Tuesday, April 10, 2012

"Still whining, Louis?"

INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE (1994)
A confession. I'm a big Anne Rice fan. And when I say "I'm a big Anne Rice fan", I mean "I'm a big fan of her early work, before she rediscovered religion and subsequently fell off her rocker". Not to say there's anything bad about rediscovering faith...it's just that Anne Rice manages to put a psycho crazy spin on everything she does. That aside, Interview with the Vampire is a genuinely good book. It's got a truly creepy gothic tone, it deals with complicated moral issues, and the vampires don't sparkle. If you want a good gothic novel--Dracula style--I'd highly recommend picking Interview up. As for the rest of the series, well, it's enjoyable, but it's also a fascinating peak into the steady decline of Anne Rice's sanity. All that said, I was reluctant to see the movie. Especially with Tom Cruise's name tagged along in it. The skeptic in me told me to stay away, but the curious cat in me had to check it out. And let me tell you: worth it. Ten times over. 

The real master in this movie is Neil Jordan. Hands down. He collaborated with the author to get a good script, and then he delivered. Lord of the Rings aside, Interview with the Vampire has to be the best book-to-movie translation I've ever seen. Forget the fact that he alters a couple scenes--that's expected in these kind of deals. What is really impressive is the fact that Neil Jordan manages to translate the tone of the book. The rich, gothic, New Orleans atmosphere. He nails it. Completely. I've seen movies that have managed to do relatively good successful translations of book-to-movie by simply keeping in as much of the book as they can. And sure, I can respect that. But to capture the actual ambience of the book? The heart and soul of the narration? That's a heavy rabbit to pull of the hat, and Neil Jordan makes it look easy. 

Lastly, of course, I have to give props to the actors. I don't know what it is--maybe it's Neil Jordan being awesome again, maybe it's the 90s, maybe it's just the material--but every one of these actors literally disappears inside their roles. Brad Pitt. Huge name, right? You'd recognize him anywhere. Well, maybe not playing the brooding Louis, with his hopeless, passive attitude towards life and his mournful green eyes. Even Antonio Banderas, despite his accent that always sticks out like a sore thumb, blends in completely with the velvet drapes and haunting candelabras. But, amidst all that talent, there are two actors that really steal the show. Tom Cruise and Kristen Dunst. The last two names you would expect on that list, right? Well, let me put it this way: Kristen Dunst was about 10 at the time, and I still think it was the best role of her career. She's one frightening and manipulative little girl. And Tom Cruise as Lestat? Homeboy nails it. Does it help that the character is narcissistic, arrogant, and controlling? Probably. But it's more than that. Tom Cruise plays the colorful and vibrant exterior of the character...as well as the damaged and insecure interior. The chemistry between Cruise and Dunst is killer. Literally. To wrap this bad boy up: if you're looking for a vampire movie with a little less sparkle and a little more awesome, check this one out. 

16 comments:

  1. I also love Anne Rice up until she redisvocered her faith. I find it a bit funny, especially since I read her Sleeping Beauty trilogy and I really can't picture her in the church. I love this movie so much, it's one of the most faithful adaptations I've seen though it doesn't have one chapter, which is incidently my favorite one. However I can see why Jordan didn't include it in the film.

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    1. I haven't read her Sleeping Beauty trilogy, but I should. Even if just for the giggles. She goes back and forth on her religious beliefs so often its like a tennis match. In short, she's slightly crazy, but I can't help but enjoy her. Which chapter? The Lestat bit at the end? Jordan did do a damn good interoperation, if nothing else.

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    2. No, no, the old school one, I think it was Claudia and Louis visiting a village where a vampire was buried or something like that.

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    3. RIGHT. Brilliant. They cut down a lot on their travel time. But Neil Jordan is a badass, so I put my faith in him.

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  2. Being a fan of the book, I've never dared to watch the film. You may just have persuaded me to change that.

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    1. Victory is mine! Let me know if you do see it!

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  3. i love this book, i love it sooo much that i wasn't sure i was going to like the movie when it first came out and then, well, i watched the movie at midnight and bought the t-shirt...good times! :D

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    1. Your viewing beats mine! Midnight showings are epic. All the time. I'm glad you enjoy it!

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  4. I loved Kirsten Dunst in it. I quite liked this film, but I am an embarrassingly huge fan of Queen of the Dead movie.
    Nice review.
    Btw I love your A to Z posts :D

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    1. Kristen Dunst is insanity in this movie. And I've got nothing to say to the Queen of the Damned. The only good thing is Marius' blatant insanity and flamboyance.

      Thanks! I'm glad you enjoy them!

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  5. Loved the book, okay with the movie, thought Kirsten Dunst was a little too petulant for my liking and Tom Cruise a little too Cruisey, but Mr. Pitt won me over.

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    1. Pitt was intense! It's fun to watch him talk about the movie, like in interviews and such. He didn't seem to have the easiest time playing a passive character.

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  6. I read the book long ago - and at the risk of stepping on all sorts of toes - didn't care much for it. I found it too-cool-for-school arch, and it romanticized/sexualized a creature that is supposed to be a phantasm from the grave the stinks of death and rips your throat out so it can lap at the blood that pours forth. To me - all of the crapification of vampires all the way down to Twilight? All at the feet of Ms. Anne Rice.

    Consequently, never saw the movie. Glad it worked for you, though.

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    1. It's a take it or leave it kind of book. And definitely a completely guilty pleasure. A stress on the guilty. But I think IWTV is a damn good gothic novel. A little overly erotic? Sure, but that's what happens when an erotica writer writes a vampire novel. The rest of the series? Definite fluff.

      STILL. I reviewed a movie you saw, victory!

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  7. This is one of my fave movies ever. I think it was just brilliant and you're right, one of the best book to movie translations ever. I wore out my VHS copy and have since replaced it with the DVD. And I couldn't see Cruise as Lestat, either, but wow.

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    1. I thought you would be an Anne Rice fan! She's batshit crazy, but we've gotta love her. Such a great book and movie. Hands down best book to movie translation ever.

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