Written by Anne Rice
Directed By Neil Jordan

There are rare occasions when a film is as good as the book that it came from.  In the case of Interview with the Vampire, author Anne Rice also wrote the screenplay, giving the film one advantage.  Later on down the line, the author could not complain that the script had changed the tone of her book.

Next came the casting.  The role that gathered all of the headlines was Tom Cruise as the vampire Lestat de Lioncourt.  Even Rice came out in the press saying how she disagreed with his being cast in the role.  What no one was really paying attention to all this time was the casting of Brad Pitt in the role of Louis de Pointe du Lac.  Although Pitt had appeared in supporting roles in several films that had garnered him critical acclaim, it was this role that was really his break-out role that put him on the radar of just about everyone in Hollywood.

In modern day San Francisco, writer Daniel Malloy (portrayed by Christian Slater) sits down to talk with a man by the name of Louis.  Louis claims to have been born back in the 1700s.  In 1791, he owned a plantation near New Orleans.  He was despondent over the death of his wife and daughter.  As he sought out death among the lower caste of society, he was found by Lestat (portrayed by Tom Cruise).

Lestat was a vampire, traveling on the fringes of society at the time.  In Louis, he saw an immediate meal ticket as well as a way of keeping himself among the blue bloods he enjoyed toying with so much.  Lestat transforms Louis into a vampire as well.

Louis comes across a young girl whose mother has died of the plague and is an orphan.  Claudia (portrayed by Kirsten Dunst) evokes memories of his own deceased child.  At the same time, he drinks from her, believing he has killed her.  Lestat converts the young Claudia to a vampire as well and uses her as a way of manipulating and controlling Louis.

Much of the film deals with Louis’ guilt over having to kill and drink blood.  He is resistant to doing this, while Lestat seems to revel in it.  The beginning of the film is steeped in this theme.  In many ways, the story of the two vampires is an allegory for homosexuality, complete with the self-loathing and guilt.  Louis feels the need to seek out others like him, while at the same time longing for a “normal” life and having a child such as Claudia in his life.

But the life is not destined to be a happy one.  Louis’ narrative to Daniel details a life filled with the angst and guilt over what he has done.  In many ways, the relationship between Louis and Lestat is central as the two come together several times during their lives.

Clearly a character-driven piece, the special effects are nevertheless fantastic.  When Claudia attempts to kill Lestat, just the way he morphs as the blood drains from his body is riveting.  There are several scenes such as this which are excellent.

Interview with the Vampire, though, hinges on the acting.  Tom Cruise pretty much took everyone by surprise, including Rice.  Instead of this being Tom Cruise as Lestat, he managed to transform himself and become the character.  It’s not often that a top actor pulls this off as too often the films become about them rather than the characters they are portraying.

Pitt just shines with the angst he displays.  His moments of happiness are few and far between and remind me of the angst later displayed by Heath Ledger’s character in Brokeback Mountain.  I loved the scenes near the end that showed him enjoying the cinema.  I would have liked to have seen more of his life with Armando (portrayed by Antonio Banderas) as other than a few pivotal moments this period is largely glossed over.

The film is stolen by Kirsten Dunst.  Just twelve years old at the time the film was released, she nails Claudia as a woman who has lived more than many of us will who is trapped in a child’s body.  She captures the indifference Claudia feels at feeding the way she does as well as the indignation as being trapped the way she is for all eternity.

The settings are all great and the cinematographer captures so much of the beauty of early 19th century New Orleans as well as various other locales.  Louis and Claudia’s trip through Europe is stunning as well, particularly when one considers how much of the history of that continent was destroyed in two world wars.  Yet the feeling that I was viewing a Europe I would never know prevailed.

Interview with the Vampire is rated R and for good reason.  It’s not just the scenes with Louis and Lestat drinking the blood of those they kill, but scenes when Louis and Claudia are in Paris that would be pretty disturbing to a younger audience.

The extras on the DVD are nice, particularly the introduction to the film by author Anne Rice.  There are a couple of featurettes and Director’s commentary that really give insight into the film, and I enjoyed all of them.

This might not be the quintessential vampire movie true fans of the genre are looking for.  However, Interview with the Vampire is an excellent film with a cast that largely took the audience by surprise.  Even Rice recanted her earlier reservations about the film as this cast makes it so I could never imagine anyone else in these roles.  It’s a fantastic film that I don’t mind watching over and over, although usually I need six months to a year in between viewings to really appreciate it.



Behind the Scenes Special Features:

• Commentary by Director Neil Jordan
• Special Introduction
• In The Shadow of the Vampire
• History of the Vampire