INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE - Movie Scripts …

1 INTERVIEW with THE VAMPIREbyAnne RiceBased on the novel byAnne RiceApril 1992 Second DraftFOR EDUCATIONALPURPOSES ONLYFADE IN:EXT. DUBOCE STREET HILL SKYLINE (SAN FRANCISCO) - NIGHTINT. BAR (SAN FRANCISCO) - NIGHTUNDER CONTINUOUS ROARING ROCK MUSIC -- we see, but do nothear:YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN talking in groups or couples, some dancing, as lightsflash. Punk hairdos, heavy makeup. MALLOY, aged 25, well-dressed, leans close to auniformed police officer, holding a mike to the officer'slips, as the officer talks. The wire from the mike leadsto a small recorder on the bar. Malloy also wears oneearphone plug connected to this recorder, which he holdsto his left TO:ANOTHER PART OF BAR - BOOTHM alloy interviews two beautifully-dressed women, whoobviously flirt with him, as they answer his questions,lean forward, talk into the mike. Malloy finishes hisdrink, puts the recorder in his pocket, takes out acigarette, looks for a ALLEYWAY - MALLOYC igarette on lip, stumbles in darkness, amid garbage cansand debris, fumbling for lighter, then finally is REVEALED for one instant only an inch fromMalloy, his hand on Malloy's shoulder.

2 Faces almosttouching. Malloy stumbles away in recedes more slowly into 'm sorry! I didn't youwere struggles to make out the figure but can't. know.(CONTINUED) : MALLOYR eally, I didn't mean to run on. Pass stamps out the cigarette, holds up the hand don't want to tell me thestory of your life, do you?He flicks on the recorder in his pocket. 's what I do. I interviewpeople. I collect life I INTERVIEW four or fivepeople a backs away further. Louis is perfectly story of my life?MALLOYYes, I've been collecting livesfor years. radio. there I just interviewed agenuine hero, a cop (quietly, politely)You'd have to have a lot of tapefor my story. I've had a veryunusual much the better. I've gotpockets full of ROOM (SAN FRANCISCO)City skyline from Duboce Street in shadow moves to the window, as behind him Malloysets the tape recorder on the table and sits in one oftwo straight chairs. Dim light burns on chest of drawersbeyond.

3 As they talk, Louis keeps his back to the roomand Malloy.(CONTINUED) : MALLOYThis is where you live?LOUISIt's just a how shall we begin?(playfully, almost teasing)What do you do?LOUISI'm a , and you mean this literally, Itake I was waiting for you inthat alleyway. You or whoevercame out of that doorway. Andthen you began to laughs , what a lucky break for lucky for both of in shadow he turns from the window and approachesthe want to tell you my story. Allof it. I'd like to do that verymuch. I'm glad we've is uneasy as he studies the shadowy figure,fascinated but were going to kill me? Drinkmy blood?LOUISYes, but you needn't worry aboutthat now. I told you in the alleyto go on. I was letting you passby. I let a lot of motals passby.(CONTINUED) : Louis stands opposite, hand on the is this is one I have to believe this, don't you? Thatyou're a VAMPIRE ? You (patiently)We can't begin this way. I'mgoing to turn on the I thought vampires didn't love it.

4 I only wanted toprepare pulls the cord of the overhead naked light 'S FACE appears inhumanly white, eyes glittering. Inhuman or notalive. The effect is subtle, beautiful and God!He struggles to suppress fear and 't be frightened. I want light appears to go out by itself and suddenly Louisis in the chair, dimly lighted by the nearby lamp and thetape recorder has been turned on. The cassette did you do that!LOUISThe same way you do it. A seriesof simple gestures. Only I movedtoo fast for you to see. I'mflesh and blood. Only not human.(MORE)(CONTINUED) : LOUIS (CONT'D)I haven't been for two is speechless, frightened, yet can I do to put you at ease?Shall we begin like DavidCopperfield? I am born, I growup. Or shall we begin when I wasborn to darkness, as we call 's really where we shouldstart, don't you think?MALLOY(baffled)You're not lying to me, are you?LOUISNo. 1791 -- that's the year whenit happened. I was twenty-four --younger than you are times were different then.

5 Iwas a man at that age. The masterof a large plantation just Southof New TO:EXT. LOUISIANA - DAY (1791)A disheveled Louis, hair in pigtail, in deep pocket frockcoat, rides his horse through the fields of indigo,waving here and there to the African slaves at passes slave quarters and the distant colonial raisedcottage mansion of Pointe du as he speaks he approaches a small parishchurch and graveyard. He dismounts, approaches a rec-tangular Greek style above ground tomb. The stone islike a doorway.(CONTINUED) : LOUIS ( )I had only just lost my wife inchildbirth. She and the infanthad been buried less than half on the high rectangular tomb show the names: DIANNE DE POINTE DU LAC 1763 - 1791 INFANT JEAN MARIE 1791 Louis in mix of anger and sadness pushes away the vinesalready covering the head stone and stares bitterly atthe inscription which he touches with his fingers. Takesa flask from his pocket, takes a heavy drink. He sits,exhausted, against the grave, as if close to his wife andchild.

