"INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE" (1994)

INTERVIEW WITHTHE VAMPIRE

I A small-bare room,illuminated onlyby the streetlight coming throughthe window. I

11 A hand presses a cassetteinto a recorder and fiddles with a I small mic~ophone.

Malloy sitsover a table fiddling with thetape. He is young, ·1 half-shaven,dressed inT shirt and jeans.He.looks to --

LOUIS, wnostandsby the window,looking out on the street, with his bacr.to Malloy.Louis isdressed inan old-fashioned suit. I

LOUIS

So you wantme to tell you~he story ofmy life •••

I MALLOY That'swbat I do. Iinterview people. I collect lives.F.H. radio. F.F.a.c.1 just intervieweda t genuine hero,a cop who -

I You'd have tohave a lot of tape formy story. I'vehad a very unusual life.

'MALLOY

I So much the better.I've gota pocket full of tapes.

LOUIS ·

I You followedme here, didn't you?

MALLOY

Saw you inthestreet outside.You seemedinteresting. I Is thiswhere you live?

LOUIS

It'sjust a room••• I

MALLOY

So shallwe begin? I (Playfully,almost teasing) Whatdo you do?

LOUIS

I I'm a vampire. r- Malloy laughs. r

MALLOY

See? I knewyou were in~eresting.You mean

I

I

I· r this literally,I take it? I

LOUIS

Absolutely.I was watchingyou watching me. Iwas waiting ioryou in that alleyway. Andthen you began

to speak.

MALLOY

Well,what a lucky break for me. I

LOUIS

Perhapslucky for both of us. I Still in shadowhe turns from the window and approaches the tat)le.

I LOUIS

I'll tellyou my story.All of it. I'd like to do th~tvery much.

I Malloy is uneasyashe st.udies theshadowyfigure,fascinatedbut afraid.

I MALLOY

You were going to killme? Drinkmy blood?

i

LOUIS

Ir

Yes but youne~dn'tworry about thatnow. Things change.

I Louis stands opposite,hand on the chair. Malloy is riveted.

MALLOY

I You believe this, don't you?Thatyou're

a vampire?You really think•••

LOUIS

I

We can't begin thisway. Let me turnon the light.

I MALLOY

But I thought vampires didn't like the light.

LOUIS

I We love it. I only wanted to prepare you.

Louis pulls the chord of the overheadnakedlight bulb. I LOUIS'S FACE

appears inhumanly white,eyes glittering.Inhuman ornot alive. I The efect is subtle, beautifulandghastly. \ r

MALLOY

I' Good God!

Hes~r~ggles tosuppress ~ear and understand.

I

I

LOUIS

Don't be frightened.I wantthis opportunity.

The lightappears to go outby itself and suddenlyLouis is in the chair, dimlylit by the screec-light from thewindow. The I cassette is turning.

MALLOY

Howdid you do that? I

LOUIS

Thesame way you do it.A series of simple gestures. Only Imoved too fast for you to see. I'm flesh and I blood,you see. But nothuman. I haven't beenhuman for twohundred years.

I Malloy is speechless,frightened yet enthralled.

LOUIS .

What can Ido to put youat ease? Shall we begin I like David Copperfield?tam born, I grow up. Or shall webegin when I wasborn to darkness,as I call it. That's really wherewe should start, don't you I think?

MALLOY

You're not lying tome, are you? ~

LOUIS

Why shouldI lie? 1791was the year it happened. Iwas twenty-four -younger than you arenow. I

MALLOY

Yes. I LOUIS But times were different then.Iwas a man at that age. The master ofalarge plantation just south ofNew Orleans ••• I

I

I A dishevelled Louis, hair in pigtail, in deep pocket frock coat, rides his horse through the fields of indigo, passinganoverseer and slavesat work. ·

I He passes slave quarters and the distant colonial mansion of Point.e duLac.

I He comes to asmall parish church anda graveyard.~Hedismounts and walks through thet.ombstoan elaborate one inGreukstyle. r-

LOUIS (V.0.)

t I hadiust. lostmy wife in childbirth.She and the

infant.-hadbeen buried less than halfa year

I

I

~ There is a marbleangel above the tomb, feminine,with a tiny cherub angel in her arms. Louis.looks from the angel,down to.the I inscriptionson the tomb:

DIANNEDE PONTEDU LAC 1763 - 1791

I INFANTJEAN MAR.IE- 1791

Louis ripsaway the vinesalreadycovering the inscription,then drinks from a pocket-flask.Hisface is ashen. I

I !or a releasefrom it.

I INT.WATERFRO?lTTAVERN.NIGHT.

Louis in ragged lace and dirty brocade sitting between two whores at a gamingtable, d~inkinqabsinthe. All around himflatboat- I men, whores,gamblers,black african freedman.

I

my sanity.ButLady Luck didn't oblige.

Louis displaysa hand of fouraces.Agambler atthe table stands in fury, over turningmoney,cards, drinks.

LOUIS

~- You're.calling meacheat? I . - ',.' GAMBLER

I'm callingyou·~..Pieceofshit -

I

The gamblerpulls out a pearl-handled pistoland points it at Louis.The crowd hushesand draws back. Louis smiles drunkenly I and stands.He ripsopen his lace shirt,exposing his chest.

I

shit ...

I The gambler's fingeronthe trigger. His handshakes.

I Do it. ,

LESTAT, a hooded figurein the corner, smilesfr~m beneath the I shadow of his hood.Gleaming blue eyes. r--

1 now. I invitedit, a releasefrom the pain of

living ••1

I

s.

I

--,,, ,· ,r

The gamblerlowers his gun, scowling.Louispockets the fistfulls of coins hehas won. I

I Loud, crowded riverfront taverns full of ruffians. Louis staggers down,anarm arounda wnore,drinking froma bottle.A pockmarked pimpfollows behind. I

LOUIS (vo)

My invitation wasopen to anyone.Sailors,thieves, whores and slaves ••• I

I Louis,quite insensible,being propped up againstawall by the whore in a dank wharf over the water. The pimp rifles his pockets,then· pullsa knife.about to slice histhroat, wnen a I shadow falls overhim. He turns,andwe see the face of Lestat, who liftshim into the airbyhis throat,breaking his neck.The whore screams and Lestat's otherhand clamps over her mouth. Lesta.tdrags her towards him. Louis falls to the ground, I supported no more, insensible. Close onhisface,as we hear the \ last breaths of life of the whore, off.

LOUIS (VO)

I:

But itwas a vampirethat accepted •••

LESTAT

I They would have killed you-

I

I

I Lestat floats down on top of him, then lifts him in the air, draws his headback bythe hairand sinks his teeth in hisneck.

ON LOUIS'sFACE - every muscle rigid, teeth clenched, as the I blood is drainedfromhim.

ON THEIRFEET - hovering above the ground, liketwo quivering dancers. f

I

I

I --

r THE WIND- billows through thegnostlywhite sails and rigging of theboats around thewnarf. I LESTAT - floats higher,with Loui"'in his arms, draining his blood. One hand reacnesout and grips a rope, hanging from a shit>mast.The other holdsLouis. He withdraws his ~eeth, and I looks into ·Louis'drainedface.

LESTAT

I Youstill want death?Or haveyou tasted i~ enough?

Louis can barely get the words out.

' Lestatsmiles·and letshimgo. Louisfalls and plummetsinto the I waterbelow.

LOUIS'SFACE.:.coming-cothe surface,inthe water lappingbythe I wharf.The bodies of the whoreand thief float beside him. He looks up and seesLestatway above him, danglingfrom the rope of theshipmast. I

le ON MALLOY'SFACE

captivated, terrified,enthralled.

I MALLOY

That'show it happened?

LOUIS

I

No. The Gift ofDarkness requires morethan that,as you'll see.

I

Louis floatingbymudflats, surrounded bydeadfish, the carcases I of animals,eighteenthcentury rubbish.He gets to hisfeet and walksweakly through the mudflats.The suniscoming up over the sea behindhim. I

I

Louis isdelerious in afour-poscerbed, shrouded'-wi~hmosquito I netting.A female slave,"NETTE,bathes his facewith a rag. She r is c~ying. Other slavewomen hover in theshadows. Yvette puts ouc all candles save one by Che bed, and withdraws, with the I others. ·

I

I

'. ..{ I· ( candlelight flickerson the face of the bisque virgin. I Louis tosses andturns, dreaming, murmuring incoherently.Then heopens his eyes.

I LESTAT,exquisitely dressed in French clothing, stands by the bed smiling.In thelight of the candlewesee tha~ he i~not human: skin too white; eyes too bright. Lestat looks am.1.abie,even mishevious,but impossible- and angel ora monster. I Louisgrabs his pistolfrom the tableand cocks it.

I LOUIS Who the hell are you?Whatare you doing in my house?

LESTAT

I And a beautifulhouse it is too.Yours is a good life, isn't it?

Louis ~akes aim. Lestat puts his hand over the barrel. Louis I fires. The bullet tears a hole in Lestat's hand. Lestat is unfazed. He takes the gun from Louis'shand and throws itaway. His hand begins to heal. I

LESTAT

You're not afraid ofanything,are you?

~ LOUIS Why should Ibe?

Louis reaches for hissword,hanging by the bed,andpoints it. I Lestatlaughs indulgently.He draws closer.

LESTAT

I Are you going to put that through me too?Ruinmy

beautiful clothes?~

He comes closer to Louis, rightup to his face, so the sword I pas!es through hiswaistcoat.

I

H~ rea~hesou~ withhis now-healedhand andplucks out the sword.

I LOUIS

Whatdo you want from me?

LESTAT

I

I've come toanswer your prayers.You want to die, don't you? Lifehas no meaninganymore, does it?

I Lest.at.sitsdown on the bed, · drawingup one k.hee.Louis is becomingspellbound.

LESTAT

f The wine hasno taste. The food sickensyou. There

seems no reason for any ofit,does there? Butwhatif

I

I

I~

I could giveit back to you?Pluck out the painand I give you another life?And itwould be for all time? And sicknessand death could never~ouchyou again?

The Vampire theme rises, with thesoundofaheartbeat. Dissolve I to:

I

buried. Everything is lit withaneeryglow, as if seenthrough I some unearthly eye.

LESTA'l'

Vamcires,that's what we are.Creatures I of darkness,onlywe see in that darknessmore clearly than any mortalhasever seen •••

I Louis andLestat drifting, dreamlike,through the overhanging vines,come to the grave of hiswifeand child.Abov.ethe crypt, the statueof angel,mother and child.

I LESTA'l' Wouldn't it besweet to bid pain goodbye? \

To wave awayanguish and grief?To embrace the peace of the unendingnight?

~ The marble fingersof the child on the statuemove. The angel raises her headandhas the face of Louis wife,Diane.She raises I her hand and touches Louistear-streamedface.The child speaks.

MAUL£ CHILD Papa•••

I Louis reachesout toembracethem andfinds himselftouching cold marble. He cries out inanguish- I

I LESTAT

They aregone, Louis. Deathtook them. Death which youcan now destroy •••

I LOUIS

NO 1 !!! !

I

Louis, thrashing on the bed in a delerium.Lestat,placesahand I on his foreheadand sootheshim. ' l~

I

doyou hear me?

I

I

I~

LOUIS

I Give i.t tomel!?

LESTAT

Vampires. Wethrive on blood. I

LOUIS .

Iwant.it! I Lest.atbends closeas ·ifto drink°Louis•blood. Louis does not shrink back, but.staresinto hiseyes. Lest.atdraws back, then stands up andgoes to the Frenchdoors. I

LESTAT

Tomorrow night..You must. prove yourelf.I will giveyou the choiceI never had. I He looks out.side.

LESTAT

I The sun'scoming up. Watch it carefully.If you come withme tomorrow, you'll never see itagain.

I He leaves.Louis sits dazed, staring at the empty French window. The sun rises with unnatural.beisuty,over theswamplandsand the \ plantation, fillingthe room, striking water-pitcher,glass, mirror, and the picture of his dead wife. r

LOUIS (VO)

Hy last sunrise.That morningI was not yeta I vampire,and I sawmy last sunrise. Iremember it completely, yet I don't remember any sunrise before it. I watched the whole magnificence of the dawn for the lastti.me,as if it were the first.And thenI said I goodbye to sunlightand went out tobecome what I became.

I EXT.PLANTATION.NIGHT.

Lest.atandLouiswalk throughthe slavequarters, huddled groups I around fires,music,singing. The sound of whippingi~ heard.

LESTAT

Your griefhas unhinged you.You've let I your estate rot.

