Why are Vampires so Damn Sexy?

Wow, there sure is a lot of eye-candy, for both male and females, in the film version of Interview with a Vampire! I must say I enjoyed looking as Brad pre his Bradjolina days. Don’t get me wrong Angie is a nice girl, but Brad was just so much more appealing in the role of single vulnerable Louis! The camera does really love him. I mean I don’t know any other actor that could pull off being sexy while having almost translucent veiny skin….put he did it! Okay, Banderas managed to pull this look off too! Also, there was something very intriguing about Brad’s fierce eyes. I wouldn’t mind sinking my teeth into him! Looks like I have fallen victim to “the gaze” Mulvey talks about in her essay. I must say, I was a little turned off when Louis decided to dine on two poodles…PETA would not have been pleased. But, another thing that was alluring about him was his androgynous looks. While we all know Mr. Pitt is somewhat of a pretty boy, he took on a very different feminine look in the film. There were actually some shots where I thought, “He would make a really beautiful woman”! It was nice to see that the director played up Pitt’s fresh face and managed to make him masculine yet elegantly ethereal. However, this doesn’t make up for the fact that the film never fully touched on the homosexual undertones presented in the novel.
For the heterosexual male this film was teeming with appeal. Particularly, the scene where the vampire theater company devours a luscious nude beauty. There is a bit of time allotted to the viewer to gaze at her supply young naked body with appreciative eyes. In a sense, this was cool because it was as if the film-viewer was now in the old playhouse watching the risky pulse-pounding production. It was also interesting that the female used for this scene looked like the picture of pure simple beauty and innocence. While some may lament about the scene being thrown in solely for hormonal teens to ogle a hot bod, I can appreciate it for its artistic beauty and symbolism.
Kirsten Dunst’s performance really blew me away. She certainly held her own and stood out amongst her older, more experienced cast members. She truly captured Claudia and managed to still look cute while killing innocent people. Her doll-like locks of golden curls and frilly dresses no doubt let her get into the character. What a fun role that must have been to play! I loved the fact that she really captured the frustration and rage that came along with never growing up and never dying. The scene where she chops off all her hair that manages to instantaneously grow back is chilling. I haven’t seen such a powerful performance from a child star in a long time.
As for Cruise in the role of Lestat…ummm…I wasn’t that impressed. His actions and mannerisms seemed almost comical at times. Okay, maybe I am being a little harsh on this couch-jumping scientologist, but I don’t know if I would have necessarily cast him. I guess because in the book I pictured Lestat as overpoweringly handsome. Maybe I just don’t find Tom all that attractive. Who do you think would be a better fit for the role?