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ghouldump · 2 months

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hi i love your writing unfortunately there aren't many fics for the iwtv so tysm!!

i was wondering if you could write something about louis lestat and claudia with a (vamp?) reader that accidently timetraveld

Back In My Arms | Lestat x Reader x Louis

ෆ time traveling accidentally and you're able to relive bittersweet memories.

thank you and I agree, especially the amc version compared to the movie. The other posts are coming, but I had to rush and get this one out because it was so gut wrenching for me �� LOL

“What do you think? The blue or the purple,” you held the dresses to your body.

“I prefer your birthday suit,” Lestat said over the classical music, making you roll your eyes at him. Could he ever be serious when you needed him to be?

“Louis,” you called out, wanting a real opinion.

“Hm? Oh, the purple” he was hardly listening, more focused on the pages of the book.

“So the blue, got it,” you grumbled, storming away, to finish packing your things.

“Ma chèrie, why are you leaving again? It truly makes no sense to me why you remain friends with this mortal,” Lestat said.

“I don't see why you care, it's not like either of you will notice I’m away,” you said, as you closed the bag.

“Don't say that, we do notice,” Louis said, defensively.

“I'll only be away for a night,” you mumbled, checking your appearance in the mirror, and slinging the bag over your shoulder.

“Stay, you can give us a more detailed visual representation of the dresses,” Lestat said, straightening his posture when you scoffed.

“Sex doesn't fix everything”

“It is a start”

“And maybe that's why we’re in the situation we’re in, now, if you'll excuse me, I’m going hang with my mortal friend, who communicates with me and doesn't want to block out our problems with Mozart, books, and sex,” you said, storming out of the townhouse, making sure to slam the door.

Getting into your car, you began to drive to your close friend, George, or Georgie, you called him both. He was middle-aged, although he was closing in on becoming elderly. He'd oftentimes been told he resembled Bill Nye, but those comments usually only made him red in the face, before he sent a storm of swear words at the person, in his thick Cajun accent. Divorced and cut out of his kid's lives, he was lonely, but so were you. Georgie was the only mortal to ever know that you were a vampire, and he made you feel normal.

Although having a few questions at first, he eventually let the matter go, and hardly ever brought it up. The two of you had been friends for nearly a decade now, and you planned to hold on until the bitter end. He wasn't too keen on being turned, scorned by his wife leaving him and his children siding with her. Lestat and Louis weren't comfortable with your friendship at all, but after realizing your relationship was completely platonic and you weren't cutting him out of your life, they grungily accepted him.

As you finally parked in front of Georgie’s house, approaching the door, you shook your head, discovering it was unlocked. Letting yourself in, you locked the door, going to where you'd both hang out for hours, his basement.

“You need to keep your door locked old man, anyone could just walk in here,” you said, going down the stairs. Tossing your bag onto the couch you'd usually sleep on, in the windowless room.

“Nobody comes here but you,” he said, making you laugh.

“So how is it going?” you asked, sitting in a nearby chair.

“A little more progress than last time, how are things at home?”

“Lestat is…well Lestat and Louis will always act like our issues aren't there,” you shrugged.

“Have you tried talking to them?”

“Of course, Lestat doesn't take anything seriously enough, and Louis wants to brush over it all,” you said.

“Hopefully, this is a success, because then we can fix everything,” Georgie smiled.

“Maybe you, but I don't see my problems being fixed”

“Don't underestimate science,” he told you.

Georgie had been working on an actual time-machine portal. He believed if he could go back in time, undo his mistakes, could prioritize his family over work, maybe that would stop his wife from having an affair with the neighbor, from leaving him and draining his wallet, and taking his children who he couldn't even get a happy birthday from.

He insisted that you would be able to use it, to repair your companionship. A long time had passed since 1910 and much tragedy and heartbreak happened. Separating from each other and eventually reconnecting, recently everything had been so stagnant and bland. No energy to argue about obvious conflicts, but unwilling to leave each other again and be forced to deal with the pain.

“Oh, my goodness,” Georgie stood up, his hand going to his chest. Your eyes widened, worried that he would croak.

“What is it?” you asked, you couldn't sense any internal issues, noticing his thoughts were jumping for joy.

“I think…I think it works,” he said, as he began to type on the nearby computer. The pod he'd spent years building, lit up, the white light faint.

“It turns on, how will you know if it works for real?” you asked.

“Could you maybe catch a few raccoons, rats, birds, anything, we can try on them,” he asked. Standing up, you went outside, quickly grabbing a rat from near the drainage, bringing it to him.

“Done,” you smiled, holding it firm, tossing it in the pod, as he opened the door. The rat squeaked a bit, running in circles, as Georgie typed.

The machine began to make a noise before the rat burst. It’s guts splattering on the door.

“Ew, what happened?” you asked him, pressing against the door, to look inside in disgust.

“It seems like it is releasing some sort of radiation, too strong for animals and people, I'll have to keep working on it,” he grumbled disappointedly.

“I could try it if you want,” you offered.

“The radiation will be damaging-

“In case you forgot, I’m hardly human anymore, I am a bit intrigued, the worst thing that could honesty happen is I get burned up, and I’ll heal,” you said, as he faced you.

“Are you sure? I don't want you to feel like you have to do this, Y/n,” he said, but you brushed him off.

“Trust me, I don't, but you've put so much time into this, almost as long as I've known you, I want this to work out for you,” you said.

“Okay, let me get suited up, to clean it first,” he said, changing into the nbc suit to clean the inside of the pod. While waiting for him, you checked your phone, seeing a message from Louis.

“Sending a picture of the dress, I’m sure you look beautiful as always”

Smiling softly, you set your phone on the counter, taking your shoes off, watching as Georgie scrubbed the blood away. Little did Louis know, you wouldn't be wearing the dress to go hunting tonight. As soon as he finished cleaning, he was back at your side, typing on the monitor.

“We’ll do, let's say 5 minutes into the future, I’ll think of a number and when you come back, tell me the number, and time it to see if there is a significant change in time,” he said, as you nodded in agreement, accepting the small stopwatch, stepping into the pod.

Your arms at your sides, you briefly gave him a thumbs up, hoping to reassure his anxious thoughts. Typing on the computer, the pod began to light up again, the noise leaking out before it started to shake. Standing up, Georgie stood with his eyes wide, his jaw dropping as you vanished.

“Oh my Lord, it's working,” he said, his hand shakily went to his mouth.

Back at home, Louis and Lestat were relaxing, leisurely lounging around when it happened. A sudden feeling of dread washed over them as if you were gone. Glancing at each other, both of them stood up, rushing from the house to your friend, George's home. Bursting through the door, they went downstairs.

George looked back, gasping, surprised to see the elder vampires. However, before he could say anything or move, Lestat had him pressed against the wall, his hand around his neck.

“What did you do?”

“M-machine,” he choked out, looking over at the pod.

“Lestat, look,” Louis said, staring at the pod, fog seeping from the bottom.

“What is this?” he continued, looking to George.

“Time machine,” he struggled to say, before Lestat dropped him.

“You didn't put her into your experiment,” Louis said out loud, shaking his head, already pacing the floor.

“She offered, and it was only five minutes into the fut-

Suddenly, within the fog, you could be seen, smiling in excitement from the exhilaration of the atoms passing through your body. Your smile quickly faltered, seeing your lovers and a nervous Georgie.

“What are you doing here?” you asked.

“Get her out of it, now,” Lestat told Georgie.

“Leave him alone,” you argued.

“This isn't safe, Y/n, we thought you were gone,” Louis told you.

“Don't parent me, Louis”

“Get her out of it now, or it will be destroyed,” Lestat said, shoving George into the computer, his hands smashing against the keyboard.

“Stop it, Lestat,” you yelled.

“What did you do?” George stressed, as the machine lit up. Typing as quickly as possible, he couldn't see the results that he needed.

“Y/n, he made me press a few buttons, it is going to the past, I don't know how far, but I’m going to fix it,” Georgie said apologetic.

“What?” Lestat and Louis said at the same time.

“Do not kill him, fucking asshole,” you said before vanishing.

“Can you bring her right back?” Louis asked.

“I don't even know how far it has brought her”

“Well figure it out,” Lestat snapped.

“This is your fault, she told me all about you and your ugly ways,” George said. Tilting his head, Lestat was about to reach for him, but Louis grabbed his arm.

“He has to bring her back to us,” he reminded him.

“She is going somewhere in the 19th century, I can't pinpoint where and when. Time should be a little longer through the pod, so I’d estimate a few hours for us if it is a success”

“For us?” Louis asked.

“IF it is a success?” Lestat screamed at the same time as him. George truly didn't understand what you saw in the dramatic man, other than his good looks.

“I've been studying this for some time now and with time travel, it could feel like days, or even longer, but in reality, it should only be a few hours, and I say if because we haven't tried going to the past. The pod isn't sustainable for the undead and Y/n getting in was the first actual progress of real-time travel,” he explained.

“Maybe one of us could go in and-

“No, that is the worst solution, we don't know where she went, so I wouldn't know where to send you and it is only one pod, and overloading the database is the last thing that needs to happen, we’ll give it a few hours,” George said, standing.

“Where are you going?” Lestat asked him.

“Have a glass of wine, if it could take a few hours, I’m going to relax for a while, you're free to make yourselves comfortable,” he said, stepping out of the NBC suit, before going up the stairs.

“We just have to wait,” Louis reassured Lestat, who stood staring at the pod, unable to believe this was happening.

As the pod finally stopped shaking, you peered outside at the change of setting. You were outside, Georgie nowhere to be seen. Turning on the stopwatch, you muttered an apology to him, before punching the thick glass and pushing the door open. Immediately, you recognized the familiarly different environment.

Your bare feet touching the dirt, you recognized the small, poorly built houses. You hadn't seen these houses in ages after Katrina wiped the remaining pieces away.

“Hey, what are you doing-

“You saw no one here, and you won't let anyone get near this precious contraption, now go on inside,” you glamoured the man, watching as he went back up the stairs, into the house.

Sighing, you began to leave the area, ignoring the strange stares. From the way everyone dressed, you were somewhere between the first three decades of the 19th century, and you were sticking out like a sore wearing the knee-length sundress. There was only one place you knew to go, to be sure of the date.

Coming to a complete stop in front of your home, you could see the lights on. Taking a deep breath, you reminded yourself that if they were here, this wasn't the same Louis and Lestat you were having issues with, and so you'd have to act accordingly.

Opening the door, you could hear the shuffling of feet and the sound of furniture being torn apart. Furrowing your eyebrows, you went upstairs, surprised to see them in that room. Making eye contact with Louis, he did a double take.

“Y/n,” he said, taken away by your beautiful, he hadn't seen a dress made in such a way before, shorter than average, but still classy.

Hearing your name, Lestat opened that lovely pink coffin, climbing out, and tossing the diary to the side.

“Ma chérie, you stopped for shopping?” he asked, a small smirk in place.

“Did you see her?” Louis finally asked. At a loss of words, you struggled to speak for a moment.

“I'm sorry, I'm not feeling like myself, what year is it?” you asked.

“1920, you alright?” Louis asked, approaching you.

“Look who finally decided to crawl home to her coffin and write about her psychosexual behavior,” Lestat spat.