In the woods beyond the quarters, the white overseer is whipping a black slave,with horrifying savagery. I

LESTAT

You let your overseer run~iot,work your slaves I tothe bone. We'llst.artwith him. \

LOUIS

How do youmean, st.art? f

LESTAT

I

IO.

I

I· -

r- Call him.

Louis calls.

LOUIS

I Carlos!!!

The overseer turns and comestowards them, with the bloodied I whip.

LESTAT

Why the bloody whip,Carlos? 1· The overseer looks into his eyes, shivers with terror,drops the whip and runs for the trees.Lestatis onhim in an instant.He sinks his teeth in his neck.Louis runstohim, tries to pullhim I off. But Lestat t.urnsto Louis and smiles, with his bloodied :nouth.

I LESTAT. Your turn••.

LOUIS

I I can't - l

LESTAT

Yes you must.You must prove you can do it.He'san Ir evildoer my friend.I've made it easy,for you.Do it and the dark Gift is yours.

I Louis pulls outa knife and slashesat Lestat butas the knife swings, Lestat, with extraordinaryspeed,whirls the body of the overseer towardshim Louis finds he has cut thethroat of the overseer.Lestat laughs. · I

LESTAT

Let's call thata start. I

LOUIS

I can't do it.

I LESTAT You've justdone it -

LOUIS

I Kill me ifyou will, but I can't do this •••

He flees,as Lestat bends to finish off the overseer. I

l

I lOUIS runningup the stepsleading to the gallery.'Heiscrazed with guilt.He looks up and sees- r--· LESTAT -- I sitting collectedat the head ofthe steps.

I

I It.

LOUIS

Backsaway as Lestatrises anddescends the steps so fluidlyhe hardlyseems to move. I

LESTAT

Don't worry.He was whitethrash, they come at two a penny.I dumped h!min the swamp and I untied the slave,licked biawounds clean.

LOUIS

You're the devil, aren'tyou?That's who I you are.

LESTAT (GENTLY)

Iwish I were. But ifI were,what would I I want.with you?

LOUIS

I I can'tgo t~roughwith it, I tell you.

LESTAT

Your perfect.Your bitter and you're strong. I

ir

I

Louis takes out hisflask and drinks. Drunkenly,he turns and head for anearby swamp. I

I Louis stops again in front of the crypt.Drinksfromthe flask, leans hisforeheadagainst the stone.

I Lestatappears besidehim, radiant, beautiful.

I

I

I tn a quiet.rage,Lestat raises his fistandshatters the marble face stone,revealinga coffin below.His fist shattersthat in r turn, revealing t.hehalf-rottedbody cf a woman, holding an infant:,no longer recognisableas individuals, a tangle of I gruesome ro~~edhair, !lesh,ea~en away lace,insec~s andworms crawli~g over it.

I

I

Louis gasps.

LESTAT

lt's not your wifeand childmy friend. It's death. Just that simple.Think andchoose. It happens to everyone.Except us.

Lestatstares athim, smiling,becoming ahazy.dreamlikevision, then hyperclear.Louisagain is spellbound.He dropsthe flask, I which snatterson the stones.

Lestat appearsangelic inhis radiance. I

LES'l'AT

We shall be thisway always, my friend.Young aswe are now. I'm lonely fora companion,lonely I for your strength.But I'm not that lonely.Do you want tocome or not?

Louis capitulatesin one long sigh. I

LOUIS

Yes ••• I Lestatcomes closer, smiling.

LESTAT

r Did I hear ayes?

LOUIS

Yes ••. I

Lestat embraces Louis,obscuring his face.He drinks his blood. I We hear two heartbeats, out of sync, coming together.We see Louis' face,growing paler, paler,as his blood is drained.His eyes stare upwards,losing their focus.

I LOUIS POV

The moon, through hanging vines.The marble statue of hiswife and child smileat him, as if come alive.Her hair blows in the I breeze, wonderful gold tresses, the child's fingers reach out •••

I

leave you here you die.

Lestat lifts hisband to bis lipsand blows Lovisa kiss. f

LOUIS

I

I

Ho. Don'tleave me here.Give it to me.

Lestatlifts his own rightwrist to bis twetb.Fangs slasb his own flesh,blood falls.

U:STAT

You're sure?

LOUIS

I Sure•••

Louis rises to accept thefirstdrop£,with bisopenlllouth.Lestat gathers him up, as louis clampsb~. band on Leatat's a1:111and I- drinks from thewrist.

The VAMP!RETHEME swells. I Lestat watcheshim drinkfrom his wristwithwryamusemen~. Louis ~inishes, seaggersaway from himas if drunk.

I LOUIS' POV -

Vampire vision. The worldis transformed,the swamp, the moon, ehe clouds, the cry of the night birds all come to him with I unnatural clarity.He looks down with pityatthe corpses of his wife and child who appearbeautiful in death now rather than repulsive.He closes the lid of the coffinandreplaces it in the ~ ground,astonished at theease of it.

He turns and stares at Lestatwhom he sees now with vanpire's vision. Lestat'seyes are brighter,his buttons are glimmering I in the light.Everything is clearer, brighter,containingmore facets of light and colour.

I LESTAT

Stop staring at my.buttons,Didn'tI tellyou itwas going to be fun?.

I Lestat leads him into theswamp.Everything astonishes Louis, as if he@s never seen it before. Louis is suddenly racked by shudders of pain. I

I LOUIS

Dying?

Louis dry-retches. I

I Lestat wipes Louis'brow. ~-

LESTAT

I Come, you"re going tofeed now.

I

Lestatlaughs and his laughter echoeslikebells in Louis' ears.

LOUIS' VAMPIREPOV - SWAMP

·smallhigh ground,Camp of runaway slaves. Several shareabottle of rum around the fire.A maleslave rises. a gorgeous hunk of flesh in the moonlightand goes into the swamp to relievehis bladder,

The slave walkstowardsthem in the darkness.Acrucifix gleams round his neck.

Louis hesitates.

The slave· looksup and sees them. Two gleaming white beings standing before himwith devil'seyes. Then he runs.

Louis can resistnim no more.He s~oops on himwith a vampire's rapid movement,brings him to the groundand sinks his teeth in his neck.

Close on Louis feeding on the slave, the magnificent body shuddering in its death-throes.Lestatstandsabove, laughing.

The slave dies.Louis risesfrom him, drunkenly, engorged with blood.

LOUIS

What have I done? \

~ LESTAT ' You have fed.You were made for this •••

~ouis looKs down at ~he body of the slave. ~estat'S laughter

IS.

echoes roundhim.

LOUIS

Dear God,what have Idone?

LESTAT

You've killed Louis.And·enjoyed it.

Lestat laughs harder.Louisruns from him,screaming in anguish.

lOUIS reacheshis wife's grave.He falls to his knees, throws back hishead and bares hisnew fangs to the moon.

NT. ROOM.SAN FRANCISCO.NIGHT.

Malloy staresat Louis, terrified and enthralled.

Louis walks up the steps to his mansion.He looks now like a fully-fledged vampire. Yvette,the slave girl staresathim from the open doorway. Cascadesof harpsichord music come from the interior.

LOUIS (VO)

Killing isno ordinary act.Itis the experience of another's life for certain.ThatnightI had lost my own lifeandtaken another's.I was drowning in a sea ofhumanguilt and regret, with all the heightened senses ofa vempire•.•

Louis enters the mansion,followingtheharpsichordmusic,.asif in adream. Yvettedraws back ashe approaches .•

Louis wanders into the parlour,where Leatat is playing the harpsichord rapidly and exuberantly.Louis goes toafull-length mirror and sees his own reflectionthere - quite the perfect vampire.

LESTAT

Yes,that's you,my handsomefriend. And you'll look thatwaytill the stars fallfrom Heaven.

It can'tbe •••

L!!STA'r

i Give itti.me.You'relike a manwho loses a limb and stillimagineshe feels pain. Itwill pass. t' Andwe must sleepnow. Ic&D feelthe sun approaching.

I EXT. POINTEDU LAC.

Dawn spreadingoverthe plantation. I

A brick walled storageroom. Two coffins stand on the floor. Lestat enters with a lantern, Louis behind. Lestat is apprehensiveand protectiveof Louis. He pullsback one lid to reveal a satininterior.

Louis approaches the coffin,hands tremblingas hepeers into it.

be sleeping assoundly asyou everslept. Andwhen you awake I'llbe waitingfor you, and so willall the world.

~ouiscrawls i~~othe coffin,fearful yet fascinated.

LOUIS

You coldme something earlier.You iaid you didn'thave a choice.~as that true?

lESTAT smiles bitterly and nods.

LESTAT

Someday I'll tellyou. Wehave a lot of time to talr.~o eachother. You mightsay... wehave all the time we shallever need.

He closes thelid.

'!'otaldarkness.Sounds of Louis' panicked breathing. Of his prayer again.

LOUIS

Dear God,what have1 done?

I. r INT.DINING ROOM.NIGHT.

Louis and Lestat sittingat a sumptuous table,piled with uneaten food.Lestat is going throughsheafsof documents.

And I realised there are as profound differences

between vampires asbetweenhuman beings •••

Lestat, tottingup figureson a piece of paper.

LES'l'AT Your wealth,dear Louis, is inestimable.Your incomefrom cotton alonewillkeep us in comfort fora century •••

Lo~is just stares .athim.

I satthere staring athim with contempt.He had the soul ofa shopkeeper,he was thesow's ear outof which nothing fine could be made.I felt sadly cheatedin having himas a teacher•••

Lestat looks upat him and grins. l

' LESTAT

r You'llget used to killing.~ust forget aboutthat

mortal coil.You'll become accustomed tothing~ all :ooquickly.

LOUIS

Do youthink so?

Yvette enters, stands behind him, staring at Les~at with loathing.

YVETTE

You are not hungry,sir •••

Lestat laughs loudly. Louis turns and looks at Yvette. Her beautifulforehead in thecandlelight, the veignspulsing on her neck and her hands.

Yvette returns his stare,troubled.

Yvette reaches for his uneaten plate. Louis stops herhand.Holds it fora beat too long,looking at theveigns in her wrist.

She turnsand runs fromthe table. Lestat leans towardshim.

His handsnakes out under the table. It comes up holdingalarge grey rat..

He bares his fangs and slices the rat's throat, He pours the blood into a crystal glass.

He hands the glass to Louis.Louis drinks the bloodand stares at !.tin surprise, then at the dead rat on the fine lace tablecloth. '

LOUIS

We can live:~ke ~his?Off the blood of animals?

:..est.at.shrugs.

LESTAT

I wouldn't call it living. I'd call it surviving. A useful trickif you're caught fora month on a ship at.sea.

Lest.at strokes the belly of thedeadrat,studying itsadly.

LESTAT

There'snothing in the worldnow that doesn't holdsome ••.

LOUIS

Fascinat.ion•..

LESTAT

Yes. AndI'm bored with this prattle --

He throws the rataway.

He rises. Louis follows.

A big, lavish drinking place witharaised stage.

Italian actors in buffoonish costumes act crude commedia dell'arteon the stage.

Plantation owners in soiled brocade, lace, crookedwigswatchthe showas tavern wenches moveabout.

~ouis andLest.atby atable, in theshadow of a tree. Teresa,a ~avern wench,sits on Lestat.'slap,pouring drinks for thetwo of them. She liftsa fresh glass toLestat•s lips as he flirts with her.

TERESA

Come on,mon cher. The be.·t in the colony. Onceyou touch this you'l~never go toany other tavernagain.

LESTAT

You think so, cherie? Butwhatif !'drathertaste your lips?

TERESA

My lips areeven sweet.er still •..

She kisseshim. He lets histongueplay with hers, then runs it down her neck.She swoons with pleasure.Then he sinks his teeth gently in her neck,looking playfullybehind at Louis, who if apalled and fascinated.

ANTICS ONTHE STAGE

Laughter rocks the tavern.

LESTAT slips t.he pale anddeedTeresaintoachair be.side him and folds her hands on the table.No one notices.He lays gold coins on the table and touches Louis'knee.

Lestat rushes out,thrilledwith himself.

A crowded street.Louis and Lest.atemergefrom the tavern.Louis looksup at.the moon.

-LOUIS Have you everbeen caught?

' j they walkdown the crowded night street, full of ladies in their finery, freed slaves,whores, sailor'setc.

I \

Smallorchestraplays for colonialcouples in fine wigand garb prancingeo a Frenchminuet.Young women sit inchairs alongehe wallswith their chaperones.Young menstand opposite. r

LOUIS(VO)

IC But the triumphant killofLestatwas ayoung man.They represented thegreatestloss toLestat because theystoodon thethreshold of themaxi~um possibility of life.

