INTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE by

Anne Rice

FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk™ www.screentalk.org

INT. ROOM - NIGHT (SAN FRANCISCO)

A small bare room, illuminated only by the streetlight comingthrough the window.

A hand presses a cassette into a recorder and fiddles with asmall microphone.

Malloy sits over a table fiddling with the tape. He is young,half-shaven, dressed in T shirt and jeans. He looks too --

LOUIS, who stands by the window, looking out on the streeet,with his back to Mallowy. Louis is dressed in an old-fashionedsuit.

LOUISSo you want me to tell you the storyof my life...

MALLOYThat's what I do. I interview people.I collect lives. F.M. radio. F.F.R.C.I just interviewed a genuine hero, acop who -

LOUIS(quietly interrupting)

You'd have to have a lot of tape formy story. I've had a very unusuallife.

MALLOYSo much the better. I've got a pocketfull of tapes.

LOUISYou followed me here, didn't you?

MALLOYSaw you in the street outside. Youseemed interesting. Is this whereyou live?

LOUISIt's just a room...

MALLOYSo shall we begin?

(Playfully, almostteasing)

What do yo do?

LOUISI'm a vampire.

2.

Malloy laughs.

MALLOYSee? I knew you were interesting.You mean this literally, I take it?

LOUISAbsolutely. I was watching youwatching me. I was waiting for youin that alleyway. And then you beganto speak.

MALLOYWell, what a lucky break for me.

LOUISPerhaps lucky for both of us.

Still in shadow he turns from the window and approaches thetable.

LOUISI'll tell you my story. All of it.I'd like to do that very much.

Malloy is uneasy as he studies the shadowy figure, fascinatedbut afraid.

MALLOYYou were going to kill me? Drink myblood?

LOUISYes but you needn't worry about thatnow. Things change.

Louis stands opposite, hand on the chair. Malloy is riveted.

MALLOYYou believe this, don't you? Thatyou're a vampire? You really think...

LOUISWe can't begin this way. Let me turnon the light.

MALLOYBut I thought vampires didn't likethe light.

LOUISWe love it. I only wanted to prepareyou.

Louis pulls the chord of the overhead naked light bulb.

3.

LOUIS' FACEappears inhumanly white, eyesglittering. Inhuman or not alive.the effect is subtle, beautiful andghastly.

MALLOYGood God!

He struggles to suppress fear and understand.

LOUISDon't be frightened. I want thisopportunity.

The light appears to go out by itself and suddenly Louis isin the chair, dimly lit by the street-light from the window.The cassette is turning.

MALLOYHow did you do that?

LOUISThe same way you do it. A series ofsimple gestures. Only I moved toofast for you to see. I'm flesh andblood, you see. But not human. Ihaven't been human for two hundredyears.

Malloy is speechless, frightened yet enthralled.

LOUISWhat can I do to put you at ease?Shall we begin like David Copperfield?I am born, I grow up. Or shall webegin when I was born to darkness,as I call it. That's really where weshould start, don't you think?

MALLOYYou're not lying to me, are you?

LOUISWhy should I lie? 1791 was the yearit happened. I was twenty-four -younger than you are now.

MALLOYYes.

LOUISBut times were different then. I wasa man at that age. The master of a

4.

LOUISlarge plantation just south of NewOrleans...

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. LOUISIANA - DAY (1791)

A dishevelled Louis, hair in pigtail, in deep pocket frockcoat, rides his horse through the fields of indigo, passingan overseer and slaves at work.

He passes slave quarters and the distant colonial mansion ofPointe du Lac.

He comes to a small parish church and a graveyard. hedismounts and walks through the tombs to an elaborate one inGreek Style.

LOUIS (V.O.)I had just lost my wife in childbirth.She and the infant had been buriedless than half a year.

