Out of the ff and the closet: gay vampir are no longer sub-text, they're jt text

Contents:

• ANNE RICE AND HER HOMOEROTIC VAMPIR LEFT AN IMMORTAL MARK ON GAY CULTURE
• WATCH: ‘INTERVIEW WH A VAMPIRE’ IS FALLY AS GAY AS WE’VE ALWAYS WANTED TO BE NEW SERI
• 'INTERVIEW WH THE VAMPIRE' IS BLACKER AND GAYER THAN EVER — AND IT FEELS JT RIGHT
• INTERVIEW WH THE VAMPIRE IS BEG REMA BUT MORE GAY
• THESIS A QUEER PERSPECTIVE: GAY THEMES IN THE FILM INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE SUBMTED BYTHESIS A QUEER PERSPECTIVE: GAY THEMES IN THE FILM INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE SUBMTED BYTHESIS A QUEER PERSPECTIVE: GAY THEMES IN THE FILM INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE SUBMTED BYTHESIS A QUEER PERSPECTIVE: GAY THEMES IN THE FILM INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE SUBMTED BYTHESIS A QUEER PERSPECTIVE: GAY THEMES IN THE FILM INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE SUBMTED BY
• ANNE RICE OPENS UP: ‘I FEEL LIKE I’M GAY’ ETERNALTHE ACCLAIMED VAMPIRE THOR DISCS HER LATT NOVEL, ‘PRCE LTAT AND THE REALMS OF ATLANTIS,’ ADAPTG HER OWN ‘GAME OF THRON’-STYLE TV SHOW, AND THE ELECTN OF TMP. MARLOW STERNUPDATED JUL. 12, 2017 8:40PM EDT / PUBLISHED DEC. 22, 2016 4:40AM EST ALAMY STOCK PHOTOFORTY YEARS AGO, ANNE RICE’S BUT NOVEL, INTERVIEW WH THE VAMPIRE, BROUGHT VAMPIRISM OUT OF THE SHADOWS AND TO THE LIGHT. HER IAL FORAY TO THE WORLD OF BLOOD-IMBIBG IMMORTALS WAS PARTIALLY SPIRED BY THE TRAGIC ATH OF HER DGHTER MICHELLE, WHO DIED AT AGE OF 5 OF LKEMIA. THE CHARACTER OF CLDIA, A 5-YEAR-OLD VAMPIRE WH AN SATIABLE THIRST FOR LIFE-GIVG BLOOD, WAS A TRIBUTE TO HER LOST LTLE GIRL.IT TOOK RICE FIVE WEEKS TO PEN INTERVIEW FOLLOWG HER DGHTER’S PASSG, AND THE STORY, ACHG WH LONGG AND ROMANCE, RONATED WH REARS A BIG WAY. IT BEME THE FIRST A BTSELLG SERI OF TOM DUBBED THE VAMPIRE CHRONICL, AND, WERE NOT FOR HER REVIVAL OF THE GENRE, THERE WOULD PROBABLY BE NO TE BLOOD, TWILIGHT, OR BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER.NOW, RICE HAS JT RELEASED THE TWELFTH BOOK HER VAMPIRE CHRONICL SERI. TLED PRCE LTAT AND THE REALMS OF ATLANTIS, FOLLOWS HER BELOVED BLOODSUCKG PROTAGONIST LTAT TO UNCHARTED WATERS—THE LOST CY OF ATLANTIS—AND TRODUC A FEW MAJOR CHANG TO HER VAMPIRE MYTHOLOGY.RICE, NOW 75, ALSO RECENTLY MA HEADL WHEN SHE ANNOUNCED THAT SHE’D REACQUIRED THE FILM AND TV RIGHTS TO HER CELEBRATED BOOKS, AND IS PLOTTG A VAMPIRE CHRONICL TV SERI THAT SHE’S MOLG AFTER GAME OF THRON. SHE TELLS ME SHE’S WRG A BIBLE FOR THE FIRST TWO SEASONS, BUT THAT SHE’LL LEAVE OPEN-END OM THERE. “WE’VE HAD SUCH A GOLN AGE OF FANTASY THE LAST FEW YEARS, IF YOU THK OF THE HARRY POTTER BOOKS, THE LORD OF THE RGS FILMS, AND GAME OF THRON,” SHE SAYS. “IT’S A PANTHEON OF CREATIVE TALENT.”THE DAILY BEAST SPOKE TO RICE, WHO IS LIGHTFULLY NDID NVERSATN, ABOUT HER NEW BOOK, “VAMPIRE FACIALS,” AND MUCH MORE. WHAT’S THE ORIG STORY OF YOUR VAMPIRE OBSSN?I SAW A FILM LLED DRACULA’S DGHTER WHEN I WAS A LTLE GIRL. IT WAS A 1934 FILM, AND WAS ALREADY OUT FOR A WHILE. I FELL LOVE WH THE IA OF THIS LTLE GIRL, THIS UNTS, WHO WAS A PATER AND UGHT THE TRAGIC DILEMMA OF HAVG TO TAKE LIFE ORR TO SURVIVE. I NEVER FOT THAT FILM. THAT WAS ALWAYS MY IMPRSN OF WHAT VAMPIR WERE: EARTHLGS WH HEIGHTENED SENSIBILY AND A DOOMED APPRECIATN OF LIFE.WHAT ABOUT BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA? MANY CULTURAL CRICS HAVE READ AS AN ANTI-SEMIC TEXT, WH DRACULA SERVG AS A METAPHOR FOR THE JEWS—“NTAMATG” WASP BLOODL AND MANIPULATG THE BANKS OF LONDON.I WASN’T REALLY MUCH OF A FAN OF DRACULA AT ALL. I HADN’T READ THE BOOK. I DIDN’T READ DRACULA SELF UNTIL I WAS AN ADULT, AND AFTER I’D WROTE INTERVIEW WH THE VAMPIRE. I HAD HEARD OF THAT CRIL TAKE ON —THAT REFLECTED A FEAR OF IMMIGRANTS POURG TO ENGLAND AT THE TIME. BUT THAT HAD NO FLUENCE ON MY NOVELS WHATSOEVER. I WAS TERTED A VAMPIRE AS A PERSON OF PRETERNATURAL SENS, AND WHO WAS LOCKED TO A TRAGIC DILEMMA THAT WAS SIAR TO OUR OWN.HAVE THERE BEEN ANY NTEMPORARY VAMPIRE FILMS OR TV SHOWS YOU’VE FOUND PARTICULARLY IMPRSIVE? WELL, I ENJOYED WATCHG TE BLOOD ON HBO A LOT. I THOUGHT WAS FUN! I THOUGHT MY VAMPIR WOULD’VE THOUGHT WAS FUN, TOO. I THK TWILIGHT WAS A GREAT SUCCS, OBVLY. IT MA KIDS REALLY HAPPY. IT WASN’T FOR ME, AND NOT THE TYPE OF THG I’D