The Vampire Lestat
Encyclopedia
The Vampire Lestat is a novel
by Anne Rice
, and the second in her Vampire Chronicles
, following Interview with the Vampire
. Many events in the two books appear to contradict each other. These inconsistencies provide an example of the unreliable narrator
, allowing the readers to decide which version of events they believe to be accurate.
Lestat de Lioncourt
, and his rise from humble beginnings as an impoverished aristocrat
in the countryside of France to the city of Paris to become a vain and arrogant vampire. After escaping his family and running off to Paris with his friend and confidante Nicolas de Lenfent (nicknamed Nicki by Lestat), Lestat is kidnapped and bitten by the rogue elder vampire Magnus, who orphans him on the night he is made. Later, his dying mother, Gabrielle, arrives to say goodbye to him. In order to save her, Lestat bites her, transforming her into his first companion. Lestat abandons Nicki for fear of causing him harm and shuns contact with his loved ones. He later turns Nicki into a vampire after Armand kidnaps him and they begin to grow apart because of Nicki's sullenness; he later commits suicide by "going into the fire," from severe depression. Armand "shows" Lestat the history of how he was made by Marius. Compelled by the idea of Marius, Lestat leaves markings carved into rock in numerous places while traveling with Gabrielle, hoping that one day, Marius will see them and find Lestat. Whilst in Egypt, abandoned by Gabrielle, Lestat sleeps in the ground and is recovered by Marius who takes him to his Mediterranean island. Then, Marius shares his past with him, and shows him Those Who Must Be Kept, Akasha and Enkil. Once Marius has given his warning to Lestat not to go see them again and leaves on a short outing, Lestat takes Nicolas's old violin and plays for the King and Queen, awakening them. Akasha feeds from Lestat as Lestat feeds from her. Then, Enkil, furious as ever, nearly kills Lestat, who is saved by Marius, and sent away.
The book ends on a cliffhanger
after Lestat's debut concert in San Francisco, and leads directly into the third volume, The Queen of the Damned
.
as lead artists, had a script adapted from the novel by Rice and Faye Perozich. In 1991 the entire series was published as a graphic novel
by Ballantine
.
of The Queen of the Damned
..
The Film "Queen of the Damned
" was seen to be a critical failure, and disappointed some viewers. This is most likely due to the absence of a film for The Vampire Lestat, rather than the film itself. However it was said to have been the primary delay of any film adaptations of The Vampire Chronicles. Rice herself has dismissed the film.
show Lestat. The musical, which was composed by Elton John
and Bernie Taupin
and written by Linda Woolverton, had a pre-Broadway tryout in California in late 2005 and ran for a total of 33 previews and 39 official performances at the Palace Theater
in New York.
, with a theatrical release that was said to have been marked for the late 1990s. The film adaptation was highly anticipated and is still to this day. Neil Jordan
, director of Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles
, took on the opportunity of adapting the novel. However, not only did development lead nowhere, there was much stress brought on by the project as time was limited before the novel's rights would revert to Rice. Rice confirmed that the project had difficulties at the time, describing the process as "stressful" for Warner Bros., and admitting there was "no good news" regarding the possible theatrical film. She also said via her website that her material was not comprehensible among producers; this statement would only prove true nearly a decade later when the loosely based film adaptation for Queen of the Damned was released.
As of August 2009, talks have been underway in the continuation of The Vampire Chronicles film series, with The Vampire Lestat being the next film to be focused on in the series. Robert Downey Jr.
is said to be up for the role of Lestat, but Robert has dismissed rumors he is set to sink his teeth into a new role as a vampire.
The Iron Man star was recently reported to be in talks to take over the role of Lestat, made famous by Tom Cruise
, in a prequel to 1994 movie Interview With The Vampire
.
Film bosses reportedly want to revive the horror in the wake of a string of successful bloodsucker projects including Twilight
and TV series True Blood
- and Downey Jr. was reportedly in contention to take the lead.
However, a representative for the actor insists he hasn't been approached about the project, telling Gossip Cop, "This story is false."
On May 13th 2011 Rice posted on her Facebook page saying that she had "good news, good for me, and good for my beloved Lestat. I hope soon I can say something more coherent and informative, but for now, I'm celebrating." Many of her fans believe this is an insinuation of a new adaptation of the novel.
Anne has recently stated numerous times through her Facebook profile that "Lestat will return to the big screen." She currently awaits news regarding any plans for film adaptations of The Vampire Chronicles as well.
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
by Anne Rice
Anne Rice
Anne Rice is a best-selling Southern American author of metaphysical gothic fiction, Christian literature and erotica from New Orleans, Louisiana. Her books have sold nearly 100 million copies, making her one of the most widely read authors in modern history...
, and the second in her Vampire Chronicles
The Vampire Chronicles
The Vampire Chronicles is a series of novels by Anne Rice that revolves around the fictional character Lestat de Lioncourt, a French nobleman turned into a vampire in the 18th century....