“You read my diary?” hearing that beloved voice, your eyes began to sting.

“Only a little bit,” Louis confessed.

“I read all of it and you are a little deviant brat,” Lestat said, as you slowly turned around. The bloody tears began trickling down your cheeks, as you stared into her eyes. She was real, in the flesh, not a figment from your dreams or old photos, but was here in front of you.

“Claudia,” you said, her name flowing from your lips caused you to visibly tremble.

“Mama,” she started, concerned, her eyes widening as you rushed over, pulling her into a bone-crushing hug.

Weeping bitterly, you held her close, unwilling to let her slip away this time, whispering sweet words of love to her. Confusedly, she hugged you back, as you both sat on the floor, holding her in your arms.

While the two men were originally set on disciplining their wild daughter, their concern now shifted to you.

“Claudia, you've been reckless-

“They're buried in Chalmette,” you interrupted, Lestat, your hand comfortingly brushing over her curls.

“How do you know that?” Louis asked, but you ignored him.

“My beautiful girl,” you whispered, hugging her one last time tightly, before letting her go.

“Are you okay, mama?”

“I couldn't be better at this moment,” you reassured her, kissing her forehead.

“Let her off this time, please, for me, she's still a child, and there will be a time when we wish we still had our beautiful girl staying here with us,” you said, facing them, seeing your blood-stained face, they were beyond concerned.

“It's still a little early for bed, perhaps you'd like to play a game of chess?” you asked her, wiping your eyes and accepting her hand, as she stood up.

Going into the living room, Claudia couldn't help but think about how unusually attentive you were being. Sure, she was just as spoiled as other children, but you never stopped her from being disciplined when you all agreed she needed to be.

“Claudia, you know I love you, right?” you asked her, watching as she set up the game.

“Yes,” she nodded.

“Without you, an eternity isn't the same,” you admitted, as Lestat and Louis came downstairs, joining the two of you.

Your lovers watched you intentively, as you played the game with Claudia. Lestat noticed how you were letting her win, purposely moving to the wrong places, as she took your pieces while showering her with praises.

He couldn't put his finger on it, but something about the interaction seemed different. Any other time you played chess with her, you gave her a challenge, expressing where she was improving or where she needed work. This time, you were treating her like a little child, like you hadn't seen her in forever, or would never see her again.

Time flew and after two long rounds, Louis stood, announcing Claudia needed to go to bed. Groaning, she stood, wanting to stay longer, but you shook your head.

“It's okay, you need your beauty rest, I love you so much, sleep well,” you told her, hugging her firmly once more.

“Love you too,” she mumbled before she was stomping up the stairs.

“Are you sure you are okay, ma chérie?” Lestat asked, as soon as her bedroom door shut.

“I am, I just, the thought of one day losing her, or being apart hurts my soul, our relationship would probably never be the same,” you said, smiling sadly at him.

“Why would we never be the same?”

“Because she's our daughter, and it would take losing her to see how much she is loved, even you, she's so much like you and that's why you clash so much,” you laughed.

“Wouldn't that make us stronger?”

“I wish that was the case, but holding onto the past makes you unable to communicate like you're supposed to-

“Where is all this coming from? Talk to us, what's on your heart?” Louis asked.

“Please don't question me, but there will be a time when we are so weirdly uninterested in each other, and we try to block out our issues with reading, music, and sex,” you said.

“Why though?”

“Holding onto the past”

“Then you'd have to remind us of what is ahead and not behind,” Lestat said, leaning down, pecking your lips.

Feeling your face burn from the passionate kiss, you looked down, your eyes widening noticing your fingers faded. You have watched enough sci-fi movies with Georgie to know it was time for you to leave.

“I need to make a quick run-

“The sun will be up in another hour,” Louis told you.

“I know, I won't be long, love you both,” you said, pecking both of their lips, before running out of the house.

As you ran back to the backyard, you were surprised to see the man back outside.

“What are you doing?” you asked him, seeing as he sat on the steps, watching the pod.

“I saw some kids run back here, so I’m just watching this contraption,” he shrugged. Staring at the man, you recognized him, Georgie’s grandfather, but much younger. You had seen the few photos hanging up on the house and you identified the face quickly.

“If you had advice for a future relative, a son or grandson, what would you tell him?”

“Life gets hard, we make mistakes, and we lose people, but we have to hold onto the better part of things. I get divorced, but I was able to experience a beautiful marriage, same with children, I was fortunate to experience fatherhood”

“Beautifully said, go get some rest,” you said, glamouring him, watching as he nodded, going inside.

Carefully stepping over the broken glass, you cautiously stepped inside, shutting the door, as the fog came back, the machine lighting up, before you were gone.

“Anything?”

“You just asked me that a few minutes ago, please, have some damn patience,” George said to Lestat, who was pestering him about you. The man was trying as hard as he could and Lestat did not care one bit.

Suddenly, the pod lit up, the fog coming back. Typing on the computer the door opened, before you stepped out, your feet dirty.

“I was away 6 hours and 40 minutes, how long has it been?” you asked, tossing Georgie the stopwatch.

“2 long hours, you've been crying,” Louis said, going to pull you into a hug.

“I saw her, our girl, she was perfect,” you said, feeling him stiffen in your arms before his shoulders shuttered from crying.

“What was she doing?” he asked.

“She had gotten in trouble, but I convinced you both to let it go, and we spent time together,” you said, as he smiled, nodding.

“You told her you loved her?” he asked, hopeful.

“Yes,” you nodded, as the hug tightened before he pulled away.

“And you told me something, so valuable,” you said, shifting to Lestat.

“Of course I did,” he smirked.

“You told me to remind you both of what is ahead of us and not our past,” you said, watching as he dabbed his eyes, stopping any tears on his part.

“Sounds like something I’d say, I guess,” he grinned.

“Are you ready to come home? I know you're probably exhausted from all of this?” Louis asked, grabbing your bag when you nodded.

Glancing at Georgie, who stood awkwardly waiting for you to finish with your reunion. Moving away from Lestat, you stood in front of your good friend, before pulling into a hug.

“Someone dear to you told me some valuable advice I want to share with you,” you smiled.

“Okay”

“Life gets hard, we make mistakes, and we lose people, but we have to hold onto the better part of things. Our past isn't meant to be changed, but rather we embrace the experience, both good and bad, because it shapes us into who we are. You might not be able to get your marriage back, but you could try to reach out to your children, Georgie,” you said, smiling as he teared up, agreeing with you.

“We have our own affairs to handle,” Lestat groaned, ready to leave the tiny basement.

“Shh,” Louis nudged him before you followed the two out of the house.

“Now that I think about Lestat was more charming back then, but now it's you, Louis,” you said, both of you laughing as Lestat scoffed, going on a rant about his greatness.

You missed Claudia greatly, but you had to keep moving, you all did. You still had an eternity of life, but maybe one day, just maybe, when you're reunited, she'll be where she belongs, back in your arms.

#lestat de lioncourt x reader #lestat x reader #lestat de lioncourt #louis de pointe du lac x reader #louis x reader #interview with the vampire #amc iwtv

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murfpersonalblog · 16 days

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IWTV S2 Ep6 Musings - Dead Blood, a retcon(?)

Plenty of posts state that vamps can't drink Dead Blood, and I just wanted to touch on something Madeleine & Claudia discussed:

Now, I've discussed how frikkin delicious (human) blood is to vamps:

ANY blood can feed vamps--including animal blood, as we all know from book!Loustat eating rats & cats (even birds in the movie), and especially Gabrielle & Mekare, who hunted animals in the wilderness, far away from human civilization. Vampires ARE blood-drinkers after all; it's what they DO. Claudia's right: It's FOOD; even junk food can get you by.

But the fandom's been hung up/confused/misled about Dead Blood for decades, thanks to the IWTV movie.

A big problem with the Alphabettery's that its entry on Dead Blood (and Claudia's Murder Plot vs Lestat) directly contradicts what's in the effing BOOK--instead, it's following the MOVIE, too.

First off: the Dead Blood wasn't what sickened/paralyzed Lestat, it was the poisonous absinthe & laudanum she laced the boys' food with--Les guzzled down a frikkin horse tranq.

Second: the book explicitly shows more than once that the boys were still alive when Les drained (& sexually molested *cough*) them:

In TVL, AR's second book, she already contradicts the whole Dead Blood thing when Lestat is tortured by Armand in the Theatre before the Trial.

Les was starved, and raving mad, and Armand fed him corpses to drink from. (I discuss the effects of vampire "starvation" here.)

The whole thing about drinking from the dead was tied to the anathema of vamps (as dead things) drinking up Death, to stay alive.

Les explained to Claudia that drinking after the heart stopped made vampires "SICK to death."

Magnus told Lestat explicitly that NOTHING can kill vampires except the sun/fire (which is only 75% true--the BRAIN is what really matters, as I've explained). But he did warn Les not to drink dead blood--

--cuz Magnus assumed that newborn fledgling Les wouldn't be "strong enough to feel that great moment" of drinking in death, the way an older vampire could--and we know that the Children of the Millennia love to drink dead blood--eating their victims' heart & BRAIN after they were already dead--cuz those organs are where the best/strongest blood is--more on that in my Cannibalism post.

But Les almost immediately broke this rule--cuz Lestat is THE rule breaker (hence why him raving about the Great Laws makes no effing sense).

Fledgling Les kept drinking his victims' blood after they were dead, and it didn't kill him--he felt a "wallop," as he couldn't move in his "rolling delirium."

The Alphabettery described the side effects of Dead Blood as getting "sick...to the point of paralysis," corpse-stiff with rigor mortis. For WEAKER vamps, yes, it can make them feel "sick to death," and even Les' was bowled over, delirious & immobile. But this isn't cuz Dead Blood is inherently DEADLY, like poison (a la the movie); but cuz of the overwhelming affect of FEELING that "great moment" of death--it's psychological as much as it's physical.

Most vamps can't HANDLE the GUILTY FEELING of killing--they can't handle what death feels like. Hence why they're always running from their OWN death, by drinking the blood of the living just to FEEL alive again.

Vamps are inherently SCARED of death--they AVOID being around it, and even being around their own dead victims.

It's the same with tasting death. Magnus said only vamps who are STRONG enough can drink Dead Blood, and FEEL death without themselves wanting to curl up and die with their victims. Tasting death paralyzes them--makes their limbs heavy, tense, & lock up; forced to reconcile their (im)mortality & unnatural body--just like how Pandora & Lestat wept when they first used the Cloud Gift, hating how inhuman it made them feel. Being a vampire is HARD--it's a blow to the human conscience; and drinking death wallops them.

The horrible treatment of the Replimoids/aliens like Derek was cuz their bodies provided limitless amounts of blood vamps could gorge themselves on, as Replimoids never die from bloodloss--they don't NEED blood to live.

We see Rhoshamandes experience feeling death "pass into" him in PL, when he eats Khayman's brain:

He seemed to swoon, either from ecstasy or nausea isn't clear--eyes fogging up and heart racing. But the Dead Blood in Khayman's brain was still "delicious."

