Interview with the Vampire stars Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt and Antonio Banderas and adapts the best-selling Anne Rice novel (and first in her equally popular The Vampire Chronicles series) of the same name. Adaptations of major works can often be tricky, especially when you’re attempting to fit as much as you can into a two-hour runtime. The movie was adapted by Rice herself, and while I haven’t read the novel, the movie is good enough to enjoy, but also will really make you want to read the book if you enjoy it on any level.
That’s not a bad thing, as reading should be celebrated more by all and anything that sparks an interest in doing so is a win. The reason I say the movie does this is because while the story works well enough, and the actors bring these characters to life in fun fashion, it’s very clear that there’s a lot missing here in terms of character depth, emotional connection and internal dialogue. Again, I haven’t read the book, but one thing that’s very rarely brought over in an adaptation is internal dialogue. This is mainly because movies are a visual medium and “show don’t tell” is a rule that’s rightfully followed – and quite obvious and often to a film’s detriment when it’s not.
Interview with the Vampire has a lot going for it on the star power front, as it’s a film from 1994, so Cruise, Pitt, Banderas and Christian Slater were early on in their careers, but still a big combo to have attached. They also bring a seriousness to the story that’s needed, with Cruise often looking like he’s having a blast playing Lestat, a vampire that’s been around for centuries and feels the unhappiness that a young man named Louis (Pitt) feels after his wife and child die. This is in 1791 and Lestat, who is also looking out for himself and the wealth and mansion that Louis has – including an all-you-can-eat buffet of slaves is more than appealing – gives Louis a choice: Would he rather die or to become a vampire?
Louis chooses the latter but quickly begins to regret it. Well, quickly to us, but months and years go by for them like nothing. Lestat hunts multiple humans a night, killing with no regard whatsoever, while Louis remains connected to his human emotions and feelings, which makes him unique in the world of vampires. While he does slip from time to time, he chooses to feed off of rats and other animals whenever possible to spare human life. This frustrates Lestat, but knowing that Louis has an eternity ahead of him, Lestat knows it’s just a matter of time before he comes around.
He also feels Louis needs a true companion to care for (again, also doing so for his own selfish needs and to keep Louis around) so he turns a young girl named Claudia (Kirsten Dunst) into a vampire. To be fair, this was after Louis bit her in a moment of weakness (though again, to be fair, she would have very likely died from the plague regardless) so she was going to die had Lestat not done so. So by turning her he gives them both a daughter and clears Louis conscience of the wrongdoing of murdering a child.
The family dynamic is interesting and there are a lot of avenues they work to explore, but again, there’s only so much time to do so and I’d wager everything is much deeper in the book. For those who just enjoy watching movies and don’t really read then the film will do the trick. It at least touches on most things that would rest on the mind of someone who regretted turning into a vampire, but was also not willing to allow himself to die to end it. The latter half of the second and third act are fine, but it does feel a bit more rushed and I feel that Antonio Banderas’s character has to have a bigger role in the book, or at least the parts which involve him, as the ideas presented during these times feel like major milestones for Louis, but they lack the impact in most moments simply due to a lack of time.
As far as adaptations go, Interview with the Vampire is a solid watch. The visuals from 1994 are quite strong and the makeup and set design really do bring you into the film. The acting is also top tier, with Dunst (who was nominated for a Golden Globe) often scene stealing with ease against these major stars. The story works well enough to hit all the points that allow these characters to come to life to the best of their ability. Like many earlier adaptations for larger works, while I was watching I thought that this would be a world that would work incredibly well as a TV show in our current age of production, as that would give it the time it needs to properly establish everything, while also allowing the Chronicles to continue in seasons to follow.
Low and behold such a show has been running since 2022, has expanded into The Vampire Chronicles series and will be entering its fourth season soon. I’d heard one may be in the works for a while, but with how much content comes our way these days it’s so easy for things to slip by. Needless to say the show seems to be a success, and honestly, the movie may be stronger going back to watch it after gaining more knowledge about the world, be it through reading or watching the show, as it is a beautifully structured film, it’s simply hindered by its length. Perhaps if it were made today – in an age where if your blockbuster flick isn’t at least three hours long then what are you even doing? – or had it pushed for more time back then maybe it’d be a deeper film, but as it stands it’s a simply a good movie with a superb cast that looks incredible and is worth watching. And hey, for a movie about vampires, those credentials certainly don’t suck.
I’ll see myself out.
4K Blu-ray Video and Audio Review:
Thankfully, but also not surprisingly, Warner Bros. has delivered on this 4K transfer, as the 2160p/Dolby Vision/HDR10 delivery looks spectacular, with so many scenes filmed in darkness that come to life with an often pristine clarity. Certain scenes do hold a softness, but such is the case with older movies, as some things can’t be altered, at least without jeopardizing the integrity of some of the work done by those who created it. But those are few and far between, and as a whole the film looks incredible and truly showcases how wonderful it is that we’re able to preserve these works and often elevate them from anything we’ve seen before in our homes.
On the audio side of things we’ve also got a fresh Dolby Atmos mix that showcases the film’s score in room-filling fashion, all while keeping the dialogue sharp and clean, front and center. The sound effects, action and dramatic moments all come to life wonderfully through music and sound and this mix – much like the visual upgrade – is the best we’ve ever had for the home viewing of this film.
Special Features:
We’ve got a few new featurettes for fans to enjoy here, as well as some legacy features. I’ll put the new ones first so that those who own previous versions will know what to expect:
New Features:
Eternal Night and Deadly Light – This is an 8-minute retrospective that sees Director Neil Jordan and Editor Mick Audsley talk about the films gorgeous cinematography done by Philippe Rousselot. They talk about the challenges of shooting almost the entire film at night and how it helped it achieve the dramatic feel that it needed to work.
Interview with the Vampire: Creating the World – This featurette is just under 11-minutes and sees Jordon and Production Designer Dante Ferretti talk about the set design for the film. It’s another piece that’s just interesting to watch and learn what went into their thought process.
Deleted Scenes – We’ve also got some new, unrestored deleted scenes for those who want to check them out.
Legacy Features:
Audio Commentary – Self-explanatory commentary track with Director Neil Jordan.
Introduction – This is a quick, one-minute piece thatsees Anne Rice, Jordan, and Banderas talk briefly about the movie.
In the Shadow of the Vampire – Here we get a hefty, almost 30-minute feature that touches on the making of the film and such.
Lestat, Louis and the Vampire Phenomenon – This one is from 2014 and is 24-minutes in length and looks back at the film from the perspective of those over a decade ago.
Disclaimer: A review copy of this Blu-ray was sent to me to cover in honest and truthful fashion.
Warner Bros. Pictures Presents Interview with the Vampire. Directed By: Neil Jordan. Written by: Anne Rice. Starring: Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Kirsten Dunst, Antonio Banderas, Christian Slater, Thandiwe Newton. Running time: 123 Minutes. Rating: R. Released on 4K Blu-ray: Sept. 22, 2026.
About Brendan Campbell