NORMALLY READ, BUT I WAS FASCATED BY WHAT STEPHENIE MEYER WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF. SHE DOMTITED THE ROMANCE OF THE VAMPIRE, BY MAKG THE VAMPIRE THE BOY NEXT TO YOU BLOGY CLASS. THE IA OF VAMPIR GOG TO HIGH SCHOOL FOREVER SEEMS LIKE HELL TO ME. I DIDN’T READ THE BOOKS, BUT I SAW THE TWILIGHT FILMS AS PHG ABSTENCE-ONLY MSAGG. I DON’T RELL HAVG ANY SOPHISTITED THOUGHTS ABOUT . I WENT TO THE MOVI, BUT DIDN’T REALLY HAVE TERT THE BOOKS. I DIPPED TO THE BOOKS A B, BUT NEVER HAD ANY SOPHISTITED ANALYSIS OF . BUT I’M NOT SURPRISED BY THAT KD OF CRICISM. IT SOUNDS VALID, SOUNDS TERTG. BUT WHAT I SAW UPONT WAS JT THE ROMANCE—THAT A VAMPIRE WOULD FALL LOVE WH YOU, PROTECT YOU OM EVERYONE ELSE, AND BEE YOUR ARCHANGEL, AND HOW THAT WOULD APPEAL TO A YOUNG REAR.A LOT OF REARS WILL BE SURPRISED BY HOW YOUR NEW BOOK, PRCE LTAT AND THE REALMS OF ATLANTIS, POSS THAT VAMPIR SCEND OM ALIENS. I’D ALWAYS BEEN TERTED WHERE THE VAMPIR ME OM, AND EARLY ON THE BOOKS I’D HTED THAT THE ORIG OF THE VAMPIR HAD TO DO WH A SPIR, AMEL, THAT MUTATED AND ENTERED TO AN ANCIENT EGYPTIAN QUEEN TO WHOM ALL OTHER VAMPIR SCEND, AND WHO ALL OTHER VAMPIR WERE NNECTED. WHO WAS THAT SPIR? DID HE HAVE A HISTORY? WAS HE A GHOST? REALLY, THAT’S WHAT LED ME HERE. I WANTED TO EXPLORE AMEL’S HISTORY. DID HE HAVE A HISTORY OF ANYTHG BEYOND WHAT WE ULD EVEN IMAGE? ATLANTIS OPENED THE POSSIBILY TO ALL THAT. I’D HAD QUE A B OF MATERIAL WRTEN FOR A NOVEL LLED BORN FOR ATLANTIS THAT VOLVED QUE A FEW OF THE CHARACTERS, TOO.WAS REALMS OF ATLANTIS SPIRED BY THE CLIMATE-CHANGE THREAT AT ALL?OH, YEAH. I DO A LOT OF READG ABOUT TASTROPH EARTH HISTORY AND HOW THEY CHANGED THE CLIMATE, AND WHETHER THERE WAS A TACLYSM 12,000 YEARS AGO THAT STROYED CIVILIZATNS THAT DON’T EXIST TODAY. THAT DIRECTLY RELAT TO CLIMATE CHANGE. THE BOOKS OF GRAHAM HANCK SPIRED ME. HE’S GONE DIVG THE MIDDLE EAST AND THE MEDERRANEAN AND FOUND S OF VAST, PLITED CIVILIZATNS THAT WERE LOST, AND OF URSE HE’S TRACED THROUGH LEGENDS TO SEE IF WE N READ LEGENDS OR MYTHS THROUGH DREAM ANALYSIS, AND HE SE EVINCE THAT THERE WAS AN ANCIENT CULTURE THAT GAVE BIRTH TO OTHER CULTUR.IT’S BEEN A VERY LONG, VERY TRYG YEAR—AND MUCH OF THE CRED FOR THAT GO TO DONALD TMP, WHO IS EXHSTG. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE ELECTN OF TMP?I FOLLOWED THE ELECTN VERY CLOSELY AND SEEMED THAT THIS ELECTN WAS THE FIRST THAT WAS REALLY IMPACTED BY THE TER, AND THE WAY THAT SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE TER CHANGED OUR CULTURE. WE WERE UGHT UNAWARE OF THAT. WE WERE UNPREPARED TO HEAR AND SEE THGS THAT WE’D NEVER SEEN BEFORE. I HOPE WE LEARN OM THIS, AND VELOP A GREATER RISTANCE TO FAKE NEWS STORI AND NSPIRACY THEORI. THAT’S WHAT TENDS TO HAPPEN OUR CULTURE—WE HAVE TO BE A LTLE MORE CLEVER AND NNY ABOUT WHAT WE ACCEPT, AND I THK WE WILL DO THAT. I THK WE WILL LEARN OM ALL THIS. BUT RIGHT NOW, ’S A B DISURAGG AND NFG WHAT’S HAPPENED. MOST OF THE PEOPLE I TALK TO ARE NUMB, IGHTENED AND NFED.ERIC TMP SORT OF REMBL AN ’80S MOVIE VAMPIRE.[LGHS] I REALLY DON’T ASSOCIATE THE TMPS WH VAMPIR. I N’T E UP WH ANYTHG THERE! WHAT, YOUR OPN, SEPARAT LTAT OM OTHER INIC VAMPIR? I THK LTAT’S ALWAYS BEEN MY REBEL-HERO. HE’S AN EXPLORER; HE WANTS TO KNOW WHAT THE MEANG OF LIFE IS. HE DON’T ACCEPT ANYBODY’S THORY. I SEE THE WHOLE VAMPIRE CHRONICL AS THE STORY OF LTAT’S EXPLORATNS. AT THE SAME TIME, I THK HE’S A VERY ROMANTIC HERO AND AN 18TH-CENTURY MAN OF REASON WHO’S VERY UNRSTANDG OF TODAY’S WORLD, AND HAS A GREAT UNRSTANDG OF TODAY’S WORLD. HE’S REALLY MY HERO. I’M LOVE WH HIM. HE’S MY ALTER EGO. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE WORLD AND EXPLORE THE WAY HE DO.I’VE ALWAYS VIEWED VAMPIRE TEXTS AS MENTARI ON XENOPHOBIA, OR FEAR OF THE “OTHER,” AS WELL AS CHRISTIANY. WE’RE LIVG A WORLD THAT V TO SPEGOAT EVERYBODY. I’VE BEEN TERTED THE MEANG OF EXISTENCE AND ORIGAL S. WHAT THEY REALLY MEAN IS THEY N’T EXPLA THE MOTIV OF PEOPLE WHO HURT THEM. THEY E WORDS LIKE “EVIL” OR “S” TO SCRIBE PEOPLE WHO THREATEN THEM. WE HAVE TO STOP THAT. I’M NOT SURE WE SHOULD E THE WORD “S” ANYMORE. WE SHOULD REPLACE WH “FALLIBILY.” THE OTHER WAY WE N ACHIEVE PEACE IS REGNIZG OTHER PEOPLE’S FALLIBILY. WHATEVER THEY’RE DOG, THERE’S A LOGIC TO , AND WE HAVE TO UNRSTAND THAT LOGIC. THAT DO NOT MEAN THAT ALL ACTS