The televised version of “Interview with the Vampire” is pretty much on the same lines as the movie, albeit with strong gay undertones.

Adapted from Anne Rice’s gothic novel, The Interview with the Vampire heralded the revolutionary existence of vampirism into a new era. Immortalized by veterans like Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise and Kirsten Dunst, the current on-air telenovella should feel like a cheap imitation; only it does not. Hinging on the circumference of immortality, the modernised version of this gothic romance features a gay couple struggling with their feeling for each other & socialism in the midst of a doctrine society that is divided by misnomers and racial divide. There is a secular distinction between the books, the movie and the televised world with respect to the characters. The sets are larger-than-life productions, ornately designed costumes that are resplendent of the foregone era, with a reverent mysticism that drives the narrative in an entirely different manner. Avid fans of the movie version who were disappointed by the overt lack of intimacy between the main leads will be pleasantly surprised by the sexual chemistry between the new crop, Jacob Anderson and Sam Reid. They are scintillating and have an undeniably hot, passionate affair which is unheard of before. In today’s review, we will be talking about the reckoning differences between the movie & telenovella version, while trying to bridge the distance between both classics!

What Is “Interview with the Vampire” About

Interview with the Vampire is a modern retelling of the 1994 film of the same name, with a classic gay twist. The movie version ends on an angsty note where Louis de Pointe du Lac (Brad Pitt) threatens his overexcited interviewer, Daniel Molloy (Christian Slater), with dire consequences for coveting immortality. Daniel’s desires are, however, fulfilled by Lestat de Lioncourt (Tom Cruise) as he offers him a choice.

Set almost fifty years later, Daniel Molloy is now an award-winning journalist, much more cynical and mature. As such, he ponders about the veritable possibilities when he receives an odd invite from Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson). Obviously, curiosity kills the cat and our veteran journalist’s thirst for a do-over obscure his rationality. The story begins in a new setting where Daniel flies to Dubai to have a classic reconnaissance with our devilishly handsome vampire, Louis (who hasn’t aged a day). Living a lonely life in a high rise skyscraper, Louis is much more evolved, a little pretentious and even more interesting.

“Where’s your coffin?” Molloy asks.

“You’re standing in it,” Louis says.

Molloy asks Louis, “So, how long have you been dead?”

After exchanging barbs, both Daniel and Louis sit down for a voiceover that is equal parts inquisitive and argumentative. Daniel is no longer the immature young man; he is jaded, experienced and knows to read between the lines. He asks the right questions, leading the interview in a compelling and authoritative manner. Gone is his young self, who was seemingly scared or even enamored with Louis; in his place we have a journalist whose sole focus remains on digging the truth. Daniel seems to be suffering from Parkinson’s, which makes it apparent that he declined Lestat’s offer for immortality. While the movie begins in 1791, Louis’ story is set in 1910. He is evidently a mixed race man and instead of handling a reputable plantation business, he is acting as a pimp. His mixed-race heritage provides an opportunity to create new drama that was nonexistent in the movie. While the movie was more focused on dealing with the makings of vampirism, the telenovella has a more humane touch. As such, Daniel prods and picks at Louis’ conscience as they try to piece together the same story in a new packaging. Although the film exhibited a certain level of intimacy between Louis and Lestat, it was misinterpreted as friendship. AMC’s Interview with the Vampire doesn’t shy away from painting their relationship in a sexual manner; Daniel discovers that there was more to their relationship than fervid escapism.

“Take a black man in America. Make him a vampire. Fuck with that vampire. And see what comes of it”- Molloy

At Odds With His Vampiric Nature

Louis’s reminiscing takes us up back to the 1910s New Orleans; same setting, different circumstances. Instead of living a white collar superior life, the current Louis represents the repressed black class. He is handling his late father’s business (which does include a plantation farm), but his major incomes come from the “Red Light” area; a street full of brothels, where he regularly deals with upper class alderman. Louis wants to climb the ranks rather quickly, but his color and race are uncanny detriments. As such, he puts up with the misogynistic comments of the nobility as he wines and dines them- in the hopes that their valuable connections will be useful to his businesses. He behaves in an aristocratic manner but sadly he isn’t. Jacob Anderson’s Louis is on a different plane than Brad Pitt’s; while Pitt’s portrayal only deals with his humane predicaments, Jacob’s Louis faces racist attacks, degradation and violence. His apparent lose of humanity becomes the least of his worries when compared to the slurs he faces on a daily basis.

