Plot: What’s it about?
In search of some entertainment for their fellow brothers, a couple of frat pledges venture into a strip joint. Of course, the guys plan to find some young hotties and convince them to return to the house, where the real fun awaits. But while this dive looks like just another low rent flesh cafe, it houses some real tension, to be sure. The usual rough characters seem to frequent the place, such as biker dudes and sure enough, the pledges end up on their bad side, though nothing too serious happens. But as you should be able to guess from the name of the club, The After Dark Club gets rowdy once the sun sets and while the strippers love to suck, it isn’t in the fashion the clients would appreciate. The girls love suck…blood and once the red stuff starts to flow, it will be almost impossible for anyone to escape the carnage. As the head vamp Katrina (Grace Jones) leads her girls through a bloodlust of violence, what will become of the pledges? Can two young, very horny men manage to escape with their lives, and necks intact?
This nugget of 1980s cinema has arrived on DVD at least, but of course, not everyone is pleased to hear the news. No, Vamp is not one of the universally loved pictures, but it has some fans and as such, it is nice to see it given a solid release. Yes, this movie stinks of 80s in every respect, but it is a fun ride and for 80s buff & vampire fans, it has a lot to offer. In fact, 80s film lovers will notice such relics as Grace Jones, Dedee Pfeiffer, and Gedde Watanabe, none of whom have recaptured the magic of their 80s bliss, if you ask me. I think the presence of Grace Jones is enough warrant to look, but if not, then how about Long Duck Dong himself, that has to be an offer viewers can’t refuse. This one looks 80s, sounds 80s, and no matter what, Vamp will always be dated, but that’s not a bad thing, if you like 80s flicks, that is. The vampire side of the movie is well handled, with some very cool transformations and attack scenes, so horror fans should be pleased there. Vamp is a very fun, but dated horror/comedy which has been given the royal treatment here, so if you’re at all interested, I more than recommend this release.
You never know what to expect when Grace Jones is listed in a cast, but really you do, which is a hard woman, with a real bad attitude. Her screen presence is often all that is called for, as her skills are less than stellar, to say the least. But she looks means and her persona is even meaner, so she can tackle some roles, so long as her lines are minimal. As Michael Felsher says in the insert booklet, Jones is given just enough screen time in Vamp, which means she doesn’t overstay her welcome, as she does in some pictures. You can also see Jones in such films as Conan the Destroyer, Boomerang, Straight to Hell, A View to a Kill, and Cyber Bandits. The cast also includes Chris Makepeace (Meatballs, Aloha Summer), Dedee Pfeiffer (The ALLnighter, Red Surf), and Gedde Watanabe (Sixteen Candles, UHF).
Video: How does it look?
Vamp is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. As a lot of these lower profile 80s flick look miserable these days, I wasn’t too hopeful for Vamp, in terms of visual presentation. Even with a new anamorphic transfer, I was unsure how good the film could look, but I am a doubter no more. The film’s print looks cleaner and ever before and while the movie has some tricky visuals, this transfer comes through in all regards. The intense color patterns look excellent here, with very rich hues, but no bleeds or smears in the least. I don’t know how they do it sometimes, but Anchor Bay has delivered again, much to the delight of Vamp fans.
Audio: How does it sound?
The mono track here should satisfy fans, but as with any mono option, it covers the basics and little else. I was surprised by how clean the materials were, as no age related errors were to be found, very impressive work. The dialogue, music, and sound effects all come through in fine form, but with the expected mono limitations. This one doesn’t have much flash, but it is more than up to the task, which proves to be enough here.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc has some very cool inclusions, but the best of the lot is an audio commentary track, which features director Richard Wenk, as well as stars Gedde Watanabe, Dedee Pfeiffer, and Chris Makepeace. This is an upbeat, very lively track, as all four chime with comments, but remain focused on memories, as opposed to technical details. I found this to be a most enjoyable session, as it was always fun and never dull, which is how it should be in this case. You can also see Wenk’s short film Dracula Bites the Big Apple, which is a very dated piece, but still a very welcome addition, since it is unlikely to pop up anywhere else. A large selection of still photos, promotional materials, and such is also included, with a lot of cool behind the scenes shots, as opposed to dull, publicity photos, as are often found on DVDs. This disc also includes a blooper reel, seven television spots, seven minutes of behind the scenes footage, and two theatrical trailers.