ARE EQUAL. THERE IS GOOD, AND THERE IS BAD. BUT WE N’T KEEP G MYTHIL WORDS FOR WHAT OTHER PEOPLE DO WHILE NOT ACKNOWLEDGG OUR NFLICTS AND OUR TENTNS. THAT’S ALL OVER MY NOVELS. LTAT AND LOUIS REFE TO ACCEPT HOW THEY ARE FED BY THE CULTURE, THAT BEE THEY ARE VAMPIR THEY ARE ABOMATNS.WERE ANY OF YOUR WORKS SPIRED BY THE AIDS CRISIS THE ’80S AND ’90S? WHEN I THK OF BLOOD, THE FIRST THGS THAT SPRG TO MD ARE AIDS AND VAMPIRISM.I WAS WRG ABOUT VAMPIR BEFORE THE AIDS CRISIS. PEOPLE TOLD ME INTERVIEW WH THE VAMPIRE WAS A GAY ALLEGORY, AND I WAS VERY HONORED BY THAT. [RICE’S SON, CHRISTOPHER, IS OPENLY GAY.] I THK I HAVE A GAY SENSIBILY AND I FEEL LIKE I’M GAY, BEE I’VE ALWAYS TRANSCEND GENR, AND I’VE ALWAYS SEEN LOVE AS TRANSCENDG GENR. IN MY BOOKS, I’VE ALWAYS CREATED BONDS OF LOVE THAT HAVE TRANSCEND GENR. BUT I’VE NEVER ASSOCIATED AIDS WH VAMPIR, MYSELF.I’VE ALWAYS BEEN VERY MUCH A CHAMPN OF GAY RIGHTS, AND ART PRODUCED BY GAY PEOPLE—WHETHER WAS THE EARLY FRANKENSTE MOVI THAT HAD SUCH A GAY SENSIBILY TO THEM, OR ANY ART CREATED BY GAY PEOPLE. I’M HIGHLY SENSIVE TO . I HAVE A GAY SENSIBILY. I GET TEASED A LOT BY MY GAY IENDS BEE WE HAVE A RAPPORT ON THGS WE FD EXCG OR TERTG. IT’S VERY HARD FOR ME TO REMEMBER THAT I HAVE A GENR, AND THAT THEY’RE TREATG ME A NEGATIVE WAY BEE OF THAT GENR.HAVE YOU HEARD OF THE “VAMPIRE FACIAL?” IT’S THIS NEW PROCRE THAT’S UGHT ON AMONG THE RICH AND FAMO—CLUDG KIM KARDASHIAN—AND VOLV JECTG PLASMA OM YOUR OWN BLOOD TO YOUR FACE. IT’S SAID TO STIMULATE LLAGEN AND ELAST FIBERS, MAKG YOUR SK SMOOTHER AND CLEARER. OH MY GOSH! VERY TERTG. I DO HAVE A GOOD IEND WHO IS A PLASTIC SURGEON, AND HE SOMETIM GIV ME MEDIL ADVICE ON THE NOVELS. I’LL HAVE TO ASK HIM ABOUT THAT, BEE I’VE NEVER HEARD OF . BUT HECK, IF MAK SOMEBODY FEEL GOOD, AND MAK THEM FEEL YOUNG, I’M ALL FOR . I THK THERE IS A LOT OF PRSURE ON PEOPLE TO FEEL AND LOOK YOUNG. WE’RE NOT ED TO SEEG FAC THAT HAVE NOT HAD PLASTIC SURGERY, AND N BE A SHOCK TO NONT A VENERABLE BRISH ACTOR WHO HAS NEVER HAD A FACELIFT—PECIALLY A FEMALE BRISH ACTOR WHO’S NEVER HAD A FACELIFT. WE WONR, WHY HASN’T SHE HAD WORK DONE TO KEEP UP? WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE SOCIETAL PRSURE PEOPLE—PARTICULARLY WOMEN—FACE TO, AS YOU SAID, “FEEL AND LOOK YOUNG?”IT’S A PROBLEM. ADULTHOOD IS FILLED WH SUCH PROBLEMS. THERE’S PRSURE ON TO DRS RIGHT, TO BE SLENR AND NOT BE FAT, TO DRIVE THE RIGHT R, TO WORK OUT AND STAY F; THERE’S PRSURE ON ALL OUR LIV TODAY AMERI. THAT’S PART OF BEG A PARTICIPANT AN AFFLUENT SOCIETY. Y, THERE’S GOG TO BE PRSURE TO GET SURGERY AND LOOK VERY YOUNG. MY ATTU TOWARD IS ’S FUN—’S FUN TO HAVE THAT OPTN—BUT Y, WOULD BE NICE TO LIVE AN IAL WORLD WHERE WE SAW PEOPLE FOR WHO THEY ARE, AND DIDN’T MATTER IF PEOPLE LOOKED OLD OR TIRED OR HOW THEY WERE. IF YOU WENT TO THE 19TH CENTURY, PEOPLE WERE DRSED RSETS AND OCK ATS AND TI, SO WE VENT THE STRANGE SOCIETAL REQUIREMENTS EVERY CENTURY.YOU’VE REGAED THE RIGHTS TO THE VAMPIRE CHRONICL, AND HAVE SAID YOU’D LIKE TO VELOP AS A GAME OF THRON-STYLE TV SERI. WHY NOW? WELL, THE RIGHTS ME BACK. WE WERE WH IMAGE ENTERTAMENT AND UNIVERSAL STUDS AND THEY DID NOT RENEW THEIR OPTN, SO WE WERE VERY BLSED THAT THE RIGHTS ME BACK TO . WE LIKED WORKG WH THEM, BUT DID NOT WORK OUT. AND WE WANT TO DO TELEVISN. AS I MENTNED, I’M MORE THAN EVER NVCED THAT TV IS WHERE WE BELONG—NOT THE MOVI, WHERE THEY ARE TODAY. WE’VE SEEN A GOLN AGE OF TELEVISN THE LAST 12 YEARS. TO ME, STARTED WH THE TUDORS—A SHOW WH VERY HIGH PRODUCTN VALU, AND DEADWOOD, A FABULOLY TRANSGRSIVE SHOW. GAME OF THRON IS THE PREMIER FANTASY SERI, I THK, THAT REPRENTS FULL MMENT ON THE PART OF THE PRODUCERS TO THE BOOKS, AND TO HAVG FULL SENSUALY ONSCREEN. THAT’S WHAT WE WANT TO DO WH THE VAMPIRE CHRONICL—WE WANT TO GIVE THAT FULL-DRS STUME TREATMENT. BEG THE 18TH CENTURY WH LTAT PARIS AS HE GETS MA A VAMPIRE, AND FOLLOW HIS STORY. TO ME, THAT’S A GREAT STORY TO TELL. AND AGA, I WANT TO DO WHOUT ANY NSTRATS—JT THE WAY THEY DID WH GAME OF THRON. I WANT TO BE A FULL STUME DRAMA, AND FULL MMENT. I THK THAT’S WHAT MAK THE DIFFERENT LANDMARK TELEVISN SERI WORK. THE CROWN ABSOLUTELY BLEW ME AWAY. I MARATHONED THE WHOLE THG BEFORE I WENT ON THIS TOUR. THERE WERE NO PROMIS, AND FULL MMENT AND FULL BELIEF THAT IF THIS STORY WAS WELL-TOLD, WOULD GRIP PEOPLE. MARLOW STERN

