Chapter 9: Interview With The Vampire, Episode 7: "The Thing Lay Still"
The hunger has them all, it seems...
Welcome back to the seventh and final episode of my Interview with the Vampire recap for Spooky Season 2023 (now unintentionally very late but just in time for season 2)! If you need a refresher of episodes one through six, please feel free to skim through the archives!
I apologies for my lateness with this one. Much later than intended, but better late than never.
[spoilers from here on]
“You’re his destiny, Louis.” – Lily
Vampires can be hypnotizing, seductive—that is a large part of their charm. Of all the beasts of horror, they are the sexiest and most alluring, most human. It’s partly what seduced Louis into joining Lestat in “damnation,” if that’s what you want to call it, or eternal life in companionship to stave off the inevitable loneliness of vampirism, an allegory in itself.
This episode opens with a contemplative Daniel, slowed by his growing suspicions of Rashid. The scene, narrated by Louis, changes over to the slow-motion visuals of our vampire family slowly draining the life of an encyclopedia salesman, only seemingly enjoyed by Lestat, as Louis tells Daniel of the ways a vampire can be killed, or not.
“Theoretically, it can be done. But could it be done by us, to him? Could the children murder the father? He was stronger than us, quicker than us, in possession of ancient powers that had been passed onto his progeny only in a diminished form. Add to the toxic air a new everpresent paranoia, and now you are with us.”
Letters become torches and pitchforks, says Lestat, deciding that it’s finally time they leave New Orleans. After so much “enduring,” their beloved home has become a target. Rumors of monsters, fountains of youth, demons that can save lives. Claudia’s plotting aside, the three of them are no longer safe. Upon first view you’d think Lestat is being wise and mature to make this choice, although we learn later that it’s not only self-preservation that he is thinking of.
179 years in the savage garden, 148 years the blood drinker, the bringer of death.
This is Lestat to Louis in a simple narration, but we know this goes deeper.
Daniel refers to Claudia as “cold, calculating, on-mission”—as he looks at Rashid, who… is the same? This is a key parallel, especially if you’ve read the books, but for spoiler’s sake (if you haven’t read the book or seen the film) I will stop there for now.
Daniel is thrown by Rashid’s presence after his dream in the last episode. Whether Daniel remembers something, is untrusting of what these dreams may be or symbolize, are just dreams (unlikely), or are the vampires messing with his memory/planting memories, Daniel is off his game and Louis begins to notice, taking pause at Daniel’s stumbling through this session of their interview.
Back in the 1930s, Claudia and Louis plot against Lestat. Claudia plans to use Louis’ weakness for Lestat to her advantage. “It’ll only work if you give in. Give him all your heart and I’ll do the rest,” she says. “Leave a little shelf inside there for me. I’ll jump back in and pull you out before I kill him.” He says he can do this, but he doesn’t seem to believe it, fearful of Lestat’s emotional power over him.
“Sister, daughter, infant death—you must think me an idiot,” Lestat says when Claudia comes to him to “make peace” with a delicious plan for a party before they leave. Lestat resists, sasses back, (“Your very presence irritates me!” also said in the film and the book, heheh), but she doesn’t let him get to her, despite her choice words before he softens to her. Despite his softening, he’s not convinced her plan is beneficial to them.
And now that I’ve read The Vampire Lestat, that “those who must be kept” line from Lestat is significant!! But I’m not sure how they’ll incorporate it into the show, so I won’t spoil here. IYKYK. I lost my mind when I got to that part in the book, hah.
When Lestat gently tells Louis to turn the page, he seems happy again, like when they first were together. It’s jarring how fast they move between these emotions, showcasing their dysfunction, but is also a reprieve of happiness amidst the dreaded changes to come. The visuals play between Louis standing alone, front-facing Lestat and Claudia at the piano, and their hands woven together on the keys. To me this shows Claudia and Lestat’s entanglement in their hatred for each other while Louis stands witness to the side, loving them both, even if it hurts.
With all they’ve been through, with all we’ve been through alongside them as the audience, watching them bond and plot through a peaceful moment against the mortals they both couldn’t care less for is heartwarming, somehow. Unlike the first book, this show has completely sucked me into this family unit of the three of them. The actors have such chemistry whether they’re loving or fighting, and they have all won my heart over, but this story is not a happy story of domestic bliss between vampires.
Our vampire family dedicates their time to plotting their goodbye to New Orleans. While Claudia and Lestat are hard at work, Louis is along for the ride, doing his part by letting himself fall back in love with Lestat. One scene that caught my eye on a rewatch is when Claudia and Louis discuss Mardi Gras on the balcony. Lestat looks annoyed, and even though it’s very subtle, he already knew what they were planning at this point.
