If Lestat de Lioncourt stalking, hunting, and then seducing an unwitting Louis de Pointe du Lac through the streets of 1900s New Orleans isn’t terrifying, then I don’t know what is.
Despite any reservations I may have had for the AMC series, Interview with the Vampire is shaping up to be quite the vampiric horror show perfect to watch in October.
My Experience with The Vampire Chronicles
I am not someone you could consider a fan of the franchise. I am aware of who author Anne Rice is, and that The Vampire Chronicles book series exists – I’ve just never had the urge to read it.
To be quite honest, this show wasn’t even on my radar – considering the fever dream of a memory I have of watching Claudia’s bones being burned in sunlight during the 1994 Interview with the Vampire movie starring Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise.
While scrolling through Twitter one day, I happen to come across a tweet praising Game of Thrones alumni Jacob Anderson and Nathalie Emmanuel for thriving as actors after the disastrous GoT Season 8 ending and portraying vampires in their latest work, no less.
Despite the poor reviews, I always intended on checking out Emmanuel’s latest work, The Invitation. I watched the trailer on YouTube and apparently it really does give away the entire plot, but I still may watch it in the coming weeks during spooky season.
Jacob Anderson as Louis de Pointe du Lac
I enjoyed Anderson’s portrayal as Louis, but the only thing that bothers me is his nationality.
Maybe it is because I already know Anderson is a European man, but his portrayal of an American Creole man living in 1910s New Orleans rubbed me the wrong way. The tap-dancing scene at Grace’s wedding where Anderson was noticeable ‘stiff’, along with Louis’ moments of anger where he uses ‘aave’ and Southern-isms don’t feel authentic, but rather like a caricature of what the actor may have believed a creole man would sound like during the era.
There is also the issue of Anderson’s accent with Louis, which although passable – does not sound Southern at all. The actors who play Paul, Grace, and even Lily the working girl have a more authentic southern accent and look like Americans from the South.
What Did Lestat Say to Paul?
During the du Lac family dinner scene, Lestat does the ‘parlour trick’ he used on Louis at the clubhouse on his brother, Paul. Of course it is never fully explained, but I have to speculate whether or not Paul ‘lost his mind’ and turned to religion after the family lost their sugarcane plantation.
Hence Paul always showed up to preach at Louis, and Louis used the church as a ‘daycare’ for his mentally ill brother.
Lestat begins going on a tirade about his feelings regarding organized religion and Jesus Christ – and based on the last scene of Lestat using this power it isn’t clear if all the other family members at the table were under a trance, or if only Louis could see what was being done.
After this encounter, Paul is surprisingly docile. He even attends his sister Grace’s wedding without any incident, before ending the night climbing the roof of their home with brother Louis. The two spoke about Lestat, and Paul mentions that Lestat told him “He was the devil” and was in New Orleans to “collect souls”.
Louis brushes him off, and as the sun rises Paul jumps from the roof and commits suicide.
Given the powers we have seen so far that Lestat has exhibited concerning telepathy and manipulating time or humans around him, maybe he was harassing Paul with thoughts of hell the same way he harassed Louis to “come to (him)” at Paul’s funeral.
Their mother Florence even brings up that Paul will never reach heaven now because he took his own life, which is a major sin in Christianity. What would make Paul, a man who became obsessed with preaching and the church, commit suicide days after meeting Lestat?
Why Did Lestat Choose Louis?
According to Lestat’s own words, the vampire was intrigued with the mortal Louis as soon as he witnessed him pull a knife on his own brother, Paul. Seeing potential in him as an eternal lover and companion, Lestat began to stalk the clueless Louis for this purpose alone.
Was Lestat a Lover of Saint Germain the Immortal?
There is this really interesting line Lestat says while playing a music box before his first intimate encounter with Louis.
While remarking on the song, Lestat says he composed it for a young violin player who he “taught everything he knew” long ago. I have to wonder if this is a reference to Saint Germain, and the urban legend that the immortal visited New Orleans after the French Revolution.
Either way, I enjoyed the true horror elements of Lestat hunting Louis like his prey, the creepy smile Lestat broke out into each time he drank Louis’ blood, and how much potential this AMC series has.
But, tell me your thoughts about Interview with the Vampire episode one.
Do you think Lestat did something to Paul’s mind?
Is Grace being sent away with her husband a bad omen?
Will Louis abandon his family now that he is with Lestat?
I’d love to know your thoughts and opinions! Leave them in the comment section below, and Subscribe to our Newsletter for more weekly Interview with the Vampire episode reviews.
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