There is a marble angel above the tomb, feminine, with atiny cherub angel in her arms. Louis looks from the angel,down to the inscriptions on the tomb:

DIANNE DE POINTE DU LAC 1763 - 1791 INFANT JEAN MARIE - 1791

Louis rips away the vines already covering the inscription,then drinks from a pocket-flask. His face is ashen.

LOUIS (V.O.)I was twenty-four and life seemedfinished. I couldn't bear the painof thier loss. I longed for a releasefrom it.

INT. WATERFRONT TAVERN. NIGHT.

Louis in ragged lace and dirty brocade sitting between twowhores at a gaming table, drinking absinthe. All around himflatboatmen, whores, gamblers, black african freedmen.

LOUIS (V.O.)I wanted to lose everything. Mywealth, my estate, my sanity. ButLady Luck didn't oblige.

Louis dsiplays a hand of four aces. A gambler at the tablestands in fury, over turning money, cards, drinks.

LOUISYou're calling me a cheat?

5.

GAMBLERI'm calling you a piece of shit -

The gambler pulls out a pearl-handled pistol and points itat Louis. The crowd hushes and draws back. Louis smilesdrunkenly and stands. he rips open his lace shirt, exposinghis chest.

LOUISThen do me a favour. Get rid of thispiece of shit...

The gambler's finger on the trigger. His hand shakes.

LOUISYou lack the courage of yourconvictions, sir. Do it.

LESTAT, a hooded figure in the corner, smiles from beneaththe shadow of his hood. Gleaming blue eyes.

LOUIS (V.O.)Most of all I longed for death. Iknow that now. I invited it, a releasefrom the pain of living...

The gambler lowers his gun, scowling. Louis pockets thefistfulls of coins he has won.

EXT. WATERFRONT. NIGHT.

Loud, crowded riverfront taverns full of ruffians. Louisstaggers down, an arm around a whore, drinking from a bottle.A pockmarked pimp follows behind.

LOUISMy invitation was open to anyone.Sailors, thieves, whores and slaves...

EXT. WHARF - NIGHT

Louis, quite insensible, being propped up against a wall bythe whore in a dank wharf over the water. The pimp rifleshis pockets, then pulss a knife, about to slice his throat,when a shadow falls over him. He turns, and we see the faceof Lestat, who lifts him into the air by his throat, breakinghis neck. the whore screams and Lestat's other hand clampsover her mouth. Lestat drags her towards him. Louis falls tothe ground, supported no more, insensible. Close on his face,as we hear the last breaths of life of the whore, off.

LOUIS (V.O.)But it was a vampire that accepted.

6.

IN THE WATER -

The bodies of the thief and whore float by. Above on thewharf, Louis, now awake, stares down at them. He turns, tosee Lestat, towering above him.

LESTATThey would have killed you -

LOUISThen my luck would have changed.

LESTATYou want death? Is it death you want?

LOUISYes...

Lestat floats down on top of him, then lifts him in the air,draws his head back by the hair and sinks his teeth in hisneck.

ON LOUIS' FACE - every muscle rigid, teeth clenched, as theblood is drained from him.

ON THEIR FEET - hovering above the ground, like two quiveringdancers.

THE WIND - billows through the ghostly white sails and riggingof the boats around the wharf.

LESTAT - floats higher, with Louis in his arms, draining hisblood. One hand reaches out and grips a rope, hanging from ashipmast. The other holds Louis. He withdraws his teeth, andlooks into Louis' drained face.

LESTATYou still want death? Or have youtasted it enough?

Louis can barely get the words out.

LOUISEnough...

Lestat smiles and lets him go. Louis falls and plummets intothe water below.

LOUIS' FACE - coming to the surface, in the water lapping bythe wharf. The bodies of the whore and thief float besidehim. He looks up and sees Lestat way above him, danglingfrom the rope of the shipmast.

7.

INT. ROOM. SAN FRANCISCO.

ON MALLOY'S FACE

captivated, terrified, enthralled.

