Synopsis for
Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994) More at IMDbPro »

Vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac [Brad Pitt] has decided to tell his story to writer Daniel Malloy [Christian Slater]...how he became a vampire in 1791 at the age of 24 and what it's been like living for 200 years. This is Louis's story.

Louis, the master of a large plantation near New Orleans, had just lost his wife in childbirth and was longing for death himself. Lestat [Tom Cruise] took him up on it. Together, Louis and Lestat lived a life of decadence at Louis's plantation, Lestat feasting on fresh, young women, gilded youths, and delicate-tasting aristocrats. Louis, however, refused to take a life, feeding instead on the blood of rats, chickens, and dogs. Eventually, the slaves on Louis's plantation became increasingly afraid of Lestat and asked Louis to send him away. After announcing to them that he, too, is a devil, Louis burned down his manor, hoping to kill himself, but Lestat rescued him from the flames. Now they are left to live among the common folk.

The plague has hit New Orleans. One night, as Louis was out feeding on rats, he came upon a little girl whose mother had died. Claudia [Kirsten Dunst] jumped into Louis's arms, pleading for help. Louis, thinking to give her a merciful death, drank her blood. As a gift to Louis, Lestat offered his own wrist to Claudia, who drank so vigorously that Lestat had to tear himself away. Still, she begged, 'I want some more.' Although a child in stature and a vampire in nature, Claudia was also a ruthless killer, and the three of them--the happy family, as it were--prospered as the city of New Orleans also grew and prospered. Thirty years passed, 30 years of grandeur and decadence. Then Claudia realized for the first time that she would never grow into a woman's body. She would forever be prepubescent, unable even to cut her hair, for it would grow right back. The happy family had become locked in hate. So hateful of Lestat, her maker, was Claudia that she arranged for him to feed from a dead body--something he warned a vampire must never do--and then slit his throat and buried him in the swamp. Louis and Claudia then booked passage to Europe, hoping to find others of their kind. As they were packing, the doorbell rang. It was Lestat. 'Claudia, you've been a very, very naughty little girl,' Lestat said and then leapt at her. To protect Claudia, Louis threw a lantern at Lestat, setting him and the entire quarter ablaze. Then Louis and Claudia ran for the ship. Though they searched Europe for other vampires, they found none, so they decided to go to Paris.

It was now 1870. Almost 100 years had Louis lived as a vampire. He had given up the search for other vampires when a vampire found him. It was the vampire Armand [Antonio Banderas], 400 years old and the oldest 'living' vampire in the world. Not even Armand had answers to Louis's questions about the source, the first vampire, about God and the Devil. He did, however, invite Louis to The Theatre des Vampires, where vampires pretend to be humans pretending to be vampires, all for the art of the avant garde.. Armand actually wanted Louis to be his companion, but there was the question of Claudia. She had done the one thing forbidden to a vampire--she killed another vampire. Armand told Louis to send her away, but Claudia had other plans. 'You have found a new companion. You will make me mine!' she screamed at Louis and presented him with a woman willing to become her mother, having just lost her own daughter. Against his better judgement, Louis gave her to Claudia. The other vampires, however, had also come to a judgement regarding Louis and Claudia's fate. Louis was to spend eternity in a box. Claudia and her "mother" were to be imprisoned in a deep tunnel, open to the sun. Armand was able to rescue Louis, but not Claudia. As the sun passed overhead, Claudia and her mother were reduced to ashes. In revenge, Louis set the theatre on fire, beheading any who managed to escape their coffins. Louis and Armand parted ways. Louis spent years wandering around Europe, but in spring of 1988, he returned to New Orleans. While walking the streets one night, he came upon Lestat, old and sickly, confined to his quarters, afraid to venture beyond. Lestat asks Louis to come back to him, but Louis refuses.

And that's Louis's story. What became of Lestat, Louis doesn't know. As for Louis, his reason for living died with Claudia. He now lives alone and empty. When Daniel volunteers to become his new companion, if Louis will but make him a vampire, Louis disappears in anger.

Epilogue: Daniel is driving along, his tape of the interview with the vampire on his car radio, when suddenly he is grabbed from behind by Lestat. Lestat drinks a little blood from Daniel ('I feel better already.'), listens to Louis's tape for a few minutes ('Oh, Louis, still whining? I've had to listen to that for centuries!'), and changes it to a rock station where the Rolling Stones' Symphony for the Devil is being played. [Original synopsis by BJ Kuehl]