Vamp
Vamp
R | 18 July 1986 (USA)
Vamp Trailers

Two fraternity pledges go to a sleazy bar in search of a stripper for their college friends, unaware it is occupied by vampires.

Reviews
Alicia

I love this movie so much

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WasAnnon

Slow pace in the most part of the movie.

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Claysaba

Excellent, Without a doubt!!

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Matrixiole

Simple and well acted, it has tension enough to knot the stomach.

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gwnightscream

This 1986 horror comedy stars Chris Makepeace, Robert Rusler, Dedee Pfeiffer, Gedde Watanabe and Grace Jones. Makepeace (Meatballs) and Rusler (A Nightmare on Elm Street 2) play college pals, Keith and A.J. who decide to find strippers to impress a frat they're pledging. They ask for a ride from classmate, Duncan (Watanabe) to go to a strip bar, "The After Dark" and discover that it's a vampire haven. Pfeiffer (Sister of Michelle Pfeiffer) plays waitress, Allison and Jones (A View to a Kill) plays vampire leader, Katrina. This is a pretty good flick with a decent cast and great make-up effects which obviously inspired, "From Dusk Till Dawn." If you enjoy vampire flicks, check this out.

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christopher-underwood

After an unsettling start, this roars off in exciting manner through night streets, bathed as if by Mario Bava in streaks of green, pink and mauve. This could even be Planet of the Vampires, did we but know it. Inside a strip club we have a whole delirious section, fantastically designed and choreographed, the centre piece of which is the turn of Grace Jones. It is as good as anything she has ever done as she prances and dances and more to one of her own songs. Things get more vampiric and the delirium continues. Some time after halfway through, however, we suddenly notice the absence of the wondrous lady and realise just how flat and juvenile things have become. Things pick up towards the end and all in all, even including the music (very decent, especially for an 80s film) this is well worth a watch and much underrated.

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rooee

Scary, violent, and playful, Vamp is the quintessential 1980s mashup of Brat Pack comedy and trash horror. It's one a handful of films directed by Richard Wenk, these days better known for writing blockbusters like The Equalizer and The Magnificent Seven. Keith and AJ (Chris Makepeace and Robert Rusler) are two kids looking to sleaze their way into the college fraternity. They intend to do so by hiring the ultimate stripper. With the help of the infinitely wealthy Duncan (Gedde Watanabe) they go to the city and find themselves at the After Dark strip club. It's owned by Katrina (Grace Jones), who also turns out to be their dream girl. What they haven't banked on is that the club is populated by vampire strippers, queen among whom is Katrina herself. A raunchy road trip turns into a desperate lunge for survival, as the bloodsucking bad guys close in on their prey.Vamp is pure energy and efficiency: 90 minutes of gaudy, gory fun. There's always a wink in its eye: upon entering the city, the boys find themselves in the back alleys via a car accident, the vehicle spinning like the house of Dorothy Gale. One character quips, "We're not in Kansas anymore". After that it's a neon-lit nightmare all the way, impaled with Dario Argento-style pinks and greens. The chemistry between the characters is a breeze. There's the easy banter between Keith and AJ, and the less-than-easy chemistry between Keith and Allison (Dedee Pfeiffer). Allison, an old flame of Keith's, may be oddly ignorant to the true nature of her murderous colleagues, but she's not naive; she may be bouncy and adorable, but she's no pixie dream girl. Duncan, meanwhile, embodies the swagger and impotence of 80s excess – his money buys them into trouble but cannot get them out again. Then there's Grace Jones, whose unique persona is put to great use here. Her striptease is frightening and sensual. She's the original Lady Gaga and she's off the leash. She doesn't say a word throughout the whole film but she doesn't need to – her eyes and hair and clothes do all the talking. The makeup effects are seriously special. Queen Katrina is a grotesque creation: the deliberate antithesis of Jones's pristine elegance. As for the excellent sound design, well, the noise of gorging on carotid blood has never been so fantastically disgusting and guttural. As the film wears on it does begin to lose some of its initial spark. The final onslaught has more in common with a zombie horde than a pack of lethal vampires. The eerie atmosphere and the visual gags slip away – an early moment when the owner of a greasy spoon cafe dons a priest's robe and cross at the end of his shift is never topped – in favour of more ordinary action dynamics. From frat house to strip club to sewer, Vamp is a far cry from the opulent castles of Stoker's myth. Its heightened grottiness is all its own, and its simple storytelling and memorable characters have stood the test of time. I watched it once on grainy VHS, and it's a pleasure to rediscover it as one of the better comedy horrors of the decade.

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Dagon

The 1980's were a great time in horror. There are some out there who believe the majority of the titles were nothing but straight cheese but that's not always the case. This special decade in time gave movie producers the opportunity to boast some impressive special effects that brought many outdated themes current with the young audience of the time. One of which that benefited greatly was that of the vampiric sub- genre. After Hammer's numerous and desperate attempts to cash in on the countless reincarnations of Dracula, movie-goers lost interest. Something needed to be done and the result was a successful one. Titles like 1985's Fright Night (and yes, including its sequel) and 1987's Near Dark, starring Bill Paxton, are perfect examples. One could even mention the venerable Lost Boys and '83's The Hunger, starring the ever-popular David Bowie.Vamp follows suit when it comes to campy yet fun vampire flicks. Essentially, I liken it to Fright Night - certainly not the most serious collection of titles in the sub-genre but fulfilling enough. The premise concerns a young group of college kids who decide to embark on a roadtrip. Their final destination? To visit a nightclub that turns out to be less than ordinary. As you can deduce from the title, I'm sure you're aware of the trouble the main characters are in for. It's interesting to note here that a young (well...younger) Billy Drago makes an appearance as an offbeat thug, wandering the dark alleys of no-mans- land. You may recognize Drago for his contributions to Takashi Miike's twisted Masters of Horror tale Imprint, Michael Jackson's You Rock My World video, an episode of Supernatural, an episode from the Friday the 13th series back in '88, or an episode from another horror/sci-fi anthology entitled Monsters, that ran from 1988-1990.Vamp has that 80's flair to it that doesn't exist in any other decade. What mainly catches my interest about the 80's is the fashion, first and foremost, and the music that was released at the time. I appreciate the experimentation that was occurring behind the scenes but I'm still not overly impressed by the mainstream flavor. Vamp has every cliché you'd expect which is why I'm sure they consider it a comedy. Although humorous, the makeup is no joke - they had talented artists on board for sure. There will be times you'll ask yourself, "Wait, why did he just go and do that?" There will be moments with lewd and immature behavior...possibly even jokes that just aren't funny. If you're a fan of the protagonist looking much older than his intended age, brave 80's fashion, and a soundtrack that will bring you back, you won't be disappointed by Vamp whatsoever. Here's your assignment for the weekend: Go out and rent Vamp, Fright Night, The Hunger, Near Dark, and Lost Boys. Go one step further and put on the Fright Night soundtrack (admittingly I have songs from that in my collection) and pay tribute to this splendid era in horror. Have a report on my desk by Monday and if you have anything bad to say about the 80's...I'll murder you in your sleep.

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