MALLOYThat's how it happened?

LOUISNo. The Gift of Darkness requiresmore than that, as you'll see.

EXT. WATERFRONT - DAY

Louis floating by mudflats, surrounded by dead fish, thecarcases of animals, eighteenth century rubbish. He gets tohis feet and walks weakly through the mudflats. The sun iscoming up over the sea behind him.

LOUIS (V.O.)He left me half dead that morning.he wanted something from me. He cameback the following night.

INT. LAVISH FRENCH - FURNISHED BEDROOM AT POINT DU LAC

Louis is delerious in a four-poster bed, shrouded withmosquito netting. A female slave, YVETTE, bathes his facewith a rag. She is crying. Other slave women hover in theshadows. Yvette puts out all candles save one by the bed,and withdraws, with the others.

Candlelight flickers on the face of the bisque virgin.

Louis tosses and turns, dreaming, murmuring incoherently.Then he opens his eyes.

LESTAT, exquisitely dressed in French clothing, stands bythe bed smiling. In the light of the candle we see that heis not human; skin too white; eyes too bright. Lestat looksamiable, even mischevious, but impossible - and angel ormonster.

Louis grabs his pistol from the table and cocks it.

LOUISWho the hell are you? What are youdoing in my house?

LESTATAnd a beautiful house it is too.Yours is a good life, isn't it?

8.

Louis takes aim. Lestat puts his hand over the barrel. Louisfires. The bullet tears a hole in Lestat's hand. Lestat isunfazed. He takes the gun from Louis' hand and throws itaway. His hand begins to heal.

LESTATYou're not afraid of anything, areyou?

LOUISWhy should I be?

Louis reaches for his sword, hanging by the bed, and pointit. Lestat laughs indulgently. He draws closer.

LESTATAre you going to put that through metoo? Ruin my beautiful clothes?

He comes closer to Louis, right up to his face, so the swordpasses through his waistcoat.

LESTATWere all last night's promises fornothing?

He reaches out with his now-healed hand and plucks out thesword.

LOUISWhat do you want from me?

LESTATI've come to answer your prayers.You want to die, don't you? Life hasno meaning anymore, does it?

Lestat sits down on the bed, drawing up one knee. Louis isbecoming spellbound.

LESTATThe wine has no taste. The foodsickens you. There seems no reasonfor any of it, does there? But whatif I could give it back to you? Pluckout the pain and give you anotherlife? And it would be for all time?And sickeness and death could nevertouch you again?

The vampire theme rises, with the sound of a heartbeat.Dissolve to:

9.

EXT. GRAVEYARD - NIGHT

The camera drifts through the graveyard where Louis' wife isburing. Everything is lit with an eery glow, as if seenthrough some unearthly eye.

LESTATVampires, that's what we are.Creatures of darkness, only we seeit that darkness more clearly thanany mortal has ever seen...

Louis and Lestat drifting, dreamlike, through the overhangingvines, comes to the grave of his wife and child. Above thecrypt, the statue of angel, mother and child.

LESTATWouldn't it be sweet to bid paingoodbye? To wave away anguish andgrief? To embrace the peace of theunending night?

The marble fingers of the child on the statue move. The angelraises her head and has the face of Louis wife, Diane. sheraises her hand and touches Louis tear-streamed face. Thechild speaks.

MARBLE CHILDPapa...

Louis reaches out to embrace them and finds himself touchingcold marble. He cries out in anguish-

LOUISDiane!!!!

LESTATThey are gone, Louis. Death tookthem. Death which you can nowdestroy...

LOUISNO!!!!!

INT. LOUIS BEDROOM - NIGHT

Louis, thrashing on the bed in a delerium. Lestat places ahand on his forehead and soothes him.

LESTATYou have to ask me for this. Youhave to want it, do you hear me?

LOUISGive it to me!!!

10.

LESTATVampires. We thrive on blood.

LOUISI want it!

