VAMPUS HORROR TALES ANTHOLOGY FILM

The horror comic magazine, VAMPUS is the Spanish version of CREEPY. Ibero Mundial de Ediciones (I.M.D.E.) located in Barcelona was the publisher and the first issue was published in September 1971.It was aimed at an adult readership along with titles such as DOSSIER NEGRO and RUFUS.

VAMPUS lifted Uncle Creepy as well as appropriating Cousin Eerie when one or the other's stories were reprinted. Also included in some issues were text articles on horror films and stars that were accompanied by photographs.

This year, an anthology film entitled, VAMPUS HORROR TALES is set to be premiered at a film festival. The production was halted when the coronavirus hit, but the filmmakers persevered 

This report from the Spanish blog, Acadamiadecine on June 8 of this year describes the challenges during the making of the film:

VAMPUS HORROR TALES
Manuel M. Velasco, Isaac Berrocal, Érika Elizalde, Piter Moreira and Víctor Matellano  shoot an anthology of horror stories, introduced by a sinister undertaker as host.

“Fantastic and horror fans have always appreciated feature films in anthology form. There is a great tradition in cinema with these types of films, which are still being made today, but not so much in Spanish cinema, a question for which we found it interesting to make our own contribution. In the tradition of the films of the production company Amicus, and of the debtor titles of comics such as Tales from the Crypt or Creepy , with its 'host character' introducing the stories, and in rigorous black and white, our proposal combines mystery, humor and terror. A good exercise for a group of directors, artists and technicians to develop a common and collective project, which we believe is very suggestive".  Erika Elizalde. Executive producer

Víctor Matellano, one of the co-directors of this ten-handed project, and responsible for the creative production of this horror feature film, explains to the Academy's website the details of this new situation in which the shooting days are more long with a mask and gloves, due to the constant cleaning of hands as well as the daily disinfection and temperature measurement measures. “It is very difficult to shoot in these conditions. The actors had to be tested, brought an entry protocol to the sanitation set, put gel on the gloves every few minutes, among many other things ”.

He states that apart from the sanitary protection measures that must be applied, and working with a small team, “we are working on adapting the script to the new situation. That the characters do not have physical contact with each other, and turn the exterior scenes into interiors. Inertia leads you to come closer to comment, as is always the case in filming, close to colleagues, and now it is difficult ”.  On the other hand, it was necessary to eliminate sequences in which there was contact between the characters and transform the exteriors into interiors. We have also had to eliminate some effects, due to the complication of the previous tests where there can be no interpersonal distance ”.

And he says that they have adapted to the actor  David M. Santana who lives in the Canary Islands, “it was difficult to bring him to Madrid. We had to organize the collaboration of a second unit there to shoot their plans. Now what we have to shoot is done by the Uruguayan team, I hope they have no problems ”. The filmmaker has said.

(Above) Elena Furiase and Félix Gómez apply hydroalcoholic gel during a break from filming

Mr. Fettes, aka VAMPUS.

Synopsis
Mr. Fettes is the particular guardian of the cemetery, a sinister being who keeps many secrets. He buries the dead by day, and digs them up at night for unspeakable purposes. He likes to be called Vampus, and to read horror comics, especially love stories, understood in his necrophilous way. Vampus introduces us to four of those stories that take place in a lost house in the mountains, in a sinister amusement park, in a unique wedding hall and in a world beset by a strange pandemic ...
 

Title : VAMPUS HORROR TALES
Genre : Feature Film Fiction
Current status of the project : Filming 
Directors : Manuel M. Velasco, Isaac Berrocal, Érika Elizalde, Piter Moreira, Víctor Matellano.
Original idea: Víctor Matellano.
Scripts : Yolanda García Serrano, Isaac Berrocal, Victoria Vázquez, Ignacio López-Vacas, Piter Moreira, Diego Arjona and Víctor Matellano.
Production Company : Argot Films
Producers: Rafael Martín and Érika Elizalde / Executive Prod .: Érika Elizalde / Associate Prod.: David Fernández, David Cortázar, Víctor Matellano and Lucía Moreira / Creative Production: Víctor Matellano / Assistant Director: Juan Albarracín and Antonio Durán / Artistic Director : Aran Gaspar / Director Photography : David Cortázar / Editing : Diego Sániz / Sound mixes : Mikel Z. Castells, and José I. Arrufat / Music: Javier de la Morena / Costumes : Luis Campos / Supervisor and special events : Colin Arthur / Still photo: Víctor Paniagua / Press : Carmen Jiménez.
Performers : Nacho Guerreros, Elena Furiase, Félix Gómez, Saturnino García, Montse Plá, Diego Arjona, Érika Sanz, Dunia Rodríguez, Daniela Dardanelli, José Lifante, Africa Gozálbes, Miguel Molina, Luis Hacha, Almudena León, Rafa Rodrigo, David M. Santana, Marian Clar, Gus Cantolla, Alberto Rivas, Marina Romero, Sergio Morcillo, Lone Fleming, Antonio Mayans, Federico Repetto, Vicky Jorge, Mateo Suárez, Héctor Cantolla (Voice), Víctor Clavijo (Voice) and Carlos Areces (Voice).
Shooting start : February 18 /  Shooting duration : 4 weeks
Locations. Interior decorations : Q-Box Set, Terror Train-Madrid Wax Museum. Exteriors: Montevideo (Uruguay), Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Navacerrada, Colmenar Viejo, Leganés and Madrid.
Format : Digital 4K. Scope 2:40. Black and white Shooting language : Spanish

Production stills: