Interview with the Vampire Page #14

DISSOLVE TO:

ROOM (SAN FRANCISCO) - PRESENT

Malloy looking at Louis.

(CONTINUED)

74.

CONTINUED:

MALLOY:

He did it to make you stay withhim! He made a vampire of a child!

LOUIS:

Perhaps. The answer to why isn'tso simple. Lestat was always theman of action. And that nighthe'd bared his soul to me. He'd

showed me his own weakness, his

own failure.

MALLOY:

That Gabrielle had left him. That

Armand had been right.

LOUIS:

Maybe he didn't know himself whyhe'd done it.

EXT. NEW SPANISH TOWNHOUSE (RUE ROYALE, NEW ORLEANS)

Two husky movers bring furniture through the back courtyard,

past the fountain and the banana trees, and up theback stairs and into -

INT. FLAT

Striped wallpaper gives way to flowers in the bedrooms.

And though huge four posters fill three of these rooms,

we also see large chests, as big as coffins, standingagainst the walls. Everywhere there are candles, andpretty Louis XVI furniture.

There are oil lamps about.

As we MOVE INTO:

DIMLY LIGHTED PARLOR

we see Claudia resplendent in white lace standing on apetit point chair, as a DRESSMAKER hems her garment withpins.

LOUIS (V.O.)

Life was very different withMademoiselle Claudia, as you canimagine. And he loved her. Oh,

he loved her as much as I loved

her and that was more than words

can express.

(CONTINUED)

75.

CONTINUED:

Lestat stands in the French window, open to the porch,

watching as Louis sits at the desk, his hand idly on anopen book.

DRESSMAKER:

Monsieur, I need more light. I

shall go blind if you do not bringme a lamp, or let me fit this childduring the day.

Claudia laughs, languidly, beautifully. Laughter seemsto echo off every surface. Lestat smiles at Claudia

and winks.

INT. ST. LOUIS HOTEL (NEW ORLEANS) - LOBBY - EARLYEVENING

Slave auction going on under the rotunda. Spectatorseverywhere.

Lestat and Claudia (mentally six years old) sit at smalltable in the open bar.

Lestat points to a man passing.

LESTAT:

All yours to choose from. Alwayspick carefully. Always pick oneyou want to hold in your arms.

One you want to know for aprecious moment.

Claudia nods.

CLAUDIA:

That one!

She points to a well-dressed WOMAN WITH a BABY in herarms who has just come down the stairs. A black slave

woman follows.

Lestat is obviously a little distressed. But he doesn't

want to question her.

He follows Claudia as she slips after the Woman outinto...

EXT. DARK STREET

WOMAN WITH BABY:

Hush, my little one. The cathedral

is only steps away. Here, take her,

Annette. I won't be long.

(CONTINUED)

76.

CONTINUED:

The Woman gives the baby to the slave woman who rocks itin her arms as the Woman enters the cathedral.

INT. ST. LOUIS CATHEDRAL

The Woman approaches the shrine of the Virgin and kneelsand quickly makes the sign of the cross. She looks upstartled to see...

CLAUDIA:

radiant, still as a statue, beside the altar.

ANOTHER ANGLE:

The Woman is entranced as Claudia draws nearer. Others

move quietly about the church.

WOMAN:

What is it, little one? Are youlost? Come here to me, darling.

Claudia winds her arms around the Woman's neck, looks

deep into her eyes. Then awkwardly, quickly, lessgracefully than Lestat or Louis, she sinks her teeth.

The Woman freezes.

WOMAN'S DAZED POV

as she is dying:
Lestat beside the altar watching,

amazed at Claudia's determination and fearlessness. Yet

a little put off.

EXT. CROWDED STREET CAFE (JACKSON SQUARE)

Lestat and Claudia talk together.

LESTAT:

I like the evil ones, I told you.

I like the taste. I like the rum

in their blood. It gets me tipsy.

Claudia laughs scornfully.

CLAUDIA:

And I like the innocent and the

young. Come now, I dare you.

Take that little orphan there,

wandering outside. Look at him.

(CONTINUED)

77.

CONTINUED:

FOCUS ON ragged boy selling matches in the street.

LESTAT:

You're a little fiend, you knowit?

CLAUDIA:

And you love it.

LESTAT:

I want a sodden drunk tonight.

Come, I'll show you. We'll find

someone who's had at least a fifth

of the best wine.

They leave together.

CLAUDIA:

You really can taste it.

LESTAT:

Cherie, I'll have to carry youhome.

INT. FLAT (FURNISHINGS - 1815)

Louis and Claudia sit together on the French couch asLouis reads to Claudia from Moll Flanders. He stops,

tired and sits back.

CLAUDIA:

Here, Louis, let me read to youfor a while.

LOUIS:

But I've never taught you...

CLAUDIA:

Well, I don't think it's so veryhard. Not after watching you.

Claudia begins to read the page, haltingly, then fasterand more fluidly and finally as eloquently as Louis.

Louis is amazed. We hear:

Lestat's laughter.

Lestat appears with a handbill. He drops it over thebook. He gives a little belch.

LESTAT:

Here, my precious, read this.

(CONTINUED)

78.

CONTINUED:

CLAUDIA:

(reading)

'The Saint Charles Theatre herebyinvites all young actors of thecity of New Orleans to auditionfor the leading role inShakespeare's tragedy... '

Oh, not Macbeth again, Lestat.

We've seen it a hundred times.

And you've been hunting among thesots again, haven't you?

Louis laughs softly to himself.

LESTAT:

Ah, but not with Lestat de

Lioncourt in the leading role,

you haven't seen it!

CLAUDIA:

You? As Macbeth? How marvelous!

Jumps off the couch and runs to him. Lestat picks her

up.

LESTAT:

I intend to try for it fair and

square.

LOUIS:

It's too risky and you know it.

To be that close with mortals

night after night.

Lestat dances around the room holding Claudia as if shewere a woman dancing partner.

LESTAT:

I have it all figured out, Louis.

I'll go to the audition with myface painted. I shall always havemy face painted. They can lookas closely as they like!

INT. ST. CHARLES THEATRE - LOUIS'S AND CLAUDIA'S POV

alone in back row watching:

Crowd of actors on the stage. Dickensian theatrical

director motioning for quiet.

(CONTINUED)

79.

CONTINUED:

Lestat dressed as Macbeth with face painted heavilyholds the script and begins to read.

LESTAT:

(with great but

subdued feeling)

' ... Out, out brief candle.

Life's but a walking shadow, apoor player that struts and fretshis hour upon the stage, and thenis heard no more...

(hesitates,

struggles tocontinue)

... It is a tale told by an idiot,

full of sound and fury, signifyingnothing.'

BACK TO SCENE:

Claudia makes a silent delighted gesture of clapping herhands, and in her excitement kisses Louis who watches

smiling as -

Other actors applaud, nod in agreement. Stage managergoes into raptures of approval, jumping to the stage totake Lestat's hand.

Lestat stands transfixed staring at the dark emptytheatre.

The mortals all around him.

BACK TO LOUIS'S POV

who realizes Lestat is suffering.

Lestat stares into emptiness.

INT. FLAT - SEVERAL EVENINGS LATER

Lestat enters the parlor with Claudia rushing behind him.

Louis looks up from the evening paper.

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