Lestat bends close as if to drink Louis' blood. Louis doesnot shrink back, but stares into his eyes. Lestat draws back,then stands up and goes to the French doors.

LESTATTomorrow night. You must proveyourself. I will give you the choiceI never had.

He looks outside.

LESTATThe sun's coming up. Watch itcarefully. If you come with metomorrow, you'll never see it again.

He leaves. Louis sits dazed, staring at the empty Frenchwindow. The sun rises with unnatural beauty, over theswamplands and the plantation, filling the room, strikingwater-pitcher, glass, mirror, and the picture of his deadwife.

LOUIS (V.O.)My last sunrise. That morning I wasnot yet a vampire, and I saw my lastsunrise. I remember it completely,yet I don't remember any sunrisebefore it. I watched the wholemagnificence of the dawn for thelast time, as if it were the first.And then I said goodbye to sunlightand went out to become what I became.

EXT. PLANTATION - NIGHT

Lestat and Louis walk through the slave quarters, huddlesgroups around fires, music, singing. The sound of whippingis heard.

LESTATYour grief has unhinged you. You'velet your estate rot.

In the woods beyond the quarters, the white overseer iswhipping a black slave, with horrifying savagery.

11.

LESTATYou let your overseer run riot, workyour slaves to the bone. We'll startwith him.

LOUISHow do you mean, start?

LESTATCall him.

Louis calls.

LOUISCarlos!!!

The overseer turns and comes towards them, with the bloodiedwhip.

LESTATWhy the bloody whip, Carlos?

The overseer looks into his eyes, shivers with terror, dropsthe whip and runs for the trees. Lestat is on him in aninstant. He sinks is teeth in his neck. Louis runs to him,tries to pull him off. But Lestat turns to Louis and smiles,with his bloodied mouth.

LESTATLet's call that a start.

LOUISI can't do it.

LESTATYou've just done it -

LOUISKill me if you will, but I can't dothis...

He flees, as Lestat ends to finish off the overseer.

EXT. POINTE DU LAC - NIGHT

Louis running up the steps leading to the gallery. He iscrazed with guilt. He looks up and sees -

LESTAT --

Sitting collected at the head of the steps.

12.

LOUIS

Backs away as Lestat rises and descends the steps so fluidlyhe hardly seems to move.

LESTATDon't worry. He was white trash,they come at two a penny. I dumpedhim in the swamp and untied the slave,licked his wounds clean.

LOUISYou're the devil, aren't you? That'swho you are.

LESTAT(gently)

I wish I were. But if I were, whatwould I want with you?

LOUISI can't go through with it, I tellyou.

LESTATYour perfect. Your bitter and you'restrong.

LOUISBut why do you want me?

LESTATBecause you're as strong as I waswhen I was alive.

Louis takes out his flask and drinks. Drunkely, he turns andheads for a nearby swamp.

EXT. CEMETERY - NIGHT

Louis stops again in front of the crypt. Drinks from theflask, leans his forehead against the stone.

Lestat appears beside him, radiant, beautiful.

LESTATYou really want to be with them?

LOUISYes. Kill me. Kill me like youpromised -

LESTATYou asked for death. I didn't promiseit -

13.

In a quiet rage, Lestat raise his fist and shatters the marbleface stone, revealing a coffin below. His fist shatters thatin turn, revealing the half-rotted body of a women, holdingan infant, no longer recognisable as individuals, a tangleof gruesome rotted hair, flesh, eaten away lace, insects andworms crawling over it.

Louis gasps.

LESTATIt's not your wife and child myfriend. It's death. Just that simple.Think and choose. It happens toeveryone. Except us.

Lestat stares at him, smiling, becoming a hazy dreamlikevision, then hyperclear. Louis again is spellbound. He dropsthe flask, which shatters on the stones.

Lestat appears angelic in his radiance.