ANNE RICE AND HER HOMOEROTIC VAMPIR LEFT AN IMMORTAL MARK ON GAY CULTURE

Not unlike the way I uld’ve sworn that “Berensta Bears” was spelled wh a third “e, ” I totally believed that prev rnatns of Interview wh the Vampire — both Anne Rice’s origal 1976 novel and the 1994 movie adaptatn — were explicly about gay vampir. But more than that, they seemed to embody the ethos “be gay, do crime, ” a not-always-so-leral exhortatn to live a queer life fiance. AMC’s Interview wh the Vampire, an updated, grisly, and often mordantly hilar retellg of the origal story pulls gay subtext to the ma text, givg a fancy vampire lookg for a longtime pann.

And tellg their story, Interview creat an embolned mentary about how sexualy, race, inty, power, and opprsn are all tertwed, and how the forc have throughout Amerin history left the magnificently queer vampir (and many others) wh no choice but to be extremely gay and do so, so many crim. Vampir don’t partake racism, sexism, and homophobia bee all of humany is beneath them, let alone humany’s awful hangups. It’s hard for some of them to prehend the ia of two men together — not unlike the way history turns gay and lbian lovers to “roommat” or “bt iends.

WATCH: ‘INTERVIEW WH A VAMPIRE’ IS FALLY AS GAY AS WE’VE ALWAYS WANTED TO BE NEW SERI

Come to thk of , Interview is a lot like Frasier, a show that’s also about two sufferable gay men whose fancy tast annoy and threaten the people around them. When Ltat shows up, all fancy and charmg and gay, his offer of vampiric immortaly is much more than an eternal life of queer pannship. Part of me hope Louis, who is a 100-year-old queer vampire, got to hear Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love” on a dance floor full of flagrant homosexuals.

