Interview with the Vampire (2023)

"Excellent New Adaptation of Anne Rice's Novel"

AMC's seven part dramatisation of Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire, previously filmed by Neil Jordan in 1994, gets a Blu-ray, DVD and Digital release from Acorn Media International.

        Journalist Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian from Oliver Stone's TALK RADIO) receives an invite to attend the palatial residence, located in one of the towering architectural structures of Dubai, of Louis de Point du Lac (Jacob Anderson, best known up until now for his role as Grey Worm in Game of Thrones). 

Louis wants to resurrect and revamp (sorry) an interview they did together many years ago, correcting mistakes, filling in gaps and providing more honest answers - perhaps. Daniel connects up his laptop and the story begins. 

In the New Orleans of the early 20th century, Louis is a pimp who is so successful he has attracted the interests of a number of wealthy businessmen. When he meets the recently-arrived Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid) his world is turned upside down, as it turns out Lestat is a vampire with designs on his new acquaintance. By the end of the first episode Louis is Lestat's partner as well as a fledgling apprentice vampire. By the end of this first season World War II has just kicked off and the dynamic has changed considerably, but to say any more would spoil things for those who haven't read the book.

INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE is glossy gothic horror done very right indeed, taking the PENNY DREADFUL approach of not skimping on the graphic gore and sex while airbrushing the period setting so that it more resembles a lush Hammer film than a realistic portrayal of the times. And that's just fine because if we're ever going to really believe in someone with a name like Lestat de Lioncourt it's in the kind of environment created here. 

Everyone brings their A game to the production. The costumes and sets are lavish, Daniel Hart's music score is complex and varied, ranging from silent movie-style piano to full-on blood and thunder when needed. The first two episodes are directed by Alan Taylor who seems to well and truly have his mojo back after the disappointing blockbuster sequels THOR 2: THE DARK WORLD  (2013) and TERMINATOR: GENISYS (2015). 

Acorn's two disc Blu-ray or DVD set contains all seven episodes, with running times averaging 45 minutes each. The only extra is a panel from the 2022 San Diego comic con, but it's nearly 40 minutes of Q&A with the principal cast members as well as show 'creator' Rolin Jones. With the presence of films and shows on streaming being as transient and prone to disappearing as the vampires the show portrays, it's even more important that as fine a show as this is being preserved in a medium you can keep. Excellent stuff and highly recommended. 

AMC's INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE is already out on Digital, and is being released on Blu-ray and DVD by Acorn International Media on Monday 6th November 2023