Interview With The Vampire Reviews

[Highly rated reviewer]

superb..................

this dvd is superb. The story opens in present day San Francisco. Louis (played by Brad Pitt), a 200 year-old vampire, is telling his life story to an interviewer (played by Christian Slater), who is shocked by his supernatural revelation. 'I am flesh and blood,' Louis tells him, 'but not human.'

His story takes us back to late 18th century New Orleans where Louis first encountered the Vampire Lestat (played by Tom Cruise). Desiring a companion, and in love with his beautiful looks, Lestat gives Louis the 'Dark Gift'-that is, he makes him into a vampire. They live together for many years, roaming the streets at night, united by their common quest for blood.

Eventually, though, Lestat fears that Louis is going to leave him. Desperate, he makes a vampire of Claudia (played by Kirsten Dunst), a beautiful young child, knowing the Louis would never leave the girl. Thus they are bonded together as 'one big, happy family.' As it turns out, though, they are not so happy after all.

The story takes the vampires to Paris, where they finally encounter some more of their own kind. The coven of vampires is led by the stunningly handsome Armand (played by Antonio Banderas) who quickly falls in love with Louis. Louis is enamoured of him as well, but he will never leave little Claudia, something Armand realizes.

The film ends back in the present, which is not in Anne Rice's book. The new twist is exciting, though, and sets up the story for a sequel. Which it does with Queen Of The Damned.

well worth renting out.

Fantastic look at the Vamp...

If you have never seen this film, then what have you been doing for the last decade?

Interview with the Vampire is an absolute classic - Cruise and Pitt are at their best and bounce off each other perfectly, the sets are dark, eerie and yet beautiful at the same time. The story is top notch and the whole thing is excecuted to a tea!

Even if you think you won't like it because it may be a horror, you'd be wrong, just rent it out and be enthralled!

Although this film doesn't stay completely true to the book, it adapts the book perfectly for the silver screen. The story is changed, the characters are slightly different, but the feeling of the book is absolutely spot on, unlike the film 'Queen of the Damned', which singularly massacred the book.

Aside from that, it's a wonderful epic film with amazing depth and vibrancy, and a thoroughly engaging plot, well developed characters and an amazing feeling of living history.

A true classic

Very accomplished

This is a very well conceived interpretation of an absolutely superb book. As is the norm, it is nigh on impossible to out do a book in terms of scope and the ability to fire the imagination, yet Neil Jordan does a fantastic job of recreating the look and feel of the period (at least as one would imagine it to be) whilst also capturing the dark and brooding world of the vampires. Cruise is excellent as LeStat (another fine yet undervalued performance), and Pitt, whilst occasionally betraying his lack of acting experience, delivers a bravado performance as the morally tortured Louis. However, it is arguably Kirsten Dunst that steals the show, showing an acting ability way beyond her years, and perfectly suited to the role of an adult trapped in a child?s body. Dark, brooding and intelligent, this is truly a vampire film for those who prefer a more historic and plausible slant on the subject.

The Original Modern Vampire Tale

Interview with the Vampire is the epitome of modern vampire films (modern included to exclude Dracula, Nosferatu etc which would create a controversial debate!).

Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles are the most important supernatural works of the last thirty years and must have inspired many of the new vampire/supernatural films that focus on character/action/drama rather than portraying them as fear objects in horrors.

This film is a drama, not a horror, and anyone expecting a horror with chases or human victims to feel sorry for will be sadly disappointed. Yes, there is blood and feeding but it is the vampires you feel for.

The three leads are incredible, Kirsten Dunst deserves special praise due to her age and anyone who says Tom Cruise can't act should see this film. Brad Pitt's Louis is just as whiney and annoying as he should be, but you understand this given the circumstances of his turning.

It thoroughly involves you in the vampire world and displays how lonely and isolating it can be (yes, I know it's not real but you get the point).

Here's hoping they film some more of Rice's novels (hopefully more in this vein than the slightly OTT Queen of the Damned) - I want to see Blood and Gold! (Memnoch would be brilliant but not sure if it could be pulled off)

[Highly rated reviewer]

Does watching this film mean i'm gay?

I first saw this film in my early teens, and I can’t say I thought much of it back then. Even so I thought I might give it another go-hmmmm.

There’s nothing really wrong with this film, the cast and acting are great and the story is also really good. So why did I think about turning it off half way through?

It just got boring! Then again I’d probably have trouble sitting through a whole Shakespeare play (not that I’m comparing the two mind).

This is the sort of film that could’ve either been 20 minutes shorter, or stretched throughout 2 or 3 films.

Anyway. Yes it's good, but not great. God knows there's been alot, but i'm still waiting for that ultimate defining vampire movie! Oh yeah 'Dead and lovin it' sillly me!

Edge of my seat and exciting

i thought this was a great film. I haven't read the book , so didn't have that to compare. Tom Cruise was fantastic as Lestat, and Brad Pitt really seemed to convey his misery at being in his never ending darkness. He really did make a beautiful vampire though!!!Thoroughly recommended!!!

Tom who ?

Until I saw tom cruise in this film, I never liked him. And when I heard that he was going to be in this film.....a film which I had hoped they would make ever since I read the book....I was shocked and dismayed......but....I have to say that I enjoyed his portrayal...and I have watched this film several times......and also....I can now actually enjoy his other films....especially 'eyes wide shut' but to be honest, that might have a lot to do with Nicole Kidmans nude scenes !

Lush story of tortured souls

Anyone who has read Anne Rice's books will be familiar with the lush, seductive, melancholy beauty of her tortured souls so any movie based on her books must capture this mood to be successful. Interview With The Vampire does this admirably. Tom Cruise plays the role of Lestat with more vivid compassion than one would expect of him and Brad Pitt conveys Louis' misery very nicely but (as another reviewer mentions) they are both outdone by Kirsten Dunst in the role of Claudia, an adult soul eternally trapped in a child's body. Her anguish and rage is palpable. The musical score subtly enhances the dark, brooding mood and manages at the same time to enhance the visual lushness of satin, velvet, brocade and flesh. It is the sensory feast of these elements that serve to highlight the homoerotic theme that teases throughout. A theme that, sadly but understandably in a mainstream movie, remains unexplored. Rent this DVD and immerse yourself in the sensory delights of pain and chaos.

this film bites

This has got to be the best vampire film ever made. It has a fantastic cast and Kirsten Dunst shines in her star making role.a truly enjoyable film.The only thing that worries me is tom cruise with long ginger hair (uuuuuurgh!)