'INTERVIEW WH THE VAMPIRE' IS BLACKER AND GAYER THAN EVER — AND IT FEELS JT RIGHT

It turns out that beg a gay vampire and dog crime isn’t ial, but allows Louis to be closer to who he tly is — much more than the human world would ever allow him to be. When Interview wh the Vampire was released cemas 1994, dienc for the most part pletely missed the glarg homoeroticism and queer subtext.

It’s worth notg that Anne Rice herself knew jt how subversive the text’s implic queerns was – and she worried s homoerotic leangs would stop Interview wh the Vampire om ever makg to the big screen. When she sat down to wre the screenplay, Rice famoly nsired rewrg Louis as a woman, fearg that Hollywood’s graed homophobia would stop the film om beg ma.

In the end, Pt was st as Louis and the film went ahead wh much of s homoeroticism tact – even if had to be cloaked subtext to keep straight dienc engaged. Speakg to The Daily Beast  2016, she said she was “honoured” when people told her that Interview wh the Vampire reads as a gay allegory. “I thk I have a gay sensibily and I feel like I’m gay, bee I’ve always transcend genr, and I’ve always seen love as transcendg genr, ” she said.

INTERVIEW WH THE VAMPIRE IS BEG REMA BUT MORE GAY

“In my books, I’ve always created bonds of love that have transcend genr… I’ve always been very much a champn of gay rights, and art produced by gay people – whether was the early Frankenste movi that had such a gay sensibily to them, or any art created by gay people.

THESIS A QUEER PERSPECTIVE: GAY THEMES IN THE FILM INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE SUBMTED BYTHESIS A QUEER PERSPECTIVE: GAY THEMES IN THE FILM INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE SUBMTED BYTHESIS A QUEER PERSPECTIVE: GAY THEMES IN THE FILM INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE SUBMTED BYTHESIS A QUEER PERSPECTIVE: GAY THEMES IN THE FILM INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE SUBMTED BYTHESIS A QUEER PERSPECTIVE: GAY THEMES IN THE FILM INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE SUBMTED BY

While she will first and foremost be remembered as an inic wrer of gothic horror — most notably for her Vampire Chronicl seri — her advocy for LGBTQ rights and steadfast support of her enthiastic, gay fan base would bee an sential part of her legacy.