In PLatRoa, Rhosh was instructed by Roland that drinking from the aliens was the perfect buffet, cuz there's no Death to drink or feel "pass into" a vamp, if the victim can't ever die from being drained.

The issue of vamps drinking immortal/Deathless Replimoid blood brings me to another point. When drinking Armand's corpses in TVL, Les said something important about "sucking up what was left."

As AR developed her lore, it becomes clear(er) that what vamps are sucking up is not actually blood, but MAGIC--the spiritual life force within blood, that AMEL (as a spirit/ghost) feeds on in order to live.

Maharet explains it in QotD:

Amel, a "spirit of the air" that served as Maharet & Mekare's familiar in their witchcraft, was addicted to blood--not just the magic in it, but also the "taste;" that he "fed" on.

The GOAT Mekare explained that even invisible spirits are still material bodies--they have matter, that can absorb & experience things through our 5 senses--inc. taste.

AR contradicts herself in TVL when first she says Les drinking Dead Blood tasted so "exquisite" that he forgot to stop when the heart did; he just kept going. But then in the Trial, Les said drinking dead blood from the corpses Armand gave him was "cold, nauseating, the worst." I suspect that for fledgling vamps, who're much closer to Amel at the moment of creation, they can't discern the difference between living & dead blood--blood is just blood--"it's FOOD, I need it;" and as a baseline ofc it tastes good--cuz ALL blood tastes good to Amel, too. Khayman's Dead Blood was "delicious" to Rhosh. But as they settle into their vampiric bodies, drink more blood, and age over time, their attitudes/sensitivity towards different blood types gradually changes, too--cuz we see this in Amel, too.

Amel drank the blood of the living AND the dead--from people, and from blood sacrifices (which he would "slurp up" (I assume from the altar floor & whatever bowls were laid out on them)). The animals/people and the blood itself would be "dead." Drinking any blood made Amel feel "slow"--as in heavy/more material/physical/CORPOREAL--ALIVE again.

When Amel took possession of Akasha, and revived her corpse from death (thus becoming the Sacred Core of the mother of all vampires), Amel used Akasha (and all vamps spiritually linked to her through the Silver Cord, luracastria, magic, etc), as conduits to feed his bloodlust.

Amel's called "the spirit of the vampiric Blood." But although corporeal/alive inside Akasha, as more blood-drinking vamps were made, Amel's Sacred Core/"rootness" became stretched too thin.

As a (former) spirit/ghost, Amel's "etheric self" was trapped in Akasha's body; similar to how (former) spirit/ghost Gremt was trapped in the synthetic(?) body of flesh & blood he created after witnessing Amel take Akasha's body; made "too solid, separate and individual."

Gremt's corporeal body appreared so real/complete/alive that Lestat could drink Gremt's synthetic(?) "sweet, luscious" blood just fine--

--cuz blood is blood; and Les couldn't tell the difference between this former spirit/ghost's fake(?) blood; and a real humans' blood. Cuz Gremt is pure SPIRIT--and vampires drinks SPIRITS/life forces/magic in the blood.

But interestingly, when Les drank the Replimoid/alien Kapetria's "extraordinary, rich, irresistible, sweet" blood; it was like he started tripping on acid.

Upon drinking Kapetria's blood, Les started hallucinating his worst triggers--the Witches Place, Memnoch, and Claudia's Murder Plot, screaming "Put me in my coffin."

It was so bad he had to be carried out the room--the effect so bad it was like he HAD drunk Dead Blood. Which is odd, cuz Rhosh & Roland never experienced this with Derek. But then again, neither of them held the Sacred Core when they drank from a Replimoid.

I reckon Les was so badly affected cuz--with Amel's Sacred Core in him--he was too close to the Repolimoids to feed on them; it's cannibalism in a too-literal sense. Although "every cell in me was satisfied and upheld by the blood"--cuz there's still a spirit/soul in Replimoids--Les was still overloaded with Kapetria's luracastria. It hit him like Dead Blood would to a weak vamp--cuz luracastria's what makes old vamps turn to stone, like TWMBK--their bodies go heavy, stiff, rigor mortis.

He's not drinking Death with Kapetria; he's drinking life itself (and thus is faced with HIS old life); similar to how vamps drinking vampire blood from the Elders/CoM gives them a better "high" than drinking from regular fledglings--let alone humans.

When Les drank Rhosh's Dead Blood from his brain, it was "so sweet and strong," lighting him up like he was on fire/warm like he'd "never been cold"; "beatific, grand beyond imagining." When Les recovered from the swoon (ecstasy, NOT nausea), Rhosh's blood was "a fine scaffolding of steel supporting me."

Les encouraged his Vampire Court to cannibalize the rest of Rhosh's corpse, and drink his "powerful" Dead Blood to suck up the vitality/strength/power in the life force still lingering in Rhosh's corpse.

As such, here, I disagree with AMC!Claudia's insistence that "life's mystery" isn't in the Blood. I think this is her downplaying just how much she loves/needs blood (just like she downplayed her dreams/nightmares); esp. considering what Louis said about her being afraid she "can't stop" if she takes "a sip" of Madz's blood--knowing what happened to Charlie & her inability to perform the Little Drink like an older/stronger vamp can. You see the raw THIRST on Claudia's face as she fights not lunging at Madz! Cuz at the end of the day, for vamps ("hungry ghosts" in other cultures), ALL BLOOD IS LIFE.

#interview with the vampire #the vampire chronicles #queen of the damned #the vampire lestat #lestat de lioncourt #iwtv tvc metas #prince lestat trilogy & the chateau era #food stuff #justice for claudia

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littlemermaidx · 22 days

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Finished season two of iwtv the other day and I'm still 😭😭😭 As someone who's always been a fan of the movie, I have to say that this show is so beautifully made and the acting is just superb! I keep forgetting that I'm watching actors act lol. It feels like watching a play and not a TV show and I really like that! I also can't believe that some people thought that the *last* scene between Louis and Lestat was cheesy and *horribly* written??? Like, wtf?? Have we watched the same thing or?? It wasn't out of character imo, to act the way they did in that scene because the show versions of Louis and Lestat have always been more vulnerable and, still kind of, human like? I'm a big fan of the movie, like I already mentioned, but it's obvious how differently written Louis and Lestat are in the film to the show. Although I love Tom as Lestat, Sam brought a certain vulnerability to the character and I really enjoy watching him play Lestat. To me that last scene was just perfect and, kind of in a way, very fan fiction-esque. Like seriously that's a type of scene we would all *probably* be writing and posting on ao3 if it didn't really happen lol. Lestat found Louis and then lost him and then found again and it took over 70 years for their reunion?? I mean, come on.. It was perfectly reasonable to me that he acted the way he did. I love it when he also asked Louis did he hurt himself that night when he spoke to Armand, in this lovely, emotion filled, shaky voice.. It was all beautiful and romantic and yes I even loved the lil touch with the thunder and the house literally falling apart cause of the storm that's been raging around them. This is a story about vampires and vampires do tend to get dramatic now and then (quite often actually!).. Anyway, I'm in love with that scene and their chemistry overall and just feel like re-watching it over and over again ❤️‍🔥

#I had to have a lil fangirl moment because I just fin season 2 lol #I wanted to preserve it by watching it every few days but..#That didn't happen lol #iwtv #iwtv s2 #love it #rambles #text #Breaking my hiatus just to write this lol #lestat de lioncourt #louis de pointe du lac #loustat #interview with the vampire

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thoseyoulove · 2 months

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Just finished Part I of The Vampire Lestat and here are my first impressions (I skipped IWTV *for now* since the show has already covered it... I'll read it eventually):

I can't tell yet if I like it or not.

So far, I enjoy the concept and the characters seem to be compelling. In terms of eventfulness, there hasn't been much, but I do have some interest in these people. They all appear to be complicated and have a lot of baggage, which I guess makes them appealing and gives the story potential. Let's see where this goes.

I don't hate, but I also don't love Anne's writing style. I don't think she narrates and describes things very well, she lingers on stuff I don't care that much for and doesn't provide details on things I'm actually curious about? There are some abrupt changes that annoy me sometimes as well.

I do believe this might be an attempt to get ourselves in the mind of Lestat and how he process to the world around him, though? It would make sense considering how chaotic he is.

Another thing I like is how he got so obsessed with the 20th Century, music and theater. The descriptions really give me the idea of someone experiencing the world for the first time (in a while) and considering how isolated he was growing up or after everything that happened with Louis/Claudia, it makes sense that he is so fascinated by all these discoveries. And it's really immersive and sweet to see how he in awe he is with all of it.

He also speaks like he is somebody born in the 1700s. So I give her credits for that as well.

Pretty sure Lestat is neurodivergent at this point (ADHD is basically a yes from me, maybe he has dyslexia and/or autism too).

And his memory is trash. So often he doesn't know if he actually did something, or if it were someone else, or if it was just a thought... I'm like, ARE YOU OKAY (he isn't)? By the way, this is painfully relatable because I also have poor short (and long-term) memory. Heaven help him (and moi).

That boy is a water sign if I've ever seen one.

He cries A LOT. I don't remember ever seeing any (book/show/movie) character cry that much, specially in such a short time lol. And the fact this is coming from a man and not a woman... There you go with defying gender norms, king!

Lestat having Borderline Personality Disorder isn't even a headcanon at this point, but a FACT.

He probably hasn't been hugged enough times in his life and it SHOWS.

Even with the abuse in his family, his frustration with his mother and the "malady of mortality", he manages to stay optimistic in a way that feels so childlike and naive that makes my heart warm and ache for him. I'm like, you deserve better.

Again, I don't know if I'm enjoying or not, but I do like the fact I can imagine Sam's Lestat doing all of this on season 3. Picturing Sam bringing these moments to life is the BEST PART of the reading.

Would I still read these books if the show never existed? That's what I need to find out.

I can see why some people got so invested in this character, though. At least for now. Some stuff hit close to home and I find myself rooting for him. I imagine that for the ones who read it at as a teenager, it must've made them feel less alone and seen to some extent.

At this moment, it's Lestat > Gabrielle > Nicholas for me.

Lestat's father isn't a person I care about, but depending on how the show adapts him, I guess it could be a good opportunity for a blind actor. It would be killing two birds with one stone, because it would develop Lestat's backstory, but also give space for a category that barely gets any job in the industry. I would love to see a powerful guest star that is a an actual disabled person playing a disabled character. Sure, we would hate him, but if someone manages to show their potential, book more roles and maybe even earn an award or nomination, why not?

Whenever Lestat talks about kissing his mother I get confused if the incest is already happening or not lol. Because I normally would just imagine a platonic kiss on the cheek or forehead and I haven't seen anything explicitly inappropriate. I don't know if it's because I'm reading the Brazilian Portuguese version, or if Anne wasn't that clear, or maybe I'm slow and naive, but nothing big seems to have happened? But I'm familiar with those spoilers, so... Anyway, whatever. It's not like I was counting the days to read about incest, so I don't really care about it being evident or not. I just mean that for now they seem to be more of a "parent that didn't want kids, but cares for him in a distant, but still real way and child that seeks for any crumbs of love and affection" kind of relationship.

Speaking of that, Lestat is SO DESPERATE for love, omg. Nicki was basically the first person besides his mother that was nice to him and he told the guy ALL OF HIS LIFE STORY AND FELL IN LOVE almost immediately? Get up!