LESTATWe shall be this way always, myfriend. Young as we are now. I'mlonely for a companion, lonely foryour strength. But I'm not thatlonely. Do you want to come or not?

Louis capitulates in one long sigh.

LOUISYes...

Lestat comes closer, smiling.

LESTATDid I hear a yes?

LOUISYes...

Lestat embraces Louis, obscuring his face. He drinks hisblood. We hear two heartbeats, out of sync, coming together.We see Louis' face, growing paler, paler, as his blood isdrained. His eyes stare upwards, losing thier focus.

LOUIS POV --

The moon, through hanging vines. The marble statue of hiswife and child smile at him, as if come alive. Her hair blowsin the breeze, wonderful gold tresses, the child's fingersreach out...

14.

BACK TO SCENE

Lestat lets Louis fall down beside the broken crypt. Louislooks from the rotting bodies to Lestat above him. radiant.Lestat speaks gently.

LESTATI've drained you to the point ofdeath. If you drink from me you livefor ever. If I leave you here youdie.

Lestat lifts his hand to his lips and blows Louis a kiss.

LOUISNo. Don't leave me here. Give it tome.

Lestat lifts his own right wrist to his teeth. Fangs slashhis own flesh, blood falls.

LESTATYou're sure?

LOUISSure...

Louis rises to accept the first drops with his open mouth.Lestat gathers him up, as Louis clamps his hand on Lestat'sarm and drinks from the wrist.

The VAMPIRE THEME swells.

Lestat watches him drink his wrist with wry amusement. Louisfinishes, staggers away from him as if drunk.

LOUIS' POV -

Vampire vision. The world is transformed, the swamp, themoon, the clouds, the cry of the night birds all come to himwith unnatural clarity. He looks down with pity at the corpsesof his wife and child who appear beautiful in death now ratherthan repulsive. He closes the lid of the coffin and replacesit in the ground, astonished at the ease of it.

He turns and stares at Lestat whom he sees now with vampire'svision. Lestat's eyes are brighter, his buttons are glimmeringin the light. Everything is clearer, brighter, containingmore facets of light and colour.

LESTATStop staring at my buttons. Didn't Itell you it was going to be fun?

15.

Lestat leads him into the swamp. Everything astonished Louis,as if he's never seen it before. Louis is suddenly racked byshudders of pain.

LESTATYou're body's dying. Pay no attention.It will take twenty minutes at most.

LOUISDying?

Louis dry-retches.

LESTATIt happens to us all.

Lestat wipes Louis' brow.

LESTATCome, you're going to feed now.

LOUISI want a woman.

Lestat laughs and his laughter echoes like bells in Louis'ears.

LESTATThat doesn't matter anymore, Louis.You'll see. Come...

LOUIS' VAMPIRE POV - SWAMP

Small high ground. Camp of runaway slaves. Several share abottle of rum around the fire. A male slave rises. A gorgeoushunk of flesh in the moonlight and goes into the swamp torelieve his bladder.

LESTATThey're all beautiful now. Men, women,the old, the young...simply becausethey are alive. -

The slave walks towards them in the darkness. A crucifixgleams round his neck.

LESTATTake him.

LOUISThe crucifix -

LESTATForget the crucifix. Take him.

16.

Louis hesitates.

LESTATResist no more Louis. Feed...

The slave looks up and sees them. Two gleaming white beingsstanding before him with devil's eyes. The he runs.

Louis can resist him no more. He swoops on him with avampire's rapid movement, brings him to the ground and sinkshis teeth in his neck.

Close on Louis feeding on the slave, the magnificent bodyshuddering in its death-throes. Lestat stands above, laughing.

The slave dies. Louis rises from him, drunkenly, engorgedwith blood.

LOUISWhat have I done?

LESTATYou have fed. You were made forthis...

Louis looks down at the body of the slave. Lestat's laughterechoes around him.

LOUISDear God, what have I done?

LESTATYou've killed Louis. And enjoyed it.