A youth of preternat.uralbeauty,sillhoutted against French windows. He istalking toan elegantwidow, seated,holding two manicured poodles.Lest.atstares at the youth with longing.

LESTAT

The trickis not to think about it.Seethat one? The widow St Clair?She had that gergeousyoung fop murder herhusban~.She'sperfect for you.Go ahead.

LOUIS

But how do youknow?

LE:STAT

Read her ~houghts.

LOUIS

I can't.

LESTAT

The dark gift is different for each of us.But one thing is true of everone.Wegrow strongeraswe go along.

He leads Louis closer to them.

LE:STAT

Take my word for it.She blamed a slave for hismurder. And doyou know whatthey did tohim?

He smilesat the young man,who smiles in return.

L'ESTAT

The evildoers are easier.And they taste better •••

lESTAT walksthe youth towardsa copse of trees.He looks back at Louis, who holdsboth poodles on adelicate leash, walking with thewidow. The minuet spillsfrom the frenchwindows.

WIDOWST CLAIR

Now,young man,you reallyamaze meJ I'm old enough to be your grandmother.

She leanstowards him concquettishly.Louis, crazed with hunger, sees her as beautiful inthemoonlight.He allows her lips reach his. He takes her in hisarms, gently,romantically,and sinks

WIDOW ST CLAIR

Yes, that'sthe melody,I rememberit. Oh yes ...

...

I

Louiscirawshis lips away.She is weak in his arms,but still alive.He can't.do i~.~he poodlesgrowl. He shoots out anarm and grabsone, then~nc other.·

Lestat.,bending overthebody of the dead youth.Ascreampierces the night.

The widow on the grass,her poodles dead beside her.Louis is ~=ying t.oquiet.en her.

Lest.atcomes fromnowhere, clamps a hand over her mouth and breaksher neck.He spits in fury at Louis.

Louis throws himself on Lestat with extraordinary force, pummellinghim towards the trees.

Louis hurlshim againsttree after tree withastrength he never knewhe had.

He dragshim tothe ground and throttleshim.Lestatlooks up at him,~mazed and amused at thesametime.

Lest.atsquirmsfr~mhis grip, seemingly effortless.

LESTAT

Butyou can't killme, Louis.Nor I you.

He ruffles Louis'heir, withwry affection.

LESTAT

Feed onwhat you want,mon cherie.Rats. chickens, doves,goats. I'll leave you to it and watch you come round.Just remember,life withoutme would be even·more unbearable •••

He smiles.A sly,pleasurablesecret secret smile.

Their carriagedraws up to the mansionasthe first fingers of lighe spread across thesky.

LOUIS(VO)

Being a vampireto him meant revenge.Revenge against life-itself.Everytime he took a life it wasrevenge.And theslaves with a wisdom that wasdenied their masters,began tonotice•••

In a tiny cabin,a slave family.~ids sleeping on the floor,in cribs and cots.The parents sleep on theb~d,young, beautiful, naked. Beside them is Lestat,who is drinking the husband's I I blood, his hand playing across the breast of the wifeashe does so.She murmurs inher sleep.

WIFE

Yes •••please ...

She grabshis fingers and kissesth~m, thinking him to be her husband.Lestat gently disengages himselfandleaves.

The woman•s scream piercesthe sky, as Lestat walks into the night.

Every chicken is dead, bloodied necks hanging down from the cribs. Louis emergesfrom the entrance, bloodon his lips.He hears the scream.

r The sound ofdrumming is heard,african, primal.The woman runs throught.hequarters, screaming grief. Others gatheratdoorways,

2f.

••

restrainand console her.

A beautiful,elaborateeighteenthcentury dove-cote.Every dove inside isdead, pierced at theneck. A black hand throws in a flaming torch and it bursts intoflame.

A doll,made in the image ofLestat,is pierced with needles.

Bodies of slaves floating in theswamp,with the bodies ofgoats. Slaves a~ the edge throwropes around the ·bodies,pull them towards the shore.The drumminggrows louder.

Louis walking tbrough.The slaves hushashe approaches, gather in doorways and whisper.Heturns and looksatthem, sorrowfully. , He looks trulylikea ghost. Theireyesturn awaywhen they meet his.He walks on.

Lestatand Louis sit attable, the untouched food betwen them.

· LOUIS But you mustknow somethingabout the meaning of it all,you must knowwhere we come from, why we.•.

Z5.

/

Lestat spitsout in anger.

LESTAT

Why?Why shouldI know these things? Jo.youknow them?

~hec=u~.minggrowsoutside.

LESTAT (gripping histemples)

Thatnoise! It's drivingme madl We'vebeen in thecountry forweeks, with nothingbut that noise!!!

LOUIS

They knowabout us. Theyset:us dine on empty plates and drink fromemptyglasses.

LESTAT

Come the NewOrleans then. There'san opera on tonight.A realtrench opera1We candine in splendour!

LOUIS

I respect life, don't yousee?For eachand every human lifeIhave respect!

LESTAT

Respectme a little then.I'm the only life youkn~w.

Louis stares.Lestatturns childishly,petulan~ly.

LESTAT

You'llsoon run out of chickens,Louis •••

He walks out,humminga Frenchari,. Louis staresat his plate.

The slaves,gathered on mass around fires.Frenzied drumming, dancing. Lestat rides through, scattering the flames. The drumming stops.The slaveslook towardsthe house. Slowly,thev begir.tomove towardsit.

Louis, sitting in despairbythe table. Yvette, the slave girl enters.

YVETTE \

HichiLouis? You don'twant any supper?

[ Louis:aughsharshly.

LOUIS

.. ... ,,I. ,·

·r No, ma cher.! need no supper.Is all well at

Pointe Ou Lac tonight?

Yvette drawscloser~ ~ightreveals her beauty.

Louis watches her sadly. he's gettinghungry.Herthroatislong and slender, herbreats are gorgeous.

She comes closer,andhecan hear her beatingheart.She touches his hair.He takes herhand and brings it to his lips.

r He kisses her wrist.She suddenly gasps,sharply,withdrawsher hand. She seesher wrist is red with blood.Shesees the blood I on his lips.She screams. t ' Louis stands.

I , She screams even louder.Louis clampshis hand over her mouth. Her hand grips thetablb-cloth,pulls, bringing the emptyglasses and crockery to the floor.

ln horror,Louisrealises he has broken herneck.He brings her cut wrist to his lips,then drops it,revolted. He carries her body outside, grief-stricken.

Thedrumming grows louder.

Fires burning in the distance,round the slave-cabins. The slaves are gatheredat the foot of the mansion steps.They see Louis come out,holdingthe body of Yvette.He isderangedwith grief.

This place is cursed.Damned,do you hear me? And your master is the devil.

He plecesthe body ofYvettein a rocking chair on the veranda.

LOUIS

Get outwhile you can.You're free men.

They don'tmove. Theystare at himblankly.

LOUIS

Unlike me,you are nowfree men ••••

He turns behind him,and looksatthe mansion, all candelabra and chandeliers lighted,allwindows open.

LOUIS

DoI have tc convince you?

He rushes up the stairs, snatches up t.hecandleabraandsets fire to the drapes.He goes from window towindow, lighting drapes, lace curtains,everything.

SLAVESPOV --MASTER

setting fire to thehouse.

They rushup the stairs with shouts of•sTOPHIM,HE'S MAD". A wallof flame gushes outfromthe interior, blocking theirway.

Louis, wanderingfrom room toroom of the burning mansion. He sees paintings of his wife consumed by the flames. He is weakeningwith the fumes,the heat.Wecan see this in his face, the texture of his skin.

Suddnelya large french window cascades inwards and Lestat stands there, whip in hand.Behindhim wecan see the morning sky.

Louis s-candsthere,weakened, the~ collapsesonto the floor. Lestatdar-csforwardsand catcheshim before he drops. He runs ou~-Chesha-cteredwindow,carryinghim on his shoulder.

With many crypts. :.ouis,unconscious, carried over Lesi:at's shoulder.

NT. CRYPT,

Darkness.Louis lying on the floor ofa large crypt.He slowly comes t.o.

Louislaughs softly.

The vampire sitsin silence, as if tiredby his story.Malloy speaks,hesitantly.

I ,

He looks directly at Malloy,shockinghimwith his gaze.

t"" From the sea,at evening,shrouded in mist.

2.'l.

INT, INN.EVENING.

A lavish littlesupper chamberwith coffered bed,:ancy french furniture.-Opento rooftopsof eolonialcity. Louis sits by an openwindow looik.ingout overt~ecity. Behind.,wecan hear the laughter ofLestatand twofemale voices.Louis turns and sees-

Lestat, in the mainchamberwithtwo drugged or drunken whores. One runs her fingerdown his chest.The otherseems out.of it.

WHORE l Yourskin's icy.

He presses histhumbon her neckandholds her tight,sinking his teeth in her neck.After a time she falls tothe bed, dead.He turns to the other.

He rubsher breast.

He bites her in turn, drinks her blood.She does into the swoon.

Louis looks on in disgust.He stands.

Lestat pulls awayfrom the whore.

L£STAT What, noflowery speeches?About what amonster I am? Whata vulgar !iend? \

..OUlS I'm not interested ~n you. You discust me. I'm interested inmy ownnatureand know I can'ttrust you to tellthe truthabout me.

-..

l

LESTAT

Whatdo you i~agineyou are louis?

LOUIS

: con'tpretend toknow.

LESTAT

Don•~you understand,Louis, thatyou alone of allcreatres can see deathwith impunity ••• you alone under the rising moon canstrikelike the

hand ofGodl

The girl moans.

The girl moans again,opens hereyes.

LOUIS

He slashes her wristwithhis teeth,-andlets the blood drip into aglass.

The girl moans again.Lestat drains the glass.

The girl begins toscream.Lestat picks her up.

He walks to his coffin,puts herinsideand sits on the lid. we hear muffled screaming and banging from inside.

\ LOUIS

Whydo you do thisLestat?

3L

-

will, but do i~!For do not doubt,ynu are akiller Louis. Ah!

He standsup. The girl pushes the lid off, hysterical.She looks at Louis.

GIRL

It'sa coffin, a coffin!Get me out!

LESTAT

Of course it'sa coffin.You're dead, love.

Louisscreams atLe&tat.

LOUIS

Lestat - finish this-

LESTAT

You finish her- if you feelso much -

~he gir~grabs Louis andpleads.

GIRL

You won't letme die,will you? You'll save me?

LESTAT

But it's too late,love.Look at your wrist,your breast.

He picks her upagain. He turns to Louislaughing.

LESTAT

Unless Imake her one ofus •.•

LOUIS

NO!t t

The girl screams.Louis puts his hands to his ears.Then Lestat, in a fitof pigue,puts his teeth to her neck.She diesatlast.

A terrible silence descends.Lestatlooks at Louis.

In the old world,they called it thedarkgift, Louis. And Igave it to you.

Louis leaves withouta word.

-••I

'32.

,·

A rat scurried downa gutter,~hen anotherand another. Louis' hand graspsthe rat. We see himfrom behind, walking down the stree~,gripping one,then anotber.

LOUIS(VO)

AnlIdamned?Am I from thedevil? Is my very nature that ofadevil?An1 all the while, as these dreaded questionscausedn.eto neglectmy thirst, my thirstgrew hotter,my veignswere threads ofpain in my flesh,my temples throbbed.

A smaller side street,inwhich everyhouseis marked with an X. The street is crawlingwith rats,and Louis is following them. A man passeswitha lantern.

MAN

Don't go thatway Monsieur.It's theplague. Go backthe way youcame.

Louis smilesbitterly-atthe ■ ewords,repeatingthemtohimself.

He walks on,followingthe rats.

,~ LOUIS{VO)

..•andfinally,when I couldstand it no loager, I stodin an emptydesolate streetAA4 heard tbesound of achild crybg •••

I A house, the door slightly open,markedwithan x. The sound of a child crying frominside.Louis walks towards it.

I

A little girl,pullingat a figure ina rocking chair.

CLAUDIA

please wokeup

As Louis enters,he sees thewoman is dead. Her eyes are being eaten awayby ants. I Louis gasps in horror.Claudia turns.She is a radiant doll or angel as she stretches out herhandto Louis.

Sheruns t.ohim. Instinctively,he gathersher•in his arms. He looksdown pitying on her beautifulface.

for her gauncface? Why doI wish to warm her tiny arms?comfort her beatingheart?

She snugglesin~o him,suddenly utterly secure.She tugsat his hair, bringshis head down towards her.And we see Louis shiver, as his lipsgo to her neck.