ANNE RICE OPENS UP: ‘I FEEL LIKE I’M GAY’ ETERNALTHE ACCLAIMED VAMPIRE THOR DISCS HER LATT NOVEL, ‘PRCE LTAT AND THE REALMS OF ATLANTIS,’ ADAPTG HER OWN ‘GAME OF THRON’-STYLE TV SHOW, AND THE ELECTN OF TMP. MARLOW STERNUPDATED JUL. 12, 2017 8:40PM EDT / PUBLISHED DEC. 22, 2016 4:40AM EST ALAMY STOCK PHOTOFORTY YEARS AGO, ANNE RICE’S BUT NOVEL, INTERVIEW WH THE VAMPIRE, BROUGHT VAMPIRISM OUT OF THE SHADOWS AND TO THE LIGHT. HER IAL FORAY TO THE WORLD OF BLOOD-IMBIBG IMMORTALS WAS PARTIALLY SPIRED BY THE TRAGIC ATH OF HER DGHTER MICHELLE, WHO DIED AT AGE OF 5 OF LKEMIA. THE CHARACTER OF CLDIA, A 5-YEAR-OLD VAMPIRE WH AN SATIABLE THIRST FOR LIFE-GIVG BLOOD, WAS A TRIBUTE TO HER LOST LTLE GIRL.IT TOOK RICE FIVE WEEKS TO PEN INTERVIEW FOLLOWG HER DGHTER’S PASSG, AND THE STORY, ACHG WH LONGG AND ROMANCE, RONATED WH REARS A BIG WAY. IT BEME THE FIRST A BTSELLG SERI OF TOM DUBBED THE VAMPIRE CHRONICL, AND, WERE NOT FOR HER REVIVAL OF THE GENRE, THERE WOULD PROBABLY BE NO TE BLOOD, TWILIGHT, OR BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER.NOW, RICE HAS JT RELEASED THE TWELFTH BOOK HER VAMPIRE CHRONICL SERI. TLED PRCE LTAT AND THE REALMS OF ATLANTIS, FOLLOWS HER BELOVED BLOODSUCKG PROTAGONIST LTAT TO UNCHARTED WATERS—THE LOST CY OF ATLANTIS—AND TRODUC A FEW MAJOR CHANG TO HER VAMPIRE MYTHOLOGY.RICE, NOW 75, ALSO RECENTLY MA HEADL WHEN SHE ANNOUNCED THAT SHE’D REACQUIRED THE FILM AND TV RIGHTS TO HER CELEBRATED BOOKS, AND IS PLOTTG A VAMPIRE CHRONICL TV SERI THAT SHE’S MOLG AFTER GAME OF THRON. SHE TELLS ME SHE’S WRG A BIBLE FOR THE FIRST TWO SEASONS, BUT THAT SHE’LL LEAVE OPEN-END OM THERE. “WE’VE HAD SUCH A GOLN AGE OF FANTASY THE LAST FEW YEARS, IF YOU THK OF THE HARRY POTTER BOOKS, THE LORD OF THE RGS FILMS, AND GAME OF THRON,” SHE SAYS. “IT’S A PANTHEON OF CREATIVE TALENT.”THE DAILY BEAST SPOKE TO RICE, WHO IS LIGHTFULLY NDID NVERSATN, ABOUT HER NEW BOOK, “VAMPIRE FACIALS,” AND MUCH MORE. WHAT’S THE ORIG STORY OF YOUR VAMPIRE OBSSN?I SAW A FILM LLED DRACULA’S DGHTER WHEN I WAS A LTLE GIRL. IT WAS A 1934 FILM, AND WAS ALREADY OUT FOR A WHILE. I FELL LOVE WH THE IA OF THIS LTLE GIRL, THIS UNTS, WHO WAS A PATER AND UGHT THE TRAGIC DILEMMA OF HAVG TO TAKE LIFE ORR TO SURVIVE. I NEVER FOT THAT FILM. THAT WAS ALWAYS MY IMPRSN OF WHAT VAMPIR WERE: EARTHLGS WH HEIGHTENED SENSIBILY AND A DOOMED APPRECIATN OF LIFE.WHAT ABOUT BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA? MANY CULTURAL CRICS HAVE READ AS AN ANTI-SEMIC TEXT, WH DRACULA SERVG AS A METAPHOR FOR THE JEWS—“NTAMATG” WASP BLOODL AND MANIPULATG THE BANKS OF LONDON.I WASN’T REALLY MUCH OF A FAN OF DRACULA AT ALL. I HADN’T READ THE BOOK. I DIDN’T READ DRACULA SELF UNTIL I WAS AN ADULT, AND AFTER I’D WROTE INTERVIEW WH THE VAMPIRE. I HAD HEARD OF THAT CRIL TAKE ON —THAT REFLECTED A FEAR OF IMMIGRANTS POURG TO ENGLAND AT THE TIME. BUT THAT HAD NO FLUENCE ON MY NOVELS WHATSOEVER. I WAS TERTED A VAMPIRE AS A PERSON OF PRETERNATURAL SENS, AND WHO WAS LOCKED TO A TRAGIC DILEMMA THAT WAS SIAR TO OUR OWN.HAVE THERE BEEN ANY NTEMPORARY VAMPIRE FILMS OR TV SHOWS YOU’VE FOUND PARTICULARLY IMPRSIVE? WELL, I ENJOYED WATCHG TE BLOOD ON HBO A LOT. I THOUGHT WAS FUN! I THOUGHT MY VAMPIR WOULD’VE THOUGHT WAS FUN, TOO. I THK TWILIGHT WAS A GREAT SUCCS, OBVLY. IT MA KIDS REALLY HAPPY. IT WASN’T FOR ME, AND NOT THE TYPE OF THG I’D NORMALLY READ, BUT I WAS FASCATED BY WHAT STEPHENIE MEYER WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF. SHE DOMTITED THE ROMANCE OF THE VAMPIRE, BY MAKG THE VAMPIRE THE BOY NEXT TO YOU BLOGY CLASS. THE IA OF VAMPIR GOG TO HIGH SCHOOL FOREVER SEEMS LIKE HELL TO ME. I DIDN’T READ THE BOOKS, BUT I SAW THE TWILIGHT FILMS AS PHG ABSTENCE-ONLY MSAGG. I DON’T RELL HAVG ANY SOPHISTITED THOUGHTS ABOUT . I WENT TO THE MOVI, BUT DIDN’T REALLY HAVE TERT THE BOOKS. I DIPPED TO THE BOOKS A B, BUT NEVER HAD ANY SOPHISTITED ANALYSIS OF . BUT I’M NOT SURPRISED BY THAT KD OF CRICISM. IT SOUNDS VALID, SOUNDS TERTG. BUT WHAT I SAW UPONT WAS JT THE ROMANCE—THAT A VAMPIRE WOULD FALL LOVE WH YOU, PROTECT YOU OM EVERYONE ELSE, AND BEE YOUR ARCHANGEL, AND HOW THAT WOULD APPEAL TO A YOUNG REAR.A LOT OF REARS WILL BE SURPRISED BY HOW YOUR NEW BOOK, PRCE LTAT AND THE REALMS OF ATLANTIS, POSS THAT VAMPIR SCEND OM ALIENS. I’D ALWAYS BEEN TERTED WHERE THE VAMPIR ME OM, AND EARLY ON THE