DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed metastatic melanoma that has failed standard treatment
• No ocular or mucosal melanoma as primary site
• Measurable disease
• No existing brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 16 and over

Performance status:

• ECOG 0 or 1

Life expectancy:

• More than 3 months

Hematopoietic:

• WBC at least 3,000/mm3
• Platelet count at least 90,000/mm3
• No coagulation disorder

Hepatic:

• Bilirubin no greater than 1.6 mg/dL
• AST/ALT less than 3 times normal
• Hepatitis B surface antigen negative

Renal:

• Creatinine no greater than 1.6 mg/dL

Cardiovascular:

• No major cardiovascular illness

Pulmonary:

• No major respiratory illness

Immunologic:

• HIV negative
• No autoimmune disease
• No primary or secondary immunodeficiency
• No allergy to eggs
• No history of allergy or untoward reaction to prior smallpox vaccination

Other:

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• Must be able to avoid close contact with children under 5 years, pregnant women, people with active or a past history of eczema or other eczematoid skin disorders, and immunosuppressed people for at least 2 weeks after each vaccinia virus vaccination
• No active systemic infections
• No active atopic dermatitis or active or past history of eczema
• No concurrent active extensive psoriasis, severe acneiform rash, impetigo, varicella zoster, burns, or other traumatic or pruritic skin conditions or open wounds
• Surgical scars must be healed
• Healed surgical stomas (e.g., colostomy) allowed

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• No prior recombinant vaccinia or fowlpox vaccines for melanoma
• At least 3 weeks since prior systemic biologic therapy for melanoma

Chemotherapy:

• At least 3 weeks since prior systemic chemotherapy for melanoma

Endocrine therapy:

• At least 3 weeks since prior systemic endocrine therapy for melanoma
• No concurrent steroid therapy

Radiotherapy:

• At least 3 weeks since prior systemic radiotherapy for melanoma

Surgery:

• Prior surgery allowed