What I've Been Watching: The Catch-All Film Thread

I don't like Mr. Cruise , either (mainly because he looks alot like my little bro - whom I like, but still), but I really liked him in Interview with the Vampire, in Magnolia... and especially in Vanilla Sky (a movie that left me speechless. But I have yet to see the original).
I have a similar reason--he reminds me of a boss I really didn't get along with. :) Obviously I can't criticize the guy's acting when I never watch his movies, so you have to take my words with a grain of salt.

@JDR: Penis? Perhaps I should watch the flick after all :D.

Yes, but it's *blue*--and I don't think it's on a Drow. That can't be good.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
7,834
I freely admit I can't stand him so I'm prejudiced, but also it seems every time I've seen him he's playing some cocky pretty-boy hero with an attitude. I never caught Interview with a Vampire simply because he was in it and I assumed that would be his approach to LeStat, who to my mind is a much too complex character for the likes of Cruise. You need brooding for LeStat--serious brooding and no spunkiness. :)

Could be that it's just me, D'Artagnan. ;)

I think you should watch Interview with the Vampire and experience him for yourself.

That is, if you want to actually have some basis for your opinions ;)

If I'm not mistaken, Anne Rice had a similar reaction when she heard he'd star as Lestat - but she apparently changed her mind upon seeing it...
 
I just never thought Interview with a Vampire was more than average, not worth a second view and definitely not in the top 10 vampire flicks I've seen ... and as such Cruise doesn't especially stand out for me - maybe he was better than the movie and I just don't remember anymore.
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
14,911
I just never thought Interview with a Vampire was more than average, not worth a second view and definitely not in the top 10 vampire flicks I've seen ... and as such Cruise doesn't especially stand out for me - maybe he was better than the movie and I just don't remember anymore.

I'm talking specifically about his role in that film, not the overall quality of the movie.

I think it's a good movie, but nothing more. However, I can't possibly think of 10 vampire movies that are superior - and I'd have trouble finding even 5. Out of curiousity, it'd be interesting to see your list of 10 superior vampire movies, because I'm convinced I must have missed some of them.

His acting is pretty great, though, but obviously he's not a master thespian - and in the end, it's just my opinion - nothing more. But you'd be hard pressed to claim that he's playing himself in it, or I certainly wouldn't agree.
 
@D'Artagnan: Movies made from books I love seldom come up to par for me, and I have no confidence a Hollywood movie could ever do what Ann Rice did in Interview, *and* I hate Tom Cruise, so it's unlikely I'd get much out of watching the film. But I do concede that all that is opinion based, and subjective. For you. Cruise's acting may say things I'm unable to appreciate.

@Mike: I, too, would like to see your list of top ten vampire movies. Here's mine, though not 10:
Shadow of the Vampire
The Hunger
The Lost Boys
Salem's Lot
Nosferatu
Dracula/Bram Stoker's Dracula remake
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
7,834
@D'Artagnan: Movies made from books I love seldom come up to par for me, and I have no confidence a Hollywood movie could ever do what Ann Rice did in Interview, *and* I hate Tom Cruise, so it's unlikely I'd get much out of watching the film. But I do concede that all that is opinion based, and subjective. For you. Cruise's acting may say things I'm unable to appreciate.

Fair enough.

You seem almost determined NOT to like him, so I won't waste more time trying to give a different perspective.

I think the movie is way better than one might expect, but with your position I doubt you'd agree :)

Shadow of the Vampire
The Hunger
The Lost Boys
Salem's Lot
Nosferatu
Dracula/Bram Stoker's Dracula remake

Some great ones there...

I'd place Interview above them all except Shadow of the Vampire and Nosferatu. I haven't seen The Hunger though.
 
Fair enough.

You seem almost determined NOT to like him, so I won't waste more time trying to give a different perspective.
Yes, and I'm fine with that. :)


I'd place Interview above them all except Shadow of the Vampire and Nosferatu. I haven't seen The Hunger though.
Storywise, Interview is a classic and would go on my list in that regard. It's kind of interesting that most of those movies are derived from books. AFA The Hunger, it's worth a viewing--even though David Bowie Susan Sarandon and Catherine Denueve seem an odd mix, it works.

120508025335_hunger%20detail.jpg
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
7,834
Do you guys mean Interview with the Vampire? ;)

Gonna throw my 2 cents in here....

I personally couldn't stand Tom Cruise or Brad Pitt before seeing IwtV. That being said, IwtV is definitely one of the better vampire films ever made. I've probably watched it at least 6-7 times over the years, and it never gets old. I also thought that Kirsten Dunst, Antonio Banderas, and Christian Slater were all great in their supporting roles.

I really like The Lost Boys as well, although it's almost more of a comedy imo.

Which Salem's Lot? The original 1979 TV movie, or the 2004 remake?
 
Joined
Oct 21, 2006
Messages
39,017
Location
Florida, US
Do you guys mean Interview with the Vampire? ;)

Gonna throw my 2 cents in here....

