A Dark & Sophisticated Tale With A Special Message

Rating: 8/10 (17 July 1999)

One of the greatest things about Anne Rice is that when you read her material, she has all this strange symbolism hidden and tucked away in every corner of her stories. And like she says in the beginning before the movie starts, this movie is about us, and not just vampires. In truth, I didn't really quite understand that, but I guess now I have a distinct idea of what she means.
Anyhow, I love "Interview..." for it's haunting message and the sophisticated and old fashioned image that surrounds this film. Vampire films are usually like this, and they are also romantic in their own way. This movie isn't as romantic as "Bram Stoker's Dracula" (I mean the 1992 one), but like "Dracula", it's dark, it's haunting, and very suave. Anne Rice has a very sophisticated imagination, and who knows what runs though her mind to expand her creativity. Whatever it is, it turns her work into masterpieces.
For me, reading Anne Rice is like staring at a painting. When you stare at modern painting in an modern art museum, you try to figure out the meaning behind the painting, and when you read Anne Rice, you try to figure out the meaning behind each story she writes. Of course, you can expect that from "Interview...".
I loved the set to this film, especially the Theatre Des Vampires, and the costumes are just brilliant!
I thought that Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt gave wonderful performances as the playful Lestat and the gentle Louis. The film also stars Kirsten Dunst, who plays the angel-faced vampire child, Claudia.