Interview's main character is a vampire named Louis (Brad Pitt) who narrates the story of his human and inhuman lives to a small-time San Francisco reporter (Christian Slater). Louis is a Four out of five in this story for he hinges on his flourish propensity for whining. While still human in the 18th century, he loses his wife in childbirth and sinks into a passive death-wishing funk. While Louis' grief is genuine, he is also seen wallowing in melancholy over the unfairness of existence. He claims that he wants to die but then does nothing about it. Along comes veteran vampire Lestat (Tom Cruise) who offers Louis eternal death-in-life.
             Brad Pitt also deserves mention, because he skillfully acted an all-in-all glum role. It's never easy being the protagonist in movies in which I believe few actors could of done better. In "Interview with the Vampire" he is mostly a device to reflect the larger, more scintillating personalities of the older vampires around him. Kirsten (Kristen) Dunnst has secured a future as an actress by her portrayal of Claudia. The part called for in the book was that of a five-year-old, but her age was never revealed in the movie. This -- at least for those who have not read the book -- diminishes the need for a suspension of disbelief. What we are able to believe is that she was a young child who ages in maturity but not bodily (and she resents this), and this is certainly the intention of the author.
             This movie also had good special effects, but you won't notice them. You won't find yourself thinking, "Wow, what good computer animation." Compared to special effects such as "Jurassic Park" and "Stargate", the effects seem paltry until you consider that you simply didn't notice them. In "Frankenstein," one feels disgusted, tense and uncomfortable at the squalor, which aid's the film. In this movie, anything gruesome detracts from Interview with a Vampire's primary goal. Interview with a Vampire which...