Lestat laughs harder. Louis runs from him, screaming inanguish.

EXT. GRAVEYARD - NIGHT

Louis reaches his wife's grave. He falls to his knees, throwsback his head and bares his new fangs to the moon.

LOUISDear God, what have I become????

INT. ROOM - SAN FRANCISCO - NIGHT

Malloy stares at Louis, terrified and enthralled.

MALLOYYou said the slave had a crucifix...

LOUISOh, that rumour about crosses?

17.

MALLOYYou can't look at them...

LOUISNonsense, my friend. I can look onanything I like. And I am particularlyfond of looking on crucifixes.

MALLOYThe story about stakes through theheart?

LOUISThe same. As you would say today...Bull shit.

MALLOYWhat about coffins?

LOUISCoffins... coffins unfortunately area necessity...

EXT. MANSION - NIGHT

Louis walks up the steps to the mansion. He looks now like afully-fledged vampire. Yvette, the slave girl stares at himfrom the open doorway. Cascades of harpsichord music comefrom the interior.

LOUIS (V.O.)Killing is no ordinary act. It isthe experience of another's life forcertain. That night I had lost myown life and taken another's. I wasdrowning in a sea of human guilt andregret, with all the heightened sensesof a vampire...

Louis enters the mansion, following the harpsichord music,as if in a dream. Yvette draws back as he approaches.

INT. MANSION - NIGHT

Louis wanders into the parlour, where Lestat is playing theharpsichord rapidly and exuberantly. Louis goes to a full-length mirror and sees his own reflection there - quite theperfect vampire.

LESTATYes, that's you, my handsome friend.And you'll look that way till thestars fall from heaven.

18.

LOUISIt can't be...

LESTATGive it time. You're like a man wholoses a limb and still imagines hefeels pain. It will pass. And wemust sleep now. I can feel the sunapproaching.

EXT. POINTE DU LAC

Dawn spreading over the plantation.

INT. BASEMENT - POINTE DU LAC

A brick walled storage room. Two coffins stand on the floor.Lestat enters with a lantern, Louis behind. Lestat isapprehensive and protective of Louis. He pulls back one lidot reveal a satin interior.

LESTATYou must get into it. It's the onlysafe place for you when the lightcomes.

LOUISAnd if I don't?

LESTATThe sun will destroy the blood I'vegiven you. Every tissue, every vein.The fire in this lantern could dothat too.

Louis approaches the coffin, hands trembling as he peersinto it.

LESTATDon't be afraid. In moments you'llbe sleeping as soundly as you everslept. And when you awake I'll bewaiting for you, and so will all theworld.

Louis crawls into the coffin, fearful yet fascinated.

LOUISYou told me something earlier. Yousaid you didn't have a choice. Wasthat true?

Lestat smiles bitterly and nods.

19.

LESTATSomeday I'll tell you. We have a lotof time to talk to each other. Youmight say... we have all the time weshall ever need.

He closes the lid.

Total darkness. Sounds of Louis' panicked breathing. Of hisprayer again.

LOUISDear God, what have I done?

INT. DINING ROOM - NIGHT

Louis and Lestat sitting at a sumptuous table, piled withuneaten food. Lestat is going through sheafs of documents.

LOUIS (V.O.)I awoke the next evening to adifferent world. And I realized thereare as profound differences betweenvampires as between human beings...

Lestat, totting up figures on a piece of paper.

LESTATYour wealth, dear Louis, isinestimable. Your income from cottonalone will keep us in comfort for acentury.

Louis just stares at him.

LOUIS (V.O.)I sat there staring at him withcontempt. He had the soul of ashopkeeper, he was the sow's ear outof which nothing fine could be made.I felt sadly cheated in having himas a teacher...

Lestat looks up at him and grins.

LESTATYou'll get used to killing. Justforget about that mortal coil. You'llbecome accustomed to things all tooquickly.

