VAMP-One bite will change you…forever!
BLURAY Release
This is one film you can really sink your teeth into…materializing on screens at a theater near you summer of ‘86.
Arrow Films have been giving films the red carpet treatment for quite some time and the new Bluray release Vamp is no exception- loaded with bonus and extras galore ….it is a campy send up of films a la Fright Night with the role with the fangs being displayed by none other than the crazy, flamboyant soul singer-Grace Jones. And don’t think for a moment that even though I mentioned campy that this film doesn’t have its thrills and chills. If it was not for the tongue in cheek approach and over top performances from the supporting cast, this would have been a nail-biter. As they say not only has the curtain risen, but the moon is full and the city is awake, even the vampires are out tonight.
Vamp is nothing more than a delicious slice of sheer 80’s mix of fun and horror … campy and popping with color like a ’66 Batman episode. Non-cliche with an unusual turn for Chris Makepeace as the hero Keith and his buddy of all buddies Robert Rusler as AJ. Featuring New York City as the backdrop, which gives us a place where anything can happen and everything is acceptable. This is a movie that takes place in a day/night and I love stories like that because they seem to zip along and because the audience does not have to keep track of the time line it is easier to immerse themselves within the story and the characters.
Our heroes Keith and AJ are charged with the duty of securing entertainment for a frat party and that intern means a stripper and along for the ride, actually he is there ride … Gedde Watanabe(from Gung Ho/Sixteen Candles) as Duncan. Duncan is in serious need of friends and he’ll do just about anything. You know where our gang is going to up, none other than you guessed it, the After Dark Club. Now what really makes this film for me is the connection between Keith/AJ, these guys have such a great time on screen and Chris and Robert spent most of their time bonding before the filming even started to develop this chemistry. They know what each other is thinking almost to the point of finishing each other’s sentences. I was not only able to believe them but it brought me back to my high school- college days and the way my friends and I we use to pal around and even ended up in a similar situation one night-just minus the vampires, they might have been vamps just not the ones with fangs, none the less it did not make our adventure any less exhilarating. I actually had a friend like AJ and he was the ladies’ man. This friendship that Keith/AJ share is what puts this film in over-drive when after trying to secure a dancer AJ disappears within the club and Keith will not stop until he finds his best friend.
The real treat here is the cast of off the wall supporting characters and the wonderful actors that play them including the exotic Grace Jones as Queen Katrina a chilling vampire with a bad temper, but portrayed with very little dialog. Instead relying mostly on her body language and facial expressions which with Grace says more than words ever could…she has an amazing physical presence that when she is on camera your thinking please can I have more of this. Now I looked up the word Vamp which refers to a seductive woman who sexually exploits men. And in keeping with that thought a female vampire who exerts their control over a man or men is a Vamp hence the title of this film and the theme that is sprinkled thru out and if you keep your eyes on Grace Jones in the film when she is on screen she just exuberates this to a T, the casting could not have been more right — for she is every bit seductive and she definitely wields her influence over the male population of her realm in this case the After Dark Club, which is a bevy of all-female exotic dancers who just happen to be the bloodsucking type literally. There is a scene about a quarter of the way through that shows the male audience spellbound after Katrina’s performance on stage and the club just goes completely quiet for a long moment as if no one could believe what they just saw … then everyone starts applauding and throwing bills at the stage. The look on each of their faces is one of awe and excitement with a little bit of spellbound thrown in for good measure.
Some of the other actors rounding out he cast include Dedee Pfeiffer as a long lost acquaintance Keith’s who is very bright but spiked on love, only he doesn’t know it’s him. Even when Dedee is not on screen you can just feel her love for Keith is genuine and she lends a quirky- yet smart performance and really lifts this film to another level.
The other delights of this movie are Billy Drago who is absolutely superb as the leader of a punked-out/goth gang Snow who has it in for Keith and AJ. Billy is way over the top but this only helps add to the some of the tension at times and also lends itself to some comic moments to help ease the more-scarier moments that take place on screen.
My favorite non- lead in the film is Sandy Brown as Vic our “Renfield” of the story and every vampire has to have one. Vic is the MC/Host at After Dark and he is dedicated to Queen Katrina and he is a pretty smart whip at times. One of the craziest scenes which should shed some light that this club is not all that it seems is when Keith walks over to where Vic’s podium is to ask a question and he goes to grab a handful of what he thought were peanuts that Vic had just been munching on and it turns out to be cockroaches.
The look on Chris/Keith goes from surprise to utter disgust. I actually cringe every time I watch this scene. And imagine as a reviewer the things we must endure do to bring the story home. Oh and of course the actors too. Yech!!!
Vamp just like C.H.U.D takes full advantage of its surroundings and the concept of the story with several scenes that take place within the subterranean world just below the After Dark Club including Queen Katrina’s lair with over-sized tunnels within the sewer system and the lighting on the film exudes a “Batman Forever” appeal with greens and purples especially once we arrive at the club and more so once the story moves under the club. But keep in mind that Vamp was produced a few years before even the 1st Tim Burton Batman.
Maybe Joel’s turn at the helm was slightly influenced. Richard Wenk’s intuitive direction captures the heart of what makes a piece of celluloid a great “Horror” Film The ending really benefits from the sets and the sheer talent of its cast…a real nail-biter and very rewarding. The showdown between Chris’s character and Katrina puts him in the old “Mexican” stand -off situation, I can only say thank goodness bows and arrows have many applications.
The special effects and makeup are what lends an almost modern “Hammer” look, I love when Grace is about to put the bite on AJ and after undulating her body unbeknownst to AJ her fangs grow and nails extend and then her eyes role backwards, very wild and scary. Keep your eyes peeled for scenes like this thru out.
Left-Grace getting her make up applied .
Arrow has provided another release with lots of goodies in the form of extras: the only thing I felt was missing was an audio commentary and if we will it to happen in the future. What we do have is a masterpiece of behinds the scenes and a making-of with interviews/comments from the main cast and crew, this is really a treat because Chris Makepeace does not grant interviews anymore and has left showbiz quite some time ago. After enjoying the film and then watching the One of Those Nights-the retrospect documentary it is clearly evident that this is as much a joy to behold on screen as it was to make. Also for our viewing pleasure is a short comedy/horror/musical entitled Dracula Bites the Big Apple- this is a hoot and has to be seen to be appreciated. The behind the scenes if there was one for this would make a great story because how some of these musical numbers were shot in the places for example at top of the Empire State building is beyond me. Obtaining permission to film there is extremely tough even back in the day. Considering the logistics alone. Whew!! And it’s funny to boot. Rounding out the extras are blooper reels, trailers and a gallery. This is enough to leave any self-respecting vampire just dripping … with anticipation. Well I say drink up and be merry.
Tagline: “Ever have one of those nights?” And “The first kiss maybe your last”
Hey gang remember the next time someone asks you go looking for entertainment please do yourself a favor and do a little more research than just thumbing thru the paper for safety sake or at least make darn sure one of you is well instructed in Archery or at least watches a lot of Arrow or catches a few of Stephan Amell’s live broadcasts on Facebook…
Your ever-loving “Doc” saying Arrow Films I take my hat off to you for two delicious slices of horror -comedy and both nicely stuffed like a Thanksgiving Turkey!!! And to the rest of you the credits are over, it’s time to go home. Oh I forgot most likely you already are. So close the book and turn those darn lights off- I’m trying to sleep…Good Night!
Available at Amazon.com and other great retailers.
Arrow Films:
US -via MVD Group-
UK-
