#Interview with the vampire tv show

[cowchickenbeefpork]

Does anyone else get "mother who hates her daughter because she sees all the parts she hates in herself in her daughter" and "daughter hating herself because she's becoming just like her father" vibes within lestat and Claudia? No? Okay....

[thenightflower]

Oh shit oh fuck..

[whitehairenthusiast]

Me every time Dreamstat appeared in IWTV Season 2

[noahsartt]

My reservations with the 2022 Interview with the Vampire tv series:

My thoughts on amc’s Interview with the Vampire (2022) tv series compared to the 1976 source material and what I liked about the 1994 movie.

Some reflections before the second season airs. I watched the series as it was coming out in 2022, so these thoughts have been sitting for over a year.

This is a subjective critique of the show, not me hating on it. I liked the show a lot & watched it twice. Many of the key changes were extremely creative ways of exploring those characters from new perspectives, instead of just pointlessly remaking something that's been done before. Distinct creative change should be the basis of every remake, no point is making something 'new' if there's nothing new about it. This show knew that, and the changes for the most part were written beautifully. ...But the movie is still my favourite despite its many flaws. Camp classic right there.

Issues with the show:

Making it take place 100 years later, it ruins the specific aesthetic of the book for me. (But I understand they had to in order to re-write Louis & Claudia as black).

Aging up Claudia. The way Bailey Bass played Claudia was amazing, no notes at all for her. I just wish they kept her younger because that was a very symbolic part of what made Claudia’s original character so tragic. She suffers in an entirely different way to Louis because of her age. New Claudia is supposed to be in the body of a 14 year old, but the actress was 18/19 so she looks much older already,  and no matter how well she played it, the age factor can’t be helped. Being stuck eternally in the body of a 5 year old (book) is so different to a 14 year old, who looks much older (tv show). Kirsten Dunst who was 10 in the movie, was able to play the little child - adult vampire progression a lot better. People say Claudia's original age is too 'disturbing' to see on screen... but that's the character...

Daniel being old… WHY?? Just so they could tie together the storyline or him meeting Armand multiple decades before ???? I only read IWTV and some of the TVL so I don't know everything that happens down the line for him, or what amc plans for the character in the show... but I don't understand the aging up except for 'diversity' reasons. Which, ok, but just to check a box? Louis and Claudia's race change make sense as a creative decision. But the Daniel in the book and film is a 20-something year old which is why he's so fascinated by Louis' 'gift', and doesn't understand the message Louis is sending, instead wanting to become a vampire too. Why would old Daniel want those same things? Changing Daniel's age is such an inherent thing... it's like if they didn't make Lestat blond. Eric Bogosian plays him funny though, I will say that. Christian Slater kind of just sat there.

Louis having no money and needing Lestat's financial support for his business ventures????? When it’s supposed to be Lestat leeching off Louis' estate … WHY. Why did they change something so fundamental about their dynamic. Lestat moves in because he needs wealth and Louis has it. And then he starts acting like it's both of theirs and Louis just lets him. Funniest thing ever. But in the show Louis moves in with him instead. That's just wrong.

Louis asking (basically begging) Lestat to make Claudia when Lestat is supposed to be the one to do it in order to ensure Louis doesn't leave him. Another fundamental part of their relationship that just got flipped around completely... and for what? Why did it change the things it didn't need to?

Antoinette... girl why are you there... we don't need more characters. Go away.

The guy that Louis gets with to make Lestat jealous …. why is he there either? In the book they don't need to bring other people in to irritate each other.

One of the most perfect scenes from the film was when Lestat was tormenting that girl and trying to get Louis to kill her. The show’s version with the opera singer wasn’t the same. The original scene is such a good depiction of their dynamic with each other: Lestat's eccentric killing methods and Louis’ shame and guilt. The show’s version didn’t live up to it. That scene was so excellent in what it set out to do. It captured their back and forth in such a simple way. That dynamic follows them forever, even as Louis begins to accept his nature, that spark of annoyance towards Lestat is ready to become a full fire at any moment. That scene is enough to be a full character study. The show has little bits here and there which capture something similar. But they should have recreated that scene at least.

