20 Vampire Movies You Must See Before You Die

9. Interview With The Vampire (1994)

When Anne Rice, author of the original novel on which Interview with the Vampire was based, heard that Tom Cruise had been cast as the lead vampire, she famously turned up her nose and declared him to be entirely wrong for the part. It wasn't until the writer actually sat down to watch the finished picture that she realised she'd spoken to soon. "From the moment he appeared," she said, "Tom was Lestat for me." Not having seen Interview with the Vampire, you can understand where Anne was coming from; Tom Cruise seems like the least likely actor imaginable to play a vampire, and yet he's without question the best thing about Neil Jordan's 1994 horror film. This is a slick, sexually-charged and unashamedly gothic slice of filmmaking, as a vamp - played by Brad Pitt - outlines his experiences to a reporter (which frames a narrative that covers hundreds of years). Also featuring Antonio Banderas and Kirsten Dunst, this film sets out to paint vampires as beautiful, misunderstood creatures - and it succeeds.