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Queen of the Damned (Widescreen Edition)

Queen of the Damned (Widescreen Edition)

List Price: $14.96
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Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Great Movie but didn't stick to Traditional Rice
Review: I thought the movie was great! But I didn't get the same feeling about the characters that I did in the books. I was kind of under the suspicion Lestat and most of the other Vampires were kinda gay, but in this movie they are strictly hetrosexual. So in that way only I think it differed from the book enough to make it Hollywood; Peter Townsend did a great portrayal of Lestat. Maybe making the Vampires gay-like (like the books) would have turned people off to this movie.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: SEE THIS AND THEN BUY IT
Review: I just went to see QOTD yesterday. This movie is unlike anything I've ever seen. It combines blood, sex, and rock 'n roll as only Anne Rice can. Stewart Townsend is wonderful with his hunger for young girls who adore his music, and Aaliyah's performance is phenominal, she kills for fun, and even with teeth that can rip through flesh, she still manages to look absolutely beautiful. See it.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Over the top and overwrought
Review: It gets more difficult as time marches on to make a significant contribution to the vampire genre, whether the piece in question is a book or a movie, or (as is often the case) both. Anne Rice is one of the few living writers who did so with her first novel, _Interview With a Vampire_. _Queen of the Damned_ picks up her story with Lestat (played perfectly by Stuart Townsend) reawakening Akasha, Queen of the Vampires (played equally well by the late Aaliyah in an eerie, effective final performance.)

This is definitely an enjoyable if overwrought movie experience. The major criticism I have of _Queen of the Damned_ is its odd and quirky *excess*. Of course, Horror, Goth, and Romanticism all focus on excess in one form or another; but in the case of this second major big-budget release of a Rice text, it is a sloppy and misplaced form of excess.

The movie starts off wonderfully, with stylish scenes telling of Lestat's re-emergence as well as his rocky relationship with his vampiric mentor, Marius (Vincent Perez). Lestat, feeling the loneliness of ages and wanting companionship, decides to break the code of silence among vampires by proclaiming his damned state to a coolly sophisticated public rapt by his new status as rock musician-- in the process angering the hidden vampire community and awaking Akasha, whose unmatched malevolence and infinite appetite threaten both mortal and immortal, human and vampire alike.

The vampire rock star motif one would think the corny, goofy plotfall-- but it isn't, director Michael Rymer handling this part of Rice's vision admirably. His prime mistakes begin midway through the film, after a much-hyped Lestat concert goes awry, with rival vampires, former cohorts and smitten groupies vying for Lestat's love / destruction / allegiance all at once, until Akasha rises *from beneath the stage* (quick, pretend this is shocking and hasn't been done before) and starts flaming poor souls left and right. This, finally, is the movie's plunge into chaos, literally and metaphorically.