Her breathing becomes calm as she goes into the swoon. Gradually another sound replacesit.

LESTAT'S LAUGHTER,GROWINGLOUDER JUm LOUDER.

SuddenlyLouis backsaway, caught redhanded, the child in his arms.he sees Lestat slapping his knee and laughing in the doorway,

LESTAT

Ah,my philosopher,my martyr. •Never takea humanlife•. Well youmust admit it is funny.Or is it merely touching?I'mnot sure.

~ouisstaresat the unconsciousClaudia in horror, then letsher slip gentlyintoa chair.Shamefullyhe wipeshis mouth,sees tne tinywounds on her throat.

Leseatsnatches up thedead mother fromthe chair andbegins to dance withher in great circles,humming and talking.her head falls back.Black waterflows from her mouth.

LESTAT

Let's make aparty of it, shallwe? Maybe there's soMe life in the old lady yet?

Louis flees into the street.

LESTAT

Comeback, Louis,you are what you are. The plague would have got her within hours any,.,ay.MercifulDeathhowyou love your precious guilt.

Louisrunning through an assortmentof streets. All the night life ofNew Orleansflows by him.

LOUIS(VO)

For years1 had not savoureda human. And when I

had Lestat•swords made sense tome. 1 knew peace

only when I killed andwhen I heardher heart in

that terriblerythm I knew againwhat peace could be. Yet even thenI could not countenanceit••.

Fingers of ligh~in the sky. Louis, pale and shivering, walks

..

splashing ~hroughthe water. lie comes to a huge sewer-pipe, crowaedwith rats. Hecrawls inside.

The same sewer-pipe.Nowthe bodies ofdeadrats lie all around. A pire offineleather bootssplash through thewater-LESTAT'S.

Louis huddled there, so pale and shiveringhe seems close to death. Lestat comes through.

LESTAT

All I need to findyou Louis is follow ~~e corpsesof rats.

He bendsdown tohim, surprisingly gentleandputs his own coat aroundhim..

They emergefrom the sewer andwalk along the waterfront.

He puts hisarm around Louis,to stop his shivering.

..

' Louisis baff~ed.He :ollows.

:::i:NT.:uN.SUPPERROOM.

Lest.a'ten'ters.

LESTAT

She's here,your wounded one.

Lest.at.~oldsuoa candle andwalks :owards a large four-poster bed. Claudia lies there,angelic,under the coverlet,twomarks on her neck.

Lest.at. shakes her gently.

Louis runsat.him,butLest.atbrusheshim aside effortlessly,so he fallst.othe floor.Lestat bites his wrist.and presses the bleeaing woundtothe child's mouth ••Hewinces in pain.

Claudiasucks on thewound, reviving,making littlenoises like a personwaKing from sleep.

Louis rises~ohis feetas Claudia clutches Lestat's arm, sucking :he blood!!ercely.~est.atmoans.

LESTAT

Stop,that's enough.No more.

He pullsher loose and she growls and s~ares at him with big clear astonished eyes.

CLAUDIA

I want more.

LOUIS

What have you done?

Lestatouts her down on the bed and sits beside her,holding his wrist,obviously in pain.

CLAUDIA

More.

LESTAT

Yes,cherie, of course you want more. And 1'11show you how to get it.You-drinkfrom mortals,my beauty, but fromme? Never again.

Still suffering,Lestat pulls the bell-rope.

CLOSEON CLAUDIA

Being transfoI'11led.Becomingwhite1~trobust,bright-eyed yet crazed.She shakes her beautiful cu1lsand.thedust falls from them.They are shining in the candlelight.

Louis cannot stoplookingat her. he does not noticeas --

The MAID enters.

MAID, Ah, quelle Belle enfantl

The maid comesnear the bed,kneels in front of Claudia.Lestat lays his hand on themaid'sthroat and Claudiawatches keenly.

Claudia lunges for the throbbingveininthe neck, lockingon to theflowing blood.

TheMaid is transfixed.

Close on Louis,his anguish,his fascinated horror.

~ LOUIS You are the devil!You are the instrument ofSatan!

I•..,• I

,( stops.

He lets the dead maid onto the floor. Claudia looks at the corpse.

CUUDIA

I wantsome more.

LESTAT

It's best in the beginning, lest thede~th takesyou down with it.Yes, that's it.My child. Hy beloved child. '

Lestat andClaudia sit on the Louis XVI settee. Claudia is a vision,a doll made out of pearl.Animated,voice crisp.

The wordsecho in louis'head,as he puts hishands to his ears.

( Lest.at takes out hiscomband begins tocombuer hair.

Clocdia runs overtu him. She smiles athim.

( Louis is conflicted.Hecanno~ leave her.He touches her cheeks, herhair. Same as his. Vampireskin end hair. He draws in his

breaeh,shockedby her beauty,then he embracesher as a father mighta daughter.He looks over her shoulderto Lestat.

LOUIS

You fiend.You monster.

l.estat.smiles.

LESTAT

One happy family.

:l

·Malloyis open mouthed. ·I

MALLOY

A.childvampire!

anot.ner. I

LOUIS

:I

Shall wego on?

Two husky movers bring in furniture through thebackcourtyard, past the fountainand thebanana trees, up the back stairsand into --

Striped wallpapergives way to flowersin the bedrooms. Huge four-post.erbedsinthe bedrooms, and large chests, as big as coffins standingagainstthewall. Everywherethere are candles andprettyLouis XVI furniture. Lestat gives instructions to the movers.

I WEMOVE INTO --

A DIMLYLIT PARLOUR

i

I \ We seeClaudiadraped in lace standing onapetit pointchair as ~ a DRESSMAKERmeasuresout a garment.

I Louis can be seen,inan inner room.

I

DRESSMAKER

Monsiuer, ~ need more light.1 shallgo blind if you do not bringme a ·1amp,or letme fit this child duringtheday. Ouchi

She haspricked her hand.A spot of bloodappearson her finger. Claudia takesher hand.

CLAUDIA

1..etmekiss it better ...

Claudia brings the hand to her lips. The dressmaker abruptly pullsher fingeraway, in pain again.

cuher :inger - twoholes showing.

LOUIS (VO)

A lit~le child shewas, but alsoa fierce killer, now caoable of the ruthless pursuitufbloodwith all a child's demanding.

~estat walks through - sees the dressmaker lying dead at Claudia's feet,Claudia stillon the chair in the half-finished dress.

LESTAT

Claudia,Claudia,will you never learn?Who will we getnow to finishyour dress? A little practicality, cberie •••

LOUIS (VO)

She would sleep inmy coffin,daily, curl her child's fingersroundmy hair as shedreamt of I know notwhat•••

, I Claudia and Louis, sleeping in a coffin together, Claudia's fingers curling hishair.

Claudia playing with dolls, each as perfect.and beautifully dressedas she is.

l\

:NT. ?ARLOUR.NIGHT.

Claudia ~inklinawi~hher child's hands on the piano, pickingou~ a hesitant t.une:

4o.

r LOUIS (VO)

Mute and beautiful,shekilled. And to watch her kill was cr.illing•••

The tinklingof Claucia'spiano is heard,over -

A well-dressed lady,walkingthrough a square lit by gaslight. The lady hearsa child's sobbing and stops,turns.

POV --

Claudia,~he picture of lost innocence, sittingona bench and crying.

Thewoman, all solici~ude,goes to Claudia. l •

The womantakes Claudiain herarms. Claudia nestles herheadin her shoulder,her teeth near..her neck •

A stern, stiff piano-teacher(male) beating time with a ruler as Claudia picks out scales on the piano. He raps her on the knuckles.

Claudia glares at ..'".im,thenreturnsto playi:ng, improving rapidly.

4l.

:NT.DOLL-SHOP.NIGHT.

?ianomusic over.Mozart, nowwell played.

Claudiastari~oat a class case, inside of which are an array of eighteenthcen~urycoils. An old doll-makerlooksdown on her.

DOLLMAKER

They are expensive,my dear.Maybe too expensive

for a young girl like you •••

~XT. tTREET.NIGHT.

Claudiawalking along,clutching the doll.

:~T. ,oLL-SHOP.NIGHT.

~he oollmakerlying dead,two puncturemarks in his throat,his dolls scattered allaroundhim.

Claudiaand Louis looking throughthe window at a displayof coffins.Claudia points at the smallestone.

The child's coffin on the floor.The lid lifts. Claudia emerges, yawning,wanders throughthe flat into-

LOUIS' BEDROOM

Where his coffin sits. She slides the lid off, and curls in beside him.

Claudia playing the piano,now with remarkable dexterity.The piano-teacher sitsmu~ebeside her.Assheplays, he topples over and!alls tothe ground.We see the puncture-marks in hisneck. Lescac,hearing the noise,comes in.

Claudia smilestoherself, ~eepsplaying.

'-12.

•. •.IC"'

/✓--~-------7 1Cl"1d~alking along, clutching the doll.

INT. ~OL~HOP, NIGHT,

, Thecollmak~.lying dead,~wo ouncture throat.,hi dolls scattere all around him.

IINT.?ARLOUR. NIGHT.

Claudiaplaying the pia ow with remarkable dext.erity.Th Ipiano-teacher sits mute e her.As sheplays, he topples ove iand tallst.othegrou • We a the puncture-marks inhis neck. \Lest.at.,hearin/ noise, c::TA:•

C~ia, Claudia!Didn'tI

: __/in.thehouse!

~Clau~smiles to herself,keeps playing • ....

CANARIES sing ina cage, abovea child'scoffin

Claudia is writingat a sece.retaire.She iswriting in adiary with a quill pen inan adult hand.She murmu~s the date asshe writes.

She looksup and sees Louis inthedoorway, watching her.

sne closestne diary.

I•'

l/3.

.. ....,. I

CLAUDIA

Why does he callyou that?

LOUIS

Husr.,Claudiadon'ttalk aboutsuch things. Showme your book.

She opens i~.:nside,there is a beautiful pen and ink portrait of Louis.

LOUIS

Claudia!You did that?

CLAUDIA

Sit still. It's not finished-

She begins~~ !illin the sketch.

Witn us itwas the same.

Street lampsare oil at this period.Houses are now tall two- story Spanish style. Streetsareflagstone. Passing carriagesare black.

Claudiawalkswith Louis and·Lestaton either side of her.All are dressed innewer fashions.Claudia inan empire dress, the two males in trousersand bright frockcoats,hair untied.They passthrough the crowded streets,past bourgeoisfamilies, all witha child, orchildren, dressed to the nines like Claudia.

'EXT.CARNIVAL-SIDESHOW.NIGHT.

Claudia,Louis and Lestat,dressed in thesame clothes walking through a racuouscarnivalwithsideshows.crowd milling around, sailors,whores,children, thieves,freed slaves,Indians. They pass a Wild West display, j-ugglers,fire-eaters,three-card tricksters... ·

They cometo a raisedplatfo1:1nwhereatroupeof perfectly-formed midgets doa burlequeshow.

"• l /

Claudia stops. She stares, at thesesmall,perfect creatureslike herself,intriguedand troubled.

Louisand Lestatwalk on, not noticingas --

CLAUOIA

circles the troupe.She comestoa s;4alltent,behindit. At the entrance standsa midgetyouth.

CLUDIA walksup to him.

Claudia shakes herhead.He kisses her.Claudia allows hertobe kissed, ~hen bites histongue. The youth struggles,as Claudia holds himand drainshim. She letshimgo as Louisappears behind her.

Louis hurriedly draws heraway.

Claudia playing the piano, now like a demonic Liszt. Louis writing.

Lest.atappears in the doorway.Hehas a big ~ox in hisat1ns.

FOCUSON early 19th Century French dolls --wood, glass, wax, bisque -- allaround the bedroom,on chairs, on the bed. Some newish,some tatteredand old.

He hands herthe box. !tis a fine ParisianJumeau doll. She likesit and strokes itsface.

••,/.I

,r

He examinesthe other dolls.

But you'rethe fairestby far.

Lestat doesn't answer. Claudia st.ands up quickly,andstrides out intothe - '

PARLOUR,where Louis is readingby the window. She walks to a mirrored cabinet,takes outa scissors and begins cutting her hair.

CLAUDIA L. Why not?

She continues cutting.She seesLest.atemerge from herbedroom in the mirror behindher then turns to him, an angelic little boy's face nowwith soft curls around herface.

CLAUDIA \ Can'tI change, :ikeeverybodyelse?

She walks pasthim, back into herbedroom and slams~he door.

A beat. ~ouislooks :~om~he mass of blonde hair on~hefloor ~o

\ :...,i.J

Lestat. Then aHORRIDSCREAM pierces the silence.More screams, wnich become roars.

