VIDEO REVIEW:
WRITTEN REVIEW:
Director: Michael Rymer
Production Companies: Village Roadside Pictures, NPV Entertainment, and Material Productions
Distribution Company: Warner Bros. Pictures
Genre: Drama/Horror
Soundtrack: Jonathan Davis, Richard Gibbs, and Various Artists
Series: The Vampire Chronicles (Anne Rice)
MPAA: R for Restricted
Release Date: February 22, 2002 (US)
Running Time: 101 minutes
Film MSRP: Digital: $2.99 (Rent) – $12.99 (Buy)
Physical: $4.99 (DVD) – $19.99 (Blu-Ray)
Purchase Film: Click Here
Soundtrack MSRP: $9.49 (MP3) – $47.99 (Vinyl)
Purchase Soundtrack: Click Here
Final Score: 5.0 Moons (out of 5)
Get ready for a fang’tastic hard rockin’ time as vampire turned rockstar, Lestat (Stuart Townsend), has risen from his New Orleans crypt after 100 years of sleep. His motive is to resurrect a few old friends….daring them to “Come out come out, wherever you are… See you all in Death Valley.”
CONTENT
After the vampire Lestat has risen out of a century of sleep in his New Orleans crypt, his brave moves stir up controversy as he makes his identity known. Breaking the code of secrecy, his maker, a French nobleman named Marius (Vincent Perez) from the elder vampire clan, is concerned over his actions.
At a London paranormal research society called the Talamasca, an apprentice named Jesse (Marguerite Moreau) discovers that Lestat indeed is a real vampire. She becomes obsessed while watching his music video and finds clues into his identity. She discovers that he is not just a “rock star with a gimmick”.
Lestat wakes “The Mother of All Vampires” while playing his violin at her statue of resemblance, a spirited vessel of great magnitude. Her name is Akasha (Aaliyah). The queen has risen and has an insatiable lust for human blood. She becomes enamored with Lestat. After teleporting in front of thousands at a rock concert stage in Death Valley, the couple arrive at a romantic hideaway. A seductive rendezvous takes place in a heart shaped bathtub laced with rose petals. The romance quickly turns as Lestat gets turned off by Akasha’s lust for human blood resulting in decaying corpses found around the premises.
On the other hand, Jesse who is also enamored with Lestat, is concerned regarding his whereabouts. She learns that as a human, she is somehow tied into the vampire family. The vampires and Jesse have banded together. They are laying low at Aunt Maharet’s (Lena Olin) exotic estate in Mojave. Will Lestat return to his vampire family? Will he reunite and return with Akasha, will he disappear, or will he return and become smitten for Jesse? Will Marius end his paternal rift with the outspoken vampire turned rockstar? What happens to the rest of the vampires? Are there any new sightings over at the Talamasca? Stay tuned for more.
PRESENTATION
Based off of the third book in the Vampire Chronicles novels by New Orleans author, Anne Rice, this movie is part of the modern Goth movement. The soundtrack is remarkably fitting and laden with heavy Goth rock. The songs are predominately written by Jonathan Davis teaming up with Richard Gibbs along with a few other select featured band tracks. Davis also makes a small cameo appearance in the film, as Los Angeles concert ticket scalper attempting to sell tickets to Jesse at Lestat’s upcoming show.
The music line up includes Marilyn Manson, Static-X, Wayne Static solo, Disturbed, David Draimen solo, Papa Roach, Chester Bennington solo, Deftones, Godhead, Jay Gordon of Orgy, Earshot, Dry Cell, Tricky featuring Alanis Morissette, and Kidneytheives.
Lestat is as charismatic as a vampire rock star could be. He has a charming yet cocky attitude. He is tough on the outside with a warm heart beneath, emanates a hot sexual overtone, plays hard to get, and is quite a challenge for his female counterparts.
Aesthetically speaking, gorgeous Gothic architecture is highlighted as well as breathtaking interiors. offering inspirational tips for blueprints in home buying and design for the Goth communities consideration.
AUDIENCE FIT
With a variety of elements from different subcultures, the movie showcases several Goth styles. Barefoot boho gypsies strum melodies by a seaside campfire as spirited vessels in the form as ancient Rosicrucian Egyptian statuary await their resurrection. At an exquisite mansion located off a remote Mediterranean island, an elder has hidden away a vampire in the making. Music rocks hard and the crowd goes wild at a Death Valley concert which eventually leads to an Angkor Wat inspired vampire hideaway offering a glimpse of the family bloodline. The creepy New Orleans cemetery is a resting place for the modern vampire to rise again as a European paranormal research center continues to collect evidence of the dark realm. Modern vampires, ancient vampires, wannabe vampires, and future vampires, all come together in one film. The movie offers a little bit of everything for the Gothic community to explore.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Grab a box of candy, kick back with the movie, and have yourself a FANGtastic Halloween!… Happy Rocktober from Scary Movie Night!
Story: 5.0 Moons (out of 5)
Presentation: 5.0 Moons (out of 5)
Audience Fit: 5.0 Moons (out of 5)
Final Score (not an average): 5.0 Moons (out of 5)
