 Tagline: Drink From Me And Live Forever The undead are among us and livelier than ever when Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt and a talented group of youngbloods star in Interview with the Vampire, the spellbinding screen adaption of Anne Rice's bestseller. Box-office favorite Cruise stylishly plays the supremely evil, charismatic vampire Lestat. Pitt is Louis, lured by Lestat into the immortality of the damned, then tormented by an unalterable fact of vampire life: to survive, he must kill. Stephen Rea, Antonio Banderas, Christian Slater and Kirsten Dunst also star. Hypnotically directed by Neil Jordan (The Crying Game) from a screenplay by Rice, Interview with the Vampire offers enough thrills, shocks and fiendish fun to last a lifetime...and beyond. Storyline: It hadn't even been a year since a plantation owner named Louis had lost his wife in childbirth. Both his wife and the infant died, and now he has lost his will to live. A vampire named Lestat takes a liking to Louis and offers him the chance to become a creature of the night: a vampire. Louis accepts, and Lestat drains Louis' mortal blood and then replaces it with his own, turning Louis into a vampire. Louis must learn from Lestat the ways of the vampire. Written by Reviewer's Note: Reviewed by Ben Williams on September 18, 2008 -- To be completely up front and to give fair warning to those reading this review, I have to admit that Interview with the Vampire is my favorite modern vampire movie. In addition, I have no clue what the rest of Anne Rice's vampire series entails. I've never read any of her books and I have no idea how the plot progresses beyond what is contained in this movie. For me, Interview with the Vampire stands alone. With that being said, Interview with the Vampire is a ridiculously involving film that creates a specific, dark and moody atmosphere that is very unique. Neil Jordan was an inspired pick to helm such a dark and disturbing narrative. I recall a great deal of controversy being stirred up while the film was in production surrounding Tom Cruise being cast in the role of the evil vampire Lestat. Anne Rice, herself, protested the casting of Mr. Cruise and spoke out often in the media about disowning the film. Hollywood box office pundits predicted absolute failure for the film and the entire production was shrouded in negative press. Neil Jordan, on the other hand, was so confident of his selection of Mr. Cruise for the lead role in the film, that he held a special screening for Ms. Rice months before the film's release. What followed this screening was a complete reversal in opinion for Ms. Rice. She was so taken my Mr. Cruise's performance that she took out full-page advertisements in dozens of major newspapers at her own expense to praise the casting and apologize for her previous criticism. When reporter Daniel Malloy (Christian Slater) has a chance encounter with vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac (Brad Pitt) one fateful night in San Francisco, he manages to convince Louis to sit down for an interview. This sets up the backdrop for Interview with the Vampire, a film told in a series of flashbacks as Louis tells Daniel his life story. Louis was at one time a plantation owner in late 18th century Louisiana. After losing his wife to childbirth, Louis descends into a period of despair where he prays for death to take away his pain. It's at this point that Lestat (Tom Cruise), a vicious vampire on the prowl, attacks Louis and transforms him into a creature of the night. At first, Louis refuses to take another human life and feeds himself with the blood of rats and other swamp creatures. As Louis's temptation grows and his hunger for human blood deepens, he finds it more and more difficult to avoid preying on the innocent. One night, in a fit of delirium, Louis accidentally feeds on a young girl name Claudia (Kirsten Dunst). Realizing Louis's guilt, Lestat saves Claudia by transforming her into a vampire and then gives her to Louis as a gift. Lestat hopes that Louis will, through Claudia, embrace his vampire ways and be a constant companion for years to come. Unfortunately for Lestat, in this tale, the old saying from the poet Jagger holds true: "you can't always get what you want…" Interview with the Vampire is a complex and compelling story that spans 200 years. Since we are all familiar with vampire lore, the film does a great job of building on the old vampire legends and presenting them in a new and most interesting manner. What really separates Interview with the Vampire from the countless other vampire film is its emphasis on character and mood. This is, indeed, a spooky movie, but not in a heart-pounding, jump out of your seat way. As the story progresses, we are able to witness Louis's gradual transformation from being disgusted by him own vampirism to being a reluctant participant in the bloodlust that keeps him alive. Louis is one of the great, tragic horror characters. He wants to maintain his humanity, but gradually recognizes that he is anything but a human. Lestat, on the other hand, is one seriously screwed up vampire. He's cruel, manipulative, savage and underhanded while simultaneously showing charm, humor and a playful intensity that is easy to mistake. Tom Cruise's casting in Interview with the Vampire is indeed a masterstroke. By playing so far against type, Mr. Cruise is able to catch the audience off-guard. His performance is both complex and creepy and, frankly, Lestat is a lot more interesting as a character than the eternally mopey Louis. Kirsten Dunst's Claudia is every bit Lestat's equal in Interview with the Vampire. She is also a cunning and ruthless killer who disguises herself as an innocent child. Her recurring theme of being trapped in a child's body as her mind ages over the course of generations is poignant and disturbing. I'm constantly reminded with Interview with the Vampire that the vampire tale is really more of a tragedy than horror. Claudia is the most extreme example of this and her story is quite disturbing. In the end, Interview with the Vampire is a dark, frightening and endlessly entertaining movie. I've seen it many times and its slow narrative and attention to period details really adds to its replay value. As far as modern vampire movies go, you'd be hard-pressed to find one as well crafted as Interview with the Vampire. Highly recommended! Interview with the Vampire is a classic of the vampire genre and has been one of my favorite vampire films for the better part of a decade. The film has aged beautifully and still holds the same emotional resonance as it did the first time I saw it in 1994. In addition, terrific performances, amazing sets and an eerie visual look drive home a dark and well-paced story. Director Neil Jordan has succeeded in bringing his own unique independent filmmaking sensibilities to what is, in effect, a large, epic production. On the video side of the equation, Warner has given Interview with the Vampire a thorough and well rendered transfer that highlights the movie's dark and foreboding tone. Some viewers might take this opportunity to spring for an ISF calibration of their display before viewing the film. This is just one of those titles that demands it and will reward those who have gone the extra mile. Audio, on the other hand, is a disaster. Warner has skimped and given Interview with the Vampire a lossy Dolby Digital soundtrack that can't match the power of lossless or even the DTS track released on the previous DVD release. In the end, I recommend Interview with the Vampire for its outstanding story and acting. The sound, unfortunately, leaves a lot to be desired. Cast Notes: Brad Pitt (Louis de Pointe du Lac), Christian Slater (Daniel Malloy), Virginia McCollam (Whore on Waterfront), John McConnell (Gambler), Tom Cruise (Lestat de Lioncourt), Mike Seelig (Pimp), Bellina Logan (Tavern Girl), Thandie Newton (Yvette), Lyla Hay Owen (Widow St. Clair), Lee E. Scharfstein (Widow's Lover [as Lee Emery]), Indra Ové (New Orleans Whore [as Indra Ove]), Helen McCrory (2nd Whore), Monte Montague (Plague Victim Bearer), Kirsten Dunst (Claudia), Nathalie Bloch-Lainé (Maid [as Nathalie Bloch]). IMDb Rating (02/22/10): 7.4/10 from 74,427 users
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