[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Interview with the Vampire (1994)

Two sequences always stand out for me above all the rest when watching the excellent Interview with the Vampire.

Probably the film's most striking sequence is the Theatre des Vampire show in Paris, where a coven of vampires carries out daily sacrificial rites in front of an audience. Director Neil Jordan stages this brilliantly and a feeling of dread overcomes the viewer as it doesn't take long to realize what exactly is going to happen. As Brad Pitt's Louis smiles to Claudia (the superb Kirsten Dunst), a vampire in the body of a child, 'Vampires pretending to be humans pretending to be vampires'. The way the coven swarm over the naked girl like rats, very creepy.

Also what a sublime final scene Neil Jordan gives the film. It's a perfect example of how to use a song - Guns N' Roses performing Symphony for the Devil - to close a movie. It's up there with The Devil's Rejects and Freebird for me with the beautiful free flowing camera movement out of the car as Tom Cruise's Lestat clicks play on the car stereo, with the camera fluidly circling around the Golden Gate Bridge and finally over the city as dawn breaks...

...Just one thing. Lestat had better drive fast. Sun and vampires don't really go. Claudia will attest to that.

A perfect way to end a near perfect movie.