Claudia and Lestat's relationship evolving from enjoying each others company and similarities, to detesting each other and competing for Louis’ affection. They didn’t spend enough time on Lestat and Claudia’s relationship in the show to fully demonstrate that, only a few scenes of them driving together and hunting together at the beginning. Even the two hour movie found a way to intergrade that better. Their relationship and the way Claudia is so starkly similar to Lestat when they move to Paris, is one of the my favourite parts of the book to analyse. Louis leaving Lestat and moving all the way across the ocean, only to be reminded of him in everything Claudia did. The show did have some purposeful parallels between Lestat and Claudia in the dialogue which I appreciate, I hope that continues in season 2.

Louis being in on Claudia's plan to kill Lestat and even being the one to finish off Lestat when it’s supposed to be Claudia’s idea on her own...?? Lestat's death is supposed to be an "ok, I guess that was necessary, time to move on with our lives now," moment for Louis. But he wasn't supposed to have the courage or the want to be the one to do it himself. He was hesitant and regretful in the show, but he still slit his throat... it was supposed to be Claudia alone. Credit where credit is due, the scene was beautifully filmed, the red blood on white cloth looked incredible and the entire scene captured the tone of devastation that the movie didn't. It was all very quick and emotionless in the movie.

Even though I hate Br*d Pitt's acting, his Louis was way more accurate to the book Louis. He basically was the embodiment of book Louis. Just sad and whiny the entire time. New Louis had more to him, I think Jacob Anderson even said in an interview that it was a purposeful decision to give Louis more grit. It's not a change I appreciated because it alters the original character too much. You can't change something that fundamental. Just ugh. In the show, Louis is more angry than pathetically sad, it’s very different to how the character was originally written. 

Sam Reid’s Lestat is pretty on the nose but still more serious than the original Lestat & Tom Cruise’s portrayal which was the perfect level of camp and eccentric. Tom cruise was playing Lestat from just IWTV but Sam Reid is playing him with the baggage of his entire life as written in the other books, maybe that's why he is different. Maybe his performance is even better because of it. I haven't read the other books so I can't really say.

I won't say anything about Armand (yet) because he hasn’t had his time to shine. We’ll see after season 2. I loved Antonio Banderas as Armand, and even though he was very different from how book Armand was, it was a change I liked. New Armand is going to be more accurate to the books I believe, but i didn’t like how Armand was there the entire time Louis was being interviewed… why...

Maybe I am one of the few that doesn't overtly appreciate the 'fresh' take of this story. Many of the things that draw me to the book and the movie have been taken away in this adaptation.

---

I recommend this fan fiction that explores the idea of Louis being a person of colour in the context of the original book's 1700s timeline. It explores the intersectionality of Louis' struggle with vampirism, queerness & race while still being authentic to the book. Go read it.

In the Author's words: This is NOT a rewrite of the AMC TV show, nor does it intend to be. This is us making one (subtextually plausible) change to canon in order to 1) explore underlying issues with the source material and 2) see how it affects the way the events of IWTV played out.

Ok that's it. Will maybe add to this when the second season airs. For months, this was just for me in my notes app but what is tumblr for if not to air out my locked away ideas.

[suikamelon6]

#LestatdeLioncourt #canon Bet he can't remember his emails/passwords. Does he get passports made up for these names? No wonder he can't remember where his properties are (or was that Armand?) He was pretty good with bank account details though. #iwtv #InterviewWithTheVampire

[saintsir4n]

a recommendation if you want something new to watch? It's not a british series but it's very good.. interview with the vampire

OMG YES, watched and finished it a month ago and I’m still in pieces. It was so beautifully tragic. I haven’t watched the 90s film and don’t plan to. But I’m looking forward to season 3.

[noonemonitorsmyscreentime]

If he isn't the messiest slut (lovingly) in the history of the world, is he really the one?

[starvinbohemian]

Have you seen the new interview with the vampire show?