BOOKS I’D HTED THAT THE ORIG OF THE VAMPIR HAD TO DO WH A SPIR, AMEL, THAT MUTATED AND ENTERED TO AN ANCIENT EGYPTIAN QUEEN TO WHOM ALL OTHER VAMPIR SCEND, AND WHO ALL OTHER VAMPIR WERE NNECTED. WHO WAS THAT SPIR? DID HE HAVE A HISTORY? WAS HE A GHOST? REALLY, THAT’S WHAT LED ME HERE. I WANTED TO EXPLORE AMEL’S HISTORY. DID HE HAVE A HISTORY OF ANYTHG BEYOND WHAT WE ULD EVEN IMAGE? ATLANTIS OPENED THE POSSIBILY TO ALL THAT. I’D HAD QUE A B OF MATERIAL WRTEN FOR A NOVEL LLED BORN FOR ATLANTIS THAT VOLVED QUE A FEW OF THE CHARACTERS, TOO.WAS REALMS OF ATLANTIS SPIRED BY THE CLIMATE-CHANGE THREAT AT ALL?OH, YEAH. I DO A LOT OF READG ABOUT TASTROPH EARTH HISTORY AND HOW THEY CHANGED THE CLIMATE, AND WHETHER THERE WAS A TACLYSM 12,000 YEARS AGO THAT STROYED CIVILIZATNS THAT DON’T EXIST TODAY. THAT DIRECTLY RELAT TO CLIMATE CHANGE. THE BOOKS OF GRAHAM HANCK SPIRED ME. HE’S GONE DIVG THE MIDDLE EAST AND THE MEDERRANEAN AND FOUND S OF VAST, PLITED CIVILIZATNS THAT WERE LOST, AND OF URSE HE’S TRACED THROUGH LEGENDS TO SEE IF WE N READ LEGENDS OR MYTHS THROUGH DREAM ANALYSIS, AND HE SE EVINCE THAT THERE WAS AN ANCIENT CULTURE THAT GAVE BIRTH TO OTHER CULTUR.IT’S BEEN A VERY LONG, VERY TRYG YEAR—AND MUCH OF THE CRED FOR THAT GO TO DONALD TMP, WHO IS EXHSTG. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE ELECTN OF TMP?I FOLLOWED THE ELECTN VERY CLOSELY AND SEEMED THAT THIS ELECTN WAS THE FIRST THAT WAS REALLY IMPACTED BY THE TER, AND THE WAY THAT SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE TER CHANGED OUR CULTURE. WE WERE UGHT UNAWARE OF THAT. WE WERE UNPREPARED TO HEAR AND SEE THGS THAT WE’D NEVER SEEN BEFORE. I HOPE WE LEARN OM THIS, AND VELOP A GREATER RISTANCE TO FAKE NEWS STORI AND NSPIRACY THEORI. THAT’S WHAT TENDS TO HAPPEN OUR CULTURE—WE HAVE TO BE A LTLE MORE CLEVER AND NNY ABOUT WHAT WE ACCEPT, AND I THK WE WILL DO THAT. I THK WE WILL LEARN OM ALL THIS. BUT RIGHT NOW, ’S A B DISURAGG AND NFG WHAT’S HAPPENED. MOST OF THE PEOPLE I TALK TO ARE NUMB, IGHTENED AND NFED.ERIC TMP SORT OF REMBL AN ’80S MOVIE VAMPIRE.[LGHS] I REALLY DON’T ASSOCIATE THE TMPS WH VAMPIR. I N’T E UP WH ANYTHG THERE! WHAT, YOUR OPN, SEPARAT LTAT OM OTHER INIC VAMPIR? I THK LTAT’S ALWAYS BEEN MY REBEL-HERO. HE’S AN EXPLORER; HE WANTS TO KNOW WHAT THE MEANG OF LIFE IS. HE DON’T ACCEPT ANYBODY’S THORY. I SEE THE WHOLE VAMPIRE CHRONICL AS THE STORY OF LTAT’S EXPLORATNS. AT THE SAME TIME, I THK HE’S A VERY ROMANTIC HERO AND AN 18TH-CENTURY MAN OF REASON WHO’S VERY UNRSTANDG OF TODAY’S WORLD, AND HAS A GREAT UNRSTANDG OF TODAY’S WORLD. HE’S REALLY MY HERO. I’M LOVE WH HIM. HE’S MY ALTER EGO. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE WORLD AND EXPLORE THE WAY HE DO.I’VE ALWAYS VIEWED VAMPIRE TEXTS AS MENTARI ON XENOPHOBIA, OR FEAR OF THE “OTHER,” AS WELL AS CHRISTIANY. WE’RE LIVG A WORLD THAT V TO SPEGOAT EVERYBODY. I’VE BEEN TERTED THE MEANG OF EXISTENCE AND ORIGAL S. WHAT THEY REALLY MEAN IS THEY N’T EXPLA THE MOTIV OF PEOPLE WHO HURT THEM. THEY E WORDS LIKE “EVIL” OR “S” TO SCRIBE PEOPLE WHO THREATEN THEM. WE HAVE TO STOP THAT. I’M NOT SURE WE SHOULD E THE WORD “S” ANYMORE. WE SHOULD REPLACE WH “FALLIBILY.” THE OTHER WAY WE N ACHIEVE PEACE IS REGNIZG OTHER PEOPLE’S FALLIBILY. WHATEVER THEY’RE DOG, THERE’S A LOGIC TO , AND WE HAVE TO UNRSTAND THAT LOGIC. THAT DO NOT MEAN THAT ALL ACTS ARE EQUAL. THERE IS GOOD, AND THERE IS BAD. BUT WE N’T KEEP G MYTHIL WORDS FOR WHAT OTHER PEOPLE DO WHILE NOT ACKNOWLEDGG OUR NFLICTS AND OUR TENTNS. THAT’S ALL OVER MY NOVELS. LTAT AND LOUIS REFE TO ACCEPT HOW THEY ARE FED BY THE CULTURE, THAT BEE THEY ARE VAMPIR THEY ARE ABOMATNS.WERE ANY OF YOUR WORKS SPIRED BY THE AIDS CRISIS THE ’80S AND ’90S? WHEN I THK OF BLOOD, THE FIRST THGS THAT SPRG TO MD ARE AIDS AND VAMPIRISM.I WAS WRG ABOUT VAMPIR BEFORE THE AIDS CRISIS. PEOPLE TOLD ME INTERVIEW WH THE VAMPIRE WAS A GAY ALLEGORY, AND I WAS VERY HONORED BY THAT. [RICE’S SON, CHRISTOPHER, IS OPENLY GAY.] I THK I HAVE A GAY SENSIBILY AND I FEEL LIKE I’M GAY, BEE I’VE ALWAYS TRANSCEND GENR, AND I’VE ALWAYS SEEN LOVE AS TRANSCENDG GENR. IN MY BOOKS, I’VE ALWAYS CREATED BONDS OF LOVE THAT HAVE TRANSCEND GENR. BUT I’VE NEVER ASSOCIATED AIDS WH VAMPIR, MYSELF.I’VE ALWAYS BEEN VERY MUCH A CHAMPN OF GAY RIGHTS, AND ART PRODUCED BY GAY PEOPLE—WHETHER WAS THE EARLY FRANKENSTE MOVI