“You could be a lot of things in New Orleans, but an openly gay negro man was not one of em”- Louis

Louis’ savior arrives in the form of Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid), a rather handsome yet mysterious nobleman. His arrival makes Louis question his sexuality; something he has kept under the wraps, in fear of the society and his familial ties. Sadly, his brother Paul’s (Steven Norfleet) death opens a can of worms that leads Louis to a self destructive mode; the very thing that helps him embrace vampirism, whereby Lestat offers him free will and powers. Pitt and Anderson’s Louis seemingly have a common oddity- they struggle with accepting their blood thirst. While Lestat is too detached from humanity and regales in gothic sacrifices; Louis questions the need to kill humans. He even goes on a diet and insists on killing animals to fulfill his daily needs; sadly they aren’t fulfilling and he is forced to resort to old ways. Louis gabbles a lot with his current situation while yearning for his long-lost humanity. His guilt keeps pricking at his conscience; until one night he lashes out at an egoistic alderman while claiming his vampiric nature. While Pitt’s portrayal was praiseworthy, Anderson renders a rustic yet humane touch to his character that imbibes Louis with emotions and feelings.

Louis: I don’t want to kill people anymore. There it is.

Lestat: A fish that doesn’t swim. A bird refusing flight. You’re going to struggle. I have faith in the feline population of New Orleans

The Vampire Without A Moral Compass

Lestat de Lioncourt is just as his name suggests- charismatic, handsome and queer. He arrives in New Orleans with the singular purpose of finding a companion. Unlike Louis, who later alludes to the fact that he is gay, Lestat loves a little of everything (a clear indicator that he is openly bisexual). Also, he loves playing with his food; it serves his altruistic pleasure. Louis’ tryst with Lestat begins as casual acquaintances which later morphs into curious interactions as Lestat repeatedly tests Louis’s sexuality. He is headstrong and Louis’s passionate nature draws him like a moth to a flame. He has no qualms attaining his heart’s desire and loves to squander along; Lestat is the “Devil’s Advocate” having embraced his vampiric nature. Unlike Louis, he has no conscience and doesn’t mind killing humans callously; although he is very careful and calculative in choosing his preys. He isn’t prone to theatrics and selects his victims based on their thoughts. Yes, he can read minds and can also freeze time; both things make him impossibly powerful and manipulative.

“Hunting is an art. You have the power to subdue anyone you want, but sometimes restraint is your most powerful weapon”- Lestat

I’m actually at odds with Sam Reid’s portrayal; because it is so different from Tom Cruise’s rendition of the same character. They seemed to be on different planes; while Lestat is hugely depicted as a calculative bastard, their natures are entirely different. Cruise’ Lestat cares for Louis but their relationship is purely platonic; Reid’s Lestat is 100% in love with Louis, and his feelings give way for possessiveness and jealousy. There is clear demarcation in these two versions because Reid’s Lestat leads Louis to his sexual awakening. Although the movie does have its moments of intimacy between the main leads; it is toned down to friendship. AMC’s Interview with the Vampire is clearly written with the intention of freeing Lestat from those shackles; it elevates his existence to divergent plane and makes him so intriguing. While Louis seeks purpose for their current lifestyle, Lestat believes in going with the flow.

Louis: Do you ever think that we, that’s to say, our kind, were put on Earth for a larger purpose?

Lestat: I put you on this Earth. Your purpose is to enjoy yourself.

The Soul Stirring Romance

Technically, we shouldn’t be talking about souls in the context of vampires, because they are the undead. But I couldn’t find a better subtext to describe the love that exists between Lestat and Louis. Their only downfall being that they are both irrevocably in love with each other and yet they can’t reconcile on most decisions in their lives. So how does this journey begin? Lestat sees Louis threatening his overtly pious brother Paul and instantly decides, ” Yes, this is my man”. His seduction techniques have been honed through centuries and he isn’t above manipulating people to gain the upper hand. As such, he spends time with Lily, Louis’ favorite girl, just to needle the man. The entire interaction is filled with sexual innuendos whereby Lestat makes it clear that he is “hunting” Louis. In their next interaction (at a poker game with the upperclassmen), Lestat flaunts his powers by freezing time and tele communicating with Louis. They slowly grow closer as Lestat admires Louis’ business acumen and Louis, in turn, is enthralled with the handsome white nobleman, who treats him like his equal. Their romance doesn’t kick-start until Lestat initiates a threesome with Lily and ends up kissing Louis. Lestat bites and drinks from them and the sexual depravity is exquisite. It becomes clear that the telenovella is making amends for the lack of intimacy in the movie version. Louis goes through a brief moment of guilt and panic, which is elevated by his brother’s sudden death. Trying to escape from this profanity, Louis confesses to Father Matthias. What follows is the most chilling confession in the history of vampiric romances- Lestat kills Father Matthias and offers the gift of immortality to Louis.

“There is one thing about being a vampire that I must fear above all else, and that is loneliness.

You can’t imagine the emptiness. The void. Stretching out for decades at a time.

You take this feeling away from me, Louis.

We must stay together.