Above images via Tumblr.
“Claudia could taste her freedom, suffered the hunger with a cold joy only matched by the sun-hot ego of the vampire king.” – Louis de Pointe du Lac
They approach Tom Anderson for their Mardi Gras plans and are met with bitterness. They bribe him with an offer for his business after he insults Lestat (“Him?”) for wanting to be Raj. Claudia notes the way that Lestat responds to Tom’s slight. But Tom, in all of his greed, can’t help but be curious as to why Claudia’s “two-tone daddies” (😒) are still looking so handsome and youthful. He asks, “Where do you meet the devil, and what are the terms of the agreement?” Well, wouldn’t you like to know, Tom!
Plans come together so smoothly that we, the audience, are lulled into believing that the three of them will head out of the country as one after all. They plan to starve themselves and “let the flesh instruct the mind” so they can enjoy the feast of their neighbors on the night of their party.
Raj! Louis! Claudia! They all look amazing; Lestat living his best theatrical life. We see Lestat holding the drawings of their costumes, but even if we hadn’t, it’s no doubt he designed them, and they’re gorgeous! Despite Louis’ recollection of him being utterly pathetic in the book, in the end, we know that he remembers a well-dressed, handsome man who had a love for the opera. Lestat is not only a drama king, he’s creative too, as we’ve already seen with his music compositions, his taste in fashion, and his knowledge of flowers. The man has taste!
images via Tumblr
“A cascade of feelings came over me as I watched him sponge up the adoration. I wanted him dead, I wanted him all to myself… I wasn’t thinking clearly.” – Louis de Pointe du Lac
Of course, he wants Lestat all to himself, look at him! HOT.
A voice comes in but everyone’s too preoccupied or spun out to really investigate it. Louis thinks its Claudia, but the audience knows better. We even hear the creepy interiority of Tom speaking to Louis in his mind. It’s a beautiful, dreamy scene that further lulls us into not only the physical beauty of the set, their costumes, and the actors, but also the choreography of where they walk, how they speak and dance to each other, and the dialogue.
Louis finds Lestat on the balcony with his wig off and makes a joke that the wig has betrayed the king. Lestat responds, “Was that a witticism from the Duke of Gloom himself?” Louis is at a crossroads, unable to enjoy his life, his rebirth, his new life, and even the love that is around him. It would be hard to do with someone as erratic and volatile as Lestat as your partner.
Louis seems to, even if unintentional, find a way to punish himself for everything by not letting himself be happy. I can’t say it’s totally unrelatable. Will he ever be able to enjoy his life? Does he even enjoy it now in Dubai with Armand? I think he thinks he does, and I think season 2 will show us a lot of truths that have been hiding, that are even hidden in the book.
“I’m going to miss this place. There’s not an inch of this city that wasn’t built from the fierce wilderness that surrounds it. Hurricanes, floods, fevers. The damp climate on every painted sign, every stone facade. High windows, through which enameled bits of civilization glitter. Silhouettes emerging, wandering out to catch a silent flash of lightning. The silky warmth of summer rain. Desperately alive… and desperately fragile.”
images via Tumblr
Lestat waxes poetic (in a monologue formed from beautiful Anne Rice prose from the book) on New Orleans and how much he’ll miss it. It may not be clear upon first watch as we’re caught up in the story, but upon rewatch it’s very obvious that Lestat knew what was coming.
He knows he’s about to lose Louis and the life they built together, New Orleans itself. Almost as if to say to Louis, is this what you really want? He catches himself in his vulnerability: “The hunger has me too it seems.” He silently contemplates Louis for a moment before asking him for a “last dance” before the feast.
This dance is where they lay it all out publicly, prejudice be damned. Two men not only dancing (to an orchestra version of “Come to Me”!! Lestat clearly put that together), but then to kiss.
“It was my sole duty to distract Lestat, but in his mirrored eyes, the distraction reflected back onto me. And in the dead center of the whispering gallery, I lost the thread to my plotting and fell once more into the well with no bottom. I was his, and he was mine.”
They fall in love with each other again in this moment, we see when they pan to everyone being gone (a la Pride & Prejudice), the only two on earth again via the vampire bond, before Claudia catches it and interrupts them. Louis wants to stop the plan, but it’s too late.