Peak BPD/ADHD/maybe autistic/water sign/Scorpio behavior. MY GOD.

Still don't know how to picture Gabrielle and who I fancast playing her. I do think I have some sense of who she is now, which is nice. I also have some actors that could pass for Sam's parent and have the appropriate age to play her in my mental library, but I can't form a face yet. Not the face of a real actress or even an imaginary face, it's just a blur so far. Which sucks because I loooooooooove imagining fancasts, specially for a show as great as this one, but I'm just waiting for the revelation to come to me lmao.

#interview with the vampire #the vampire lestat #lestat de lioncourt #gabrielle de lioncourt #nicolas de lenfent

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nalyra-dreaming · 9 months

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Hello! Interested in your encyclopaedic knowledge on this. Skim-rereading the VC now for first time since I was a teenager and have to ask - does Louis ever, like - do anything for Lestat? This prompted particularly by TOTBT which my god is so savage. I can’t believe he’s happy to just… let him die?!? He doesn’t lift a finger, he doesn’t even try to protect him? It’s IWTV all over again, only supposedly their relationship is much better by this point.

It got me looking for examples where Louis does anything whatsoever proactive for Lestat and I’m really struggling. At the end of QotD, it seems like lots of the other vamps are trying to look after traumatised Lestat a bit, but I don’t think Louis comes to him? He just wanders off to New Orleans? Maybe I’ve missed a bit though. He looks after him a bit in his coma? Although not moreso than anyone else. But in the end it is Lestat who ends up waking up to save Louis. Even that bit in PLaTRoA where Lestat is about to have his heart stopped - Louis sitting next to his coffin - but Lestat reaches out to take Louis’ hand, not the other way round. Aside from verbally saying that he loves him, other than being generally nice and calm and polite, does Louis ever do anything to show it?

Hey nonny!

(Not sure about the encyclopedic but I‘ll try 😅💕) I do see a lot of the mentioned events a bit differently, allow me to explain (this is gonna be long^^):

Soooo to address your mention of TtotBT first off, I personally do think Louis thought of Lestat first and foremost when he sent him away in that scene.

Louis was tempted. It's no surprise imho that Jacob really wants to do that scene with Sam, because the power dynamics are inverted of course, but it is also emotionally very raw.

I want to pause here and recall a quote from QotD here, which is important:

Louis, the watcher, the patient one, was there on account of love pure and simple. The two had found each other only last night, and theirs had been an extraordinary reunion. Louis would go where Lestat led him. Louis would perish if Lestat perished. But their fears and hopes for this night were heartbreakingly human.

Louis... would perish if Lestat perished.

For Louis to send Lestat away... is to resign himself to death also. I think that has to be taken into account for the scene you mentioned, where Louis decides that Lestat deserves to save his soul, before Louis himself deserves to save his own. His rejection of Lestat there is done in full knowledge that he condemns himself there to a very lonely, cold, and ultimately fatal existence. He rejects Lestat there, knowing he will lose his greatest love.

I wouldn't call that happy to let him die? And I, personally, don't see it as a parallel to IWTV either, though it might feel a bit like that for Lestat, but the Louis here knows how much this will hurt. He knows what he is doing. He is condemning himself, hoping it will free Lestat.

And, while we're on TtotBT, in the beginning of the book there is the mention of Louis coming by Lestat's, to 'Netflix & chill', to share space and spend time, watch movies (for example "Company of the wolves", just being there. Talk. Discuss. Being together. So Louis did come by, for Lestat. And Lestat visited Louis, in his shack, had his own chair there. They were in each other's lives.

And... in the end of that book - when David show's up? What does Louis do? He takes David in. Makes room for David in their old home in Rue Royale. Accepts David - for Lestat. Accompanies them, too. Honestly, given David is David... that is a HUGE sacrifice! He let's David, the new fledgling, into their home. Because he is Lestat's. Later on, in PL, he will do the same for Antoine, which is obviously something that had to grate quite a lot as well, and I have always seen that as a rather conscious decision to allow it. To allow Antoine into their lives, because he is Lestat's.

Louis also tries to protect Lestat before the concert.

I know a lot of people read that from Lestat's POV and are just happy with the reunion (and of course it is beautiful and I really want to see it on the show!!) but... it's not only that.

Louis comes, to Lestat, not only because he can do so. But he pleads for Lestat to stay safe, too, to not do the concert. Because he is afraid for Lestat. He wants to keep him safe, wants to keep him with himself, too. He pleads with him not to go on stage. Offers to talk, to make plans, to 'Let us have each other in this century the way we never did in the past'.

You mentioned the end of QotD, and... in their universe, all that happens right after this reunion. A few days, a week at most. And then Lestat hides himself away again, in a room, trying to cope. Because he has been used again, abused, too, in a way he himself can only cope with by reframing it as love.

Louis knows it isn't. Wasn't. And he knows that he and Lestat cannot talk freely with the others there. He and Lestat are not able to use the mind gift directly. And... he is deeply unsettled by Jesse's report, the report she gives Lestat. Claudia's ghost. Deeply, deeply personal and something they share, very painfully. They go by Louis' tombstone, and then they can talk. A bit. Louis trusts Lestat and in his new powers. Falls asleep in his arms.

And that... is a rather powerful statement.

Louis (admittedly begrudgingly) enters that "adventure" with Lestat, fully trusting in Lestat. Kissing, embracing. Sleeping in his arms. It's a statement.

A statement that, despite Lestat feeling changed, and alien, that Louis still trusts him. Trusts in him, too.

And it is Louis, who tries to take Lestat home in Memnoch, Louis who pleads, begs for Lestat to be released. Louis who cries out when Lestat is locked up. Louis is the one who saves the books, Louis is the one who tries to comfort Lestat. Louis is the one who holds the proverbial fort at Rue Royale, with David, for long, long years. Louis is the one who despairs, eventually, when Lestat goes back into that half-awake coma, his soul taken away by angels.

Though there is more to that, too. You say Louis did not look after Lestat more than others, and I'd beg to differ. Louis was the one in the chapel, guarding Lestat. Holding his ground with the ancients, and the riff raff that Armand hunted down (even once with Lestat later). Louis is the one who keeps Ruy Royale, and makes sure Lestat is kept clean during his episodes of stillness, and it is only when he breaks, eventually, when Merrick takes his focus... that that... stops. When the Merrick events start, David visits Lestat, and Louis is 'there, seated on the marble beside Lestat, reading in a hushed voice from an old book of English poetry'.

Louis never leaves Lestat's side for long. Armand notes how he seems emaciated, hungry when Armand comes by in his version of the tale.

It is only when Merrick's spell unfolds that Louis leaves Lestat's side, that his focus shifts. And with the shift to Claudia and her ghost... the despair takes hold.

And it is when Louis heartbeat stops - that the "angels" lose their blackmailing material.

Lestat later tells of how he was forced to do "their bidding" by them threatening to take the eye... and though he doesn't elaborate... it is very clear what that means wrt Louis.

Because there simply was nothing else they could threaten him with anymore. Nothing else was more important than Louis. Not his eye, not his soul.

This always sends a shiver down my spine.

But that just as a note.

Louis is the one who accepts Lestat's judgment, after Merrick's creation.

He also accepts Lestat abandoning New Orleans, eventually, because Lestat cannot stand it anymore to kill the riff raff, those who "offend Armand", something Lestat calls "autocratic, ruthless" wrt to Armand's killing of them.

Louis accepts Lestat's decision there, and goes to Armand. Something that Lestat in turn accepts and supports(!):

My beloved Louis de Pointe du Lac left soon after, and from that time on lived in New York with Armand. Armand keeps the island of Manhattan safe for them—Louis, Armand, and two young blood drinkers, Benjamin and Sybelle, and whoever else joins them in their palatial digs on the Upper East Side.

And when Lestat is finally ready, it is Louis who apologizes to Lestat for the "past" by hunting a woman who wanted to murder her husband - in front of Lestat.

Personally, I find that a very poignant "doing-it-for-someone" :)))

But there is more.

Louis is the one who rescues Rose! Rose, Lestat's charge. Louis knows about Rose. Lestat's lawyers know about Louis. Louis takes over when Lestat is unreachable.

There is so much in these simple facts!

Like, they must have talked about Rose. Louis knows about Rose, knows she is important to Lestat, he takes the responsibility, saves her from fire, kills the ones who harmed her. Brings her to him. And he is the one Lestat's lawyers reach out to when Lestat is gone? Unreachable? What a statement is that in and by itself?! Louis is the one Lestat trusts with that child, the girl he saved and who will become his immortal daughter. Their immortal daughter.

And then, when Rhosh is there in NYC, at that table, and the axe scene happens... what does Louis do?

He smiles.

Now I don't know if you know that scene well, but it is quite the scene, and I honestly cannot wait to see it on the show.

And Louis... smiles. Shows support.

Quiet. Steadfast. The support Lestat needs, probably more than he consciously realizes.

And then, of course, later on - knowing what "Lestat cannot confide". They are finally sharing blood again, and Louis becomes Lestat's confidant. To all the things Lestat cannot speak about, all the things he has hinted at but cannot put into words. All the things that are too heavy to address.

That is no trifle.

And the silver cord, where Louis pushes the matter against Lestat's (not) better judgement. Where Louis is there, for Lestat to reach out.

Your ask made it seem (a bit) as if being there and offering is not sufficient, but strength shows itself in very different ways. Lestat is more direct, "flashy". Louis' strength is more subtle, it is an offer for support, unwavering support, whenever Lestat wants it. For as long as Lestat wants it. Not taking agency from Lestat, which is like the worst thing that could happen again... because that is something that has been taken from Lestat again, and again, and again. And Louis knows that.

And so he doesn't.

He doesn't take. He offers. It shows he knows Lestat. And he accepts him, and their respective pasts, and all the shit that has happened.

Again, that is no trifle, imho.

There is more. Little mentions, in the books.

A "grotto" they once shared. For example. Louis wearing the clothes Lestat chooses.

But for the most part you have to "read between the lines" as Lestat says, for the juicy details - however, I think when you consider the arcs? The arcs that span all the books?

The things we are told actually speak for themselves, imho.

Louis does a lot of things for Lestat. The important things, actually.

He is there for Lestat to turn to when Lestat's strength fails.

And yes, that includes the rejection in TtotBT - because Louis thought he had to be the one to show the strength for Lestat - to hold fast to the initial belief. The initial hope that drove the body switch - because Lestat had just found out he could not die anymore. Even if he tried. And he had tried. And it had sent him spiraling.

Would Louis have held out indefinitely? Probably not :) But that's another discussion.

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lovefrombegonia · 2 months

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More IWTV rambling:

⚠️ SPOILER WARNING ⚠️

This is just my speculation. I haven't read the books. All I know is the series and movies. Ok...So: I think that, initially, Armand wanted to actually kill Louis and Claudia to avenge Lestat or to teach the new vampires a lesson for breaking the great laws or something. He might have planned the play much, much in advance too. Might have even thought of attracting Lestat to Paris by using Louis and Claudia as bait. But gradually as he grew closer to Louis, and even shared his most intimate and traumatic past with him, Armand genuinely started falling for Louis. He really started caring for him. He was fighting his feelings for Louis, maybe, because he was scared to fall in love again. He loved Lestat the last time, and was abandoned. Side note: there might be more to that story, regarding one Nicky details, but Armand would still perceive it as abandonment.

