Queen of the Damned Page #2

LESTAT:

Please don't stop.

JAMES:

What the f-- How did you get inhere?

LESTAT:

The door, of course.

James and Alex look at the door on the other side of the

attic -- they should have seen him. Maudy stares atLestat, quite taken by the handsome vampire's looks -Drinking

Maudy in with his eyes -

LESTAT:

Your music woke me from the

longest sleep. It's sublime. In

two hundred years I've never heardanything quite like it.

ALEX:

Who the hell are you?

(CONTINUED)

6.

14 CONTINUED:
(2) 14

LESTAT (V.O.)

The question provoked anirresistible urge...

LESTAT:

You may call me the vampire Lestat.

As we REMAIN ON the stunned looks of the band's faces -LESTAT

(V.O.)

It just rolled out of my mouth.

With one simple sentence I hadbetrayed everything about my kind.

Betrayed our code of secrecy.

LESTAT:

Your struggles are over.

Suddenly from across the room -LESTAT

All that you've ever dreamed ofwill be yours.

They spin around to see Lestat now right behind them,

smiling.

ALEX:

(terrified)

What the hell is this?

LESTAT:

Your lucky day.

They all stare at him, faces white.

breaks into a big smile.

A beat. Then James

Cool.

JAMES:

We got our very own vampire.

Maudy and Alex look at each other getting used to it.

They break into smiles, going with it.

MAUDY:

Hey, Vampire Lestat, I've alwayswondered... about Keith Richards...

CUT TO:

15 EXT. SKIES - NIGHT 15

FLYING ACROSS night skies, as the distinctive dark soundof SATAN'S NIGHT OUT KICKS IN to join Lestat's soaringvoice.

(CONTINUED)

7.

15 CONTINUED:
15

LESTAT (V.O.)

It was a bold move, I admit. But

from that moment on, they were myfriends, my children, my band.

Together we rode on the wave of mypreternatural ambition tosuperstardom, giving the world anew god... me.

We COME ACROSS the city lights of London. Below, policecars section off a few blocks around a very sleek,

ultramodern office building where a huge crowd hasgathered.

SUPERIMPOSE:
LONDON (6 MONTHS LATER)

16 EXT. OFFICE BUILDING - CONTINUOUS ACTION 16

Through the crowd, a very long, black limousine snakesits way toward the building. Rows of fans dressed as

Goths, ghouls and vampires scream out...

FANS:

Lestat! Lestat!

Girls press their breasts and necks up against thelimousine. Thump! Thump! Fan after female fan flingsherself on the car. Groupies scream with pureexcitement.

Confusion of screams as the door to the limo opens. The

crowd's scream reaches a fever pitch as... James, Alexand Maudy climb out, ogle at the sight. ROGER SMYTHE,

their business manager (40s), gets out next, hustlingthem through the crowd.

A wave of hysteria hits the fans. Roger hustles theband through the crowd and up the stairs into the church,

past the giant billboard with their own images writtenhuge, Lestat's smiling face above them all and the

announcement -LESTAT

-- LIVE & UNDEAD -- OCTOBER 31, ALL HALLOW'S EVE,

DEATH VALLEY, U.S.A.

17 INT. OFFICE BUILDING - SOON AFTER 17

A high-tech conference room. The band, sitting up front,

is faced by an audience of over fifty journalists andthen another fifty photographers and TV cameras. The

room crackles with anticipation. Roger steps to thepodium.

(CONTINUED)

8.

17 CONTINUED:
17

ROGER:

May I present the Vampire Lestat.

He pushes a button and a black curtain slides open toreveal a huge monitor on the wall.

Every eye is glued to the SCREEN... CRACKLE, CRACKLE.

Nothing. Then suddenly, on the screen, a face in shadowappears... Lestat. His voice booms out over the crowd.

LESTAT:

Good evening. I'm so sorry I'mlate. I was just having my...

breakfast.

18 OMITTED 18

19 BACK TO SCENE 19

Then Lestat leans forward into the light. Hushed

whispers move through the crowd. Lestat's eyes burnunnaturally bright. His white skin absolutely glows,

luminous. Lestat smiles out at them with a tight smile.

Then grins wider, revealing his fangs.

JOURNALIST:

Excellent makeup job.

Manson, look out...

Marilyn

A thousand questions suddenly burst out of thejournalists.

ROGER:

Hey, hey! We're gonna keep thisshort here! One at a time. You!

He points to a PRETTY FRENCH JOURNALIST.

PRETTY FRENCH JOURNALIST

So, Lestat. You say you're areal vampire. Correct me if I'm

wrong, but what I remember aboutvampires is you guys usually keepyour identity secret.

LESTAT:

Yes. But why hide it in this dayand age? I've hidden in the

shadows for centuries. It's time

to share myself with the world.

(CONTINUED)

9.

19 CONTINUED:
19

In the corner, Roger gives a big winking smile to the

camera crew. The journalists smile, playing along. A

younger, hipper MUSIC magazine JOURNALIST pipes in...

MUSIC JOURNALIST

And it doesn't hurt the record

sales, huh? Your album justtopped all kinds of sales records.

LESTAT:

Our label isn't complaining, no.

PRETTY FRENCH JOURNALIST

Could you prove it? You know giveus a demonstration of your powers?

LESTAT:

If you like, I'll give you aprivate demonstration in yourhotel room tonight.

The journalists laugh. The French Journalist looks a

little frightened/fascinated by Lestat's leer.

LIFESTYLE JOURNALIST

Why not a demo at your own house?

I mean, what's with all the

secrecy about where you stay? Is

it true you move residences everyfew days?

LESTAT:

(smiles, giving away

nothing)

After calling one stone tomb homesweet home for so long, I like toexperience as much diversity as I

can. Wouldn't you?

The Lifestyle Journalist smiles.

MUSIC JOURNALIST

There are a lot of rumors flyingaround the internet about the

hidden meaning in your lyrics,

that you're giving away 'vampiresecrets.' Something in all that?

20 SMALL TV SCREEN 20

In a dark room, the interview continues.

(CONTINUED)

10.

20 CONTINUED:
20

LESTAT (V.O.)

Maybe I'm trying to resurrect afew old friends with my words.

Daring them to come out.

MUSIC JOURNALIST

Of the closet.

LESTAT:

(smiles)

The casket...

Laughter. They're enjoying this performance although noone is taking it very seriously. PULL OUT to reveal we

are -21

INT. PRIVATE CLUB - SAME TIME 21

A man in a dark suit plays pool. Looking up over hisdark glasses, his strange, luminescent, grey eyes stareup at Lestat on the TV scornfully.

22 BACK TO PRESS CONFERENCE 22

MUSIC JOURNALIST

Your first and only concert's inDeath Valley, just days away. Whyjust the one?

LESTAT:

(grins)

I don't like repeating myself.

MUSIC JOURNALIST

But these other vampires, aren'tthey going to be pissed thatyou're giving away their secrets?

LESTAT:

I imagine they are, yes.

LIFESTYLE JOURNALIST

Do you have anything to say to theother vampires listening outthere?

LESTAT:

Yes, as a matter of fact, I do...

Leaning forward, Lestat smiles at the TV camera.

MATCH CUT TO:

11.

23 INT. PRIVATE CLUB - TV 23

LESTAT (V.O.)

Come out, come out, wherever you

are.

CAMERA BOOMS DOWN to reveal...

A group of dangerous-looking vampires dressed in variousstyles, staring stony-faced up at the screen, their eyesglowing strangely in the ultra-violet light. The poolplayer is in the b.g. Other vampires, dressed in black, eyescold as ice, stare up at the TV.

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