Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994)

Director:

Neil Jordan

Writers (WGA):

Anne Rice (screenplay)
Anne Rice (novel)

Release Date:

11 November 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Fantasy

Tagline:

Drink From Me And Live Forever

Plot:

A vampire tells his epic life story: love, betrayal, loneliness, and hunger.

Plot Keywords:

Decapitation | Aristocrat | New Orleans Louisiana | Plague | Swamp

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 18 wins & 16 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Fri. Aug. 29

6:55 PM

SHOW

Cast

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)

Also Known As:

Interview with the Vampire (USA) (short title)

MPAA:

Rated R for vampire violence and gore, and for sexuality.

Runtime:

123 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

South Korea:15 | Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) | USA:R (No. 33401) | Portugal:M/16 | France:-12 | Canada:18A (Alberta) (2000) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:R (Manitoba/Ontario) | Iceland:16 | Philippines:R-18 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:III | Malaysia:(Banned) | Netherlands:16 | Norway:18 | Peru:18 | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) | Singapore:R(A) (original rating) | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18

Filming Locations:

Albert R. Broccoli 007 Stage, Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Geffen Pictures

Trivia:

Tom Cruise wanted a private set, and hence tunnels were built to escort the actors to and from the set. This was done so that the vampire's makeup effects would remain a secret.

Goofs:

In the scene where Louis sets fire to the vampire lair, one of the blazing vampires tumbles down a staircase, bumping into the wall on camera right. The wall moves, revealing that it is a set.

Quotes:

Armand: They had forgotten the first lesson, that we are to be powerful, beautiful, and without regret.
Louis: And you can teach me this?
Armand: Yes.
Louis: To be without regret?
Armand: Yes.
Louis: Then what a pair we could make, but what if it's a lesson I don't care to learn.
Armand: What do you mean?
Louis: What if all I have is my suffering, my regret?
Armand: Don't you want to lose it?
Louis: Why? So you can have that too? The heart that mourns her, her that you burnt to a cinder.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Harsh Light of Day (#4.3)" (1999)

Soundtrack:

Sympathy for the Devil

Every friend of stylish Gothic vampire stories should love this!

Although Neil Jordan's "Interview with the vampire: The Vampire chronicles" definitely has its own devoted fans (7.0 out of 10 can't be a bad average...) it's still unfortunately maybe a slightly underrated movie - at least among professional critics. I haven't read Anne Rice's famous novel but it doesn't seem like the most logical vampire book to start with since I still haven't read Bram Stoker's "Dracula" either.

I've seen this movie couple of times and I have to admit that I enjoyed it very, very much. And why not? Tom Cruise was quite excellent as his rather unusual role of Lestat de Lioncourt and Brad Pitt was just brilliant like he normally is as Louis de Pointe du Lac. Antonio Banderas and Christian Slater were good too, can't deny it either. The story was dark, peculiar and it had some really twisted humor.

This hasn't got much to do with the actual film but being a big Guns n' roses fan "Interview with the vampire: The Vampire chronicles" has a special place in my heart. The Rolling stones cover we hear during the end credits ("Sympathy for the devil") was the last single Gn'R released with its good old line-up. This movie is one of the best vampire flicks. Not the best, though. Nothing can beat Roman Polanski's "Fearless vampire killers". But like I said, one of the finest of this genre.