:~T.Cl.AUDIA'SBEDROOM.

Shestands beforethe dressing~table,.allher longhair grown back over her shoulders.She holds it with both hands,screaming andscreaming.~estat and Louiscome through the door.

CLAUDIA

Which ofyou did it?Which of you made rnetheway I am?

LESTAT

What you are? You wouldbe something other than you are?

CLAUDIA

And if I cutmy hair again?

LESTAT

It willgrowback againl

CLAUDIA

But itwasn'talways sol I had amother once! And Louis - hehad a wife! He wasmortal the same as sheJAnd so was Il

LOUIS

Claudia

She turnson Lestat.

CLAUDIA

You made us whatwe are, didn't you?

LESTAT

Stop her Louisl

CLAUDIA.

DID YOU 00IT TO ME????

She runs at him with the scissors,scoring his face. Th~ cut heals.She scores it again. Ithealsagain~ She staresat him in horror.

CLAUDIA (WHISPERING)

How did you do it?

LESTAT

And why should I tellyou? It's in my po~er.

CLAUDIA

Why yours alone? Tellme how it was done!!!!

LESTAT

Be glad1 made youwhat you are! You'd

be dead now ifI hadn't!

He s~or.nsou~.~ouisgoes toClaudiaand picksher up inhis arms

LOUIS (TENDERLY)

We'reimmortal.You've always known that.

CLAUDIA

~ellme why... you've got to tellme•••

·Louis carries her outside,onto the porch. There is an old flower-seller going by.

She clutchesLouis desperately.

Louis st=okes herbeautiful face,her hair.

Louiu walking,holding Claudiaas ifhe was about to lose her.

Louis backin the sa~estreet, outside the same house.Hestands with Claudiaat the window.There is afamily inside,'apicture of domestic tranquillity.

L.,

...

Claudia stares athim,suddenly very cold,very alert.

LOUIS

I ooened the shutters •••Icameinto the room ••• I felt pity:or you. Pity,but some~ning else.

He can't go on._Claudia's.eyes are remorseless.

CLAUDIA

You •.•fed on me?

· LOUlS

And hefoundme with you. Iran, sickened at whatI'd done.Then he cut his wristand fed you fromhim.! tried to stophim,but you were a vampiret~en.And have been every night hereafter.

CLAUDIA

You. both did it?

Claudia speaksthrough indrawn breath.

She runs.

Malloy andLouis.

Louis,walking the streets,shivering.

I

i

( A cathedral rising out of the mist,the doorsopen.

LOUIS

Ithoucht of all the thingsIhad done and couldn't undo. And I longed forone second'speace ...

~ouis walkscowards the doors,inside.

INT,CATHEDRAL.NIGHT.

Louis enters.Thedimlights of candles.A sacristantending the altar,an oldwoman praying -- otherwise empty.

LOUIS

I hadno fear. If anythingI longed for something tohappen,for the stones to trembleas I entered the foyer.

Louiswalking·downthe nave of the church.Hestopsbythe altar.

Louis sits ina pew.

Louis' POV -the cross, the statues,the tabernacle.

Suddenlya hand is laid on his shoulder.Louis almostjumps.He turnsand sees the face ofa grey-haired priest.

Louis staresat him,tears in his eyes.

~ l The p~iest ges~uresto the confessional.Louis rises,slowly, j

\••~.

( INT. CONFESSIONAL.

Louis, kneelingin thedarkness. The hatch slidesback.

The hatch slamsdown. Louis rises, confused, and the door is flung open,the priest stands there.

Louis rises.Walks out.

His facecomes into the light.The priest steps back, open- mouthed.

Hebares his fangs.The priest runs, screaming. Gets to the bell- rope,begins to ring the bell.Louisswoops on him.

Louis takeshim, lifting himfromthe floor, till his feet stop kicking.

1.\

Louis enters,silently, likea corpse. He hears a voicebehind him.

'./

LocKedtogether in hatred

Het~=-~stseesr.ersitting in thedarkuess.Sheis wearinga tiny nightgown of stitched lace and pearls, wierdly adult and seduc~~~e.She comestowards him.

CLAUDIA

3ut: can't hate you Louis.

She S?rayspet!urneover her body as shecomes nearer.

CLAUDIA

s t~is thearoma of a mortalchild?

She wnispers.

CLAUDIA

.ouis.Lover.

She r.isseshischeek.

CLAUDIA

I wasmortal to you.You gave me your immortal kiss.You became mymother and myfather. And so I'm yours.For ever.

( Shetakes his face in herhands

CLAUDIA

But now's thetime to end it,Louis. Now's thetime to leavehim.

LOUIS

He'll never let usgo.

Claudia smiles.

CLAUDIA

Oh •••really?

A sailing ship, by the docks. Louisand Claudia talking to a shipping-clerk.

LOUIS (VO)

Sowe made plans.She was convinced therewere others of our kind in Europe, that theywouldhavetheanswers Lestat couldn't provide.Lestatwhom she now hated, who she thoughtshe couldbe free of. I doubted, bu~ thenshe had a suprise instore... \

lNT.:!.AT.~IGHT.

Z..esta~playingt.hepiano.Louis reading·.Claudiaenters,wearing

r

a cape and hat.She walks to thepiano, sits at the end of the piano and stares athim as h~plays_.

LESTAT L-

Whatis it now? You irritate mel~ourvery presence/ {V'V"• irritatesmel -·.oJ .\

CLAUDIA (SWEETLY)

Does it?

Louis perks up,puzzled. l

I CLAUDIA #

Oh,Lestae. I must do morethan that. I've brought apresent for you.

Claudia staresathim for a moment.

She takes his hand and leads ~im into an inner room. Louis followsbehind.

NT. DININGROOM. NIGHT.

Two beautiful youths,!yingasleep on a couch,t,ya table full with a half-eatenmeal. Lestat sighs.

Claudia stares athim, sitting.She nods.

Lest.atbites into theneck ofone of the youths,sucksgree~ily and horribly. Claudiawatcheshimwithoutexpression.hefinishes one, is about totake the other whenhe staggers. He looks at Claudia.

L!STAT Absinthe?Yougave them absinthe?

Lest.atstareswildly at her, triesto move towards her, then slips to the floor.

Lestatt~ies to rise. I.

~ouis watches,apalled.He goes to move. l

\

' CLAUDIA

Don't Louis --

L£STAT

5<f.

,; ,

~ouis,puc me in my coffin •••

I'll pucyou in your coffin.For ever.

She pullsa knifeouc fromunder her shawl,walks rapidlyto him and slashes histhroat.Blood explodesfrom it.

L£STAT Louis,Louis, Igave you the gift help me ---

Claudia lacerates his face. Blood pours from everywhere.She olunaesthe knife in his chest. He falls back, fanas bared, clutchingtheknife. Claudia leaps on him then,bitesdeep into his necKas he dies. Louis screams, runs forwards, pulls her away.

He dragsher offLestat, tries to·~ullher out of theroom. She hissesac him.

Louis looks.The floor is a sea of blood. Lestathas begun to shrivel, as if he'd beenabag of blood.Hisskin is shrivelling against his bones likeparchment,his eyes are slipping back into his skull-like face.His lush, beautiful hair remains unchanged. But his clothes are virtually beingemptiedof the body. Itis no no more than bones,wrapped inpaperandhe pupils of theeyes suddenly rollup into the papered .skull.

She staresat the shrivelled skeleton in its skinwrapping.She is fascinated.She sees the vampiric blood flow all over the floor.She touches it and brings her finger to her lips.

Louis walksforward, touches the skeleton,the blonde hair.

She standsup,-all business suddenly.

She draosthe coverlet from the table,knocking the crockery over the dead youi::.hs,and wraps Lestat' s skeleton init·.She takesa bunch of chrysanthemumsandplaces themin his skeleton hands.

Louis whipping the horses.Claudiabesidehim.Lestat's skeleton in the back,with the bodies of thetwo dead youths.

The carriage pullsupby a swamp. Mist everywhere.Over~anging c,;eepers.

Louis drags out the bodies of the boys.He slidesthemintothe wa~ersof the swamp.We seeripples inthewater and.thechurning of alligators,as theyattack thecorpses. Louis takesLestat's skeleton in his arms. He slides it into the waters. The alligatorsspeed towards it. \

LOUIS

Then maybe so dowe.£very night of our lives.He was rnybrother.Mymaker. He gaveme this life, whatever it is.

He stands there,saying nothing.

Claudia isshocked to her core.She stepsback. Louis staresat the ripplingwaters.Gradually themovementof alligators stops. Then he hearsa sound-he hasn'theard in years. Soft, choking. He turns, seesClaudia sittingby acypress tree, like a little girl !or ~he firsttime in years.She is weeping copiously.

We see her face, tears of blood running down it. She is heartbroken, lost.

CLAUDil You never talked tomelike that - in all these years-

Louis gathers her in his arms.

Louis walks hertowards-thecarriage.

LOUIS l I love you Claudia.Always.And we are'free now, Claudia.No Lestat. Just thetwo of us,beginning the greatadventure of ourlives.

Helif~s herintothe carriageand drives off, leavingthesilent watersof ~he swamp.

•

I

,,./

Sturdy ::-;u llatoworkmenliftingcasesand trunks out of the apartment.Allthe furniture is covered in white sheets.Claudia dressed~~ a cap and hat,is playing the piano bythe light of one remainingoil-lamp.

Louis comesfrom herroom with the cage of canaries.

He opens ~hecage, and the canaries fliearound theroom.

There ~s a knocking on the door.Claudia falters.

He goes downstairs. Claudia plays a moment, then stops, perturbed.She goes to the window.Thenseessomething out there thatmakes her facego white. She screams.

THE STAIRWAY --

Louis walking to the door.The knocking getslouder.

THE PARLOUR--

Claudia runs for the stairs, after Louis.

THE HALLWAY --

Louis reaches the door.The knocking getslouder. He opens the door as

CLAUDIA

Reaches ~he stairs.She screams-

But Louis has opened the door.Nothing there. Se looksback at Claudia, puzzled,the at the dooragain when, swooping into his visioncomes ehenightmare image of --

LESTAT --

In filthv swamp-soaked rags, robus~ agbin, but his flesh shrivelled, coveredi~ scars, his eyes riddled,bloodshot. He roars.

.,£STAT WHEREIS SHE? WHERE IS THAT ACCURSEDCHILO?

Louis throws hisbody against the door,slamming it onLestat's reachinahand.The hand withdraws,asLestat roars. Louis bolts thedoor.

Louisruns up the stairs,sweeps Claudiain his arms, watching apalled as the door shudders with the force of Lestat's body.

IN THEPARLOUR --

~ouis runsthrough withClaudia in hisaX1Ds.

Suddenly Lestatcrashes through thecasementwindow, scattering blood everywhere, reefinghimself on the shattered glass. He tumbles to the floorand gets unsteadily to his feet.

Louis throws Claudia behindhima~dhurls himself on Lestat,who fights likearaveninganimal,bits of his broken body coming off inthe process.Thenvith aterrifying effort,Lestathurls Louis off,goes for Claudia,who grabs the poker from the fireplace, scattersburning coals over him.He falls back, then comesather again,as the drapes catch fire •. Louisgrabsthelamp.

Lestat lunges again at claudia •Louis hurls the lamp, which explodes himi~ f!ame.

Lestat.screams inagony,whirls around the room, thencomes on Claudia again.She hurls anotherlamp.Louis throws theflaming sheets around him,wrapping him further in fire.Lest.atfalls to his knees, choking,hands up over his face in the smoke.The whole parlour is afire.Louis gathers up Claudia,smothering the flames of her skirt with his hands. He runs out throughthe burning house, carriesher down the back stairs, through the carriageway and thro~ghthegatheringcrowds of mortalsinto the street..

S't.

Louis r~nning,with Claudiain his arms. ~e looks back at the lames of thehouse.Sound of a ship's horn.

CLAUDIA

The ship is sailing withoutus!

LOUIS

Not yet.

Holding her tightly,Louisruns.

Louiss~ands at the railings in themorning mist as the ship movescown the river.He sees ...

C!TYOr NEW ORLEANS

With :la.~elightingup the sky.

LOUIS (VO)

Though the fireseemed to spread through the quartier, Istood on thatdeck until dawn, fearful hewould come outagain of the very river like some monster to destroy us both. And all the whileI thought,Lestat, we deserve your vengeance.You gave methe dark gift. And I delivered you into the hands ofdeathfor the second time.

Louis and Malloy.

