Vamp - Chris Makepeace

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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r

directed by Richard Wenk
USA 1986

Fraternity pledges Keith (Chris Makepeace, MAZES AND MONSTERS) and AJ (Robert Rusler, A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 2: FREDDY'S REVENGE) are sent out on the town to obtain some strippers for a frat party to clinch their initiation. With geeky Duncan (Gedde Wantanabe) in tow, the pair venture into the downtown nightlife in search of the After Dark Club (tangling with a typically creepy Billy Drago along the way). The highlight of the After Dark Club's show is the beguiling Katrina (Grace Jones, A VIEW TO A KILL) and AJ soon disappears behind the curtain to get to know her better. Keith, however, only has eyes for spunky waitress Amareto (Dedee Pfeiffer, THE HORROR SHOW). When Keith goes in search of AJ, he finds him... dead and wrapped in a garbage bag. He returns to the club with the police only to find AJ seemingly very much alive, but his relief is short-lived when AJ and the club's strippers grow fangs and claws (and some really nasty toenails). Keith, Amareto, and Duncan make a run for it, but it appears that the city's vampire populace is not confined to the club, so they have to double back and confront vampire queen Katrina. VAMP is one of the better of a handful of vampire comedy films from the eighties (along with THE LOST BOYS, NEAR DARK, and FRIGHT NIGHT, with others like ONCE BITTEN and MY BEST FRIEND IS A VAMPIRE on a much lower tier; FRIGHT NIGHT PART II might owe more to VAMP than its own prequel) and certainly the best of New World's string of horror comedies. Makepeace, Rusler, and Pfeiffer are all likable leads (Watanabe, fresh from SIXTEEN CANDLES, gets some standout moments like his variation on "In the Mood for Love"), but Grace Jones' Katrina is a striking presence in both her stage make-up and under Greg Cannom's exaggerated vampire make-up (Cannom also provided vampire make-up for FRIGHT NIGHT 2, THE LOST BOYS, SUBSPECIES, and BLADE and won an Academy Award for his make-up effects on BRAM STOKER'S DRACULA); Jones also sings the song that underscores her striptease. Director Richard Wenk balances the comedy with some jumps and cool vampire prosthetics. The cinematography of Elliot Davis (who returned to vampires by lensing the lesser TWILIGHT) combines MTV camera moves with bold color gels and retro Dutch angles. Jonathan Elias' score segues from the OMEN-esque Latin choral main theme to eighties synths fitting to the club and neon-lit, rain-soaked LA streets (Elias scored several pictures for VAMP producer Donald P. Borchers, including the New World-released CHILDREN OF THE CORN and its recent TV remake). Even if VAMP isn't necessarily your cup of tea as far as vampire films go, it's still a fun eighties horror film.

Eric Cotenas

Posters

Theatrical Release: 18 July 1986 (USA)

Reviews DVD Reviews

DVD Comparison:

Arrow Video - Region 0 - PAL vs. Anchor Bay Entertainment - Region 1 - NTSC

Big thanks to Eric Cotenas for all the Screen Caps!

(Arrow Video - Region 0 - PAL - LEFT vs. Anchor Bay Entertainment - Region 1 - NTSC - RIGHT)

DVD Box Covers
Distribution	Arrow Video Region 0 - PAL	Anchor Bay Entertainment Region 1 - NTSC
Runtime	1:30:06 (4% PAL speedup)	1:33:48
Video	1.84:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 7.76 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s	1.84:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 6.27 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: Arrow Video
Bitrate: Anchor Bay Entertainment
Audio	English LPCM 2.0 mono	English Dolby Digital 2.0 mono
Subtitles	English, none	none
Features	Release Information: Studio: Arrow Video Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.84:1 Edition Details: • DISC 1: • Introduction by actor Robert Rusler (16:9; 0:27) • Audio Commentary by Robert Rusler • Theatrical Trailer (16:9; 1:22) • Easter Egg (16:9; 0:13) • DISC 2: • VAMP IT UP - interview with Dedee Pfeiffer (16:9; 26:59) • VAMP STRIPPED BARE - interview with Richard Wenk (16:9; 17:07) • BACK TO THE 80's - interview with Donald P. Borchers (16:9; 21:40) • SCRAPBOOK OF SCARES - Richard Wenk's VAMP memorabilia (16:9; 8:07) • Behind the Scenes (4:3; 6:38) • Blooper Reel (4:3; 6:13) • DRACULA BITES THE BIG APPLE short film by Richard Wenk (16:9; 21:07) • 4 panel reversible sleeve, double-sided poster, and collector's booklet DVD Release Date: 7 February 2011 Digipack in Slipcase with Window Chapters 16	Release Information: Studio: Anchor Bay Entertainment Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.84:1 Edition Details: • Audio Commentary by director Richard Wenk and actors Chris Makepeace, Dedee Pfeiffer and Gedde Watan • DRACULA BITES THE BIG APPLE short film by Richard Wenk (16:9; 22:01) • Behind the Scenes (4:3; 6:41) • Blooper Reel (4:3; 6:13) • Theatrical Trailer 1 (16:9; 1:24) • Theatrical Trailer 2 (4:3; 1:57) • 7 TV Spots (4:3; 0:30 each) • Poster and Still Gallery • Insert with Liner Notes by Michael Felsher DVD Release Date: 21 August 2001 Amaray Chapters 27

Comments

Arrow Video debuts a new Mondo Macabro-esque start-up promo reel with this title (it would have been nice if it was skippable for repeat viewings of the disc). Although the Arrow and Anchor Bay DVDs are matted to the same aspect ratio, Arrow's new DVD of reveals more picture information on the top and left sides of the frame. Saturation differs between the two transfers (although the Arrow is sometimes bolder), but Arrow reveals more picture detail throughout (a Blu-ray of the Arrow version is also due out). Unusual for DVD, Arrow has encoded the English mono audio as uncompressed LPCM (the commentary is 2.0 Dolby Digital) - so it should be the same as the audio on the Blu-ray - and optional English subtitles are provided.

Actor Robert Rusler provides a short introduction and a laid-back commentary (he has some interesting Grace Jones anecdotes, and we learn that Jerry Lewis was originally intended for the Sandy Baron role). Actress Dedee Pfeiffer, director Richard Wenk, and producer Donald P. Borchers are all interviews (as with other Arrow special editions, the animated credits and other intro material go on a bit too long, as do some of the clips). Commentary moderator Callum Wadell sifts through VAMP memorabilia with Wenk and Borchers. The short film "Dracula Bites the Big Apple" - which was shown on HBO and brought Wenk to the attention of Borchers - the behind the scenes footage, and the blooper reel were previously available on Anchor Bay's R1 edition. The Anchor Bay disc does feature an audio commentary with the director and actors Chris Makepeace, Dedee Pfeiffer, and Gedde Watanabe that is not present on the Arrow edition. It also includes a second trailer, seven TV spots, and a poster and still gallery. VAMP completists (if there are any) may want to pick up the Anchor Bay edition. It can be found quite cheaply on its own or in the Anchor Bay 6-disc FRIGHT PACK: CAMPY CLASSICS which features the film with five other New World horror-comedies (with all of the content of the individual editions).

- Eric Cotenas

DVD Menus
(Arrow Video - Region 0 - PAL - LEFT vs. Anchor Bay Entertainment - Region 1 - NTSC - RIGHT)