Interview with the Vampire
Out of the countless vampire films produced over the years, very few manage to add anything fresh or new to the formula. Fortunately, Interview with the Vampire, based on Anne Rice’s best-selling novel, is certainly one of them.
Charting the life of Louis (played by Brad Pitt), a plantation owner from New Orleans, Interview… follows his journey through immortality, along with a supurb supporting cast including a young Kirsten Dunst, Christian Slater, Stephen Rea and Antonio Banderas (in a very fine performance as the enigmatic Armand). It is the outstanding portrayal of Lestat by Tom Cruise which is really deserving of a special mention, however. His confident, lively anti-hero is in perfect contrast to Louis, who is desparate to cling on to his humanity and struggling to come to terms with the fact that he must kill and drink the blood of others to survive.
The film does, however, turn a few of the vampire myths on their heads. No vampires can be killed by a stake through the heart, or be driven away by the sight of a crucifix. This is a minor detail, especially with the vivid portrayal of the vampires themselves and the originality of the storyline (complete with the novel’s homoerotic undertones). Throughout Louis’ journey, the viewer is exposed to horror, drama and even a little humour, and yet the film manages to maintain interest throughout. A vampire film that evokes sympathy for its blood-sucking hero and still provides plenty of shocks is a rare film indeed.
In Summary
A dark, entertaining and surprisingly faithful adaptation that breathes fresh life into the vampire genre.
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