A RICE DISH BEST SERVED COLD (Interview With The Vampire (DVD))

Member Name: marandina

Product:	Interview With The Vampire (DVD)
Date:	04/07/03 (194 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great story, Wonderful sets

Disadvantages: Curious casting, Occasionally slow

It's always difficult translating the best selling contents of a book into the moving pictures of cinema. Even with a glossy exterior and superstar presence, that osmosis from printed word to reels of film can vex even the most talented of directors. So when an Anne Rice screenplay of an Anne Rice blockbuster fuse with the direction of Neil Jordan, the result is an potentially explosive combination of sprawling epic and missed opportunity.

Interview with the vampire is the quite literal interpretation of the title. Based on the biopic tale of Louis de Pointe du Lac (Brad Pitt), Daniel Malloy (Christian Slater)is an opportunist writer listening to the seemingly mad ramblings of a deranged man. Initially with his back to an attic window, Louis recounts a tale of death and destruction spanning four centuries and traversing several continents to the tape recordings of the fortunate hack.

Louis' tale begins in the early 1700's. Still adjusting to the death of his wife and child, Louis is a plantation owner in New Orleans. He embarks on a journey of self-destruction borne of despair until, one night, he encounters the vampire Lestat (Tom Cruise). Searching for a suitable companion, Lestat attacks Louis leaving him on the brink of death. Lestat offers his victim the choice of either dying or eternal life in the twilight world of the vampire. "Don't be afraid. I'm going to give you the choice I never had." espouses Lestat to the beguiled and terrified Louis.

Having chosen to live, Louis soon realises that he cannot bring himself to take human life as required by his new situation so instead chooses a subsistence based on killing rodents and dining on their blood. However, in a moment of weakness, he eventually succumbs and unconsciously sinks his teeth into a young girl's (Claudia) neck whilst comforting her following the plague-ridden death of her mother. Taunted by Lestat, Louis cannot kill her thus condemning t
he girl to a life amongst the undead.

Claudia (a young Kirsten Dunst) soon becomes the vampires' adopted daughter showing a savagery for murder matched only by Lestat himself. However, on realising that she can never grow older, Claudia turns on Lestat seemingly killing him by duping the vampire into dining on the blood of already deceased twins (vampires can only live off the blood of the living). Inadvertently aiding and abetting the femme fatale, Louis sets light to the unfortunate Lestat who ultimately finds himself dumped in a swamp to rot by the two antagonists. Possibly realising the gravity of their crime, Louis and Claudia flee to Europe with the added aim of trying to find others of their kind.

In terms of making the transition from book to film, the movie benefits from the screenplay closely following the style and panache of the novel. Hardly a surprise seeing as the author penned it, the same elegant exchanges litter the dialogue in a script loaded with that familiar theological meandering that pepper Rice's books. Anybody that's read any of Rice's offerings will soon recognise her challenging the existence of God whilst ultimately pondering the meaning of life set against the gloomy backdrop of death and decay. This is glaringly illustrated at one stage by Lestat's comparison of God's cruelty being proof that God and vampires have a good deal in common. What seems a preposterous notion is made distinctly possible, such is the power of Rice's articulation.

As for the performances well I can't help thinking that both Cruise and Pitt look ill at ease in the lead roles. The perception of age old vampires is somewhat at odds with Hollywood's glamour boys and despite their best intentions, the lead roles look hopelessly miscast. Unusually for a horror film, a big budget was available, hence the presence of the established heart throbs mentioned above along with an appearance later in the film by

Antonio Banderas as Armand. Despite that, there are times when the males impresarios excel not least in portraying both the frequent ruthlessness of the vampire and occasional moments of reflection usually delivered through the portrayal of the pensive Louis.

Probably the most striking feature of the film is the care and attention that has gone into the period sets conjured up between the cinematography of Phillipe Rousellot and the production designer Dante Ferretti. Sweeping sets include the recreation of 18th century old Orleans along with an equally impressive homage to Victorian Paris in later frames. Notably, the images of a burning mansion set against a dark night sky whilst the Negro workers furiously try to put out the fire look impressive as Claudia and Louis watch from the deck of a paddle steamer.

Jordan's direction is relentlessly attentive to the cold blooded nature of the vampires central to the story. More often than not, the viciousness of the attacks is made apparent by the camera's focus on the vampire's eyes whilst it perpetrates it latest killing. Along with the graphic depiction of blood stained sets, the audience is left in no doubt as to the horror and cruelty of the creatures involved. This is chillingly exemplified by Lestat's clinical despatch of a rat followed by the wringing of it's blood into a wine glass. Offered the improvised drink, Louis refuses reviled but tempted at the same time.

Some of the most compelling aspects of the story take place in Paris and its here that Jordan comes good. Sets mirroring those fantasy sequences in the book reach a crescendo of angst whilst the ongoing gloomy lighting serves to illustrate the nocturnal world of the vampires. Sadly for exponents of the book, the philosophical exchanges between Armand and Louis are largely skimmed over resulting in the possibility of missing both the book and the film's main point i.e. the futility of eternity shown
by the depressing relentlessness of living for centuries. The irony is not lost on the director with each character that realises the possibility of eternal life wants it whilst the potential givers of this new reality are reluctant to put people in the same boat as them. Still, the closing frames do manage to deliver the message with the 20th century providing the totem pole at whose feet the message is left. However, the finale doesn't quite mirror the ultimate sentiments of the story and is misplaced as far as the previous 123 minutes are concerned. Very probably artistic license on behalf of the studios, this probably goes to show how film-makers can sometimes miss the point made in a book by simply pandering to a public craving a big finish.

Interview with the vampire is an admirable attempt to re-create a wonderful book but maybe the high standard demanded of it's re-telling was simply beyond the movie's creators. In this, it is an opportunity spurned but as a standalone experience the movie is well worth watching. This is a graphic movie made in the spirit of its author and so only suitable for those happy to take on the most base of depiction's of eternally sad and ultimately damned fantasy creations.

Main cast:
Tom Cruise - Lestat de Lioncourt
Brad Pitt - Louis de Pointe du Lac
Kirsten Dunst - Claudia
Antonio Banderas - Armand
Stephen Rea - Santiago

Cert 18
Run time 123 mins

Thanks for reading

Marandina

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