, following Interview with the Vampire
Interview with the Vampire
Interview with the Vampire is a vampire novel by Anne Rice written in 1973 and published in 1976. It was the first novel to feature the enigmatic vampire Lestat, and was followed by several sequels, collectively known as The Vampire Chronicles...
. Many events in the two books appear to contradict each other. These inconsistencies provide an example of the unreliable narrator
Unreliable narrator
An unreliable narrator is a narrator, whether in literature, film, or theatre, whose credibility has been seriously compromised. The term was coined in 1961 by Wayne C. Booth in The Rhetoric of Fiction. This narrative mode is one that can be developed by an author for a number of reasons, usually...
, allowing the readers to decide which version of events they believe to be accurate.
Plot summary
Set in the late 18th century to the late 1980s, the story follows the 200-year-long life of the vampireVampire
Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person...
Lestat de Lioncourt
Lestat de Lioncourt
Lestat de Lioncourt is a fictional character appearing in several novels by Anne Rice, including The Vampire Lestat. He is a vampire and the main character in the majority of The Vampire Chronicles, narrated in first person.-Publication history:...
, and his rise from humble beginnings as an impoverished aristocrat
Aristocracy (class)
The aristocracy are people considered to be in the highest social class in a society which has or once had a political system of Aristocracy. Aristocrats possess hereditary titles granted by a monarch, which once granted them feudal or legal privileges, or deriving, as in Ancient Greece and India,...
in the countryside of France to the city of Paris to become a vain and arrogant vampire. After escaping his family and running off to Paris with his friend and confidante Nicolas de Lenfent (nicknamed Nicki by Lestat), Lestat is kidnapped and bitten by the rogue elder vampire Magnus, who orphans him on the night he is made. Later, his dying mother, Gabrielle, arrives to say goodbye to him. In order to save her, Lestat bites her, transforming her into his first companion. Lestat abandons Nicki for fear of causing him harm and shuns contact with his loved ones. He later turns Nicki into a vampire after Armand kidnaps him and they begin to grow apart because of Nicki's sullenness; he later commits suicide by "going into the fire," from severe depression. Armand "shows" Lestat the history of how he was made by Marius. Compelled by the idea of Marius, Lestat leaves markings carved into rock in numerous places while traveling with Gabrielle, hoping that one day, Marius will see them and find Lestat. Whilst in Egypt, abandoned by Gabrielle, Lestat sleeps in the ground and is recovered by Marius who takes him to his Mediterranean island. Then, Marius shares his past with him, and shows him Those Who Must Be Kept, Akasha and Enkil. Once Marius has given his warning to Lestat not to go see them again and leaves on a short outing, Lestat takes Nicolas's old violin and plays for the King and Queen, awakening them. Akasha feeds from Lestat as Lestat feeds from her. Then, Enkil, furious as ever, nearly kills Lestat, who is saved by Marius, and sent away.
The book ends on a cliffhanger
Cliffhanger
A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending is a plot device in fiction which features a main character in a precarious or difficult dilemma, or confronted with a shocking revelation at the end of an episode of serialized fiction...
after Lestat's debut concert in San Francisco, and leads directly into the third volume, The Queen of the Damned
The Queen of the Damned
The Queen of the Damned is the third novel of Anne Rice's The Vampire Chronicles series. It follows Interview with the Vampire and The Vampire Lestat...
.
Comic: Anne Rice's The Vampire Lestat
The Vampire Lestat was adapted into a comic and released as a 12-part miniseries by Innovation Comics in 1990 and 1991. The comic, which was formally titled Anne Rice's The Vampire Lestat and featured Daerick Gross and Mike OkamotoMike Okamoto
Mike Okamoto is an American comic book artist and commercial illustrator best known for co-creating Marvel Comics' Atomic Age; as a "good girl art" cartoonist; and as the five-time International Network of Golf Illustrator of the Year.-Early life and career:Born and raised in Detroit Michigan,...
as lead artists, had a script adapted from the novel by Rice and Faye Perozich. In 1991 the entire series was published as a graphic novel
Graphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
by Ballantine
Ballantine Books
Ballantine Books is a major book publisher located in the United States, founded in 1952 by Ian Ballantine with his wife, Betty Ballantine. It was acquired by Random House in 1973, which in turn was acquired by Bertelsmann AG in 1998 and remains part of that company today. Ballantine's logo is a...
.
Queen of the Damned
Portions of The Vampire Lestat were used in the 2002 film adaptationQueen of the Damned (film)
Queen of the Damned is a 2002 film adaptation of the third novel of Anne Rice's The Vampire Chronicles series, The Queen of the Damned, although the film contains many plot elements from the latter novel's predecessor, The Vampire Lestat. It stars Aaliyah as the vampire queen Akasha, and Stuart...
of The Queen of the Damned
The Queen of the Damned
The Queen of the Damned is the third novel of Anne Rice's The Vampire Chronicles series. It follows Interview with the Vampire and The Vampire Lestat...
..
