Interview with the Vampire (1994)

It’s honestly a bit strange that there isn't a dedicated thread for this movie yet. I caught it on CNN a few days ago, and I have to say, in my opinion, it stands out as one of the absolute best horror films out there—and probably one of the last truly great American vampire movies we'll ever see. The performances by Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, and Kirsten Dunst are just spectacular, the dialogue is incredibly sharp, and the costume design is absolutely stunning. It’s definitely worth your time if you haven't seen it.

It’s a solid movie, and if I remember correctly, it was actually based on the novel of the same name.😁

I’m with you on this one—it’s easily one of the best vampire flicks out there. It’s just so Atmosferican, a really cool blend of eras and vibes, mixing the Old World (Europe) with the New World (USA). Of course, the whole thing is based on that book by Anna Rice. Now, look, I usually can't stand him as a person or an actor, but I have to tip my hat to Tom Cruise here; he was incredible, maybe even the best he’s ever been. And Stephen Rea was great too, even if he didn't have much screen time. As for Brad Pitt and Antonio Banderas, I don't have much to say—they were fine, I guess. I haven't actually read the novel, but apparently, it's loaded with homoerotic undertones. Lestat and Armand are basically portrayed as former lovers.

I have to admit, I liked it way more when I first saw it. Now that I’ve given it a second look, I can't shake the feeling that some of those scenes get so overly dramatic they practically turn into a daytime soap opera on ABC.

Solid movie, really high production value. And yeah, I’ll admit, the cheesiness hits a bit hard sometimes, which can be super annoying

But honestly? The sequels (vampire Lestat, Cursed Queen) are absolute GAS.div>

I’m not usually one for vampire flicks, but I have to say this one was fantastic, even if it gets a little melodramatic at times😬

I haven't seen any of the sequels—to be honest, I didn't even realize they made them🤔

It’s a solid movie, actually—it’s got some decent humor sprinkled in. My favorite part has to be when Thomas Cruise pops that tape into the car; you've got Brad Pitt whining away, and then Tom Cruise just turns to Slater and tells him he’s been stuck listening to that garbage for centuries.

Benjamin Moore7 said:It's a solid movie—actually has some decent humor mixed in—but my favorite part has to be the end when Thomas Cruise pops that tape into the car, Pitt starts whining, and then Tom Cruise tells Slater he’s been forced to listen to that crap for centuries.

I totally agree—that's easily the most frustrating part of the whole thing... just constant moaning from Pitt's character. Honestly, the whining is what kills it for me... if being a vampire is such a drag, why not just end it? It wouldn't even be that hard for him to pull it off here, since they aren't portrayed as being quite as invincible as they are in other movies.

briskeagle3 said:I honestly feel the same way—that’s easily the weakest link in the whole movie. The constant whining from Pitt's character just drags everything down. I mean, if being a vampire really bothers him that much, why doesn't he just end it? It wouldn't even be that difficult for him to pull it off in this version, since they aren't portrayed as being quite as invincible as they are in other films.

I suppose he just lacks the willpower or the courage to actually go through with it himself. It’s kind of like how he couldn't find the nerve to take his own life when he was still human; instead, he used to wander into sketchy neighborhoods with questionable people, basically hoping someone would stumble upon him and finish the job. In my view, vampires essentially retain the exact same personality traits they had back when they were mortal.

Overrated vampire flick despite its originality. Probably the gayest vampire movie ever made.

Uh, I haven't sat down to watch that since it was actually relevant—maybe twenty years ago. It’s a great movie, sure, but I completely blanked on the occasional melodrama you guys are bringing up. Which specific details are we talking about being pathetic?

Larry Walker24 said:It's a good movie, very lavishly produced. And yeah, it gets a bit sappy at times

but man, those sequels (vampire Lestat, Cursed Queen) are absolute TRASH

There isn't actually a movie called "vampire Lestat," just the book. The only cinematic follow-up to Interview with the Vampire is "Cursed Queen," oops, my bad 😁

I have a huge bone to pick with how they handled Armand in the movie (in the books he's this sixteen-year-old redhead, which doesn't really match Banderas), but I will say this: that twelve-year-old Kirsten Dunst has more vampire charisma than the entire Twilight cast combined over five movies.
The scene where Louis finds out they burned Claudio is pure fantasy.
Even Cruise isn't as irritating as he usually is 😉

I don't find the film particularly bad, though I found the book to be an incredibly taxing experience due to its heavy-handed focus on queer themes.

It’s depressing watching Pitt in this. He’s just constantly moping. First, he’s crying because his wife died and he wants in, then he’s weeping about having to kill people once he becomes a vampire, then he’s mourning the kid... by the end, he's basically a vegetable after setting Lestat on fire.☕
The guy is just a walking cloud of misery.

Anne Rice announced a new series based on her books...

I just hope they don't mess up the character designs again.
I'll never forgive them for making Atlantis black in "The Queen of the Damned"🙂 ☕

Sandra Harris2 said:I just hope they don't mess up the characters' looks again.
I'll never forgive them for how they handled dark Atlantis in "The Queen of the Damned" 🙂 ☕

Ultimately, it all comes down to the budget and who is actually running the show. It might actually be a good thing if they distance themselves from Universal Studios and Imagine Entertainment—those studios aren't exactly known for cranking out high-quality TV series.
Now, it’s up to Anne Rice and her son to convince someone like HBO, Netflix, AMC, or Showtime to get behind the project.

I'm with you there—I really hope they nail the physical descriptions of the characters while making sure they actually hire people who can act. 😁

A solid movie that I still think about from time to time

A masterpiece 😁

I’ve probably lost count of how many times I’ve sat through this one—easily over five. For its era, it was way ahead of the curve. They packed so much into the plot—it almost feels like watching a bunch of interconnected vignettes. Probably because they actually took the time to let the characters breathe. It all works for me.

The most gut-wrenching part has to be that scene in the well with the woman and the little vampire girl, just waiting to turn to ash because the blue guy locked them in there.

Same with the ending—that moment where the reporter is just sitting in his car and then suddenly gets jumped and bitten by the blue guy (Tom Cruise).

Such a shame we never got a sequel. I'd love to see where things went next with (Christian Slater) and the rest of the crew.

Definitely worth a watch.