Interview with the Vampire (1994)

Based on the novel by Anne Rice, this film was to be the first in a series of adaptations of the hugely popular series, The Vampire Chronicles. Sadly - as far as I am aware - only one other of her series was adapted to the screen: Queen of the Damned, which I intend to review in due course. Nevertheless, this film was the first screen adaptation, and in my opinion, the better of the two.

A young journalist named Malloy (Christian Slater) sits down - armed with a tape recorder and his packet of cigarettes - to interview a strange man he knows only as Louis (Brad Pitt). As soon as the interview begins, Louis tells his interviewer that he is a vampire, and has been so since 1791.

He does away with all the stereotypes, telling him that he is not scared of the light, that he quite enjoys looking at crucifixes, and that a stake through the heart would have no effect on him.

Malloy (Christian Slater) and Louis (Brad Pitt).

For the remainder of the film, we see his own life told in flashback, and meet the vampire who initially turned him: a charismatic young man named Lestat (Tom Cruise). The two of them are on a bit of a killing spree through eighteenth-century New Orleans, as of course they require a daily dose of blood to survive.

One night, Louis comes across a young girl named Claudia (Kirsten Dunst), whose mother has been killed by Lestat. Louis takes pity on the young, recently orphaned girl, and turns her into a vampire.

The three of them become a “family” of sorts, and continue to terrorise the local community, and over time, Louis and Claudia become quite close.

Meanwhile, Malloy is drawn further and further into Louis’s intriguing story, and becomes more and more desperate to share it with the wider world. But does Louis want to be universally outed, or does he just need to unburden himself to this one man? And what will his outing mean for all the other vampires out there, who are quite content to continue their lives in the shadows?

Lestat (Tom Cruise) and Louis (Brad Pitt).

The screenplay, by Rice herself, is nothing short of excellent. Naturally, as you might expect, the quality of the adaptation itself is fantastic. All the key elements of her brilliant novel - written after her son was diagnosed with haemophilia - are there, and the characters are all as alive on the screen as they ever were on the page.

Elliot Goldenthal’s score is also brilliant, perfectly suited to the tone of the film. It is predominantly orchestral, and is just as majestic as the scenes it accompanies.

Philippe Rousselot’s cinematography is a wonder to behold, with significant sections of the film naturally taking place in almost total darkness. There is plenty of great camera movement, bringing the viewer right into the centre of the action, uncomfortably at times.

It is in the production design (courtesy of Dante Ferretti) and costume design (Sandy Powell) where this film comes into its own. With the majority of the film set in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, these elements of the production do a brilliant job of transporting the viewer back to these times with breathtaking realism.

Claudia (Kirsten Dunst).

The performances of the cast are amazing across the board. Even Tom Cruise - who isn’t generally renowned for his acting ability - does a fabulous job bringing Lestat to life. But the clear standout is Kirsten Dunst, who brings an incredible maturity to her role, particularly as the character ages (of course, she doesn’t age physically, but her immortal character continues to grow older on the inside, and she carries this off brilliantly).

There are also some great performances from both Antonio Banderas and Stephen Rea, but I won't go into too much detail, for fear it would spoil your own enjoyment of the film and its twists and turns.

Director Neil Jordan has made a reasonably enjoyable film here. It is truly a shame that most of the series never saw the light of day as adaptations, but this film at least showcases not only the brilliance of the production team and cast, but also the brilliance of creator Anne Rice, whose expansive mythology continues to be the greatest example of the genre.

7 1/ 2 out of 10.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)

Based on the Broadway musical with a book by Hugh Wheeler, and music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, this film tells a dark story of revenge, and certainly does not glamourise the concept.

Sweeney Todd (Johnny Depp) returns to London after some time away. The last time he was in London, he worked as a barber, one of the best in the city. He was married and had a young daughter named Johanna.

But before he went away, his wife died, and his young daughter - still just a baby - was taken by Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman) and raised as his ward.

Todd has returned to London with only one thing on his mind: revenge.

Sweeney Todd (Johnny Depp) and Judge Turpin
(Alan Rickman).

Returning to his old place of business, he finds the downstairs shop is now a pie shop, run by the eccentric Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter), who is finding business difficult given the shortage of good quality meat for her pies.

With Todd's thirst for revenge, and Lovett's desperate need for pie filling, the two hatch the most evil of plans. Any and all of Todd's customers who come to him for a shave have their throats slit by his razor, and their bodies are sent down to the floor below, where they are turned into meat for Lovett's pies. Yes, you read that right, I warned you the story was dark.

Their first victim is the charlatan Pirelli (Sacha Baron Cohen), a rival barber who sells a concoction called "Pirelli's Miracle Elixir", which he claims can regrow hair on a bald head. Pirelli recognises Todd from his previous life, and threatens to expose him. Furious, Todd kills him, and their sinister plan is underway.

Todd takes on Pirelli's former apprentice, a young boy named Toby (Edward Sanders), as his own apprentice, and little by little, begins to do away with customer after customer, all the while trying to get back his daughter Johanna (Jayne Wisener), who is in turn being pursued by potential wooer Anthony (Jamie Campbell Bower).

Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter) and Toby (Edward Sanders).

Meanwhile, Lovett's pie business is flourishing, with customers queueing around the block for her latest pies, completely unaware what - or who - they are consuming.

The screenplay, by John Logan, follows the plot of the original musical quite closely, with only a few minor changes. A few of the songs from the musical have been omitted (I assume for time considerations), but overall, the plot and flow has been maintained. It is good to see that all of the best songs from the musical are still there, including my personal favourite "A Little Priest".

Sondheim's songs - apart from those few omissions - are still intact, and as magnificent as ever. The cast - at least the ones who sing - do a great job in their performances. Baron Cohen in particular does an incredible job as Pirelli, but the chemistry between Depp and Bonham Carter - admittedly established over many previous projects together, in collaboration with director Tim Burton - is fantastic, and the two of them can both sing well.

Pirelli (Sacha Baron Cohen).

The cinematography, by Dariusz Wolski, is very good, with the majority of the film in near-total darkness. There are plenty of shadows, and plenty of darkness, as one would assume given the themes of the film. Combined with Dante Ferretti's production design, this works to convey the seedier side of Victorian London in a truly immersive way.

The performances of the entire cast are fabulous, and the cast's ability to sing - admittedly some very difficult songs in terms of vocal range - is brilliant. The majority of the 'dialogue' is sung, so an ability to sing was clearly a prerequisite in terms of casting, but everyone seems quite comfortable in their roles.

Director Tim Burton - quite possibly the best choice to bring such a macabre story to the screen - has done an incredible job, and made one of Sondheim's more obscure musicals much more accessible to a wider audience. It may be an incredibly uncomfortable film to watch, but it is nonetheless brilliant.

9 out of 10.