Trivia - Vamp

When I was a teenager in the 1980s, a very unique vampire movie hit theaters that left a lasting impression on me. That movie was “Vamp,” the wildly original 1986 horror-comedy starring Grace Jones, Chris Makepeace, Robert Rusler, Gedde Watanabe, Sandy Baron, and DeDee Pfeiffer. With its outrageous style, dark humor, unforgettable characters, and larger-than-life visuals, “Vamp” was unlike anything I had seen before. It was pure, over-the-top ’80s fun — and decades later, it remains one of those movies I still remember fondly.

So, when I finally had the opportunity to interview DeDee Pfeiffer, one of the stars of the film, I knew I had to ask her about “Vamp”! DeDee was wonderfully candid and endlessly entertaining during our conversation for Episodes 187 & 188 of Hollywood Obsessed Podcast. Best known for playing Cybill Shepherd’s daughter on “Cybill” and, more recently, Denise Brisbane on ABC’s “Big Sky”, DeDee took me on a fascinating journey through her unconventional path to Hollywood and the many memorable stops along the way.

One of the highlights of our conversation was “Vamp,” DeDee’s first starring feature film. She takes me behind the scenes of making the movie and shares all the crazy, unexpected, and sometimes downright wild things that happened on the set, including what it was really like working alongside the legendary Grace Jones. Her stories give you a whole new appreciation for this wonderfully outrageous film — and, believe me, they’ll leave you wanting more! DeDee also shares behind-the-scenes stories from “The All-Nighter,” “Red Surf,” “Falling Down,” “Friends,” “Seinfeld,” and “Cybill,” including working with George Clooney, Joan Cusack, Joel Schumacher, Michael Douglas, and Christine Baranski.

So, before you dive into these fascinating Vamp trivia facts, be sure to listen to Episodes 187 & 188 of Hollywood Obsessed Podcast — “DeDee Pfeiffer: From Vamp to Cybill, Hollywood, Reinvention & Beyond” — Parts 1 & 2 — NOW STREAMING!

And after reading these “Vamp” trivia fun facts, you may just find yourself wanting to dust off that old VHS — or fire up your favorite streaming service — and revisit this wonderfully weird ’80s cult classic all over again!

So grab your popcorn, dim the lights, and take a trip back to the wonderfully strange world of “Vamp”!

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The filmmakers originally envisioned a straight horror spoof inspired by “Airplane!,” but studios were hesitant, believing audiences wouldn’t accept a movie that tried to be both genuinely scary and genuinely funny.

The project began when producer Donald P. Borchers met filmmaker Richard Wenk, who had made a short film titled Dracula Bites the Big Apple. The two decided to develop a feature together, which became “It Came... All Night,” a spoof of thriller movies in the style of Airplane!. Unfortunately, they couldn’t find a studio willing to finance it.

Following the success of “Re-Animator,” the filmmakers changed direction and decided to make an actual scary movie with strong comedic elements — the approach that eventually became “Vamp.”

Producer Donald P. Borchers came up with the title “Vamp” while driving home, imagining a story about a group of stripper vampires.

New World Pictures provided the film with a reported $3.3 million budget.

According to producer Donald P. Borchers, the role of Vic was specifically written with Jerry Lewis in mind. Lewis was reportedly interested in appearing in the film, but the studio’s sales department wasn’t enthusiastic about the casting.

DeDee Pfeiffer is the younger sister of Oscar-nominated actress Michelle Pfeiffer. The two sisters both pursued acting careers in Hollywood, with DeDee making her feature-film debut in her sister’s 1985 film “Into The Night” directed by John Landis.

The first day of filming was January 28, 1986 — the same day the Space Shuttle Challenger tragically exploded. The cast and crew watched the devastating news unfold while on location.

Before casting Grace Jones as the film’s unforgettable lead vampire, Katrina, the filmmakers considered other performers, including Tina Turner.

Grace Jones arrived on the production with her own makeup team and helped bring some major artistic talent into the project. Through Jones, artists Andy Warhol and Keith Haring became associated with the film’s distinctive visual style and her character’s look.

Director Richard Wenk reportedly struggled with Jones’ acting during production, ultimately leading him to eliminate much of her dialogue. The decision worked in the film’s favor, allowing Jones’ commanding physical presence to do much of the talking.

