly dabbling in quasi-terrorist plots aimed at overthrowing Gerardo Machado. His double life blends music, danger, and political intrigue. The vibrant city provides the backdrop for his evolving identity.

Werner Amadeus von Dracula, Pepe's uncle, develops a serum that negates the lethal effects of sunlight on vampires. He uses Pepe as an unwitting test subject, weaving the experiment into a grand scheme to empower vampires with dayproof power. The unsettling lab work foreshadows a global chase once the formula becomes known.

Two rival factions learn of Vampisol: a Chicago-based crime syndicate seeking to suppress the formula to control indoor resort monopolies, and a coalition of European vampires aiming to market it worldwide. They have different motives, but both see the serum as a game-changing asset. The discovery triggers a worldwide manhunt for Pepe.

Pepe learns the truth about his vampiric heritage and that Werner intends to distribute the formula to all vampires. The revelation fills him with fear and a sense of urgency to protect himself and those he loves. With the target on his back, Pepe becomes the focal point of a dangerous chase.

A multi-pronged manhunt launches, sending factions and bounty hunters into pursuit through Havana's seediest neighborhoods. Pepe and Lola navigate crowded streets, alleys, and markets as the danger closes in from every direction. The city itself becomes a labyrinth of threats and narrow escapes.

The pursuit peaks as Pepe and Lola are cornered by Johnny Terrori, the Chicago cartel's vampire mobster. Terrori presses Pepe for a last drink, hoping to prove his dominance. Pepe refuses, setting the stage for a decisive confrontation that will decide the fate of Vampisol.

Terrori demands Pepe drink blood, but Pepe spits it out in disgust, exposing a grave disrespect for vampiric rituals. He recalls a past wound from a lead bullet and realizes he remains impervious to sunlight, a trait that undermines traditional vampire weaknesses. The confrontation reveals that Pepe is no longer a normal vampire, altering the balance of power.

Realizing Vampisol would turn vampires into humans, Terrori's interest drains away. He recognizes that the serum's promised control and profit depend on the vampiric state remaining intact. The perceived power of Vampisol begins to crumble as the implications become clear.

The European vampire leadership proposes a deal: vampires would take small amounts of Vampisol in the summer and visit the mobsters' artificial beaches in the winter. They envision a lucrative, cyclical exploitation that avoids full humanity while maximizing profits. The plan hints at a fragile global bargain that could still fail.

In a dramatic final act, Pepe sings instructions on how to prepare Vampisol over the radio to vampires worldwide. He urges caution, insisting they use the formula sparingly to avoid becoming human. The broadcast instantly shifts the balance of power and sets a new, precarious course for vampire-kind.

The global broadcast makes Vampisol financially worthless as its dangers and unpredictability become public knowledge. Both the Chicago cartel and the European vampires find their plots thwarted by the realization that the serum's use is unsustainable. The power they sought slips away, leaving their schemes in ruins.

The film closes with a vampire looking directly at the audience and warning that the person next to you on the beach might be a vampire. The line breaks the fourth wall and leaves a lingering sense of everyday danger. It serves as a chilling reminder to stay vigilant in a world where the supernatural could be closer than you think.