So, on one hand he is really having romantic feels for Louis but on the other hand he has already planned with the coven to kill him. He might have thought Louis dying would be better for himself coz he didn't want to deal with conflicting feelings anymore. The trial will the end of his confusion. But then...Lestat saved Louis. It's possible by that point in the play Armand was already regretting that he was letting Louis die. I am certain he doesn't give a fuck about Claudia. So....when Lestat saved Louis, Armand planned to save him from the rock filled coffin, and become the knight in shining armour. Hm. Sort of.

And then, over the 70 years of living together, Armand had genuinely and completely fallen for Louis. Didn't want to lose him. Even let Daniel interview him again. Maybe he thought he could always handle keeping the secrets safe. Unfortunately, for our old boy, Daniel...turned out to be a fearless, fierce, charming and witty af journalist. The talamasca fucked it up too by teaming with him. It's why Armand turned Daniel as punishment. He never wanted to turn, as said by him in season 1. Armand remembered that, it even looked like that reply from Daniel affected him.

So, I do feel like that he still loves Louis (everyone is in love with him like damn, Helen of Troy could never). Does he still have feelings for Lestat? I didn't think so but I read a twitter post that implied that he still had some feels for Lestat. Might be something from the books. Either way, I am sure he still felt love for Louis.

Maybe...maybe, initially, he saved Louis to make Lestat jealous too. Like a rebound?? But later on, by the time it was 1970s, Armand has accepted his romantic feelings for Louis. Lestat is staying away from Louis, might be out of guilt or whatever reason. Everything is going ok... except it's not ok. Coz Louis...is still so connected to Lestat by the "vampire bond". He still thinks about the brat. I think it was even implied that he still sees dreamstat (I fucking love that petname btw).

Armand was always in a lose-lose situation it seems. He either loses Louis to death or Lestat. I am not sad for him. I just feel like...for such a powerful, ancient vampire, he is pretty pathetic. Armand, Armand...another fascinating character. So broken, so dangerous, so cruel and so, so delicately pretty. Sometimes, I still hear him saying "Your FASCINATING boy!!"

[IGNORE EVERYTHING I SAY. I KNOW NOTHING. I FEEL LIKE SHIT.]

#armand the vampire #armand #iwtv armand #assad zaman #iwtv season 2 #iwtv spoilers #iwtv #saya rambles.

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vampire-sugar · 4 months

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Iwtv 2x05

It’s a horror movie. I can’t think straight. My very disorganized thoughts:

Armand monster of all time, he’s a Monster monster like holy shit he’s a Vampire guys. Genuinely so frightening.

And my god he’s so hot in Dubai. The Dubai fit??????? The hair????? The glasses at the end like…. So hot, so so hot.

I am paraphrasing since it is toooo fresh for me to go back and check the dialogue again but Armand saying to Louis “if you wanted an escape from the tower of empathy I keep you in you simply had to ask” or something like that like wow he really said “you want crazy I will give you crazy” and he delivered. So insane. So insane….

His eyes vibrating with “EVERYTHING IS FINE!!”, so terrifying! Him unspooling the tapes with his mind, him dropping Daniel from the chair over and over…. The extent of his power, how easily he’s able to wield it, an apex predator fr fr.

And oooooh I lovvvve the loumand fight ugh how nasssty they get with each other like I was gasping at every line!!! and literally wanted to cry!!! like the writing is absolutely wild!!! and the acting???? Like these are actors. Genuinely this is one of the best things I’ve seen in a while.

And damnnn I’m officially a Danlouer, like loved the dynamic before but it’s official now. That Danlou was OFF the charts this episode. Daniel asking if they had sex in SanFran and them laughing and Louis asking “do you want to now?” LIKE ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Daniel I know you wanted to say yes in that moment.

Them in SF making fun of Lestat together, “do that fang thing again”, ugh their besties.

Louis taking Daniel to his rocks to help him remember like fuckkkkkkk the feelings I have towards Louis…. So soft

Louis’ words to him that Daniel wrote in his book, what kept him going all his life, his lifeline, like I teared up y’all.

I literally don’t know what else to say other than this is the best show on television right now and I’m so glad I’m here watching it I love these characters so so so much.

Them confronting Armand at the end tho like I was shivering in my boots when he got back but good luck Danlou!! And good luck me idk how I’ll survive this week!!!!!!!!!

#iwtv spoilers #vampterview #interview with the vampire #iwtv s2 spoilers #iwtv 2x05 #don’t be afraid just start the tape

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lazyypumpkin · 2 months

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Vampire movies I have been watching to keep me sane until season 3 of iwtv (part 3)

Next up are the achillean (or vaguely homoerotic) vampire movies

The Lost Boys (1987) 4/5🌟

•Very fun, very 80’s

•characters with a lot of potential (can see myself writing mental fanfic about this one)

•cool visuals& lots of pretty, long haired men in cunty little outfits

•if you liked the whole stranger things pre teens on bikes solving mysteries thing you’ll love this

•if you liked the vampiric motorcycle coven aspect of s2 of iwtv you’ll love this as well

•it’s a cult classic for a reason but I personally hated the ending

•should’ve been gayer but also it’s very homoerotic

Dracula (1931) 3/5🌟

•really beautiful& atmospheric set design

•loved the costumes, specially for dracula’s brides

•Bela Lugosi’s so pretty 😭

Like genuinely no wonder the man has a whole bauhaus song about him

•They told Bela Lugosi “serve count” and he understood “serve cunt” instead

•did not go into much depth with the characters imo and was kinda xenophobic (but I guess that last point is to be expected given the source material and the time the movie was made)

•obviously ended up rooting for hot dracula (lmfao surprise) specially bc all the human characters were so boring

•could’ve been more homoerotic

•not my favorite vampire movie but would definitely watch it again bc it’s just fun

Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) 3/5 🌟

•pls don’t crucify me over the rating I know this one’s beloved by many it just wasn’t for me

•5/5🌟 for costume and set design though like the movie is heavenly to look at

•a little too long and convoluted tbh I did feel a bit bored at times with the story

•didn’t really buy the romance between any of the characters

•another VERY hot dracula like I’m a certified man hater and yet I was simping hard

•homoerotic beard shaving scene

•fantastic blood sucking scene single-handedly made my rating go up from 2,5 to 3 stars lol

Interview with the Vampire (1994) 3,5/5🌟

•pls don’t crucify me over this rating either I just didn’t feel like I enjoyed myself as much as I should’ve throughout this movie

•this is one of those pieces of media that’s both gay and homophobic at the same time, like Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt are no homo-ing all over the place

•made think Tom Cruise in a blonde wig is attractive and I’ll never forgive them for that

•it’s kind of amazing seeing Kirsten Dunst act circles around two grown men

•despite me being very critical I actually do like this movie a lot I just also think it doesn’t do the characters and their complexity justice

•very pretty set design and costuming, visually this movie is gorgeous

#bram stokers dracula #dracula 1931 #the lost boys #interview with the vampire #iwtv #vampire movies i have been watching to keep me sane until season 3 of iwtv

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icarus-suraki · 5 months

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1, 7, and 9 for the movie ask!

It occurs to me that I could just answer Goncharov (1972) for all of these…

Movie Questions Ask Bait!

->what is your favorite film of all time? Very possibly Mad Max: Fury Road. That movie rewired my brain. That movie scraped the rust off my soul. That movie sneaked up behind me and stole my spine. And it was great.

I literally went to see it in the theater seven (7) times. Seven. If you dig back in my blog here to June 2015, you'll see that this place was full of Fury Road. Stills, gifs, music, meta, fic, shitposts, all of it. All of it.

Sidebar: I think my absolute love of Fury Road is what's keeping me from wanting to see the new Furiosa prequel: Fury Road didn't explain everything to death so we, the fandom, had a great time imagining explanations or making things up. We dissected that movie and we also left it alone. I don't want to know too much. I like that world being left a partial mystery. We, like Max, get thrown into it and we're both figuring out how it works as the story progresses. I love that.

I can't exactly explain why I love it so much. The colors, the action, the fight scenes, the music (holy shit the music), the characters, the weirdness, the story itself, the callbacks and parallels, the newness and the oldness of it (it really is a train robbery movie at its core), the sense (ultimately) of hope, the presences of women (old women even!) in action roles… Something about it, maybe everything about it, were just perfect for me at that time and in that place.

Yeah. Favorite movie ever.

->name a movie you’re emotionally attached to? There's so many ways I could take this. Positive attachment? Negative attachment? Very Strange Time in My Life attachment?

Like, I know I can never watch L'Illusionniste, Les Triplettes de Belleville, or Grave of the Fireflies again because I cried just too fucking hard at each of them, which I think is an emotional attachment.

Or I could say the Lord of the Rings movies (all of them). They came out when I was in college and a handful of us were counting down the days to the premiere, watching this miniscule clip of video taken by a fan from a train that showed a glimpse of the Minas Tirith set endlessly, gobbling up any news or leak or rumor about production on Livejournal, engaging in the fandom of that era (which was a whole thing in and of itself), even going to midnight local premiers. So while I'm not a huge fan of the movies, they certainly were a constant presence in my undergrad days.

Or it could be the other movies that rewired my brain: Mad Max: Fury Road (see above), Princess Mononoke (baby's first Studio Ghibli film in 1999 at the local art house theater), Star Wars (only episodes 4, 5, and 6 though; I kind of deny that any others exist), Kiki's Delivery Service (which I had on VHS in college and would watch when I was stressed and depressed because I love the city), Voices of a Distant Star (the concept really got me)…

Or it could be the kids' movies from my own childhood, you know? Robin Hood (1973) is very near and dear to my heart. And Panda and the Magic Serpent is what started me down the weaboo road way back when I was 6 years old.

There's so many possible answers here. But that's a few movies I have emotional attachments to. How's that?

->guilty pleasure movie? Do I have to? Okay, okay, okay: I like a good cheesy, gory giallo movie, red tempra paint blood and all. Spaghetti westerns are amazing with their half-understandings or misunderstandings of USAmerican history to the point that it becomes something different, something bigger and more epic (I love The Good, The Bad and the Ugly so much). Martial arts movies full of dramatic scenes and wire-fu are so much fun (and I get to practice my Mandarin or my Japanese). Gothic drama, especially from the 1990s, is great like the original IwtV, Crimson Peak, The Crow…

But I paid actual, real, hard-earned money for a (digital) copy of Bloodsport and it's so bad. It's so bad! But I love it--maybe as much for meta reasons as anything.

Like, the whole thing is based on this Canadian-American guy Frank Dux's memoirs about being trained in ninjutsu by a mysterious Senzo "Tiger" Tanaka (who probably didn't exist at all and has the same name as a character in You Only Live Twice) and then going on to compete in this international full-contact underground martial arts competition in Hong King (the "Kumite"). Oh and he was also in the military at the time, doing covert missions, so he had to go AWOL to fight in this competition of course. Which he does without being caught. And he keeps outsmarting the CID officers (one of whom is played by a young Forest Whitaker) when they chase him to Hong Kong, meanwhile picking up an April O'Neill-style beautiful American journalist ("reporter" because it's the 1980s).

