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Queen of the Damned (Full Screen Edition)

Queen of the Damned (Full Screen Edition)

List Price: $14.96
Your Price: $13.46
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 3 stars
Summary: A taste, a tease, but not the real thing.
Review: I was so excited to see this movie as I have read the Vampire Chronicles and have enjoyed them immensely. I went into the theatre with the realistic view that there were bound to be some changes to the story, and that the characters would look different too. What I didn't expect was the fact that they would change Lestat's "vampiric" father from Magnus to Marius.Why oh Why? Magnus did not explain the ways of the vampire to Lestat when he made him, and it explains why Lestat is the way he is. But in the movie, Marius explained everything to Lestat(!). It makes no sense as in the movie "Interview with the Vampire" Lestat said to Louis that he would teach him "everything that I never knew". I also found that the focus on the rock concert was a little too much. They could have used that time in the movie a little better. Basically, they condensed two books into one for the movie, and left out a lot of important parts and characters of the story in the process. Really, they should have made two movies to cover the two books "The Vampire Lestat" and "The Queen of the Damned". There was enough storyline in each to provide interest for a movie goer. So, all in all, it is a good movie to go and see if you have never read the books. If you have read the books, be forewarned that you will be frustrated at the movie's end!

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Uh... what happened to the plot?
Review: ...Now here's a review from someone who's seen the movie...

I'd have to say that this movie's only redeeming quality was shirtless guys, and cute ones at that. Now, as for the plot of the book - where is it in here? The rock concert that takes up about half of the movie certainly didn't take up half of the book. There's no explanation as to how Akasha became the first vampire, no scenes with her explaining her plot (or, wow, even SHOWING us) to kill almost all of the men in the world. Hey, that part wasn't even in the movie! Even the special effects were bad... I wasn't buying it when people (er, vampires) burst into flames and were reduced to crispy ashes. Crispy ashes that looked suspiciously like burnt paper. Geez.

Very disappointing. Don't bother with this trash, read the book. I promise, it's a million times better. And you don't have to listen to screaming rock stars, either.

--Naru

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: OK... but not great/what i expected
Review: This movie is great, maybe, for people who haven't read the book. But for the people who have read the book, the movie isn't really what you expect. The first 1/2 hour is on the hisory of Lestat, but there is no history of Maharet and Melkaire, which kinda ruined the whole movie. There isn't much of the Queen of the Damned, and the ending isn't filmed according to the book...It is still an OK movie though.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Lestat and Akasha: a love story?
Review: Anne Rice's Queen of the Damned, the third book in the Vampire Chronicles, has finally made it to the big screen, and it IS worth the wait! During the opening credits' sequence, it is noted that the movie is based on the Vampire Chronicles and not just the one book. There are references of course to the second book, The Vampire Lestat, wherein Lestat becomes a rock star. The Talamasca, secret society devoted to following the evil denizens of vampires, witches and the like, is featured prominently here. Jesse (played by Marguerite Moreau) is a young adept whose curiosity about Lestat and his world, draws her into a dark and sinister embrace with Lestat and eventually Akasha.

I'm not going to give away more of the plot of the movie, but suffice to say, Anne Rice fans will not be disappointed by all the special effects, the soundtrack, set design/costumes and especially the talent.

Aaliyah ... plays Akasha, Queen of the Damned. She looks every bit the picture of evil, though she is also incredibly beautiful and charismatic. She literally moves like a cobra, ready to strike at her victims, recoiling in delight at the moment of their death. She has a sensual quality that's not oversexed, rather it's entrancing and enchanting.

Stuart Townsend as the Vampire Lestat is in my opinion, a much more convincing vampire than Tom Cruise was in Interview With The Vampire. While Cruise's performance was acceptable, it doesn't have the sensuality or intensity that Stuart Townsend shows us here. He looks so much more Gothic or vampiric if you will, and he and Aaliyah look great together in their scenes.

The other outstanding actor is Vincent Perez as the vampire Marius, who created Lestat some 200 years ago. He also has the intensity and piercing gaze that all great cinematic vampires have had throught the years.

IGNORE the critical reviews you might read in the local papers: I think most critics who didn't have anything good to say about the movie are either too old to even have any knowledge of Anne Rice's work, or they didn't even bother to watch through to the end.

Two fangs and a pint of blood is my rating!

Excellent!
And fittingly, the movie closes with a dedication to Aaliyah. She would've been a GREAT movie queen....

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: QUEEN OF THE DAMNED
Review: In QUEEN OF THE DAMNED, the legendary vampire Lestat gains fame when he becomes a rock star in a goth band. A four thousand year old vampire queen named Akasha is awakened by the music that Lestat plays, and she wants him to be her king and rule the world with her. Akasha must also protect Lestat from the vampires who want him dead for telling the world their secrets through his music.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Exceeded my expectations
Review: "Hey, it's a vampire horror movie. How good could it be," I said to myself, realizing I'd just shelled out cash to see the only movie starting when I'd arrived at the theater, on a spur of the moment whim to see a new flick.