I personally couldn't stand Tom Cruise or Brad Pitt before seeing IwtV. That being said, IwtV is definitely one of the better vampire films ever made. I've probably watched it at least 6-7 times over the years, and it never gets old. I also thought that Kirsten Dunst, Antonio Banderas, and Christian Slater were all great in their supporting roles.
Hmmm, with a cast like that it might make me able to not focus on my Cruise hatred. The problem is, I have a picture in my head of LeStat from reading the book and it just grates with my image of a TC portrayal--however, perhaps someday I will rent Interview with THE Vampire. ;)

Which Salem's Lot? The original 1979 TV movie, or the 2004 remake?

The first-didn't know there was a remake. Typical made for tv Stephen King(but better than It )--cheesy but scary as hell, and as I remember, pretty close to the book.
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
7,834
The first-didn't know there was a remake. Typical made for tv Stephen King(but better than It )--cheesy but scary as hell, and as I remember, pretty close to the book.

I haven't seen the remake myself, but it looks interesting. Rob Lowe plays the main character, and Donald Sutherland is the priest.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0355987/
 
Joined
Oct 21, 2006
Messages
39,017
Location
Florida, US
Another one for the queue. And Rutger Hauer's in it too--can't believe I haven't seen it. Thanks.
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
7,834
OK, here is my list:
- Nosferatu
- Lost Boys
- Salem's Lot (original)
- Dracula (Bela Legosi)
- Dracula: Prince of Darkness
- Other Christopher Lee / Peter Cushing vamp films and Bela Legosi films
- The Hunger
- Shadow of the Vampire
- The Night Stalker
- Near Dark
- Blacula (ok, yes I'm kidding - should have done a 'not in my top 5 :D )
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
14,911
Oh yeah TXA, Blacula rocks! I have that and the sequel "Scream Blacula, Scream", awesome 70's blaxploitation horror, a very rare mix! On the cult classic front, I can recommend "Vampyres", good eurotrashy castle vampire flick. "countess dracula" and "the vampire lovers" are good Ingridd Pitt blood-n-boobs flicks, cant go wrong w/ that. The Hammer dracs are good, if only for the laugh in the end at all the ridiculous ways Dracula can die. Good 80's fun can be found in Fright Night, must have watched that one ten times at least

Interview w/ the Vampire is the only movie that I've ever watched, rewound, then immediately watched again. I loved it, personally it was one of those films that gripped me so, made me wonder how I could somehow invest myself further in that world somehow. So I wore more black, grabbed the V:TM rulebook, smoked some cloves, and read all the Rice books I could get.. lol.
Claudia was probably my favorite - such a tragic, terrible figure. A resentful child vampire never to grow up, forever hating Lestat for her curse. Cruise was great, Antonio was great, I think the cast as a whole was great. Strangely enough, that's one dvd I dont own, probably a subconscious maneuver of sorts to try and keep it special.

I kinda liked Queen of the Damned, but it was nowhere near as good as Interview.

Most normal people dont know about Shadow of the Vampire, I'm really quite surprised and pleased that so many here have seen it and appreciate it's merit. Brilliant film from start to finish. I've shown it to some non-horror fans, even subjected my own mother to it and she liked it. Vampires can be scary, such as in Salem's Lot, but for a vampire film to be really effective for me and recognized as a true classic it has to show the human tragedy of the vampire, as well as the monster. Coppola's remake is great in that respect as well, showed that one last halloween and my fiancee was bawling! ='.'=

I purrsonally think 30 Days of Night deserves a mention, that was a pretty good modern vampire film. Still have to see Herzog's Nosferatu, been meaning to add that one to netflix que.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
5,228
Location
San Diego, Ca
Queen of the Damned was definitely a letdown compared to IwtV....not a terrible movie on it's own though.

I guess I need to rent Shadow of the Vampire, I'm ashamed to say I've never seen it.
 
Joined
Oct 21, 2006
Messages
39,017
Location
Florida, US
I'm not sure where it was recommended to me - probably at GamerDad when I let on I was a big fan of Nosferatu and classic Lagosi and Lee vamp films.
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
14,911
The original Nosferatu just doesnt really do it for me. Horror peeps are always like "it's the scariest movie Ive ever seen!" type of response, Ive never found it that way at all. More like a relic to me of sorts, like a study of the beginning of horror films, and of film technique in general of the period. I find it pretty fascinating in a way, but never truly scary. Here's a good list of vampire flicks, some of them Ive never heard of and look quite interesting, like The Addiction w/ Christopher Walken, and Nadja. Anyone seen Warhol's Dracula?

http://snarkerati.com/movie-news/top-70-vampire-movies-of-all-time/

Oh and by the way, I have Jess Franco's "Vampyros Lesbos" - it sucks. And not in a good way! When I start putting up stuff on Amazon here soon (cleaning out my collections) it's gonna be one of the first to go.
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
5,228
Location
San Diego, Ca
OK, here is my list:
- Nosferatu
- Lost Boys
- Salem's Lot (original)
- Dracula (Bela Legosi)
- Dracula: Prince of Darkness
- Other Christopher Lee / Peter Cushing vamp films and Bela Legosi films
- The Hunger
- Shadow of the Vampire
- The Night Stalker
- Near Dark
- Blacula (ok, yes I'm kidding - should have done a 'not in my top 5 :D )

You have taste issues if those are all better than Interview ;)

Nah, everything is subjective and all that...
 
Back
Top Bottom