MALLOY

Did he die in the fire?

LOUIS

He wasdead to us.We were free. Thatwas all that mattered.

The ship,shrouded in mist.

A body is slipped into the sea.Apriest ~eads 1,st rites toa mourr.ingfamily.

_li,U•

/

Trunksand cases, creaKingwith the ship's movement.Dead rats everywhere.

LOUIS (VO\

Claudiaand I alone seemec:immune.Wekept ~o ourselves,pondering the mystery of Lestat and the greater mystery ofeachothP.r.

Passing through the straits ofGibralter.

LOUIS (VO}

We reached the Metiterranean.Iwanted tbose watersto be blue.They were black,nightime watersand how Isuffered then, strainingtoremember ~hecolour that ayoung man's senseshad taken :orgranted, thatmy memory had let.slipaway :or·eternity-It wasblack off the coast of Italy, black off the coast of Greece,Europe itself was black••.

'\ Claudia, sitting withaneaseland sketch-pad, sketching the bay of Naples.Abeautifully realiseddrawing,all in shades of grey andblack. Louis observes.

The sketch changes to a sketch of-

THE ACROPOLIS --

In the moonlight.

The sketch changes toa sketch of --

TRANSYLVANIA--

and the traditionalshapes of the vampire landscape.

to term ·ourkind·...

Amontage of sketches now -ATRANSYLVANIANVILLAGE,AGRAVEYARD,

RUINED CASTLEfttTERCftSTLE,LOOMINGINTOTHE SKIES •••

LOUIS

~he ouest ferthese Old World vampires filled me with bitterness.We searched village after vil:age,ruinafter r~in andI was glad when always wefoundnothing. Forwhatcould the damned really have ~osay to the damned?

Malloy and Louis.

MALLOY

You foundnothing?

Crowds and gaslighteverywhere.Carriages, horses,OPERA coming fromthe opera house.

The high walls of the Louvre, dark figures walking in pairs throughthe shadowytulieries.

Claudia, in!urtrimmedmuff and bonnet,peers th~ough the glass at a display of dolls.Each doll in there seems toresembleher, with blondehair and~lue eyes.She peers deep intothe shop and sees -

1ADEL£INE,ayoungwoman bent overa workbench paintinga doll's ace, oblivious to beingwatched.

fol-.

NT. OPERASTAIRCASE

Louisand Claudia hurrying hand and handwithacrowd of mortals towardsthe sound ofanORCHESTRA TUNING beyond.

Claudia and Louisstanding in the deepshadows, looking at the branching arches. Louis is overcome with sadness,Claudia is

NT.GALLERY.

Louisand Claudiawalk among a series of mythologicalnudes by ?oussin.

NT.SALON. NIGHT.

Claudia, surroundedby discarded dresses and outfits, being attendedby cautouriers. All the clothesare tiny, to fit her frame,but have an adult cutand shape.

Full of late 19th century furui.ture,lots of Empire style, Regency, gilt, velvetand brocade.

CLOSE OH A BUGEBLACK EBOHr CHEST

Against a wall,solemn among all thelight and glitter.

CLAUDIA

Bya large gilt mirror,in her new clothes.She is coveredwith jewelry,fixing ~•rringsto her ears.

CLAUD:A Help me,mon chere •.•

Louis walks over,helps herwith the earrings.

Claudia laughs.

He turns away.

Shetwirls, !ookingat herselfinthe mirror, then stops, stares at herself.

~ Louis is stunned.He blushes.

Shestares at him through the mirror.

Louis and Claudia ~alk along a boulevard like father and daughter. All around them are bourgeois Parisian familieson their evening stroll.Claudia points at the children thatpass.

She point.sto a beaut.ifulFrench child walking by with her mot.her.

•I'lI

CLAUDIA

or her, or her- or any ofthem?

LOUIS

Claudia, youtor~ure yourself.

CLAUDIA

They are ducklings,thatwillgrow into swans.Whereas Imust be the duckling for ever.

LOUIS

You are more beautiful thanany of them.

We see Madeleine, inside,painting a doll's face. Louis and Claudiaarrive outside.

CLAUDIA

All her dollsresemble me.

POV --

Claudia's face, with the dolls in thebackground.Theresemblance is uncanny.

CLAUDIA

Are they my kindLouis? Do!lsnever change either.

LOUIS

You are neither,Claudia.Now stopthis

Madeleine sees Claudia from inside.Shewaves.

LOUIS·

You know her?

CLAUDIA

Yes. ShouldI take her,Louis? Among her dolls? Make a doll of her in turn?

LOUIS

Come, Claudia ••.

He takes herarm.But Claudiashakes himoff, and moves into the shop.

I

Louis walks briskly,headbowed. \

LOUIS (VO)

For a time we had been almosthuman,in the sensual whirl ofwhatParis had to offer.But ~hehuman delights of that city only served

to remind herof the ageless child shehad become. I felther pain as Iwalked until Ibecame aware that! wasbeing followed.

CU LOUIS' :EET-

Walking. h stepechoes his.

Louis stops.Turns,sees nothing.Then walksagain. The echoing steps beginagain.

Louis again.Seesa shadow, flitting.

LOUIS

Claudia!

Nothing.He walksagain, hears thesameeffect. The he stops.He staresat a gaslamp opposite.

LOUIS (VO)

So it was when Ihad given up the search for vampires thatavampire foundme •••

Santiago, a tallvampire, materialisesunder the gaslight.And I, Louis graduallyrealises that thisvampirehas assumedthe same attitude, posture,clothes and hair-styleasLouis.

Louis gives an involuntary shake of thehead.Santiago mimics. Louis takes a step forwards. SantiaJomimics. Louisfolds his arms. Santiago mimics.

LOUISAND SANTIAGO

I I' (SIMULTANEOUSLY) Clever.

·LOIS You mean meharm?

Louis.calculates.

Santiago echoe~ the firstword, but not the second.Louis has broken his composure.He turns his back on Santiago, only to come faceto facewith Santiago right in front ofhim.

Again Louis turnshis back to findSantiago facing:him.

Louis turns,glowers,refusing to lookat him.

t

LOUIS

:·vesearcheothe world for an immortaland this iswhat I find?

Slowly he looks up. Santiagodraws close, breaking the mirror ~rick end suddnlyslams Louisback against thewall.

Louis is furious.Heregains his balance, strikes out at Santiago andwhen Santiago vanishes,to reapearbehind him, Louis slams ~ackhis elbow ito his midriff.Santiago staggers, amazed and thenrushes at Louis,throwinghim down.

.ouisrollsback to his feet, then to his amazement sees two ~ampires,one in front,one behind.He looksb~thways, then sees one hasvanished. Hestares, awestruck,at this new one:

He looks likean angel.

I . ARMAND(WHISPER)

You are all right.

He reaches into his waistcoat,takesanengraved invitation out of his pocket and thrusts it at Louis.

{ Louis reads aloud,as we see:

Armandbows and vanishes.

Louis listens to the silence.

Louis formally dressed with Claudia in rich attireon hisarm. They pass people buying tickets for thethe~treandgo inside.

They draw close to: '

HUGE POSTERS,=eading

THEATRE DES VAMPIRESPRESENTS

/

~HEMASQUE OF THERED DEATH ByEdgar Allen ~oe

':'he:,ost.ersareillustratedwith cliched images of vampires overcomingcamsels in distress.

Wari!~, ~tev showtheir invitations to the mortal ticket~aker at the coor: Heglances away indifferently.

INT':'HEATREBOXNIGHT-

Claudiaand Louis look at thecrowd as the lightsgo down.

Stage: curtain rises.

An eiaboratepainted set of anItalianatecastle.Death standing before i~, the traditionalimage of the Grim Reaper, complete with magnificent scythe.

A version of :.hePoe story undolds before them. All of the participantsare vampires. All beautifulgleamingwhiee,aged20 or 30.

A spo~lightuncoversa mortalwoman suddenly forcedou~ upon the s~age.

1,g.

CLAUDIA

She's no vampire.

LOUIS

No. She's frightened.She doesn'tknow where she·is.

The audience laughsuneasily, then stops as the Mortal Woman comes into the footlights.She istoo beautiful, too confused. Santiago,as Death, advanceson her.She backs away,terrified, then sees the other vampires, in a phalanx, advancing from behind, in a half-circle.

She looks around in panic. Santiago swoons,armsover his breast as i! he is hopelessly in love.

The MortalWoman steps to the footlights.

. MORTAL WOMAN

Someone help me.Please •••Whathave I done?

Louis whispers to Claudia.

ON THE STAGE --

· Santiagog~sturesto the audience

h'UDIFNCE

Rapt faces.

ON STAGE

hl.

..._:.,

i

'(

MORTALWOMAN

Iwould takemy chance. Letme go! Please ••.

SANTIAGO

And :f you take thatchance and live, what is your :at.e?Thehumpbacked~oothlessvisage of old age?

approaches her andtearsthe drawstring out of herpeasntblouse. It openscompletely and startsto slip.She tries to catch it, but gently stops her wrists. The blouse falls,exposing her young breast.s.

LOUISAND CLAUDIA

LOUIS

~his ismonstrous!

Yes, and very beautiful.

SANTIAGO

Just as this flesh it pink now, it will turn grey and wrinkle withage.

WOMAN

Letme live, please.I d~n't care.

SANTIAGO

~henwhy should you care if you dienow?

She shakes her head,confused.He catches her wrists behind her back.

AUDIENCE

is awestruck by her beauty,her suffering.

SANTIAGO

draws nearher cheek.

AUDIENCE

A young girl criesout in jest.

/,

I adoreyou!

Audience~oarswith laughter.

ONSTAGE

You waityour turn.

The AUDIENCElaughs again.

The MortalWoman shakes herhead in panic.

SANTIAGO

Well, have youa sister, a mother,a daugnter you would send in your place?

CLOSE ON Ct.AUDIA

Even she is repelledby thecruelty. She shakesher head.

MORTAL WOMAN

Shakesher head.She is helpless.

SANTIAGO

We alonecan give deathmeaning. Do you knowwhat it means to be loved by death, to become our bride?

MORTALWOMAN

looksuo on the verge of hysteria or fainting.But then her eyes mist over.She is being entranced.

FROM HERPOV

we realise she is lookingpastSantiago at the divinely beautiful Armand, who has just stepped out of -the wings. Armand has entranced her.he passes Santiago. Santiago·stiffens, but yields the stage.

ARMAND

takes her by thenaked shoulders.

ON STAGE

( Armandges~ures tothe otherswho slowly, gracefully close in.

Who deservessuch a gift?

r,ep~lls~hedrawstring from her skirt and it falls revealing her nakedness.But she isspellbound.

·Armandembracesher, drinks, her nakedbody stark against her black clothes,then he passesher to the othervampires one by one.

CLOSE ON LOUIS

who oatt!es desireana hungerwith anger.

'i II,

CLAUDii· Be still!

I t ON STAGE

The nakedMortalWoman lies dead on the floor.Thevampiresseem to vanish one by one.As the curtaindrawsacross,the AUD!ENCE I, LOUDLYAPPLAUDS what they presume are theatrical tricks.

ANOTHERANGLE

The AUDIENCE,milling towards the exits.They talk in vacuous terms about the beautyof the show, the symbolism of it, the daring of itas they leave.

Gradually LOUISANDCLAUDIA are left alone in the emptytheatre. Louis seems~nxious to leave.Claudia whispersin his ear.

He looksaround theempty theatre,more eery now than whenthe playwas on.The red curtain shifts slightly inahidden breeze, a candle sputtersand dies in a box. Then the candle flares again,and we see Armandint.he box, looking down on them.He stareswith a-dreamyexpression,saying nothing.

\ His voice echoes eerily.Armand gestures for them to followhim.

I~ INT. FOOTOF s·TAIRWAY.

Armand leading,Louis and Claudia following. Itopensintoa--

HUG£ UUDERGROUNDBALLROOM

Walls are painted with famous copies of Durer,Brueghel, Goya and Bosch oeoictionsof death.Fine wooden coffins line the walls. Candlesburn in sconces, castingalternateshadows andpools of light. Armand walks through, gesuuring Louis and Claudia to follow him.

As they walkthrough, vampiremen and women appears out of the shadowslike wraiths, startling them, drifting around them, strokingthem,touching Claudiaas if she were a doll. Shrieks of preternatural laughter.

Armancgesturesto the vampires toback off.

nllobey butESTELLE.

ESTELLE

Sucha darling.

She menaces Claudia,her breasts enormous, her fangs bared. Armandthrows hera look, and she is flung against thewall.