6 Face tender and DINING ROOM (POINTE DU LAC) - NIGHTT able set with candelabra, gorgeous in soiled shirt and boots, sits at the head of thetable, staring at a plate full of steaming , pretty Mulatto slave, pours his glass full ( )I had everything a man could askfor. Yet a darkness had come thatwould not , Michie, eat your We pray for you doesn't takes his linen napkin from the ring and tries toput it in his lap. He takes her wrist firmly. Risesfrom (patiently)I know, ma chere. I need RIVERFRONT STREET (NEW ORLEANS)of gunwale sidewalks and loud, crowded riverfront tavernsfull of ruffians.(CONTINUED) :Louis in ragged lace and dirty brocade coat walksdrunkenly along the sidewalk. As he enters a crowded,smoky little tavern and blunders into a card game, flat-boat men and one FANCY-DRESSED GAMBLER eye him as a lays his money down on the table. They deal him ( )Perhaps if I'd had time, I wouldhave come to my senses. Who cansay? I might have married it was, I courted death, takingevery risk that I the men play cards two tavern waitresses approach --TERESA and SUZANNE.

7 Suzanne throws her arms aroundLouis, and exchanging glances with the Fancy-DressedGambler, puts a powder into a drink of whiskey which shepushes toward Louis, eyeing him stealthily. Teresawatches all and looks down at Louis' hand of OVER tavern scene -- Indians, men of color, blackAfrican freedmen, sailors and , a hooded figure in the corner, smiles frombeneath the shadow of his hood. Gleaming blue ON - LESTATHe approaches the table as:Louis lifts the glass of drugged whiskey. The hooded andcloaked figure of Lestat knocks it out of his hand,bumping into Suzanne and knocking Teresa roughly to rises, drunk, dare you, pulls out a pearl-handled pistol. Teresa clingsto him. Others gasp and give way, though eager to seewhat will , face half-covered by the hood but eyes gleaming,backs away through the crowd, eyes riveted on Louis,smiling. The crowd closes is slightly dazed by Lestat's eyes. Then shudders,loses interest, sits down and picks up his NEW ORLEANS STREET - COTTAGE - NIGHTL ouis and QUADROON PROSTITUTE emerge from the cottage,kissing PROSTITUTEDon't leave me, Michie Gambler appears from GAMBLERF irst you call me a cheat, thenyou try to steal my Gambler spins Louis around and goes to hit blocks punch, knocks Gambler into the Prostitute shouts warning to Louis as theGambler draws his ahead.

8 Do it. I'm alreadydead. Finish the task, so theycan sing the rises slowly and warily holding the gun on Oaks; tomorrow morning laughs and shakes his head, no. He turns his ON - LOUIS'S FACE thoughtful distant, and behind him --GAMBLERC oward!Louis staggers down the wood sidewalk. QuadroonProstitute comes after him, embracing him, and he kissesher firmly and gently pushes her away. She pleads withhim in ( )My invitation was open to it was a VAMPIRE thataccepted. I had never conceivedof such a moves on into darkness among small colonial Frenchbuildings.(CONTINUED) : Rain falls. He looks up in it and lets it drench his shoulder, we see Lestat approach, hood stillshadowing his ON LESTAT'S BLUE EYESL estat's hands clamp on Louis's shoulder and then Louisstiffens, cries out and freezes, as Lestat's teeth gointo his slips from Lestat's grasp, unconscious in the mudand ROOM (SAN FRANCISCO)Malloy and Louis facing each 's how it happened?

9 LOUISNo. That is how vampires drinkblood. The Dark Gift oftransformation requires a gooddeal more as you'll , this VAMPIRE wantedsomething from me. He came backfor it the following LAVISH FRENCH-FURNISHED BEDROOM AT POINT DU LAC(NEW ORLEANS)Louis is delirious in four-poster bed, shrouded withmosquito netting. Female slave Yvette bathes his facewith a rag. She is crying. Other slave women hover inshadows. Overseer, a Quadroon male, stands weeping puts out all candles save one by the poor Yvette. What will becomeof you -- all of you -- if I die?YVETTEYou won't die, Michie. We needyou. You won't leave us SCENE - LATERL ouis flickers on face of bisque tosses and turns, dreaming, murmuring he opens his , exquisitely dressed in French clothing, standsbeside the bed smiling. In the light of the candle, wesee that he is not human; skin too white; eyes toobright. It is more subtle than earlier electric lightshot of Louis. Lestat looks amiable, even mischievous,but impossible -- an angel or a rises, grabs for his pistol from the table andcocks the hell are you?

10 What areyou doing in my house?LESTAT(looking around the lavish bedroom)And such a beautiful house. Yoursis a beautiful takes aim and BULLET passes through Lestat's slightly raised leaves a bloody wound. Lestat winces, studies thewound. It begins to heal as we reaches for his sword, hanging over the end of thebed. He struggles to get 're not afraid of anything, areyou?LOUISWhy the hell should I be? I warnyou again. Get out!LESTATAre you going to put that swordthrough me, too? Ruin my beautifulclothes?Louis rises up, jabs the rapier at Lestat who effort-lessly knocks it from his hand. It "appears" across theroom on the floor.(CONTINUED) :Louis slumps against the headboard, staring keenly atLestat. He is in a (quietly and coldly)If some voodoo priest sent youhere, say so. If you're thedevil, I'm all don't believe in voodoo priestsor the devil. Neither do sits on the side of the bed, facing I do believe in eternal holds up his bullet-wounded palm, and we see thevery last healing as it smooths out and is whole (coldly)How was this done?