Vamp

 

Moviedrome Introduction

Film Details 

Release Date: 1986

Director: Richard Wenk

Stars: Teens Stars of Video Hell VCR. And Michelle Pfeiffer's sister.

Plot Summary

Vamp (1986) is a stylish horror-comedy directed and written by Richard Wenk, in his feature directorial debut. Released in the heyday of 1980s vampire films, it blends black comedy, neon-soaked visuals and comic-book horror into a cult favourite.

College fraternity pledges Keith (Chris Makepeace) and A.J. (Robert Rusler) are tasked with finding entertainment for a fraternity party. Accompanied by wealthy classmate Duncan (Gedde Watanabe), they venture into a dangerous part of town and discover the mysterious After Dark Club.

The club's headline performer is the striking Katrina (Grace Jones), whose hypnotic stage act conceals a far darker secret: she is a powerful vampire. The trio soon discover that the club's staff, patrons and much of the surrounding neighbourhood are inhabited by vampires. Trapped until sunrise, they must evade Katrina and her undead followers while trying to rescue Allison (Dedee Pfeiffer), a dancer who has not yet fully succumbed to vampirism. What begins as a simple errand becomes a frantic fight for survival through a surreal, nightmarish city.

Personal History

May have been vaguely aware of it from Grace Jones' performance.

Current Review

The 1980's Moviedrome picks have aged far more badly than those of the 50s and 60s. This is all neon, dry ice and dreadful music.

Its also quite terrible. So terrible, it nearly comes back around the other days.

The story is flimsy. Two "jocks" want to hire strippers to impress a fraternity. Are we feeling 80's VCR enough yet? They get a rich Asian/American to provide the wheels. He adds nothing to the story at all. They go to a strip joint. There is some nudity. Everyone turns into vampires and a massive fight ensues.

Grace Jones appears as Katrina.... does a dance (to her own music?) on a mad chair mirroring her own paintwork and doesn't say a word.

Could be Hazel O' Connor

Yet despite this, I was constantly reminded of two films. The jokey humour was very An American Werewolf in London, which preceded it by five years. Yet more interestingly, From Dusk to Dawn practically steals from it. 

Quirky Facts

The bizarre human-like chair Grace Jones performs her striptease on was made from a body cast of her then-boyfriend Dolph Lundgren. Jesus.

Tina Turner was considered for the role of Katrina. Double Jesus.

Quotes

Lets not insult ourselves here.

Future Inspiration

Got to be From Dusk till Dawn. Just so that I can rock out to Tito and Tarantula.