The Vampire Chronicles Collection

Tom Cruise

Brad Pitt

Antonio Banderas

Christian Slater

Stephen Rea

Kirsten Dunst

Domiziana Giordano

Thandiwe Newton

Laure Marsac

John McConnell

Mike Seelig

Bellina Logan

Lyla Hay Owen

Lee E. Scharfstein

Monte Montague

Nathalie Bloch

Jeanette Kontomitras

Roger Lloyd Pack

George Kelly

Nicole DuBois Favre

Virginia McCollam

Helen McCrory

Indra Ové

Micha Bergese

Rory Edwards

Marcel Iureș

Susan Lynch

Louise Kim Salter

Matthew Sim

François Testory

Andrew Tiernan

Simon Tyrrell

George Antoni

Sara Stockbridge

Katia Caballero

Louis Lewis-Smith

Mick Audsley

David Geffen

Joke van Wijk

Stephen Woolley

Anne Rice

Francesca Lo Schiavo

Philippe Rousselot

Neil Jordan

Sandy Powell

Sandrine Ageorges

Dante Ferretti

Elliot Goldenthal

Susie Figgis

Juliet Taylor

River Phoenix

Gary Archer

Leonard Green

Patrick Clayton

Philip Kohler

Chris Brigham

Stan Winston

Robert Legato

Michael Stevenson

Jean-Pierre Avice

Nick Gillard

Laura Dash

Sy Holland

Mark Lisbon

Mark Southworth

Lee Sheward

Anastas N. Michos

Dean Humphreys

Michèle Burke

Morag Ross

Joe Burns

Diana Dill

Michael White

Peter Joly

Peter Holt

Nick Dudman

Jan Archibald

Carol Schwartz

Frank Gardiner

Kevin De La Noy

John Engel

Malcolm Middleton

Mark Clayton

Andreas Petrides

Tom Fleischman

John Scott

Greg Powell

Yves De Bono

Eddy Joseph

Michael Connell

Sarah Monzani

Ken Court

Eithné Fennel

Paul Jennings

Gary Powell

Ros Shingleton

Robin O'Donoghue

Nigel Mills

Mark Dalton

Clive Winter

Stephen Scott

Chris Corbould

David B. Nowell

Tammy Kusian

Robert Perdziola

Monroe Kelly

John Rosengrant

David Carrigan

Jean-Michel Hugon

James E. Tocci

Trevor Neighbour

Deirdre N. Williams

Jean-Michel Ducourty

Alan Tomkins

James Devis

Dominique Delany

Shane Mahan

Kevin Constant

Paul Bernard

Susan E. Fiore

Peter Takeuchi

Stella Vaccaro

Jean-Philippe Blime

George Fenton

Redmond Morris

Ansel M. Stroud Jr.

Stephen McLaughlin

Matthias Gohl

Horror

Drama

Fantasy

Interview with the Vampire

Geffen Pictures

United States of America

CinemaSerf

This is a much more sophisticated take on the vampire through-the-ages narrative; but it has certainly dated in the almost 30 tears since Neil Jordan put together a stellar, if not great, cast to regale us with the tale of "Louis" (Brad Pitt) & "Lestat" (Tom Cruise). Told in flashback to a very sceptical reporter "Daniel" (Christian Slater), Pitt tells of his near 200 year life that started with his meeting with Cruise and his conversion to his immortal existence based on blood. It's a hugely lavish affair, with loads of lust, trickery, duplicity and gore - tinged with genuine regret, loneliness and sadness - and, of course, loads of cruel violence. Whilst it does nod to the whole "Hammer" style of horror thrillers - there is plenty of ketchup - the writing and characterisations have much more depth to them. Neither of the principal characters are likeable, but you do build some sort of reverse empathy with - at least Pitt - as the film progresses. The attention to detail on the sets and costumes as we march through time never lessens and contributes magnificently to a stylish, sumptuous glamour-fest. Much as they were/are doubtless box-office A listers, however, Pitt was just too young looking to be convincing, Cruise just can't really act at the best of times, much less with extra dental props and Kirsten Dunst just annoyed me in the best traditions of Shirley Temple. A shame, because the rest of this is superb.