I have seen exactly one episode. And for no other reason than because I have a crazy relationship with Anne Rice, having been completely re-shaped as a person when I first discovered her books as a (too young) kid, and because I was afraid to start the show and hate it. I have read so much Anne Rice, but this one-- this one, my beloved Interview-- was the first, the gateway and possibly the most formative thing I've read in my whole life. I felt certain the show would be bad. I knew from watching past interviews that Christopher Rice was excited to adapt The Vampire Lestat with his mother, but then Anne died, and it seemed to me that this latest adaptation was wrestled away from him and made into another Interview adaptation that he seemed to feel was unnecessary. And maybe it was taken from him? I have no idea, because I haven't looked into it at all. I see he's credited as an executive producer on this show, but that's a ceremonial title in most cases, so who knows? Besides, the '90s movie with Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise is, in my opinion, as good an adaptation as one could hope for (minus a better casting for Armand). Why did we need another adaptation?

Anyway, it took me an extra minute, because early pictures of Louis in a hoodie made me want to set myself on fire. Whatever else she might have thought of this show, Anne is definitely rolling over in her grave over that one. My boy would never. But something else I'm positive of is that Anne would have LOVED Sam Reid's Lestat. I'm honestly shocked by how perfect this casting was. I didn't think anyone could do a convincing Lestat performance. The character is... a lot lol. I admit to loving Tom Cruise's Lestat, but I think it's safe to say that he was never Anne's Lestat. I believe with everything in me that Sam Reid would have been Anne's Lestat. Perfection. (We're not gonna talk about Stuart Townsend's Lestat.)

So, my thoughts:

I'm still kinda wrapping my head around some of the changes from the book. Why are we in Dubai? They made my boy a pimp??? But I can see why, in the year of our lord 2023, it would be awkward to try to sell a protagonist that used to be a plantation slave owner. So, I get it. Moving on.

The melodrama. The big, sweeping musical score. Louis’ pretentious, occasionally ridiculous voice-over narration. Perfect reflection of the book’s tone. 

Speaking of melodrama... Lestat and Louis’ bad romance. Oh, boy. I know the showrunner really gets these two, because in the after-show interview, he said that what Louis called “being hunted” by Lestat, Lestat would call “courting” Louis. Yup. That’s them. 

And the STEAM. I did not expect them to go so hard with the erotic aspect of their relationship. I guess, after so many adaptations either dancing around it (lookin’ at you, ‘99) or outright ignoring/subverting it (lookin’ at you, Queen of the Damned), I wasn’t expecting to see Louis and Lestat straight-up devouring each other in a levitating sex scene one episode in. Although, Lestat declaring his love and immediately demanding all of Louis’ attention-- even during his brother’s funeral-- one episode in is very him. They got married, bathed in blood, at a church alter, surrounded by the corpses of priests Lestat had just brutally murdered-- not two minutes after Louis had been desperately begging said priests to save him from Lestat. The drama! The macabre! The most Anne Rice thing I’ve ever seen! Even Louis being annoying and mentally voicing over Lestat’s dramatic “let me turn you so we can be together forever” speech at its titular moment so I can’t actually hear it is pretty Anne Rice (and pretty Louis).

All of this happens one episode in. And to that, I say... Brava, show! That level of extra is exactly Lestat and Louis. (I love them.)

Also, this is a really interesting take on Daniel Molloy. My first instinct was rebellion-- where is my strung-out little twink reporter??? Armand's neurotic boy toy? But I think I love this older, jaded version of Daniel. I love that the first interview is still canon, but that Daniel botched it so bad that he had to wait decades for another shot. Moving the (second) interview to later in Daniel's life makes for a different Louis/Daniel dynamic, and I'm excited to see more of it. Daniel's bitter, but he's also still completely ensnared, and I'm here for it. I also appreciate that Daniel pointed out that there were inconsistencies and deflections in Louis' story the first time around, since that fits with the revelation in subsequent books that Louis wasn't exactly being 100% in his account. And it's just so Louis that he had to take a forty-nine-year pout before returning. (I love him.)

And crazy, religious brother Paul is here! Still crazy and religious! He finally made it into an adaptation. Good for him.

And ahhhh stealth Nicki reference! Lestat’s crazy violin-playing ex. I won’t hold my breath, but I hope we actually get to see him in a flashback. Paul made it into the show, so why not Nicki?

But I’ve gotta say that the biggest shock for me was Louis and Paul tap dancing. Louis... and Paul tap dancing? Anne, can you believe this?