Louis staresaround. The vampires£aces drift towards him and away, always disclosing the face ':>£Armand, who seems some distance away,but strangelyclose, staring at Louis with a constantlycalm, hypnotic gaze.Then a youn~ mortal boy comes form the shadowsaithacandleabra, which he hands toArmand.

Armand and the boy come towardsthem, leading them along ~he walls, hiscandleabrailluminating the ghastly murals, his face gleaming like an angel above thecadleflaJDe.

'("lips·not moving,yet echoing Claudia's earlier words) Yes,and very beautiful

The coy is watchingLouis. Armand's hand beckons and the boy dra'Wsup to Louis in the candlelight. He places his arms on Louis'shoulders.Louis glances at Armand, who smiles. Louis sees the puncture markson the boy'sneck. \

Louis isutterly confused.Can't re,ists. D:inkshis blood.

•..

The ooy'sbody presses-against.~im,sensual, willing.The other vampiresappear all around Louis,who suddeniysenses it and drawsaway, ashamed.

Claudiawatches warily,:rom a distance.Armand beckons at her and ~ouisana opens a door in the wall which revealsa st.one staircase.

Medieval chairs,table, an old coffin,a bed in one corner, a blazing fire.A medieval painting ofSatan,being banishedfrom Heaven, above the fire. Armand places · theboy on the bed, settling him sohe sleeps.

( Heglances at Louis,then at Claudia,who averts her eyes.

Cluatiiast.aresat.him constantly,guarded.

ARMANl. Nothing ifnot vampires •••

ARMAND

LOUIS

Hy God .•.Soit's as I alwaysfeared. Nothing, leading to nothing.

ARMAND

You feel toomuch. So much youmake me feel •••

He s~ares from Claudiato Louis. He seems tobe reading their souls.

ARMAND

The one whomade you should have toldyou this. The onewho left the old~1rld for thenew •.•

LOUIS

He knewnothing. He justdidn't care.

ARMAND

Knew? Youmean he is .••

Claudia appearssuddenly at Louis'shoulder,interrupting.

CLAUDIA

Come, beloved. It'stime wewere on our I r' way. I'm hungryand the citywaits.

She stareshard at Armand.Armand looks from her to Louis.

ARMAND

So soon togo?

Heseems genuinely regretful._But Claudia pulls Louis out.

...

Louis and Claudiafeel their way through darkened corridors, trying to find theirwayout.

Suddenly a light comes on. They see they are in the empty theatre. Santiago standson the stage,undera candle.

Louis is stunned.

SANTIAGO

You saida name -

LOUIS

A r.arneI don't want to sayagain.

SANTIAGO

seemed to recognise it •••

Othervampires appear behindhim.

SANTIAGO

There is but one crimeamongus vampires

here.

He loo~sat Claudia.

Claudia laughs.

1( SANTIAGO

It is thecrime thatmeans deathto any vampire. To kill your own kindl

Claudiaand Louis enter thelobby.

She marchesup the stairs.

CLAUDI\ can feelit fromthem! They want to know whomade·us, what became ofhim. They have :heir rules,their idioticrules!

They come totteir room,encer.

NT.HOTEL ROOHS.NIGHT.

:.ouiscloses~::edoor behindhim.Cla•tdiapaces.

LOUIS

Do youthink I would letthem harmyc·J?

CLAUDIA

No, 1ouwould not, Louis.Danger holdsyou to me.

LOUIS

Love holdsyou to me.And we are in danger,not you.

CLAUDIA

Love?

She smilesat him. Astrange, sad,adult sm.ile.

CLAUDIA

You would leaveme for Armand ifhe beckoned you.

LOUIS

Never.

CLAUDIA

Hewants you as youwant him..He'sbeen waiting for you.He wants you fora companion. He bides histime thatplace. He findsthem as dull andlifeless as we do.

LOU!S

That's not so.

CLAUDIA

Do youknow what his soulsaid to me without sayinga word? When he putme in that trance •••

LOUIS

So you feltit too!

CLAUDIA

Let him go,he said. Let him go.

She touches his face.

CLAUDIA

Isthat what1 should do Louis?Let you go? Myfather? My lover?My Louis,who made me?

There are tearsin her eyes.Louis lifts her up in hisarms.

LOUIS

Hecan protect us,Claudia.

CLAUDIA

You really believe that?

Cloudia, staringatthe dolls.We see Madeleine inside, painting a doll. She sees Claudia and smiles ,ndwaves.

Louis, sitting alonein the box,as the curtains draw back,~o showSantiago as death,as before.Louis takesadvantageof ~he darknessto slipaway.

Armand opens the door to Louis'knock.

ARMAND

I was waitingfor you •••

LOUIS

Listen tome.

I( He followsArmand into theroom.

LOUIS

Claudia is dear to me.My •••daughter.

ARMAND

Your lover.

LOUIS

No,my beloved, my child.

ARMAND

If yousay so. You areiniocent.

~ I

ARMAND

Did you kill thisvampirewho madeyou both? Is thatwhy you won't say hisname?Santiago thin~syou did.

LOUIS

We wantno quarrel withhim.

ARMAND

It's already begun.I!you want to save her, send heraway.

LOUIS

Then I leave too.

Armand smiles.

ARMAND

So soon? Without6nyof thoseanswers you so longed for?·

LOUIS

You said therewerenone.

ARMAND

But youasked the wrong questions.Do youknowhow few vampireshave the staminafor immortality?Howquickly they perish of theirown~lll?

LOUIS

We can do that?

Armand suddenly grips Louis close tohim.

Louis laughs bitterly.

,r

LOUIS

He?Don't you see?I'm not the spirit ofany age! I'm at oddswith everything andalwayshave been! I'm noteven surewhat I am1

Armandsmiles.

ARMAND

But Louis,that is the very spirit of your

age. The heart of it.Your fallfrom grace has beenthe fall of acentury.

Louis is stunned.

_ ARMAND Like moths around the candle of theage.Decadent, useless.They can't reflect anything.But you do. You reflect its broken heart.

Louisis speechless.

LOUIS {SOFTLY) Yes ..•MyGod •••

Armand stands.He takes Louisby thearm, leads him towards the back wall.

He opens a hidden door in the wall.

Bo.

C

Louis,in the s~reetoutside,as the door closes behindhim.

LOUIS (VO)

I felta kind of peaceat last. I hadfound the teacherwhich Lestat could never,I knewnow, have been. l knew knowledgewould never be withheld by Armand. It would pass throughhimasthrougha pane of glass. AndI knew Claudia mustleaveme ...

lNT. HOTEL SUITE.NIGHT.

Louis enters. There is unfamiliar scent in the air, a doll sitting bythe mirror. Louislooks id the mirrorand sees--

MADELEINE,the doll-maker,r~splendentin green taffeta, sitting like a Madonna with Claudia on herlap.Claudia's armsarewound -round herneck.The contrast between mortalwoman andimmortal child is plain.

CLAUDIA

Madeleine ••.Louis is shy. 1( Madeleine rises and comes towards Louis.Shedrawsbackthe lace fringesround her throat,so he can see thetwomarksthere.She says softly,dreamily:

MADELEINE

Drink.

Louis turnsaway. Claudia speaks,icy,from the bed.

Louis turns to Madeleine.

Louis pushes heraway. Claudiascretms.

Louisgrips Madeleineand shakes her.

Bl.

LOUIS

How do weseem to you?Do you think us beautiful, maoical, our whiteskin, our fierceeyes? Drink, you

ask me!Have youany ideaof the thingyou_willbecome?

She points to Madeleine.

She begins toweep, sobbing likeachild.

CLAUt>IA Andwho will carefor me my love,my dark angel,when you aregone?

Louis looks atMadeleine.

Shewraps her armsaround Claudia.

1 f

MADELEINE

A child who can't die •••

Her fingerclutch a locket round her neck. Louis touches it, opens it.

THELOCKET

A picture ofa young girl,Claudia'sage, wistful, beautiful.

LOUIS (SOFTLY)

And the childwho did die?

MADELEINE

My daughter ...

~ouis takesher chin in hishand, gently.

LOUIS

Lookat the gaslight.Don't take youreyes off it.You will be drained to the point of death,but you must stayalive. Do youhear me?

MADELEINE

Yes!

Louis pulls her tohim and startsto drink her blood.

Louison the balcony,weakened terribly. A breeze blowson the gauzecurtains behindhim, through whichwe see --

SILHOUET'l'ES--

of Madeleineand Claudia. Madeleine herarms outstretched,now e vnn-pire,a longmoan of pain com.5ngfrom her. Claudiacomes throc;h the curtains,alarmed.

CLAUDIA (WHISPER)

Louis!

Louis speaks without turning.

LOUIS

She isdyinq. It happenedyou too, but yourchild•s . mindcan't remember.

CLAUDIA

But ifshe dies •.•

LOUIS

It's only mortaldeath,

He turns~o look at Claudia.

·,

,,

She takeshis hand.

He bends down and F.issesher. H.tlooks up, at the wafting curtains. hesees --

MANY VAMPIRESHADOWS

Silhouetted,coming closer.

CLAUDIA

looks up and screams.

THE CURTAINS

Are ripped aside.The vampires of the Theatre surge through

The Vampired close on themasLouis struggles,Claudia•sscream pierces the night air.

In a press of vampires,Louis,Claudiaand Madeleine are forced down the dark corridor.Into-

Santiagostrikes Louis to the ground. As he struggles to his

r feet, he seesthe vampirespart around a figurecoming through. He gasps atthe sight of --

LESTAT

Dressed beautifully,buthorribly scarrednow, from the fireas well as the earlier stabbing. Lesta-eis coniused, ancient, ~eetering,=eacningfor Santiago's shoulder to steady himself.

LESTAT

Louis •••

SANTIAGO

ls he the one?

::..estatshakes hishead.

LESTAT

No, the child.The childw.,sthe one •••

SANTIAGO

All are murderers!!!

LOUIS

You are alive,Lestat! It can't be murderl Tell themhow you treated us... {

Lestat reaches out toLouis.

LESTAT

No ••.Youcome backto me Louis ••.

LOUIS

Areyou mad????

£STELLE

The sentenceis death!To all of them!!! I '

LESTAT

Only thegirl - it wast.begirl -

I I the sound of something being draggedthroughthe crowd.Horrible,. echoing,scraping -

I i Lestat grips Santiago. I I

He s:ares aroundhim, confused.The scraping getslouder.

i LOUIS Youlet her go, Lestat- you let her free- and I'llcome backwith you -

San~iagograbsLouis by ehe neck.

-

·-.,

SAN'J'IAGO

Deathfor the others.For you eternity in a box-

We·see~ow what caused thescraping.n huge metal coffin being draggedthrough the vampires.Claudiascreams.

The vampires grab Louis. They force him towards the coffin. Lestat struggles withthem.

Louis struggles fiercelyasheis forced into the coffin. Claudia weeps.

Louis, struggling inthe coffin.Then the lid is forced down, huge locks closed over it.

Louis, in the smallestimaginable space.Beating his forehead against the metal.

Claudia, throwingherself on.the coffin,crying.She is dragged away. Vampirehands drag the coffin acrossthestone floor.

Louis, forehead pouringwith blood, being thrown thisway and that.The coffin is lifted,upside1own,Louis'head crashes off the floor.

\ ls thrustinto a niche in the wall.Bricks being placed over, morear~~owelledon.

Louis upside cown. Sounds of bricks and mortar. Then a terrifying,u~earthlyscream piercesthecoffin, striking to his very soul.

LOUIS

Cl~UDIA!! ! ! !

He loses consciousness.

BLACKNESS.

Louis sleeps,upside down.Sound of bricksbeing broken,thrown aside. theno: locks breaking ..

Louisopens his eyes.The lid opens.He sees-

ARMAND

abovehim, reachingdown to take hishand.

ARMAND

Hurry.Don't make a sound.

Louis gets out, intoavast long catacomb. Louis runseothe end of it, stepsthrougha broken brickwall.

He pointsto his cellat the end of thepassage,the foot of the steps. Sound of rain beyond thedoo=.

Louis ~unsup the stone stairs. It leads to the ballroom. he enters.

Estelle s~andsfar off, looking at him coolly. She lifts the

..

,' r scaoa skullmask and lauahs softly behind it. A male vampire slumpsin·a chair staring~softlyatLouis.

Silence.lndif!erence.

Louis sees Lest.at.sit.t.inginafar corner. He rushes up t.o Lest.at,who looksup at him, confused. He's.holding something crumpled,made of cloth.

LESTAT

You'llcome home withme Louis? For alittle while ... until1ammyself again?

