Film Review - Interview with the Vampire

I'll confess that I went through an Anne Rice phase many years ago, it started of course with the first novel 'Interview with a Vampire', while many might blame her for the current trend of turning them into teen romances, at least she kept them as monsters. Charming monsters perhaps, but still monsters.

As with the book the film tells of Louis, a grieving and morose landowner from New Orleans centuries ago turned into a vampire by Lestat, it then tells the story of his life over the centuries. Brad Pitt does a reasonable job of the ever miserable Louis, as in Meet Joe Black he plays the urbane monster well.

Tom Cruise wouldn't have been my first choice to play Lestat, he lacks the stature for starters. However he does play the role well and gets across the devilish fun of the character. There's a few other well known names dotted throughout the film. I think it's fair to say that they all ham it up a bit with their performances, but in context it works.

In parts beautiful, in parts horrific, this is a decent vampire film and a lot of fun to watch.

In 1790 the evil Lestat (Tom Cruise), a 200-year old vampire, decides he wants a buddy and chooses Louis (Brad Pitt). However, despite Louis' desire for death after his young wife's demise, Lestat hasn't banked on Louis being so guilt-ridden when it comes to sucking blood from humans. So whilst Lestat continues to feast upon human flesh, Louis sticks to rats and chickens. That is, until he meets the young Claudia (Kirstan Dunst). Two hundred years later, Louis tells his story to a young reporter (Christian Slater).

Interview with  the Vampire is available from Amazon (and it's a fun watch)