Vamping (1984) User Reviews

Not Too Bad, But Not Very Good, Either

[johnboy1 · 5/10 · 11 May 2005]

This film starts off fine, but fails along the way. Duffy does his best, but he lacks the proper edginess to pull off his character. Someone like Willem Defoe or James Woods would have been far better in the role. Hyland is attractive, but hardly sexy or pretty enough to drive Duffy's character to distraction.

The finale is simply ridiculous. What person would commit such an act in broad daylight, in a city park? Any intelligent person would have done it indoors, hidden from public view.

Anyone expecting a lighthearted sexual romp starring Dallas's Bobby will be in for a shock. It's quite the opposite. He's put on a few extra pounds and seems in constant need of a bath. It seems odd to me that any man who is as attracted to the woman as he, would allow himself to remain as scroungy as Duffy's character. It just doesn't make any sense.

Don't expect any happy endings, and it might be worth a look, just to see Patrick Duffy play against type.

SEVERELY TRAMMELED BY THE SCRIPT.

[rsoonsa · 2/10 · 17 December 2003]

Buffalo native Frederick King Keller, yet in his twenties, directs a noirish film wherein all action is held in his home town, principally on and about Elmwood Avenue. Keller attempts to establish his own style and there are integrants of the surreal and of symbolic naturalism here, as well as manifest homage to Huston's THE MALTESE FALCON, with efforts at satire, but nothing surfaces as a challenge to cinematic masters of those genres. Patrick Duffy is cast as Harry Baranski, a jazz saxophonist whose career is off track, resulting in his having had to pawn his instrument with an antique dealer. To retrieve his sax, Harry has committed a burglary under the direction of the dealer (Fred A. Keller - the director's father) who performs as an obvious reference to Sydney Greenstreet in FALCON. In the midst of what he has decided will be last break-in, Harry apparently falls in love with his victim's photograph, and subsequently with her, opening a Pandora's box of afflictions for him. For the lady at issue, earnestly played by Catherine Hyland, although a recent widow, may or mayn't be one of the grieving ilk, and when Harry decides to find out more about her, he discovers insights to secrets that he does not wish to know. A low budget production, VAMPING includes interesting concepts, perhaps the reason it was received well at Sundance (although not nearly so kindly at Cannes) and it also is taxed by a vapid script that worsens as the picture progresses, losing control of its continuity and details. Duffy makes a strong effort to create an interesting characterization, but his material leaves him scant opportunity to do so. Although Buffalo is not upon the short list of sites suitable for noir, Michael Moran's art direction develops an appropriate atmosphere. The most enjoyable aspect of the affair stems from the sound track, and sax man Bobby Militello does an excellent job in coaching Duffy on how to simulate playing, with a Militello solo being an aural highlight. Vamping is a jazz term which has come to mean several things including riffing or improvising, although technically it refers to short chord progressions, generally utilized as in introduction to a number; an interesting title for a film that collapses into folly.

One of Duffy's greatest films..

[snarf14738 · 9/10 · 14 May 2008]

In this film,Patrick Duffy gives an endearing and very realistic performance ,portraying Harry Baranski in this tale of a stuggling musician in Buffalo,N.Y.Filmed in 1984,this flick exudes the vibe of that era,especially with catch phrases like"home free"and"you just a chump man",not to mention the aura of downtown '80's Buffalo and Lackawana.Harry gets sucked into doing dirty work for the Fat Man(Fred Keller),the owner of an antique shop who has a lusting for stained glass "like they don't make anymore".To get his sax out of hock,Harry agrees to rob some houses.One house in particular is the estate of a woman who just lost her record executive husband.Inside this house,Harry discovers this mans Charley Parker jazz collection,which he starts lusting after.But what he lusts after most is the picture of the mans wife,Diane,which he sneaks off with along with some stained glass and a valuable ring and love letters he finds in the lady's room.What happens next after this turn of events is a whirlwind of jealousy,lust, greed,and just plain backstabbing.I'm not giving the rest of this movie away because that would be a definite spoiler.All i'm saying is rent and watch this movie on a Friday or Saturday night because it's one of those types of movies that you sleep good by after watching.