The whole thing is so clearly ridiculous bullshit but it's marketed as being based on a true story because Frank Dux insisted his bullshit was true. And it was produced by Cannon Films, which is another can of worms entirely (I highly recommend the documentary Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films for more backstory on the company; it is bonkers). And did I mention that Frank Dux is played by Jean-Claude van Damme? And yes he does do the most epic of splits.

And the whole thing is simultaneously so deep in meta layers (self-proclaimed martial arts masters, which ties into Count Dante and the dojo wars, Frank Dux's amazing bullshit and stolen valor, Cannon Films) and yet so incredibly shallow at the same time.

There's minimal plot, zero depth to the characters, massively long flashback sequences, even longer training montages, a totally ridiculous amalgamation of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean cultures into just "Asian Culture," the dubbing in some scenes is practically criminal, there's minimal exploration of the location (Hong fucking Kong!!!) outside of a chase and a throwaway scene about bad restaurant food, and even the fight scenes during the tournament aren't really all that great.

But the Kowloon Walled City gets some screentime (except that it's just a set sometimes). And there are tons of locally-hired extras and bit players, along with a slew of international actors and/or actual martial artists, even if a lot of them have been cast as nationalities other than their own???--like Bernard Mariano, who is Filipino by descent but was born in Hong Kong, had no martial arts experience but got scouted while he was working out, was cast as a "Middle Eastern" fighter named Hossein, but used his pay from the movie for university classes to go on to be an English teacher in Hong Kong. Meanwhile, Jean-Claude van Damme is busy taking his shirt off and wearing super tight spandex underwear (he snaps them in one scene; you're welcome). Leah Ayres is a "reporter," which is really "journalist" and one of the few adventurous jobs acceptable for women in 1980s movies to have, who maybe lives in Hong Kong or maybe doesn't but she's super cute and deserves better than she got in the script; she's The Girl (Leah Ayres is now into pseudoscience). And Donald Gibb is playing this American bar brawler who somehow got invited to this elite fighting tournament and he looks like Kurt Russell in The Thing if he were still infected by the Thing and living out on the ice alone.

Like, I could just keep going. I love this shit. There is so little that's "good" in terms of filmmaking, scriptwriting, cinematography, anything in this movie and yet it entertains the fuck out of me.

Hence: guilty pleasure film.

#ask game #ask me things #i'm bored #anon is on

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murfpersonalblog · 4 months

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IWTV S2 Predictions: Eternity In A Box (Spoilers for Blood Communion)

In Ep3 I was freaking out over the parallels b/t vampires running their fingers thru Louis' hair as he thinks he (& Claudia) are gonna die.

In the movie's version of The Trial, Santiago condemns Louis to solitary confinement:

"Eternity in a box. Walled in a dungeon. Your only company will be your screams."

And I'm convinced the Theatre's gonna bury Louis alive.

TBF, I could be WAY off; but I was thinking abt how the scene went in the movie: the Theatre locked Louis in an iron coffin and buried him underground in the walls of Theatre, and how Mr. I Could Not Prevent It waited until way later to come in and literally dig Louis back up.

Hatred as a Box: Buried Alive

Both are HORRIBLE ways for vampires to "die." Compared to going out by fire it's a light sentence, sure, until you consider the LORE.

Iron + vampires = no bueno. (The same applies to witches & fae.)

Initially, AR's vampires weren't subject to traditional wards like silver, iron, crosses, garlic, etc. The Theatre coffin was wooden, just sealed with iron locks. But magic DOES have a strong effect on vamps, as highlighted in Merrick.

In TVA Armand describes his kidnapping by the Children of Satan:

In Blood Communion, AR specifically retconned iron in 2 notable instances. Cyril bound Baudwin in iron pickets ripped from a wrought-iron fence:

And most infamously: Rhosh's kidnap of Gabrielle, Marius, & Louis:

(I pray to GOD that AMC gets this far, it's one of my fave AR books.)

I can't tell if the coffin AMC!Lou's in is iron or wood, but if he's stuffed in the Wet Room's morgue-like "burial vaults," that's definitely metal, if not steel/iron. Which is such a clever modern update to coffins. 👌

Then there's the pebbles all over Louis. Nothing much here, except that they're made of stone, and I was reminded of the hardening/crystalizing process of AR's vampires, as they age & become more & more stone-like as their luracastria hardens over time.

The stone hardening of a vampire =/= Death, but rather SLEEP; as exemplified with Akasha & Enkil--the 2 oldest vamps, who look/feel like statues. (The QotD movie took this too literally with Maharet.)

But yeah, I like the visual poetry of Lou in a coffin full of stone pebbles, essentially put to sleep by Santiago for eternity in a box; which is not unlike too what Rhosh would end up doing to him in BC.

Love as a Box: A Prized Treasure

The imagery of coffins & the theme of Louis spending eternity in a box further made me think abt Louis' (toxic) romantic relationships.

I've spoken ad nauseum abt Loustat, so I wanna focus more on Loumand here. Cuz Armand's love of Lou seems to contradict his tendency to wait for catastrophe to strike b4 he "rescues" Lou from horrible situations that could've been avoided had Armand made his move a lot sooner. (Unkind & ungracious, I know, but I'm on a tangent here.)

We see this with the Theatre, as Armand lets the coven slowly descend upon Louis & Claudia, knowing they're in danger but wanting Claudia out of the picture before he extracts Louis.

We're seeing it in Dubai, as Louis' broken "in pieces for the privilege of putting them back together again," like jigsaw pieces kept in a box. (Not NEFARIOUSLY, but Louis does speak about "pieces of himself" that he's lost/forgotten. And he asks Armand's permission to see Claudia's diaries? Which tells me that Coven Master Armand's ALWAYS held significant sway over Louis' life in their household.

And I suspect that we'll see it again if AMC pulls a Merrick on us, and swaps out Merrick & David for Armand & Lestat (a la AR's Tulane drafts), when Louis puts his own coffin in the sun and burns alive.

Cuz this is all just history repeating itself. We've seen this dynamic in Lou's life w/ Les. As his 2 great romantic loves, Les & Armand are similar & different. Neither of them's healthy for Lou, but they genuinely love him in their own effed up way. But Claudia's still right: BOTH of them keep Lou in a box.

Louis of Troy: Venus de Milo

Let's think for a sec abt the Venus de Milo we saw at the end of Ep1:

At the time I was thinking: why did AMC pick that statue? Sure, it's famous & iconic and is at the Louvre in Paris. But I stuck a pin it it.

Loumand visits an art museum in Ep4, and we can probably assume it'll have something to do with Armand's career as an art thief/broker.

During WWII all kinds of buildings got looted & bombed up, and museums had to literally bury their priceless art in boxes/crates in the dirt in order to keep them safe from the Nazis and people who wanted to steal/destroy the priceless statues.

Which is ironic, cuz a lot of discovered art was excavated/dug up; people exhuming ancient statues out of the dark earth, into the light of a new era--like a vampire. (Venus de Milo was dug up too.)

Supposedly, VdM depicts the Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite, holding the Apple of Discord in her hand (which was found broken off next to the statue). The Apple of Discord was the prize given to Aphrodite during the Judgement of Paris, a beauty pageant that caused Paris to run off with (the already married) Helen of Troy/Sparta & started the Trojan War. Herodotus, the "Father of History," said the West (Greeks/Europeans) vs the East (Asians/Africans) were always fighting cuz people kept stealing e/o's brides. 😂 Women were chattel just like animals in antiquity, so bride raids & cattle raids were typical catalysts for numerous mythic & historic conflicts.

Typical xenophobic fodder for racist miscegenation laws, ofc, but vampire literature eats this trope up, thanks to Dracula. AR's books do this over & over--culminating in Rhosh's infamous rape/capture of Gabrielle, Louis & Marius in BC. And AMC's emphasis on interracial/multicultural relationships inevitably draws comparisons, too.

Naturally, I'm thinking about how Troy burned over Helen; and the Theatre burned over Claudia (& Madeleine); and the Chateau burned over Gabrielle/Louis/Marius.

But I'm also thinking about how the first time Akasha & Enkil moved in 1000+ years, it was cuz Akasha allowed Lestat to drink from her, and Enkil was so mad that he got up and nearly curbstomped Lestat to mush b4 Marius wrestled Enkil off of him. 🤣

The victim/woman inevitably gets blamed, from Helen to Akasha, and ofc Louis; but it still tracks that entire wars get launched purely over love/sex--another form of treasure/money/property/status.

And I can't help but wonder how much AMC will or won't lean into the possibility that Lou's being held captive in the Dubai penthouse by Armand--NOT necessarily by force, but rather by...compliance; COMPLICIT--and that their relationship is a huge catastrophe that Lestat will inevitably have to "rescue" Louis from like some damsel in distress, like he had to do with Nicki. Or if Lou will somehow rescue himself and NOT pull a Merrick after all. 👀

And that (finally) brings me to my final point.

Safety as a Box: Louis' "coffin"

When Daniel asked Lou where his coffin was, Lou told Dan the entire Dubai penthouse was his coffin. Thanks to Armand's UV-light-controlled iPad, the vamps can walk safely in gold-warm sunlight.

But the penthouse still radiates CHILL. They're in the middle of a desert, but Daniel's constantly in a cardigan, Louis' often dressed in hoodies, Armand even wears an actual coat--it looks cold. 🙁 The sunlight's filtered/diluted; it can't warm anybody--human or vamp.

As opposed to the natural lighting at 1132, coming not from the windows (which are always carefully closed & curtained), but from the fireplaces--seemingly ALWAYS roaring by Loustat's coffins in the Coffin Room, and sofas in the parlor (there's another one across from their bed, too). 1132 exudes warmth; the florals & earthtones adding to the tropical NOLA vibe--there's peacocks on their wallpapers ffs.

Loustat's townhouse emulates a wild & free Savage Garden, but the vampires sleep in extremely close quarters in their coffins--even doubling up after Lou breaks Les.' Is it confining? Or intimate?

I have to wonder if, in Louis' efforts to take Claudia's words to heart, and not be confined in a "small box" anymore, Lou insisted on not sharing a coffin with his 2nd husband. Instead, they sleep in a HUGE king-sized bed, with plenty of space (at the price of less intimacy). But Louis hilariously STILL sleeps like a corpse vampire in a coffin, arms/hands folded across his chest! XD

And as spacious as Louis' new bed is, he's sleeping in a literal JAIL CELL; an utterly inorganic crypt-looking edifice of strange shapes, where the open plan does nothing to distract from the mental patient aura of the sunken bed & padded ceiling & metal (iron? 👀) cage bars. Is it for Louis' reluctant safety? Or for Louis' elusive sanity?

Pick Your Poison

So this is my long-winded way of saying: Lou's BEEN doomed to spend eternity in a box. It's just that that box is shaped & defined by the love his 2 control-freak toxic AF husbands have for him:

Lestat is clingy and heavy-handed, and 1132 is more cramped/crowded, but more warm & intimate. It's a contained wilderness/Savage Garden in miniature; the seraglio crawling with mistresses (Antoinette) & soldiers picked for an orgy; fit for a pimp--where Louis himself is paranoiacally caged like a prized slave/housewife.