LOUIS

CLAUDIA!!l

Louisturns round and round in rage.Passivestill faces.Adoor bangsopen and shut.

Louislooks againat Lestat.He snatches theclothfrom Lestat's hand.We see it is a small torn bloodstained dress.Claudia's dress.

The door bangs again. Estelle la1ghs. Rain gusts into the ballroom.

Louis goes to thedoor, holding the dress. Armand approaches, trying to pullhimaway,but Louis shrugshimoff .Hedrawshearer and nearer and stairs at --

On the stones lie Claudia andMadeleine,burnt toashes,in each other's arms, like the corpses ofhis wifeand daughter in the New Orleans graveyard,embracingeach other.

Only Claudia's blonde hair and Madeleine's red hair remain unburnt.

Louislooks upat the wallsof this airwell,many stories to the sky.He cries outin agony.

Santiago appearsbehind him,staring.Louis roars in horror and at.tacksSantiago,scattering the ashes into the rainy wind. Claudiasgoldenlocks fly up into the wind, they whirl around the warring figure.

Armand appears,drags Louisfree, pulls him screamingfrom the airwcll,into the ballroom,towards theexit.

Claudia's hairis suckedup by the wind throug~ the airwell, towardsthe night sky.

Louis is slumped againstthestonewall.Armand standsbeside him

t

li~e ag~ardian angel.

ARMAND

icouldn't prevent it.

LOUIS

Icon't believe you.: do nothave to read your soul toknowthat you lie.

ARMAND

Louis,they cannot be brought back.There aresome things that are impossible,even for me.

LOUIS

You letthem do it.

Louiscli~.bsto his feet.

LOUIS

You held swayover them.Ttey feared you. You wantedit to happen.

ARMAND

Louis, I swearI did not.

LOUIS

Afll"s. I\ I understand you only toowell.You let them do it, asI let Leatat turna child into a demon. As I let her ripLestat'aheart to pieces! Well I am no longer thatpassivefool that has spun evil from evil till thewebtraps theone whomade it. Your melancholy spirit of thiscentury!I know what Imust do. And Iwarn you - yousaved ~e tonight, so I return the favour-do not gonear your cell in the TheatreDes Vampires again.

Wet and deserted,the streets around the.theatre are quiet.

C/UCLOCK

Chiming fivea.m.

CLOSEON LOUIS

looking at -:.hepalingsky. He is in an alleyway, outside of Armand's cell.He has a huge keg with him. He finds the door unlocked.He enters.

empty.The hearthis cold.The old coffin is gone. Louis silently closes the door~othe oassaaeand blocks it withanimmense bar. He goes inthe other door••

lf.:T.THEATRE

Lou~sr.~rlskeroseneaLlover thess~aae, the curtain,~he sets, the seatsbelow.He grabs the.scythefromthe playlet. He walks out.drtcbli~g a trailoi kerosenebehind him.

JNT STAIRS

Louis ~alkingrapidly down, leaving thetrail of kerosene. He creepsq~ie~ly into ~he--

BALLROOM

leakir.gr.erosene from the cask.He splashes over the coffinsthat gleam 1n tr.edimness.

Then ke strik.esa match and heaves it into the kerosene. Everythi~g ~urstsinto flame.The trail of kerosene roarsinto ire tnroughthe ballroom over the coffins and up the stairs.We hearsEXPLOSIONSof fire from above.

LOUIS

shudders all over,figh~ingthemo.:-ningweakness.he readiesthe scythe,like theGrim Reaper.

ESTELLErises from her burning coffin,screamsandtries to run throughthe fire but Louisslashesher downwith the scyth~ and she goesdown screaming,her dress inflames

Othersr~se, choking in the smoke.Screams fromeverywhere.They are burning.

Louis backsup the stairs to the --

DUNGEON

He can see therea thin pale light underArmand's bolted door •

SANTIAGO

comesat him from behind.Louis turns.Santiago rusheshim ina blur.Louis swings the scythe,too fast to see whathe himself is doing. Santiago'sheadstreamingbloodflies through theair.

Thebody drops,flapping its arms.

SCREAMScome from everywhere.

Anothervampirerushes burning towards Louis.Hedecapitateshim in turn.Then he staggers intoA::-mand'scell,and bars the dor that.connectsit.t.othe ballroom~ebindhim. He staggerst.othe

outer d~or.There isa thin strL~of daylight,beneaththe ~o~r, blindin; hlm.He tnrowsit open,and &taggersinto thedaylignt.

Louis staggers out oi the burning theatre, into the thin ciayligr.t.Greatgusts of smoke coverthe street. He staggers through~hedaylight,weakening, about to fall,when through the clouas ofsmokecomes -

AMAG?HFICE:NTHEARSE-

as ir.a dream,driven by Armand's humanboy. The door of the hearse opens. Through the curtains enclosing the interior,we see Armand.He reachesa hand out toLouis and pullshim inside.

The hearse vanishes through thesmoke,leaving the spectacle of the burr.inqtheatre.

The g-~t~edTheatreandballroom, the roof collapsed,exposed to the evening sky.The life ofParisgoes on around it, oblivious.

\ INT. LOUVRE.NIGHTS LATER.

It isalready amuseum by this timeandLouisand Armand, fancily dressed and composed,walkthrough it.Theystop bya Gericault - The WreckOf The Medusa.

You were their leader.They trusted you.

He looksat Louis affectionately.

q,...

LOUIS

What.apai~ we are.We dese~ve each ocher, con't.we?

ARMAND

We are a pair,and that'swhat eounts,

Armanoana Louiswa~k slowly through~heLouvre together.Camera follows themfor a while, then comes to rest on a sunrise by Turner.

LOUIS (VO)

We left Paris shortlyafter.For years we wandered.Greece, Egypt, all the ancient lands.Then,out of curiosity,perhaps, boredom, whoknows what,I took him home, tomy America .•.

A deco cineraaofthe twenties.Louis andArmand, dressed in the styleof the periodwalk down the aisle throug~ the crowded seats.

LOUIS (VO)

And there,a technologicalwonder allowed me see sunrise,for the firsttime in two hundred years •••

On the screen,Hurnau's SUNRISE,in black and white. We see a montage of sunrises,from awholerange of movies, inblack and white.

The SUNRISES continue, in colour now,andthe backgrounds in them change to the fifties.

The lights comeupin a different theatre. Louis sitting there, alone,in a half empty theatre,dressed in the.clothes of the fifties.He rises, exitswith the others.

Cars rushingby, twentieth-centurymadness. Louis emergesfrom the theatre,walks through thestreets.

'?l.

LOUIS ('.'0)

1 hadreturned to NewOrleans. As soon asI smelt ~heair,~ ~new I washome. There wasa sadness there,rich, almost sweet,like the frangranceof jasmine.I walked the streets,savouring it like a long lostpefume ...

~XT.GARDEN DISTRICT.NIGHT.

Louiswalks past themany Greek Revival Mansions.

CAMERA ?ANS OVER white-walled Lafayette cemetry and i~s surrounding mansions.

Louis seesrats darting across the street. They rush intoagreat overgrown garden surroundingaruined mansion. No lights.

(' Louis stopsata rusted gate. He forces itopen and enters --

A VERITABLEJUNGLE

of overgrownrose and oak tree and wisteria. He sees a faint glimmer of light coming fromadistant glassless window ofahuge GreekRevival house.He approaches then hesees --

OLD SHRIVELLEDCORPSE

of a man, longdead and dried up, snagged in the thorny rose- vi:ies.

LOUIS

lookR around.Walks on.Sees another corpse,almost nothing but bones, sinking into the wet earth, the roots of an oak overgrowing it.

He looks up atthe distant light.

He passes athird corpse,caught inwisteria and rosevine, only bones and clothes.

rd of them. ~ , Louissees cead rats Lyingnear theseeps.

Louis treaas carefullyon therotted steps. He moves along the ?ore~. Moredead rats. He seesthrough the floor-lengt~window in~o rooms lined with stacked books. Virtuall/ walledwiththem. Water seepsdown from the ceiling,gleaming as it streaks over the boo~s.The floors of the splendid rooms are bare,except for a rottedFrench chair by a dead fireplace. A single mirror reflec~ir.gthemoon.

Dead rats.

He moves alongthe porch to the parlous windows.·The candle flicKersinside.He sees --

HISPOV

Lestatlying on the floor.He is guant to near starvation.All his scars are gone, but he is almostaskeleton and his eyes are emormousin their sockets. His clothes are rags. Blond hair beautiful,as always.

~ MALLOY'SENTRANCED FACESUPERIMPOSEDOVER '

BACK TO

Lest.at.One tiny candle standsbeside him. He reads an early comic, from the turn of the century.Without turning hishead, he speaks.

LESTAT

Y~s.Past ...she shouidnever havebeen one of h..is•••

He turnsand looksat Louis. old,fearful, br~ken.

LESTAT

Still beautifulLouis.You always were thestrong one.

LOUIS

Don't fearme, Lestat. I bring youno harm.

LESTAT

You've comeback to me, Louis?You've come home again to me?

Louis shakes hishead.A series of police sirens go by, piercing the nightSKY·A helicoptergoes overhead.Red flashes illuminate his :ace.Lestat shivers, covers hisears.He"sterrified.Louis toucnes him,calming_him,~ntill the lightspass over.

LOUIS

It's onlya siren •••

LESTAT

I can'tbear it Louis!The machines out there,that flyand that roarlAnd such lightslThey makethe night brighter than the dayl

LOUIS

And they frightenyou?

LESTAT

You knowI love the dark.But there's no darkanymore.

Louis shivers.He releaseshim.

r--- Lestat shivers.

LESTAT

I triedto tell youLouis .•.tha~night in ?aris...when I firstcame ~o you ••• no-onecan refuse thedark gif~. Louis ••. Not evenyou,

LESTAT

'. And the moreyou tried, the moreI wantedyou ••. ' a vampirewith your beautiful, sufferinghumanheart.

i\ndhowyou suffered .•.Ineedyour forgiveness, Louis.

Louis ...-alksslowlyawayfrom him. Lestat turns back to his candle, hismagazine.

A bluebottle buzzesby him.His hand shoots out and grabs it, squeezes the blood.

~N LOUIS

as he walks through .the decayed house. His eyes are expressionless.

Malloy, staringatLouis.

r·

But youtalk about passion,aboutlonging aboutthings I'll neverr.nowinmy life! It's stillIr.sideyou,in every syllableyou speak! And thenyou tell me itends like that?Just empty?

Louis looksat the cassetteson the table.

Malloy rises.

Louis is slowly horrified,then outraged and angry.

He staresat Louis.

Louis turnsaway.

•

'

l'\'esaici.

' he looksa~ theboy. rhen suddenly grabshim, liftshim off the floor,bares his terrifying fangsandbringsthem tohis throat. Malloyscre5ms,in involuntaryterror..

Malloy,now cerrified,whispers. I. r

Louis dropshim.

Malloy, fallson the floor, terrified.When he looks up, Louis hasvanished.

\ He looksup at the tape. It is still turning.

he shakeshishead. He getsup, and withshaking fingers gathers his tapes.He runs out ofthe room.

Malloy running for his car, a convertible. He leaps in and screeches off through the night.

Malloy whips the car through the tiny streets, in sheer, unfocussed terror.

Malloy driving with streams of traffic over the bridge.·He breathesdeeply, to calm himself. He takes a tape from his pocket,and with still shaking hands, sticksit·in the deck.

_J7

98,

1791. That'swhen it happened.l was twenty-four,

younger thanyou are now.

Suddenly a bonyhand shoots out from the back seat,pulls his necK backwards

LESTAT

sinks nisteethin his neck.

MALLOY'SHANDSON THE WHEEL

Shaking,shuddering,losing their grip.

MALLOY'SEYES

bulging,as the lifedrains out ofhim. Lestat suckinghim like a rat..

THE WHEEL

swinging free of Malloy's dyinghands

THE CAR

veers wildly into oncoming traffic

LESTAT

drinks regardless

A TRUCK

comingtowardsus, about to crush thecar

LESTAT'SBONYHANO

grabsthe wheel, jerks itas he drinks.

THECAR

misses the truckby inches

LESTAT

Throws Malloy to one side,climbs into the frontseat.

THE TAPE

playing.

\

-··,-· ON LESTAT

r at the wheel,:he corpse of ~alloy in the passenger seat. He smiles.We can seeChe blood renewinghim.

LESTAT

Dear Louis ..• willIeverforget?

Lesr.atdriveson, the cara tiny speck against the bridge,the sea, the skybeyond, with the first fingersof light spreading through ir..

THE END. 10THFEBRUARY, 1993.