THAT HAD SUCH A GAY SENSIBILY TO THEM, OR ANY ART CREATED BY GAY PEOPLE. I’M HIGHLY SENSIVE TO . I HAVE A GAY SENSIBILY. I GET TEASED A LOT BY MY GAY IENDS BEE WE HAVE A RAPPORT ON THGS WE FD EXCG OR TERTG. IT’S VERY HARD FOR ME TO REMEMBER THAT I HAVE A GENR, AND THAT THEY’RE TREATG ME A NEGATIVE WAY BEE OF THAT GENR.HAVE YOU HEARD OF THE “VAMPIRE FACIAL?” IT’S THIS NEW PROCRE THAT’S UGHT ON AMONG THE RICH AND FAMO—CLUDG KIM KARDASHIAN—AND VOLV JECTG PLASMA OM YOUR OWN BLOOD TO YOUR FACE. IT’S SAID TO STIMULATE LLAGEN AND ELAST FIBERS, MAKG YOUR SK SMOOTHER AND CLEARER. OH MY GOSH! VERY TERTG. I DO HAVE A GOOD IEND WHO IS A PLASTIC SURGEON, AND HE SOMETIM GIV ME MEDIL ADVICE ON THE NOVELS. I’LL HAVE TO ASK HIM ABOUT THAT, BEE I’VE NEVER HEARD OF . BUT HECK, IF MAK SOMEBODY FEEL GOOD, AND MAK THEM FEEL YOUNG, I’M ALL FOR . I THK THERE IS A LOT OF PRSURE ON PEOPLE TO FEEL AND LOOK YOUNG. WE’RE NOT ED TO SEEG FAC THAT HAVE NOT HAD PLASTIC SURGERY, AND N BE A SHOCK TO NONT A VENERABLE BRISH ACTOR WHO HAS NEVER HAD A FACELIFT—PECIALLY A FEMALE BRISH ACTOR WHO’S NEVER HAD A FACELIFT. WE WONR, WHY HASN’T SHE HAD WORK DONE TO KEEP UP? WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE SOCIETAL PRSURE PEOPLE—PARTICULARLY WOMEN—FACE TO, AS YOU SAID, “FEEL AND LOOK YOUNG?”IT’S A PROBLEM. ADULTHOOD IS FILLED WH SUCH PROBLEMS. THERE’S PRSURE ON TO DRS RIGHT, TO BE SLENR AND NOT BE FAT, TO DRIVE THE RIGHT R, TO WORK OUT AND STAY F; THERE’S PRSURE ON ALL OUR LIV TODAY AMERI. THAT’S PART OF BEG A PARTICIPANT AN AFFLUENT SOCIETY. Y, THERE’S GOG TO BE PRSURE TO GET SURGERY AND LOOK VERY YOUNG. MY ATTU TOWARD IS ’S FUN—’S FUN TO HAVE THAT OPTN—BUT Y, WOULD BE NICE TO LIVE AN IAL WORLD WHERE WE SAW PEOPLE FOR WHO THEY ARE, AND DIDN’T MATTER IF PEOPLE LOOKED OLD OR TIRED OR HOW THEY WERE. IF YOU WENT TO THE 19TH CENTURY, PEOPLE WERE DRSED RSETS AND OCK ATS AND TI, SO WE VENT THE STRANGE SOCIETAL REQUIREMENTS EVERY CENTURY.YOU’VE REGAED THE RIGHTS TO THE VAMPIRE CHRONICL, AND HAVE SAID YOU’D LIKE TO VELOP AS A GAME OF THRON-STYLE TV SERI. WHY NOW? WELL, THE RIGHTS ME BACK. WE WERE WH IMAGE ENTERTAMENT AND UNIVERSAL STUDS AND THEY DID NOT RENEW THEIR OPTN, SO WE WERE VERY BLSED THAT THE RIGHTS ME BACK TO . WE LIKED WORKG WH THEM, BUT DID NOT WORK OUT. AND WE WANT TO DO TELEVISN. AS I MENTNED, I’M MORE THAN EVER NVCED THAT TV IS WHERE WE BELONG—NOT THE MOVI, WHERE THEY ARE TODAY. WE’VE SEEN A GOLN AGE OF TELEVISN THE LAST 12 YEARS. TO ME, STARTED WH THE TUDORS—A SHOW WH VERY HIGH PRODUCTN VALU, AND DEADWOOD, A FABULOLY TRANSGRSIVE SHOW. GAME OF THRON IS THE PREMIER FANTASY SERI, I THK, THAT REPRENTS FULL MMENT ON THE PART OF THE PRODUCERS TO THE BOOKS, AND TO HAVG FULL SENSUALY ONSCREEN. THAT’S WHAT WE WANT TO DO WH THE VAMPIRE CHRONICL—WE WANT TO GIVE THAT FULL-DRS STUME TREATMENT. BEG THE 18TH CENTURY WH LTAT PARIS AS HE GETS MA A VAMPIRE, AND FOLLOW HIS STORY. TO ME, THAT’S A GREAT STORY TO TELL. AND AGA, I WANT TO DO WHOUT ANY NSTRATS—JT THE WAY THEY DID WH GAME OF THRON. I WANT TO BE A FULL STUME DRAMA, AND FULL MMENT. I THK THAT’S WHAT MAK THE DIFFERENT LANDMARK TELEVISN SERI WORK. THE CROWN ABSOLUTELY BLEW ME AWAY. I MARATHONED THE WHOLE THG BEFORE I WENT ON THIS TOUR. THERE WERE NO PROMIS, AND FULL MMENT AND FULL BELIEF THAT IF THIS STORY WAS WELL-TOLD, WOULD GRIP PEOPLE. MARLOW STERN

Her son, Christopher Rice, who is gay and is himself an acplished wrer, shared the news of his mother’s passg on her Facebook page.

” 'I have a gay sensibily'Rice wrote the first and most famo book the Vampire Chronicl seri, “Interview Wh the Vampire, ” 1976. At the time, she was mourng the loss of her 5-year-old dghter, Michele, one of her two children wh poet Stan the book failed to imprs crics, beme an immediate mercial succs, large part bee of s populary among gay rears. François Duhamel / Sygma via Getty ImagIn an terview wh The Daily Beast 2017, Rice said she was “very honored” that people thought “Interview Wh the Vampire” — which was adapted to a film 1994 starrg Tom Cise and Brad Pt and is currently velopment as a TV seri — was a gay allegory.

“I thk I have a gay sensibily and I feel like I’m gay, bee I’ve always transcend genr, and I’ve always seen love as transcendg genr, ” she said the 2017 terview, regardg the pervasivens of queer characters her wrg.