And take precaution. And never part”- Lestat

Their relationship isn’t an easy bargain with Louis’ inhibitions about killing humans; but the one thing that keeps them together is their love for each other. While Lestat isn’t exactly monogamous; he is insanely territorial and also afraid of losing Louis. So from buying salons to supporting Louis wholeheartedly in his enterprises, Lestat always stands by Louis. Though they have endless arguments due to their differing opinions, Lestat doesn’t approve of “Going to bed without solving their problems”. They lead a normal life, bicker like an old married couple and despite their oddities, they somehow make it work. Until Louis becomes to question their animalistic nature and refuses to accept it. Their altercations become frequent and Louis decides to break up with Lestat. Their different perspectives tear them apart and Louis is unable to stand the chaos (when he kills an alderman who dares to shut down his brothels). The third episode almost splits them apart; but under some excruciating circumstances, Louis ends up saving an orphan, Claudia (Bailey Bass). Lestat gives in to Louis’s demand (as usual) and resurrects the almost dead girl.

Lestat: I heard your hearts dancing!

Louis: You watched the whole thing like some creeper.

Lestat: And then I watched you pull over and drain a dog. And run down an alleyway for two more rats. This is not a life!

Louis: That’s cause you took my life! I got nothing. I lost everything. I lost my brother. I lost my family. About to lose the last fucking thing I care about.

Jacob Anderson and Sam Reid’s chemistry is off the charts; while Sam has a tight control over his expressions, he portrays Lestat’s larger-than-life persona well. Meanwhile, Jacob paints a damning picture which depicts Louis’ pain, suffering and inner struggles. Their interactions have a high charged energy, and it is unlike any other queer couple in American sitcoms. I was pleasantly surprised, absolutely bewitched and they are so captivating together, that you can’t take your eyes off the screen.

The Girl Who Changed Their World

“She was the band aid to your shitty marriage”- Molloy to Louis

This statement pretty much sums up Claudia’s (Bailey Bass) existence in Louis & Lestat’s catastrophic world. She enters the scene when Louis and Lestat’s relationship is on the verge of a complete breakdown. It is tattered at the edges and Claudia stitches it back. Louis saves her on the brink of death and Lestat resurrects her with his bite. The storyline is quite similar to the movie version; the only difference being that instead of Dunst’s schoolgirl look, we have a more mature teenager who is an inch away from blooming into womanhood. In the movie version, Lestat saves Claudia and adopts her in the hopes of saving his friendship with Louis. He lavishes her with love, adoration and riches. This relationship is downplayed in the televised version; where Louis decides to adopt Claudia and Lestat merely plays along in the farce. Being her maker, Lestat is not privy to her thoughts; something that works in Louis’s favor. He grows closer to Claudia because they can communicate telepathically and that annoys Lestat to no end. So, Louis becomes her Daddy Lou and Lestat is relegated to the uncle’s status. Of course, she is well taken care of, but their relationship gradually sours when Claudia realizes that her growth has been stunted. That her time is frozen, she will always be a child and can’t pursue romantic relationships. The bloodlust turns into angst when she accidentally kills one of her pursuits. Bailey Bass does well as Claudia; at times, she is even better than Dunst herself. The initial elation at finding a makeshift family, her thirst for blood, which later turns into hatred, is portrayed exceptionally. I’m curious about the turn of events in the future; there are so many dissimilarities between the movie & televised version. Will this Claudia take the same course of action?

First Impressions

Rolin Jones’ universe is quite different from the one envisioned by Neil Jordan almost 30 years ago. While technological advancements cannot be compared, the storytelling and locales are indeed expansive. While talking about both versions, the movie does pale in comparison. It was rushed and not as detailed as the telenovella is; we get to learn more about Louis and Lestat in this episodic format; their relationship isn’t hurried, the buildup is slow & delicious, the camera doesn’t shy away from depicting explicitness. Louis & Lestat are comfortable in their own skin, have no qualms flaunting their romance and their relationship is as sexual as it can get (no forbidden hints of intimacy between two vampires who are obviously pinning after each other). AMC’s Interview with the Vampire makes it work in a way that its predecessor could not. The modern setting is a nice touch and Molloy’s daredevil statements are interesting. His cynicism adds a distinct flavor to this recollection and Louis’s more sophisticated demeanor keeps you on the edge. He is a man with a lot of regrets, recounting the precious moments in his life- talking about the two most important people who meant more to him than anything else. You certainly won’t experience the “Twilight” zone here; Interview with the Vampire has gory violent scenes that aren’t for the fainthearted. Of course, it is melodramatic, but what else can you expect from two theatrical vampires and their bloodthirsty daughter? Stream it if you are looking for a new version of the old world!

Rating- 4 out of 5

Streaming on- AMC Plus