Interview With the Vampire (1994) / Brad Pitt Filmography

Summary: Interview with the Vampire makes some modifications to common vampire mythology (as made popular in Dracula and perpetuated in countless horror books and films). The fangs are still present, as are the insatiable bloodlust and fear of daylight, but no longer will religious trappings hold the undead at bay, and a stake through the heart has lost its effectiveness.

Director Neil Jordan captures the lush decadence and erotic fervor of the novel, infusing the film with rich, dusky tones. The big budget is well used to bring each period and place to sharply detailed life, and there is no skimping on the blood or immortal angst. Thandie Newton has a small role as Louis's Creole servant near the beginning of the film, and Jordan regular Stephen Rea appears as a Parisian vampire theater star. INTERVIEW broke weekend box-office records when it premiered and has since earned a spot in the pantheon of great vampire films.

The film begins and ends in present-day San Francisco, with Louis (Brad Pitt), a two-century old vampire, telling his story to a fascinated interviewer (Christian Slater). His tale opens in 1791 Louisiana, just south of New Orleans, where Louis falls victim to the vampire Lestat (Tom Cruise). Given a choice between death and eternal life as one of the undead, Louis chooses the latter, a decision he will forever regret.

Louis cannot kill with the impunity of Lestat, but, to sate his hunger, he must feed, and the blood of animals is not enough. Eventually, he pierces the neck of a grief-stricken young girl named Claudia (Kirsten Dunst), whom Lestat then curses with his unholy form of resurrection so that she can be a surrogate daughter to both himself and Louis. For a while, they are one "big, happy family." But all things end, and Claudia's growing resentment of Lestat fuels a bloody confrontation.

When Interview with the Vampire works, it's as compelling and engrossing a piece of entertainment as is available on film today. When it falters, the weaknesses seem magnified. Fortunately, under the care of director Neil Jordan (The Crying Game), instances of the former are more frequent that those of the latter, although the film noticeably stumbles during two key sequences (a needlessly drawn-out exploration of life as a vampire in Paris and the illogical, dumb conclusion). Despite the ups and downs of the second half, however, the first hour is classic horror at its most grotesque. In the best tradition of the Grand Guignol, Interview with the Vampire revels in its graphic and horrifying bloodiness.

Tom Cruise's Lestat is not a consistent villain, nor does he come across as particularly multi- dimensional, but there are times when his screen presence commands attention. More effective is Brad Pitt's Louis, who captures the audience's sympathy by fighting against losing his conscience (although his constant wallowing in self-pity becomes tiresome). Most arresting of all is young Kirsten Dunst, whose charisma is such that she continually steals scenes from her older and more experienced co-stars. Also featured are Antonio Bandaras (as the ancient vampire Armand), Stephen Rea (in what is little more than a cameo), and Christian Slater.

Genres: Suspense/Horror, Fantasy, Drama

Runtime: 122 min.

Release Date:

MPAA Rating: R for Violence, gore, mature themes, nudity.

Country: USA

Language: English

Color: Color (Technicolor)

Sound Mix: Dolby / SDDS

Distributor: Warner Brothers

Cast and Credits:

Starring: Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Antonio Banderas, Christian Slater, Kirsten Dunst

Directed by: Neil Jordan