Armand is more distant/mature (internally desperate) and enabling, and the Dubai penthouse is more spacious/open-planned, cold and foreboding; a locked off tower in the sky. It's a glorified jail cell not even trying to disguise its bars; full of around-the clock staff & handlers & nursemaids/doctors (Fareed)--where Louis is jealously guarded like an in-house mental patient kept in an asylum.

#interview with the vampire #the vampire chronicles #loumand #loustat #iwtv tvc metas #louis de pointe du lac #louis de pointe du black

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plainxte · 3 months

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Rules: answer the questions below and then tag 9 people you want to get to know better/catch up with to do the same.

I was tagged by @guiltypleasurefandomface 😘 thank you so much! 💓

Last song: I think I was listening to Tori Amos's 'The Edge of the Moon' a few moments ago 🤔

Currently watching: hmm, I'm still unfortunately deep into thinking about IWTV so that, I suppose

Favourite colour: just one? Impossible! 😁 I'm in love with all the blues, the greens, and the yellows

Last movie: a re-rewatch of Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (I should reread some of the books too, I know)

Currently reading: Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree. I've been a third of the way through Anthony Horowitz's Magpie Murders for a while...

Sweet, spicy or savoury: mmm, I'm mostly keen on salty things, so savoury it is

Relationship status: tired (sorry)

Current obsession: Queen, always, and unfortunately, my ancient fixation on the vampire Armand has got its fangs claws in me again at the moment

Last googled: (last DuckDuckGo-ed) online anagram solvers and checking the year that Another World was re-released - yes, it's only been two years but my mind's like a sieve

Currently working on: too many fic wips, and at least as many knitting wips 🫣 (maybe I can actually get some writing done this week? I'd love that)

I'm tagging @freddie-mercury-rising @idontknowhowthisworked @carrrothead-vol2 @i-am-just-a-skeleton @eileen-crys and @pumpkinlilyao3 (only if you want to, of course) and anyone who feels like it 😘

#getting to know you #tagged in #thank you for the tag!

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rottenbrainstuff · 1 month

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IWTV Season 2 ep 1+2: getting to the good stuff now!

I like that they expanded the events in Eastern Europe ep 1 and added in the mother character. As I keep saying, it's been something like 20 years since I read the book but I do remember that that part was brief and disappointing. I mean, it's supposed to be disappointing: Claudia and Louis desperately want to find others like them and they think vampire old country is the place to start, and all they manage to find is a filthy revenant barely better than an animal, and they leave. But as a reader generally it was disappointing to me. Anne Rice's vampires were so ridiculously eurocentric (I know there we got into ancient Egypt, but, and I know this sounds weird, ancient Egypt is actually part of eurocentrism, it's a whole thing) and I dunno, when I really think back on it it just seems so silly, the only vampires that matter were all in western Europe?

In this episode I didn't feel that frustration. It did a better job at showing, well, maybe there's not much here NOW, but you get a sense that there used to be something here, and Claudia and Louis have missed it.

I understand the logistics of why they couldn't have a younger actress for Claudia, but I will forever wish that it would somehow have been possible. I like the shifting of Claudia and Louis' relationship now and how now they're equals at least, and Claudia even often takes the lead and Louis relies on her, and this would have been even more interesting if the actress looked even younger. But! It's a small complaint and again, again, I do understand why it is the way it is.

Then episode 2: AUGH. The Paris vampires are just....... *chef's kiss* unbelievable. I loved Armand's demented coven in the books, they got the barest briefest little flat appearance in the movie, and now here they are, fleshed out and delicious and absolutely PERFECT. They're insufferable, they're interesting, they're dangerous and poor Claudia has absolutely no clue. Well. I think deep down she has a clue, she just doesn't care, because this is what she wants and she's convinced herself it will be ok. (sigh Claudia)

I do like they've established right away that Lestat was an important person to them. As much as I liked the Paris parts in the book, I remember feeling like the coven's persecution of Louis and Claudia didn't make a huge amount of sense to me at the time. These travellers, these outsiders, being held to these rules that they didn't know about, accused of a crime that didn't happen here, judged and punished by a group of people who have nothing to do with them and really no authority over them at all. Especially when the coven is behaving so hedonistically in every other way you can imagine. Ok whatever, suspension of disbelief, it shows, I guess, that the coven is dangerous and confusing and spiteful, ok whatever. I guess you could say as well it was all orchestrated by Armand as an elaborate plan to get rid of Claudia and have Louis to himself, ok whatever. I guess when you really think about it, book Claudia being only five years old is quite horrific and I could see why other vampires would totally and completely reject her and by extension Louis based on that on its own, sure.

But if you emphasize early on that Lestat has some history here and is an important person they looked up to, then it's not just "oops we might have broke some vague vampire law that we didn't know was a law up until now" but instead it's "oops we murdered the muse of this theater" and that just works better.

But speaking of changes from the book... I was trying to explain to my daughter that nothing that happens in this show actually happens in the book. (which surprised her a lot: no Dreamstat? No sister Grace and nieces and nephews? No masquerade ball? etc) I think Louis' meeting with Armand and the intro of the vampire theater is the first thing I've seen so far that actually sticks more or less to how it happened in the book (minus Santiago being at the initial meeting, minus Armand stepping in in the play) and I think that's really neat. Like, I think the changes they've made so far are all smart and I enjoy it, it keeps me on my back foot not knowing what exactly will happen next, I think this is a masterclass in how to adapt something for a different medium and context, but somehow I also think it's really really neat that this one section is almost exactly the same.

Every time they throw a little reference back to the movie, with recognizable camera shots, or with wardrobe, or even sometimes with lines, it makes me so weirdly happy, somehow. I'm not sure exactly why. I think it's a case of... I don't hold the old movie in very high regard these days, but I do remember it being important to me when I was younger, and these little references are almost like the show is reminding me, look, don't feel bad about enjoying that movie so much, there were good things there as well, let me show you. Or something?

Augh, perfection, perfection.

Coincidentally, my daughter visited Prague shortly after I watched this and found the outdoor location they shot the theatre entrance at and that was super neat.

I am just squealing with delight over how much I love Assad Zaman. I love how larger than life all the other vampires are that we've seen so far, Lestat, and Santiago, and all the other Paris vampires. And here's Armand, looks small, looks young, looks angelic, tiny little mouth that's too small for his face, quiet, calm, but his eyes are burning like a panther in a bush, watching you, and you know you're fucked.

#iwtv #amc iwtv #interview with the vampire

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meredoubt · 4 months

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Tagged by @glintglimmergleam for a fun ask meme. Sorry it took me a minute, my notes have been a mess 😭 Also, not the "regrettably, s2" given the Penthony situation! A sentence full of tragedy.

Last Song: "abcdefu (angrier)," GAYLE

Relationship Status: very single, but pretty happy about it these days. Even a year ago that would've felt impossible. Feels good to get here. 💚😊💚

Sweet/Spicy/Savory: I used to think savory, but I'm starting to notice that it's really about balance for me. Like I have to even them out? I do think, because I find things too sweet quite often, I probably do prefer the other two.

Favourite color: Green! All shades, though I definitely prefer any shade that feels alive. Doesn't seem to be dependent on tone, just a feeling. My room is mostly shades of green, at this point.

Last Movie: oh geez, this really made me reevaluate my show:film ratio. Tbf most of my watching these days has been shows I haven't seen (Ripley, IWTV), or rewatching things so my little brother will watch them for the first time (we're finally on the newest part of JoJo, for example). So, in terms of new watches: The Invitation, and Extremely Wicked and Shockingly Vile. For rewatch: I believe the last ones were 300 (lol. Lmao. Even a rofl.) and Mad Max: Fury Road (shocker: my teen brother loved it). I have....so many things to watch. Help.

Last Show: ...well. Ripley, for completed seasons (great show, phenomenal). I'm a few episodes into a couple shows (I think most recently Vikings is the only one I'm entirely new to). Catching up on Bridgerton with my sister, JoJo with little brother, and then, again, so so many other shows. Interview With The Vampire may be my favourite show in some time; probably should rewatch Housr of the Dragon ahead of season two. I do think I'm gonna drop Woman of the Dead, even tho I just started it. As someone studying the field, discrepancies are...pretty distracting. Her job feels almost superfluous to her goals and journey, which is weird given the premise.

Last Thing I Googled: class specializations in Dragon Age; the four humours; mortality stats for my county; if Jaejoong was releasing a full new album. (Thought the spread was funny)

Current Obsession: the pile of books I'm working through (mostly to study, fiction's been putting me off for the last month or so, in books); Dragon Age (how did I get here again...what year is it...); tattoo ideas; my fitness goals. MUSIC. Always recommend me music. All my little OCs and story ideas. 💚

Tagging anyone who'd like to participate! Tag me so i see your answers, I'm nosy.

But let's go with @defira85 (hope you're recuperating well <3) STRICTLY when up and at 'em; @heterophobic-antipope; @thetruenightzedge; @patrickdiomedes; @ronqueesha; @southeastsappho; and @spiderkiss.

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dwreader · 6 months

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IWTV Episode 6 Podcast Transcript

Special Guests: Levan Akin and Jewelle Gomez

"Lestat made him [Louis] a vampire. He became in a way his everything. He became isolated from his family and his friends. He has nothing. It’s classic abusive, toxic. He’s isolated Louis." -Levan Akin

“Recording a song with your side piece is not an apology”

Naomi: First, in this episode, there’s a heated discussion of whether Emily Dickinson was a vampire. What other historical figures do you think could’ve been vampires?

Levan: Good question.. I would say Tesla. He could be a vampire… I don’t know maybe I’m just thinking about was it David Bowie who played him in a movie. Maybe I just got that image in my head… I don’t know what do you think?

N: I’m not used to having the tables turned on me… Bowie and Iman.

L: And also Grace Jones.

N: Can you tell me when you first discovered Anne Rice?

L: I’d heard about her and then I saw the film I think when I was 14.

N: Wow, formative.

L: I remember that screening very well. I loved vampires and I saw that film. I was a little gay kid and there was a lot of subtext I could pick up. And then I went to the school library and found The Vampire Lestat so that was the first book I read and that was a gamechanger for me. I was obsessed…

N: Do you remember your parents having a reaction to you reading these books?

L: The thing is they didn’t really get it. My parents are from Georgia, former Soviet Republic. They had no idea about pop culture or anything.

N: You’re live with us from Sweden. Correct me if I’m wrong but IWTV is the first time you’re directing a US TV series?

L: Yes.

N: Tell me everything, how does it happen? How are you out here working in Sweden and like get me on the AR show?

L: I did a film called and then we danced, and that opened some doors. I got agents. I read from an AR fan I follow on facebook and heard they were doing a series and I told my agents, get me on that show. And then finally I met Rolin Jones and luckily Rolin thought why not give this guy a try. He’s a risk taker.

…

L: I also got to do the scene where Louis meets Molloy in San Francisco. I can’t believe it.