Then I remembered this is based on an Ann Rice story, and last year, I read over 2000 pages of her novels-- the Witching Hour series. And I began to look forward to more than just a dumb monster, but rather, a fleshed out collection of characters.

I wasn't disappointed. The movie delivers some great characters as well as stunning visuals and the sound... well the sound stays with you long after you leave. Aaliyah is extraordinary, mesmerizing as a queen of the vampires should be. And her voice is haunting and beyond words.

When it comes down to it, this movie is a rock and roll vampire movie. Or, to be more precise, a goth-metal vampire movie.

As an Ann Rice reader, it was fun to get a look inside the world of the talamasqua-- the secret society which has been tracking the comings and goings of the paranormal beings of this planet for 1400 years.

If you are an Anne Rice fan, this should keep you satisfied, though the romantic end is not given much coverage. If you like metal music and horror movies, you will be in heaven.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Well, it could have been worse...
Review: On the plus side, Queen of the Damned is beautiful to look at and has an outstanding soundtrack. Lots of lovely bodies of both genders make the costumes glow. There are several charming moments, as well, some good lines, some touching interactions, some nice special effects. . . and here comes the "but."

Queen of the Damned is neither fish nor fowl. It varies too much from the books (oftentimes in enraging ways) too serve as a movie adaptation, and yet it requires you to have read them in order to understand what's going on. There is no explanation of the Talamasca, you never learn why Maharet opposes Akasha, it's never explained who all these people are that suddenly show up at the end of the movie: all of this requires having read the novels, but if you have read them. . . oh, how you cringe.

All of the casting was horribly off type. No one looked as they should. Even if you can forgive that, the relationships and personalities were sickeningly warped. Marius as Lestat's maker? And speaking of Lestat, what happened to his sense of playfulness? Aside from a singular "Boo," he was so dark and brooding. I'm looking for the Tom Cruise Lestat that danced with a corpse, not the self-important Marilyn Manson clone of Townsend.

One other thing: what was with the horrible makeup jobs? There was nothing to distinguish a vampire from a human except for the occasional special effects flash of the eyes. Oh, and a lot of really dark eyeshadow.

So many of the details that make a movie were missing from this. It had the potential to be something great, but it was just lost somewhere in the process. See it, because it's pretty, but don't expect much out of it. Perhaps it will be better on DVD. . . there has to be a hoard of deleted scenes. I hope.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Good but not Great
Review: Qotd is a wonderful movie. It didn't have much actoin in it but it had a strange love story. It's a movie more for girls. Ecspecial with Stuat Townsend in it. If your into a little bit of action and romance then you'll like this movie.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: I HAVE SEEN THE MOVIE
Review: If not for the fact that this movie was based on Ann Rice's book, then it might be decent, but instead hollywood has screwed up another one. This movie is in no way connected to the first one except by the name Lestat. And Lestat does not act at all like he should. The Tom Cruise's Lestat was much more likable and was the complete opposite of this Lestat. In the first movie, Lestat said that he and the one who made him were from Paris. The book said the same. Not in this movie. In this movie they are both from Egypt. I'm not one of those people who thinks that the movie should be the exact same thing as the book. But if your writing's a sequal at least stick somewhat close to the facts presented in the first movie. And maybe it wouldn't hurt to have something in the movie be like the book. It's as if the people who made this movie said lets have the characters act completely different from the ones in the book. This movie's look is very good but it lacks anything remotely close to a story. There are a lot of gaps in this movie. This did not even come remotely close to interview with the vampire.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Good, but a little lacking
Review: My husband and I went to see this the day it was released. The movie was pretty good. It was nice to see Lestat portrayed with a little more heart than in "Interview with a Vampire". I will say "Interview" was much better. There were some things in the movie that didnt quite jive with the books, or with the first movie. Lestat stated in the first movie he never knew his maker, but in "Queen" it shows a flashback of him being made. I loved the concept though, the actors were wonderful, Aaliyah was awesome in the part she played. I think it could have been a little more profound, and a little more detailed. I did like the ending though, I thought it was very touching. The music is great and I think Stuart Townsend did a fantastic job as Lestat. I almost think I liked him better than Tom Cruise. I have this whole series of books and have read the first two. Now, I am planning to finish it just because I want to know EVERYTHING about that part of Lestats "life" as you may call it. Its a great flick if you are really into just vampire movies, you wont be disappointed. But if you have seen "Interview" and read the books, you will find it is missing a little bit in detail. I think they should have told a little more of the story of Akasha and a little less of Lestat. Even so, I will end up buying it once it is released to VHS, just to add it to my vampire collction of movies, and in honor of Aaliyah.


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