INTERVIEW WTH TH VAMPIRE (SE/DVD/S)

In 1790 the evil Lestat (Tom Cruise), a 200-year old vampire, decides he wants a buddy and chooses Louis (Brad Pitt). However, despite Louis' desire for death after his young wife's demise, Lestat hasn't banked on Louis being so guilt-ridden when it comes to sucking blood from humans. So whilst Lestat continues to feast upon human flesh, Louis sticks to rats and chickens. That is, until he meets the young Claudia (Kirstan Dunst). Two hundred years later, Louis tells his story to a young reporter (Christian Slater).

When it was announced that Tom Cruise would play the vampire Lestat in Interview with a Vampire, the film adaptation of Anne Rice's bestselling novel, even Rice chimed in with a highly publicised 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 blood lust. 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 honouring the literate, Romantic qualities of Rice's screenplay. Considered a disappointment while being embraced by Rice's loyal followers, Interview is too slow to be a satisfying thriller, but it is definitely one of the most lavish, intelligent horror films ever made. --Jeff Shannon