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List Price: $19.98 | | Label: Warner Home Video
Salesrank: 558
Released: June 6, 2000 |
| Our Price: $9.99 |
| Used Price: $8.35 |
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MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
When it was announced that Tom Cruise would play the vampire Lestat in this adaptation of Anne Rice's bestselling novel, even Rice chimed in with a highly publicized objection. The author wisely and justifiably recanted her negative opinion when she saw Cruise's excellent performance, which perceptively addresses the pain and chronic melancholy that plagues anyone cursed with immortal bloodlust. Brad Pitt and Kirsten Dunst are equally good at maintaining the dark and brooding tone of Rice's novel. And in this rare mainstream project for a major studio, director Neil Jordan compensates for a lumbering plot by honoring the literate, Romantic qualities of Rice's screenplay. Considered a disappointment while being embraced by Rice's loyal followers, the movie is too slow to be a satisfying thriller, but it is definitely one of the most lavish, intelligent horror films ever made. --Jeff Shannon
Interview with the Vampire Reviews:
Gothic drag 
2008-10-02 - I think I've tried 2 or 3 times to watch this movie, but failed. This time I lasted about 20 minutes before I gave up, fast-forwarded, skipped chunks, and left before the end. It is quite incredibly boring. There's an interesting atmosphere to start with. Gradually you realise that it's all going nowhere, very slowly. Yawn, snooze. I've read all the one-star reviews and they all, except the one who's being funny and has reversed his star grading, hit the nail square on the head. I haven't read the book, or books, and I never will, now I've been exposed to this. I'm not a marathon film-watcher. Christopher Lee for ever! Cushing is ace!
beautiful
2008-09-28 - I just watched this film for the umpteenth time on DVD and haven't tired of it one bit. Never one to be easily impressed by a film or won over by gore or special effects, my love of this particular film is rather deep. To start with Neil Jordan is a marvellous director, who has brought us such classics as The Company of Wolves, The Crying Game and The Butcher Boy. This man is a genius of vision and brings out the most honest performances from his cast. I don't think that we will ever see a better performance from any of the actors. It was, unfortunately, Kirsten Dunst's zenith of credibility at such a young age, nothing that she has done since has come close to her brilliantly painful, evocative performance here as the tortured Claudia. Nor is it likely that Brad Pitt's morose Louis will be outdone with any of his other roles (nay, I think Louis even outdoes Pitt's portrayal of Jeffrey Goines in 12 Monkeys). And Tom Cruise has never been so powerful in a role. All three bring wonderfully nuanced subtlties to their roles as the vampire trio and it is enormously compelling and emotionally touching to watch them on their journey. Every detail of this film, from Philippe Rousselot's award-winning cinematography to the wonderfully detailed art direction and Stan WInston's always reliable makeup and effects, are exceptionally created and add to the brooding mood of this film. Without Elliot Goldenthal's sombre, beautiful score which was shamelessly beaten at the oscar's by Hans Zimmer's score from THe Lion King, the film would been very different. The moving string and choral melodies and horns provide such a marvellous atmosphere. The story itself is so heart-breaking and involving. If you let yourself into the world of the vampire (which is rather accessible through the afforementioned cinematic techniques) Interview with the Vampire proves to be a beguiling and unique experience. It is a soaring emotional journey, a quest to not only find the meaning of immortal life, but the very reason for existence. I am greatly moved and satisfied by Interview with the Vampire each time I watch it. It is a great shame that the sequels (which were obviously originally planned to follow on closely from this film - or so the ending suggests) were not handled by the same crew. Queen of the Dammed (actually the third book in the Vampire CHronicles - they skipped The Vampire Lestat) is rather pitiful and lacks the depth and intelligence of Interview with the Vampire. Hopefully if others are to be made, Neil Jordan, or someone at his level, will take the helm. If not, at least we are left with this beautiful film, for there is no other vampire film quite like it.
True Gothic Romance 
2008-09-15 - "Interview With A Vampire" makes "Bram Stoker's Dracula" look like a joke. This is how a vampire movie should be done. This film puts you into the mystical world of vampires, you feel like your living in it. The acting is fantastic all across the board. The sets and the costumes are beautiful as well. Even "Queen of the Damned" couldn't repeat the same type of magic of "Interview With A Vampire". This is a special film and has stood the test of time.
Even After All These Years, Louis and Lestat are My Loves
2008-08-18 - What more can I say? Tom Cruise is stunning as Lestat--I read the book first before seeing the movie the night it was released, and Cruise brings Lestat to life so perfectly, it's hard to believe Lestat isn't real!
And Pitt as our tortured and loveable Louis...completely perfect.
And let's not forget one of my most favorite actresses--Kirsten Dunst is stunning even at her young age as the alluring and selfish Claudia. She is amazing, and this movie proves it.
Why the heck don't I own this movie? It's only one of my all-time favorites!!
Snicker...a movie so pretentiously bad it's actually funny...the Plan 9 From Outer Space of its era...
2008-08-05 - What to say about this movie except that I almost started laughing after a while.
When this movie first came out, it was really scary for its time.
My, how things have changed. "Dark Knight" was scarier than this movie, and it only got a PG-13 rating.
Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise are really, really bad, just awful, oomph, kick in the gut, laughably bad actors in this movie. Now, they've been good in some other roles, but seriously, they just don't have the chops to play 200 year old vampires right.
Antonio Banderas in mascara makeup! What a riot! And all that pancake mix on all of these actors' faces...snicker....
Ooooh....overt homoerotic man-loves-boy themes! Pretty exotic stuff for its time (1994), now just awfully silly, not to mention something that is both out in the open AND severely criminalized in our current wacky society. Today, 14 years later, we would see Lestat just surf the Net and/or join NAMBLA...and then get busted in a Special Report on NBC "Dateline".
The worst aspect of this movie had to be the soundtrack - WOW, it's like they tried to score this movie like one of those melodramatic horror flicks from the 1950's...unbelievably bad musical score - it turned every scary moment into a farce...
Kirsten Dunst, what a prodigy! She was only 12 years old when this movie came out, and... strangely enough, she talks...and acts... exactly...the same way...still. It's as if she never was a child.... Hmmmmm....