N: You directed ep 5 and 6 which are the most tumultuous episodes in the show and the most tumultuous time in their relationship. What is the core of the conflict, how would you describe it?

L: You know those two episodes, its essentially the darkest days. Everything comes to the end. When I was reading ep 5 I was thinking, how does Lestat ever come back from this? And then I started reading ep6, and how he slowly tears Louis down and talks his way back into their lives. And I thought it was brilliant but also you know frightening. I always tried to approach the material with like what’s the reality of this situation? You know it is a toxic relationship. It was interesting approaching these scenes as an adult, having read these books as a kid.

N: When you read these romances, its like I want someone to love me that much. And then when you’re an adult, you’re like this is sick this is twisted. We have to have boundaries.

L: Yes, of course.

N: You see the relationship change, for all the fantasy of it, the emotions are real, regardless of the time. How we stay in the truth of what the feelings are. As you said this is a tumultuous time, the darkest of days and we see Lestat begging for forgiveness over the course of years and trying to win Louis back. And he has a messed up way of apologizing. Can we talk a little about as a director, getting into the mindset? When you’re talking to Jacob and Sam, do you get them in the mindset of okay its been 6 years, you swam the Mississippi, bring me that energy.

L: Yeah, again how do you find the truth in that scene. Its at its core.. Lovers reuniting but also there’s so much frustration coming from Louis in that scene. He’s been having this stalker slowly nudging his way into his wife. I remember talking to Jacob about it over lunch, it feels as if that scene also he’s had enough. He knows he’s never going to be free of Lestat. He might as well relent. Its very sad later in the episode he says what difference does it make.

N: I want Louis to realize he can do better..

L: Me too. But you know Lestat is his prison. Its like him trying to get over a bad breakup and he’s still a hundred years later you’re sort of still trying to understand and deal with what happened in this relationship.

N: And you see here in 2022 and he’s still mad. Relatable.

L: Of course, of course. Lestat made him a vampire. He became in a way his everything. He became isolated from his family and his friends. He has nothing. It’s classic abusive, toxic. He’s isolated Louis.

Voicemail from listener: I did watch the first episode, I was very intrigued but I did not read the book. I was a little confused about why Louis’s brother killed himself and then I thought maybe Lestat had gotten into his head because he wants Louis so badly but he wants Louis to come to him. So what better way to get someone and get into someone’s head when they are in mourning for someone they loved and vulnerable. I just wanted to know if that was why Paul killed himself that Lestat put that in his head so he could get to Louis.

N: You’re asking the question that Louis asks in this episode! I thought this was such a huge moment, have you been sitting on this for 30 years? Have you been with this person wondering this all this time? Can you tell me your thoughts on this question? He says no.

L: He says no, but as you said, him having this question for 30 years and never asked before, what does that mean? Does that mean he had his doubts but he didn’t want to ask and didn’t want the truth? But now theyre standing at this threshold so he’s like Im gonna ask this question but I think Lestat did not have anything to do with it. I think he’s telling the truth.. What do you think?

N: Its tricky to me cause we know Lestat is a manipulator, thats what he does. On one hand, the way he responds, I believe that but he did get in Paul’s head at the dinner table.

L: But if he did do it, he’s irredeemable in a way. Which is why I think he did not do it.

N: Why do you think Lestat is telling his story NOW?

L: To me, its cause he know he has to give him something. It’s purely tactical. He’s very earnest when he tells it, its very down to earth and grounded and direct.

N: Was that something you and Sam talked about?

L: Yes, we talked about it and we said this has to be different. It has to feel different for you to sort of lay that final punch toward winning over Louis for real. Without doubt. I don’t want the audience to feel Louis is an idiot. You have to understand Louis like he’s finally giving me something real something vulnerable.

N: Speaking of sort of this intimacy and this toxicity of this relationship, do you think Lestat deserves forgiveness?

L: It’s an interesting question and I was thinking about it, cause when you read the books and you read TVL/QOTD, its told from Lestat’s POV and he’s manipulating the reader and you love him and you’re inside his mind and he motivates all of his bad decisions and the bad stuff he does. When you see him objectively from the outside, it becomes more complicated. And this is Louis’s retelling of Lestat. The real question to me is does Louis really forgive him? I’m not sure he does, he takes him in again but is he totally open to him or has he locked off some places?

N: You gotta lock up some places with Lestat.

L: You can see that in relationships. People who have been together too long and you wonder should they really be or is it just comfortable its easier like this to keep going.

N: Lestat will not let him go and we also see he won’t let Claudia go. I HATE HIM! WHY why won’t he just let Claudia go? The thing I don’t understand is he never wanted Claudia, he made her to appease Louis so I’m like why wouldn’t he let her go so he can have Louis all to himself again?

L: Yes, cause he knows he’s never going to be enough for Louis. He knows that Louis is going to be depressed and thinking about Claudia, he doesn’t want to rock the status quo of the situation, he just wants to keep it as is. Cause its going to be trouble for Lestat.

N: I feel like Lestat is his own trouble. If he could just be nice and stop having side pieces. Cause this is what kills me, when he mentions the Bruce thing adn knowing what we know of Lestat and how vengeful he is.. Why didn’t he go kill Bruce?

L: yeah that’s a good question.

N: Oh so you knew all this time and we know you love killing people just for fun, could you just go kill Bruce for the family please? I was mad..

L: Me too.

N: One of the things too is the idea of enduring. As Lestat says, we endure each other. In some ways, Louis is just enduring Lestat like what can I do, so I’m just gonna stay with him. Is enduring something to even be proud of? Doesn’t sound great to me.

L: I agree, its a way of suffering. I see it almost as a duty to go through these things and to endure. Being a vampire and living forever is an endurance. In this context, Louis is saying what else can I do? He doesn’t have anyone else, he doesn’t know any other vampires, why not just endure this and let this pass? Cause you see time differently when you’re a vampire, like it’s gonna be 10 bad years but then things are gonna change.

N: 10 bad years.. What’s one bad decade?

L: Yeah cause they don’t have what we do which is like its now or never. I’ve gotta get my shit together now. Hustling to try to fulfill all your dreams. He’s like whats the point? And try to make the best of this, cause this is what we have and the cards we’ve been dealt.

N: That brings me to Molloy in present day when Louis offers him eternal life and Molloy says no so quickly when we know that was not the case in the 70s. I interpret it as having heard this story, he’s like no I do not want to be a vampire now knowing what he knows hes like no thank you.

L: Also I think being older and seeing what an effed up place the world is and its all going to hell and its the middle of the pandemic and climate change and wars, I think Molloy is like I don’t wanna stay here.

N: This episode ends with Molloy having a dream? A memory? I love a camera pan and he’s there.

L: I freaked out when I was reading it too... This series is everything I wanted as a fan, there are so many cool things you’re going to see in the series from the book. And a lot of things Rolin has planted now that you will see later.

Horror Author Jewelle Gomez

N: Episode 6 did not leave me feeling good, coming off the heels of 5, it was another pummeling in a way.

J: Louis has gone through the ringer and its not that often you get to a see a vampire who has to recover. Usually in TV/movies its like bada bing bada bang and injuries are gone. This is a knitting back together and its an emotional thing to watch.

N: It’s been years, it takes like 3 years to get back to who he was like walking around. This is an episode about the family dynamic and how it is changed by what Lestat has done. What do you think is different about a vampire family? Should they even be a family? Are they forcing something not right?

J: We’re thinking like mortals, like they can get a therapist to work it through. I think it’s valuable to try to make something but it has to be as Louis say no lies and I dont think Lestat is ever capable of being fully present and fully honest even when he says he’s going to compromise or be honest I don’t know if you can trust him in particular. And then you add in Claudia who is in many ways superior to Louis and Lestat, she’s got a really strong mind a strong intellect…

N: They’re like she’s a sweet little girl, it will be fine. Have you never met a teenage girl?

J; WRONG.

N: It’s funny cause I don’t think of her as smarter but she is colder. Louis he is bound by this love of Lestat, he’s in his thrall. Then Lestat is driven by power and control. Claudia just wants to be free… she is the one who is the least attached in this trio which enables her to see clearly and this dynamic is not right and I dont have to stand for it.

J: She’s coming into her own as she goes out into the world and sees women. She’s never going to become one in the traditional scene and it engenders her anger. She is definitely chillier than Louis and that’s a surprise to them. She’s not as wedded to the value of mortals cause she’s never lived as long as a mortal. She’s chilly and ruthless.

N: Absolutely, a bit theme of the series is ht eidea of freedom vs repression and she says to Louis lets leave and go to Europe lets life our own life. But do you think you can really be free as a vampire? Do you think a vampire is any more free as a mortal?

J: Usually its the stuff you take into your vampire life before you were a vampire, but if you were not taught how to create family or what freedom really means, it would be very hard to be free of someone like Lestat. I think that’s a significant element of who Claudia is trying to be free, what it creates for her is assault. She takes that into how she feels about Louis and Lestat. Its stoked by this incident by Bruce, its something they do not understand, even reading the diary you can’t really understand what it means to a woman to have that experience. It’s a very valuable part of the story for us to understand claudia and why she wants to be free why she will go to any lengths to be free.

N: She thinks the only way to be free is killing Lestat. What are the vampire rules against killing your maker?

J: It’s like how mortals views patricide or matricide. It’s like the worst crime other than killing your child. It sentences you to death in the vampire world.

N: Can she ever really be free? If she thinks the only way to freedom is to kill Lestat but to do so would put a target on her back… there’s no way out for her?

J: The only way for her would be if Lestat turns over a new leaf and just lets them go on their European tour but what’s more likely to happen when he finally does understand Claudia is serious and powerful. The possibility of him killing her is not that slim. He might just be done with her and is not worth the hassle. She’s not in love with him the way Louis is.

N: We’ve talked a bit about Louis being in love with Lestat and in his thrall but Claudia says we’re slaves to Lestat and Louis is like that’s not true. Why does he not see do you think?

J: I’ll tell you, when she tells Louis we’re slaves to Lestat, Louis knows what slavery looks like in real life, he does not feel its true for him in this moment. Even though slavery comes in different shapes sizes and forms, he’s like little girl you don’t know what you’re talking about. He doesn’t take in himself as a slave but he’s unable to see himself as a slave but someone who treats him the way Lestat does is not healthy. We cannot underestimate he is in love, he takes the position of the battered spouse who keeps forgiving.

N: Its Claudia who gives the strength to Louis, when she says we don’t have to be like this anymore, you deserve better, we deserve better, we can start over. The young person who sees all the opportunities vs. the older person who was never given that opportunity.

J; And that gives you hope that things can change but she’s also a young person who doesn’t know the past so she doesn’t know what Louis’s been through to get where he is. So its a double edged sword in some ways, but the hope part of it is most valuable to Louis at this stage of this story.

N: If you’re vampire, where would you live and when? Preferred time period and location where you would feel the most free?

J: I would live between London and NY. London in the 1800s - number 1 the clothes, the outfits, I’m a corset queen and bloomers on your bicycle and you could go to the theater every night of the week and see something different. As a person of color I wouldn’t be invited to a lot of the salons, that’s alright I’ld have my own vampire salons.

#vampterview #rewind the tape

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