The most annoying trait of _Queen of the Damned_ is what could have been. The material is apt, even resonating, and the plot intriguing. Yet the overabundance of pretentious, speeding tracking shots over dark landscapes and the numberless seething, caffeinated, remorseless Lestat-hunters bring the promise of the script down to B-movie drivel. Yes, _Damned_ could have been a great movie. Take out the lame attempts at the grand and sinister (which are unintentionally funny), forgive the lack of good old-fashioned horror, pardon its ridiculous surplus of bloody neck biting, and perhaps even ignore the blaring, self-important rock soundtrack (some of it concocted by Jonathon Davis of Korn, who makes a cameo as a ticket scalper)-- and, well, you *may* have had quite a pic. As it is, _Queen of the Damned_ is a cute romp through Anne-Land, and a must for vampire aficionados-- but unfortunately, "damned" not to be ever taken seriously as an excellent vampire movie, and certainly not as a memorable horror film.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Mythically enchanting, dark and this years #1 film!
Review: I was a little apprehensive about going to see this movie. Feeling that the wonderful talents of Stuart Townsand and former R&B singer Aaliyah couldn't possibly pull off such a dark and mysterious acting roll as that in Ann Rice's novel, but what a brilliant performance. This movie literally left me feeling all tingly inside. The acting was wonderfully superb! I recommend this movie to any Vampire buff!!! This will definitely be rated as a #1 film of 2002! And let me assure you that the soundtrack is just as awesome as the movie!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: its not the book but its still GOOD
Review: I'd read that if you take everything you know about Queen as a book and just chuck all that then it would be an enjoyable movie and i think that holds true.. It was a visually stunning movie with a whole gothic vampire culture vibe to it that was absolutely taking. Jesse was awesome, as was Stuart as Lestat and all the other characters.. I liked Aaliyah a great deal she played Akasha as written in the novel.. It kept from the book its mystical power and eroticism... Sets were awesome exactly as i had imagined. Stuart was so much more than i expected and very much better than a prior actor as Lestat. He had the whole sex appeal thing going that made me wish once again to be chosen as a eternal companion for Lestat. I so wish they wouldnt had wound it up so fast when they took such pains to explain everything so well in the beginning, and they really needed to at least call the vampires by name who were with Maharet but basically as a long time Anne Rice fan I wish to see it again and again.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: I saw it opening night
Review: I am a huge fan of the vampire chronicles and absolutely LOVED the first movie, however, this movie was a great disappointment. The music was good, but it had way too much narrative (nearly half of the total movie)! The action was abbreviated and not nearly as intense as it should have been. I was seriously disappointed by the distortion of two novels (The vampire Lestat and The Queen of the Damned). Many things were different than the books without improvement to the storyline. Overall, I was very disappointed and think those who have waited to see this should wait until video.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Queen of The Damned: DON'T SEE THIS
Review: Well folk's I have seen some pretty bad movies lately, but this one takes the cake. I am hopeful that Ann Rice is glad that she was turned down to write the manuscript. If anyone who has read the book, then seen the movie will understant. I gave this 1 star, and that's being generous. I'd love to give it -5 stars. The book and the movie have nothing in common, besides the names. They get the history wrong, the characters totally wrong, and the settings are off by miles. I mean, come on, if you're going to make a movie from a book, espcially if it's one that is read by millions of people, then can you atleast try to get something right??!! Lestat is dupposed to be blonde, am I right? He's a brunette. Maruis is supposed to have silvery-blonde hair and be in his 40's, this guy was also a bruntte, very young from what I saw and HE DIDN'T EVEN MAKE LESTAT!!!! His mother, Louis, were not even in the movie, Mekere wasn't mentioned, Jessies whole story was flawed. I have to re-read the book again just to try and get these horrible images out of my head!!! I warn everyone who reads this, as I have already done to my friends...If you have read the book, DON'T see the movie. I am very sorry I wasted my money on this. PLease heed my advice..do not waste your time and money on this movie. You will most defintly regret it in the end.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Aaliyah, A True Queen
Review: I love Aaliyah and everything she's ever done. In this movie,she really demonstrates that women reign supreme and do have the power to be in control. I was disappointed that she wasn't in more scenes though. I feel that the movie was lacking something--I don't know what, but something. Overall, it could have been better.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Queen of the damned wheres Aaliyah ?
Review: This movie is about a man named Lestat(Stuart Townshend) who raises Queen Akasha(Aaliyah) to life by discovering her in a secret tomb where she is buried with her husband.She is intrugied by his music and wants him to be her king forever and ever only to find that he dosen't love her (Akasha) and kills her at the end of the movie. He loves a woman who is obsesed with him.