A final shout-out to these lines:

Lestat, trying to convince Louis, future thorn in his side, to become a vampire: “I can take away that sorrow.” Hahahaha. Oh, Lestat. You have no idea how wrong you are. As if Louis would ever let you do that. Pain is his favorite.

“You’re his destiny, Louis!” Hahahahaha. You have noooo ideeeea.

So, I'm probably going to keep watching. I hope Louis sets something on fire soon! 

[thenightflower]

@marymooau pointed out to me that his handwriting is modelled after Anne Rice’s handwriting. 😭

“Do not waist life…”

Oh Lestat, the illiterate boy & young man you were; so desperate to learn & be good, with a Mother for whom knowledge & escape through books was her only solace… who couldn’t even be bothered to teach you the alphabet.

Now, with your preternatural skills, you can read & write & do any thing you wish… but of course - it makes sense that you would never have entirely learned how to spell, or at least that there’d be the odd, common words you didn’t know. (Occurred is also spelled incorrectly.)

Little details, breaking my heart even more.

Thank you everyone for caring so much you thought about the spelling of Lestat’s letter. I noticed. I care about every tiny detail like this & feel it, like love: deep in my soul.

Oh Louis: to read this letter & all your internal pain & shame & sorrow & guilt & love to deepen, I’m sure even more. Oh Sam, how you spoke the letter. Oh Lestat’s outfit, from their first “date”….

(I have much more to say on the episode, but for now…)

[cowchickenbeefpork]

here’s a Claudia!!!!!! First piece of fanart for this fandom aaaaaaa I wanted to be able to give this fandom something for now….i do plan on drawing and even writing more for this fandom since I adore this series

[thenightflower]

Lestat is still wearing his J. C. Leyendecker robe 113 years later.

[suikamelon6]

Ch.3 of my fic "You Brought it on Yourself" is up.

Llestat continues to annoy Llouis. So Llouis punishes him.

[cousinoyaya]

I think we aught to refrain from making assumptions about season 3... I know how the books go and what the production had said but this is a US show/production and our contracts are tight and intentional. Jacob Anderson is contractually the main, lead, character of IWTV no matter what season it is. As long as its called that, he is the main character; Along with getting first billing, his sag contract SHOULD dictate he appear in the majority of the show and SEASON he is first bill for, which is the industry standard.

I love Lestat and Sam Reid and genuinely can't wait for season three, and I think he will be the main narrator possible POV...

But Jacob Anderson is retaing his screen time per SAG rules. It's why the season ended on him, setting up the tension and story for season 3 without Lestat there because his not going anywhere let alone disappear.

If you want an example of this, you can look at HoTD, the Alicent character might not have had much to do this season but she still got the same amount of screentime as the other co-lead Rheanyra. Because that was the contract signed when she joined.

PSA

In light of season one of IWTV hitting Netflix soon, here’s just a few things I want to (re)state wrt the show itself and asks in general:

The Vampire Chronicles IWTV is built on has 13 books

The first two seasons are only the first book with some inclusions of later ones

There is a big shift in tone between IWTV and later books, as the rockstar teaser already makes clear

Season 3 will be built on the second book, called “The Vampire Lestat“

Lestat is and will be the main (anti) hero of the show. Louis is the main narrator for the first book, Lestat is for the upcoming four. That does not mean that Louis will disappear, but it does mean the focus will shift a bit

I have been a fan of the VC for decades. I love the movie and the show. I had not dared to hope for a show like this. If you ask me something I will answer with that background knowledge, which might contradict show-only-current knowledge since this show (and the books) only offers very flawed POVs and no absolute truths. Any hate bc of that will lead to a block (and yes blocking anon is possible).

The show gives a brilliant social commentary on a variety of issues, not the least patriarchy or racial discrimination, cycles of abuse and so on. However, it is important to differentiate the in-universe story level and that added social commentary level in discussion. And to differentiate the actors from the characters AND to realize you (we all) might not know all after season one. Don’t come to me if you cannot do that.

[tuserlivia]

INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE 1.02 | "...After the Phantoms of Your Former Self"

[noonemonitorsmyscreentime]

You ask me, an intellectual, what I consider to be the best genre of TV?

Gay Vampire Melodrama,

I say without hesitation.

[nobordersonlybuttcheeks]

I’m absolutely dying at this paragraph