LOUISDo you think so?

20.

Yvette enters, stands behind him, staring at Lestat withloathing.

YVETTEYou are not hungry, sir...

LESTATAu contraire, my dear. He could eata horse...

Lestat laughs loudly. Louis turns and looks at Yvette. Herbeautiful forehead in the candlelight, the veins pulsing onher neck and her hands.

LOUIS (V.O.)I looked at anything mortal and sawall life as precious, condemning allfruitless guilt and passion thatwould let it slip through the fingerslike sand...

Yvette returns his stare, troubled.

LOUIS (V.O.)It was only as a vampire that I couldsee Yvette's beauty. Her fear of meincreased my desire.

Yvette reaches for his uneaten plate. Louis stops her hand.Holds it for a beat too long, looking at the veins in herwrist.

LOUISI will finish it, Yvette. Now leaveus.

She turns and runs from the table. Lestat leans towards him.

LESTATCan't you pretend, you fool? Don'tgive the game away. We're lucky tohave such a home.

His hand snakes out under the table. It comes up holding alarge grey rat.

LESTATPretend to drink, at least.

He bares his fangs and slices the rat's throat. He pours theblood into a crystal glass.

LESTATSuch fine crystal shouldn't go towaste...

21.

He hands the glass to Louis. Louis drinks the blood and staresat it in surprise, then at the dead rat on the fine lacetablecloth.

LESTATI know. It gets cold so fast.

LOUISWe can live like this? Off the bloodof animals?

Lestat shrugs.

LESTATI wouldn't call it living. I'd callit surviving. A useful trick if you'recaught for a month on a ship at sea.

Lestat strokes the belly of the dead rat, studying it sadly.

LESTATThere's nothing in the world nowthat doesn't hold some...

LOUISFascination...

LESTATYes. And I'm bored with this prattle --

He throws the rat away.

LOUISBut we can live without taking humanlife. It's possible.

LESTATAnything is possible. But just tryit for a week. Come into New Orleansand let me show you some real sport!

He rises. Louis follows.

EXT. NEW ORLEANS - NIGHT

A big, lavish drinking place with a raised stage.

Italian actors in buffoonish costumes act crude commediadell'arte on the stage.

Plantation owners in soiled brocade, lace, crooked wigs watchthe show as tavern wenches move about.

22.

LOUIS (V.O.)This was New Orleans, a magical andmagnificent place to live. In whicha vampire, richly dressed mightattract no more notice in the eveningthan hundreds of other exoticcreatures.

Louis and Lestat by a table, in the shadow of a tree. Teresa,a tavern wench, sits on Lestat's lap, pouring drinks for thetwo of them. She lifts a fresh glass to Lestat's lips as heflirts with her.

TERESACome on, mon cher. The best in thecolony. Once you touch this you'llnever go to any other tavern again.

LESTATYou think so, cherie? But what ifI'd rather taste your lips?

TERESAMy lips are even sweeter still...

She kisses him. He lets his tongue play with hers, then runsit down her neck. She swoons with pleasure. Then he sinkshis teeth gently in her neck, looking playfully behind atLouis, who if apalled and fascinated.

ANTICS ON THE STAGE

Laughter rocks the tavern.

Lestat slips the pale and dead Teresa into a chair besidehim and folds her hands on the table. No one notices. Helays gold coins on the table and touches Louis' knee.

LESTATLet's get out of here!

Lestat rushes out, thrilled with himself.

EXT. TAVERN - NIGHT

A crowded street. Louis and Lestat emerge from the tavern.Louis looks up at the moon.

LOUISHave you ever been caught?

LESTATOf course not. It's so easy you almostfeel sorry for them.

23.

They walk down the crowded night street, full of ladies intheir finery, freed slaves, whores, sailors etc.

LOUIS (V.O.)Lestat killed two, sometimes three anight. A fresh young girl, that washis favourite for the first of theevening.