Jones was known for occasionally arriving late to set, but once the cameras rolled, she brought an intense commitment to her performance. Her dance sequence ultimately evolved into one of the film’s most memorable pieces of performance art.

“Vamp” marked DeDee Pfeiffer’s first starring feature-film role. She plays Amaretto, a waitress at the After Dark club — an establishment that happens to be home to a group of very dangerous stripper vampires.

An elaborate carjacking stunt staged in the middle of a Los Angeles intersection caused such a massive traffic backup that local authorities ultimately pulled the production’s filming permit.

During the scene in which Grace Jones bites Robert Rusler, her prosthetic vampire fangs pierced through the latex neck appliance and into Rusler’s actual skin, drawing real blood.

The film’s original unit photographer suffered a family tragedy just as production began and had to miss an entire week of filming. A replacement cinematographer who had worked on “The Lost Boys” stepped in temporarily but reportedly remained uncredited because of strict union regulations.

Grace Jones’ striking body paint during her dance sequence was created by her close friend, the legendary artist Keith Haring.

The bizarre, human-like chair on which Jones performs her famous dance was also painted by Keith Haring, adding another unmistakable touch of his artistic style to the film.

One of the production’s strangest stories involves Grace Jones reportedly bringing her vibrator to the set and allegedly appearing completely nude during an ADR recording session. It’s certainly one of the more outrageous behind-the-scenes tales associated with “Vamp”.

Several production goofs made it into the finished film, reportedly because of the tight shooting schedule. During Grace Jones’ sun-death sequence, for example, a crew member’s hand can be seen holding a skeleton arm. Another continuity mishap involves an electrical cable puller accidentally catching the camera’s eye during an escape sequence.

DeDee Pfeiffer’s car was reportedly stolen right off the set while the cast and crew were filming in downtown Los Angeles.

Director Richard Wenk came close to being removed from the production because of a series of on-set mishaps. However, the cast and crew reportedly rallied behind him, helping him remain at the helm.

Producer Donald P. Borchers has recalled one particularly bizarre incident involving Grace Jones. When Jones failed to show up for filming, Borchers went to her home to find out what was happening. According to his account, he discovered that Jones was harboring an actress who was wanted for questioning by the FBI regarding the whereabouts of her criminal boyfriend.

Billy Drago naturally has very dark hair. To play the albino gang leader Snow, the actor bleached his hair — and even his eyebrows — completely white.

The song Grace Jones performs during her famous dance/striptease sequence was actually sung by Jones herself, but it was never commercially released in its original form because it wasn’t included on the film’s soundtrack album. Credited simply as “Vamp,” Jones later recorded a heavily reworked version titled “Seduction Surrender” for her 1989 album Bulletproof Heart.

The strange human-like chair Grace Jones dances on was created using a body cast of her then-boyfriend, Dolph Lundgren, making the already bizarre prop even more unusual.

Vamp was initially banned in the Canadian province of Ontario by the Ontario Censor Board. Distributor New World-Mutual appealed the decision, and the film was ultimately approved uncut with a “Restricted” classification.

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Some of the facts featured in this article were sourced from IMDb and Wikipedia.

If these fun facts have you feeling a little nostalgic for this wonderfully wild ’80s horror-comedy classic, there’s even more “Vamp” fun waiting for you! Be sure to check out my fascinating two-part conversation with actress DeDee Pfeiffer on Hollywood Obsessed Podcast in Episodes 187 & 188. DeDee takes me behind the scenes of her unpredictable Hollywood journey and shares some crazy, hilarious, and never-before-heard stories about making this stylish and outrageous vampire film alongside the unforgettable Grace Jones.

But “Vamp” is just one chapter of DeDee’s incredible story. She also opens up about walking away from acting for nearly a decade, returning to college as a single mother, and ultimately getting sober. She explains why playing Denise Brisbane on “Big Sky” was particularly meaningful — it was the first character she ever played sober.

Funny, candid, revealing, and occasionally outrageous, my conversation with DeDee is packed with Hollywood memories, surprises, and stories you simply have to hear for yourself. If you love fun Hollywood history, you won’t want to miss this one!

Listen to the Full Conversation

Episode 187: HERE

Episode 188: HERE