For those who dont know Aaliyah she is grammy award winning artist and actress.
RIP Aaliyah

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Queen of The Damned:Feat. Aaliyah, Stuart Townsend
Review: Campy or Boring? You Decide

Aaliyah, the top-selling pop star-turned-actress, who died in a plane crash Aug. 25th, 2001, slides through "Queen of the Damned" like some slippery eel-goddess -- exciting, agitating and as the title character, having the most attention and most excitement about. The cameras loved her, with the extraordinary costumes, make-up and language of the movie, everyone, and everything connected.
We can't speak ill of the deceased, but the undead? That's a different story. "Queen of The Damned", based on Anne Rice's "Vampire Chronicles", is a tour making you queesy, and yet wanting more of this film. This film might not classify as a horror film in some people's eyes, but this was one gross-adventure of blood, sex, and rock-and-roll.
After decades of slumper, the Vampire Lestat has always longed for fame, and he finally gets it, by becoming a rock star. His haunting lyrics and music, has awoken the mother of all evil in Vampires, Akasha, Queen of the Damned (Aaliyah). Lestat (Stuart Townsend), has been sleeping for decades, historians in London, England have found his secret journal of many years ago. Marius, the Vampire who created him, takes him far to the Meditterean Coast, in a gigantic old house. While palying his newly founded love of the violin, a sudden whoosh of the playing stick, and it goes flying. He finds the stick, behind an old dresser, where an Ancient Dial is located. He swings the dial, and a secret opening cave appears. As he walks through, for about a very long-ten minute scene, screaming "Marius", you'd probably figure out by then, no one was going to answer. He finds two statues, a King and Queen on a thrown. He plays for the statues, and the Queen's arm lifts, and turns upside down. Lestat, now a vampire, wants as much blood as he can. He drinks the Queen's blood, and becomes enchanted with it. Marius figures out what has happened, and stops Lestat.
Now, back to normal time. With this music, he has officially awoken the Egyptian, fanged Queen, and she wants him to rule by her side.
Towards, the middle, Akasha comes into a club, where this is the most gross-scene of the movie. She becomes in love with the music, Lestat's music, blaring out the TV, she begins to dance. A fellow vampire says "We are going to have to dis-member you,". Akasha, doesn't care about anything, and responds, "And just how are you going to do that?", in a very, dark, sexy, dis-orienetd voice-over of Aaliyah's twisted dialogue. She begins to dance, slowly, sexually, and she nugges the man over. He stands in front of her, and she begins to dis-heart him. Tearing his heart right out of his chest, and begins to eat it. Very gross if I might add! What makes Akasha even more entertaining, is, she doesn't care about anything, or anyone, which makes her the best person-- or thing in the movie.
This movie, wouldn't have been so bad, if it wasn't so boring! It uses old horror motifs, (although without much gore or buckets of blood) and the point that celebrity, or sex, or drugs are apt subjects of a vampire's undead life goes along. The final scene, in where Akasha, is turned to stone and then disappears, is probably the most exciting scene of the movie. This movie, although 100 minutes in length, seemed to go very, very quickly. With not many scenes to go on, the scenes, were rather long, or very fast. The final scene, where all the un-dead vampires decide to fight Akasha, in order for her to stop destroying the world, they decide to attack her when she delivers blood to Lestat.
They (Akasha & Lestat) walk into an old, staidum marble floor and have a whole speech. Jesse, one of the historians, wants to be with Lestat, and be one of the un-dead, but Akasha has other plans. She orders Lestat to kill Jesse, which I'm not going to tell if he does, or not. Akasha, makes a valid point when they're about to kill her off, "You kill me, you kill yourselves", which does make sense, because she is the Mother of All Vampires. Although, Jesse's aunt, now a vampire for many eyars, takes the last drop of Akasha's blood, which makes Akasha within her, and she also dies with her.

This movie, overall, went very fast, and I definitely wanted to see more. But, that wasn't the case. Aaliyah, Queen Akasha, was only in a total of 5 scenes. Which isn't much, but Aaliyah did play and look the part very well. So, overall, this movie, Very campy, very boring. Aaliyah gives a very dramatic performance which made her my favorite character, and Townsend (Lestat) isn't so bad himself.

Final Verdict: Freaky, and yet draggy: B-


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