INT. FRENCH QUARTER MANSION - BALLROOM

Small orchestra plays for colonial couples in fine wig andgarb prancing to a French minuet. Young women sit in chairsalong the walls with their chaperones. Young men standopposite.

LOUIS (V.O.)But the triumphant kill of Lestatwas a young man. They representedthe greatest loss to Lestat becausethey stood on the threshold of themaximum possibility of life.

A youth of preternatural beauty, sillhouetted against Frenchwindows. He is talking to an elegan widow, seated, holdingtwo manicured poodles. Lestat stares at the youth withlonging.

LESTATThe trick is not to think about it.See that one? The widow St. Clair?she had that gorgeous young fop murderher husband. She's perfect for you.Go ahead.

LOUISBut how do you know?

LESTATRead her thoughts.

LOUISI can't.

LESTATThe dark gift is different for eachof us. But one thing is true ofeveryone. We grow stronger as we goalong.

He leads Louis closer to them.

24.

LESTATTake my word for it. She blamed aslave for his murder. And do youknow what they did to him?

He smiles at the young man, who smiles in return.

LESTATThe evildoers are easier. And theytaste better...

EXT. LAWNS - NIGHT

Lestat walks the youth towards a copse of trees. He looksback at Louis, who holds both poodles on a delicate leash,walking with the widow. The minuet spills from the frenchwindows.

WIDOW ST. CLAIRNow, young man, you really amaze me!I'm old enough to be your grandmother.

She leans towards him concquettishly. Louis, crazed withhunger, sees her as beautiful in the moonlight. He allowsher lips reach his. He takes her in his arms, gently,romantically, and sinks in his teeth. She swoons.

WIDOW ST. CLAIRYes, that's the melody, I rememberit. Oh yes...

Louis draws his lips away. She is weak in his arms, but stillalive. He can't do it. The poodles growl. He shotts out anarm and grabs one, then the other.

EXT. TREES. NIGHT.

Lestat, bending over the body of the dead youth. A screampierces the night.

WIDOW ST CLAIRMurder!!! Murderer!!

EXT. LAWNS - NIGHT

The widow on the grass, her poodles dead beside her. Louisis trying to quiet her.

WIDOW ST CLAIRMy little papillions! Mybutterflies!!! He killed them!!!

Lestat comes from nowhere, claps a hand over her mouth andbreaks her neck. He spits in fury at Louis.

25.

LESTATYou whining coward of a vampire whoprowls the night killing rats andpoodles. You could have finished usboth!

Louis throws himself on Lestat with extraordinary force,pummelling him towards the trees.

LOUISWhat have you done to me? You'vecondemned me to hell.

LESTATdon't know any hell -

Louis hurls him against tree after tree with a strength henever knew he had.

LOUISYou want to see me kill? Watch mekill you then -

He drags him to the ground an throttles him. Lestat looks upat him, amazed and amused at the same time.

LESTATWhat strength, my friend, whatstrength. I remember why I chose younow.

Lestat squirms from his grip, seemingly effortlessly.

LESTATBut you can't kill me, Louis. Nor Iyou.

He ruffles Louis' hair, with wry affection.

LESTATFeed on what you want, mon cherie.Rats, chickens, doves, goats. I'llleave you to it and watch you comeround. Just remember, life withoutme would be even more unbearable...

He smiles. A sly, pleasureable secret secret smile.

EXT. POINTE DU LAC. NIGHT.

Their carriage draws up to the mansion as the first fingersof light spread across the sky.

26.

LOUIS (V.O.)Being a vampire to him meant revenge.Revenge against life-itself. Everytime he took a life it was revenge.and the slaves with a wisdom thatwas denied their masters, began tonotice...

INT. SLAVE-HUT - NIGHT

In a tiny cabin, a slave family. Kids sleeping on the floor,in cribs and cots. The parents sleep on the bed, young,beautiful, naked. