#anne herself makes louis give a lot of commentary about it in the books.

[divorceblogger]

santiago is able to win claudia’s trust in the first place because he and lestat both happen to take on roles as father figures in claudia’s life by giving her the vampiric instruction of the kill that is meant to sustain herself, with santiago also fashioning himself as a confidant - this is important because claudia rejects louis’s specific philosophy of vampiric existence, and therefore seeks mentorship elsewhere because she’s unsatisfied with what louis can offer her even if she respects his choices. this is also what makes her particularly susceptible to the parisian coven’s manipulation and abuse, apart from the familial nature of abuse that colours a lot of her past and her desire to assert her independence and remove herself to an environment where her self-expression will be more tolerated (and this situation will really be a life with madeleine, but she only discovers this later). but it’s no coincidence that lestat indelicately initiates her sexual instruction simultaneously while giving her pointers on how to feed in lovers’ lane in 1x04 and that the coven itself features an initiation ritual (headed by santiago) that involves a sensual sharing of blood between its members followed soon by the revelation that they intend to infantilise her onstage in a play that will eventually attract a lot of predatory audiences.

[lunakinesis]

Best vampire movies? In asking for a friend...

Oh. Well, this is just my opinion and recommendations (and I know Cora made a list too) so…

Interview With the Vampire (1994) - Honestly a classic. Who doesn’t love Louis and brat prince Lestat and their love-hate relationship and attempts to keep their family with Claudia together over the passage of time? 100% recommend the books too to anyone who hasn’t read Anne Rice’s work. 

Dracula Untold (2014) - A take on Vlad Teppes becoming Dracula. Looks amazing, has incredible acting and I assure you, you’ll cry. Give me a sequel already. 

Fright Night (2011) -  Oooh controversial opinion time! Yes, I picked this over the original. It’s definitely less scary than the original but the comedic elements/general aesthetic of the movie more than make up for it. Also Collin Farrell as a vampire. 

From Dusk Till Dawn (1996) -  Bank robbers and the family they’ve kidnapped end up in a club full of vampires and have to try to survive until day comes. Wasn’t a box office hit but has a cult following. There’s also now a tv series inspired by it that develops the characters and background witch I recommend too! 

Blade Trilogy (1998-2004) - Based on the Marvel comics. It follows the titular Blade - a ‘daywalker’ - on his endless battle against vampires. The third film does have a lot of controversy surrounding it and it’s not as good as the other two but give it a watch if you like. 

Only Lovers Left Alive (2014) - Probably the most human vampire film in existence. It’s emotionally powerful and deals with depression after centuries of existence. It’s a slow-burning movie and a beautiful tale. 

Dracula (1931) - Honestly the movie we have to thank for vampires becoming such a pop culture staple. Bela Lugosi’s Dracula still continues to define the character and is responsible or the persistent ‘vampire accent’.

Let the Right One In (2008) - Follows a young boy and a vampiric little girl. Another one that’ll make you emotional. Watch the Swedish version over the American remake. Check the book out too!

What We Do in the Shadows (2014) - Mockumentary following vampire flatmates and various other supernatural beings. It’s basically about mundane life but… with vampires and it’s comedy gold. 

Byzantium (2012) - Follows a mother/daughter vampire duo. No high class vampires here, our girls are portrayed by as the lowest rung by society’s standards. The movie is gorgeous and again, a more emotional take on vampires and the problems vampirism can bring. 

The Addiction (1995) - This movie uses vampires to make social commentary. It deals with some heavy issues: AIDS for one, drug abuse for another. But it also explores new age religion and a generation rebelling from what they’ve known. It’s a pretty philosophical movie dealing with peoples’ fluctuating and shifting mindsets. 

Dracula’s Daughter (1936) - Follows - you guessed it - Dracula’s daughter (The Dracula from the 1931 movie). This movie is astounding for its time because it’s a big ol’ lesbian fest and Marya’s quest to rid herself of her vampirism is symbolic of ‘curing’ gay/lesbian individuals.

 Kiss of the Damned (2013) - A screenwriter falls in love with a woman who turns out to be a vampire and is turned by her. They survive by feeding on animals, and everything is going well until our leading lady’s vampiric sister shows up to cause chaos. 

Hotel Transylvania (2012) - An animated movie in which Dracula owns a hotel where the monsters of the world stay, and is about to celebrate his daughter’s - Mavis  - birthday. Things go awry when human Jonathan shows up. Honestly, people dismiss animated movies far too much. This one is high-energy, funny and definitely enjoyable for adults as well as children. 

Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)  - Another take on the iconic novel. The movie is, honestly, hit-or-miss and at times over the top, but Gary Oldman as Dracula, Winona Ryder as Mina and Anthony Hopkins as Van Helsing are delights you can’t pass up on. Even if it’s kind of a wild ride with how OTT it is, it’s a fun one. 

Thirst (2009) - A South Korean movie that follows a young priest. He tries to help with aid work during an epidemic but ends up infected himself. A blood transfusion saves his life but that blood was vampiric and thus he himself is now a vampire. You can imagine the deep moral and spiritual struggle this causes the devout man as he tries to keep a hold of his humanity.