The Film "Queen of the Damned
Queen of the Damned (film)
Queen of the Damned is a 2002 film adaptation of the third novel of Anne Rice's The Vampire Chronicles series, The Queen of the Damned, although the film contains many plot elements from the latter novel's predecessor, The Vampire Lestat. It stars Aaliyah as the vampire queen Akasha, and Stuart...
" was seen to be a critical failure, and disappointed some viewers. This is most likely due to the absence of a film for The Vampire Lestat, rather than the film itself. However it was said to have been the primary delay of any film adaptations of The Vampire Chronicles. Rice herself has dismissed the film.
Lestat: The Musical
The novel formed the basis for the short-lived 2006 BroadwayBroadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
show Lestat. The musical, which was composed by Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
and Bernie Taupin
Bernie Taupin
Bernard John "Bernie" Taupin is an English lyricist, poet, and singer, best known for his long-term collaboration with Elton John, writing the lyrics for the majority of the star's songs, making his lyrics some of the best known in pop-rock's history.In 1967, Taupin answered an advertisement in...
and written by Linda Woolverton, had a pre-Broadway tryout in California in late 2005 and ran for a total of 33 previews and 39 official performances at the Palace Theater
Palace Theatre, New York
The Palace Theatre is a Broadway theatre located at 1564 Broadway in midtown-Manhattan.-History:Designed by architects Kirchoff & Rose, the theatre was built by Martin Beck a California vaudeville entrepreneur and Broadway impresario. The project experienced a number of business problems before...
in New York.
The Vampire Lestat Film
A film adaptation of The Vampire Lestat was originally supposed to go right into development after the filming of Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire ChroniclesInterview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles
Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles is a 1994 American drama and horror film directed by Neil Jordan, based on the 1976 novel Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice. The film focuses on Lestat and Louis, beginning with Louis' transformation into a vampire by Lestat in 1791...
, with a theatrical release that was said to have been marked for the late 1990s. The film adaptation was highly anticipated and is still to this day. Neil Jordan
Neil Jordan
Neil Patrick Jordan is an Irish filmmaker and novelist. He won an Academy Award for The Crying Game.- Early life :...
, director of Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles
Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles
Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles is a 1994 American drama and horror film directed by Neil Jordan, based on the 1976 novel Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice. The film focuses on Lestat and Louis, beginning with Louis' transformation into a vampire by Lestat in 1791...
, took on the opportunity of adapting the novel. However, not only did development lead nowhere, there was much stress brought on by the project as time was limited before the novel's rights would revert to Rice. Rice confirmed that the project had difficulties at the time, describing the process as "stressful" for Warner Bros., and admitting there was "no good news" regarding the possible theatrical film. She also said via her website that her material was not comprehensible among producers; this statement would only prove true nearly a decade later when the loosely based film adaptation for Queen of the Damned was released.
As of August 2009, talks have been underway in the continuation of The Vampire Chronicles film series, with The Vampire Lestat being the next film to be focused on in the series. Robert Downey Jr.
Robert Downey Jr.
Robert John Downey, Jr. is an American actor. Downey made his screen debut in 1970 at the age of five when he appeared in his father's film Pound, and has worked consistently in film and television ever since. During the 1980s he had roles in a series of coming of age films associated with the...
is said to be up for the role of Lestat, but Robert has dismissed rumors he is set to sink his teeth into a new role as a vampire.
The Iron Man star was recently reported to be in talks to take over the role of Lestat, made famous by Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise
Thomas Cruise Mapother IV , better known as Tom Cruise, is an American film actor and producer. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards and he has won three Golden Globe Awards....
, in a prequel to 1994 movie Interview With The Vampire
Interview with the Vampire
Interview with the Vampire is a vampire novel by Anne Rice written in 1973 and published in 1976. It was the first novel to feature the enigmatic vampire Lestat, and was followed by several sequels, collectively known as The Vampire Chronicles...
.
Film bosses reportedly want to revive the horror in the wake of a string of successful bloodsucker projects including Twilight
Twilight
Twilight is the time between dawn and sunrise or between sunset and dusk, during which sunlight scattering in the upper atmosphere illuminates the lower atmosphere, and the surface of the earth is neither completely lit nor completely dark. The sun itself is not directly visible because it is below...
and TV series True Blood
True Blood
True Blood is an American television series created and produced by Alan Ball. It is based on The Southern Vampire Mysteries series of novels by Charlaine Harris, detailing the co-existence of vampires and humans in Bon Temps, a fictional, small town in the state of Louisiana...
- and Downey Jr. was reportedly in contention to take the lead.
However, a representative for the actor insists he hasn't been approached about the project, telling Gossip Cop, "This story is false."
On May 13th 2011 Rice posted on her Facebook page saying that she had "good news, good for me, and good for my beloved Lestat. I hope soon I can say something more coherent and informative, but for now, I'm celebrating." Many of her fans believe this is an insinuation of a new adaptation of the novel.
Anne has recently stated numerous times through her Facebook profile that "Lestat will return to the big screen." She currently awaits news regarding any plans for film adaptations of The Vampire Chronicles as well.