Back at home with their victims they’ve promised to give the elixir of life, Lestat gets his revenge (finally after decades of micro and direct aggressions) on Tom Anderson, and the rest of them go to town after days of starving themselves. Even Louis has been taken over by his hunger which is shown to us by his ripping the jaw off of one man, surely something he wouldn't think of doing before tonight. Very unlike our Louis!
Watching this little family affair is fun as much as it is horrific. If only it wasn’t going to end in the death of one of them. And thankfully it’s Mardi Gras outside so no one can hear the slaughter.
Although Claudia told Louis one of the twins were poisoned, she knew she had to deceive Louis to complete this mission, because Claudia was aware of Antoinette’s spying all along.
After an obviously fake exchange about which twin they killed and why, Antoinette turns the corner, bold and empowered that she will help Lestat win this. But quickly Claudia gets her (satisfying, yes), and Lestat pukes up his blood. This is when we learn about Claudia’s plan within a plan, that she knew all along that Antoinette was watching them. Claudia is smart, she even poisoned the person she knew Lestat would get the most pleasure out of killing, Tom Anderson, instead of one of those insignificant twins.
Sam Reid mentioned in this interview that Lestat’s murder had to happen for his own growth, and that it supported the awful abuse that came prior, because something had to push Louis to be the one to do it. He even mentions that Lestat in this moment, as horrified as he is, is proud Claudia. She’s learned well in this vampire world how to take care of herself and put her vampire family first. Who is it she takes after? Although Claudia feels that Louis is family and reduced Lestat from her maker to her brother, a more distant relation, she is more like Lestat in this way. Claudia is more cruel than Louis will ever be, even in the books, she is intentionally a vicious killer who does not have the same reverence for humanity that Louis does. The way the TV adaptation shows us their similarities, their differences, and their conflicts is layered and beautiful.
Claudia tells Louis to have his goodbye as she crushes Antoinette’s face, and Lestat reaches for Louis and calls out to him.
“We are joined by a cord. By a cord that you cannot see but it is real. It is real… I have loved you. With all my self. I’m happy it was you. Here with me. À la fin.”
– Lestat De Lioncourt
Louis kills him with the same blade that he pulled on his brother years ago, and Lestat accepts his fate. Louis can’t even look him in the eye, he holds him from behind him, the way Lestat did when they first connected romantically/physically. Claudia records his last words in blood from his neck: Put me in my coffin, Louis Louis.
They burn Antoinette but Louis can’t burn Lestat. They throw him out with the garbage instead and leave for a boat on its way to Europe. We’ll see more of how Claudia feels about that in season 2….
And then, one of the best scenes of the season. Daniel the journalist! confronts Louis about his inconsistencies (“The biggest rat eater of them all!” among other things), is quick to call Louis out for his choice not to burn Lestat but also for probably lying to Claudia about it, Rashid being able to be fed from without blinking (but rather, enjoying the fuck out of it). Daniel points out that Claudia seems to have hated Louis’ guts for a while. Also noting that these pages weren’t torn out hastily like the ones of Claudia’s assault, but that they were neatly cut out. Who could’ve done that? *Looks at “Rashid”*
*pours one out for Lestat/sheds a tear for Louis*
images via Tumblr
Shortly after Daniel’s interrogation reaches peak heat, the biggest reveal of season 1 commences epically:
Rashid isn’t Rashid, he’s Armand, one of the oldest vampires in existence today that we know of. Of course, if you’ve read the books, you know there is a lot more behind the trio of Lestat, Armand, and Louis. You know that Lestat and Armand have known each other for centuries (hello season 2 trailer) and you know that Louis is relatively a baby in vampire years compared to them. There is so much unfolding, that even Daniel and Armand have actually met before and that Armand saved him from Louis in their first interview back in the ‘70s.
I don’t know if I’ve said anything majorly of merit in these essays, but it has been fun to create a visual compilation of a show I am deeply in love with that inspired me to read Interview with the Vampire (1976) and The Vampire Lestat (1985). Of course, I cannot help but move onto Queen of the Damned, although I’m not sure if the show version will take anything from that book. If you love the show but haven’t read the books, I certainly recommend! IWTV can be a bit of a dredge to get through but TVL is where I really fell in love and have really enjoyed not only getting deeper into the lore of my favorite vampire (and Armand!), but also to have learned who Those Who Must Be Kept are? Whewww!!! And Marius de Romanus, as mentioned casually in season 1.
Not sure if I’ll do this for season 2, but if you’ve read these, thanks for joining me! It’s been a pleasure.
Who’s excited for season 2?! I am nearly counting the hours!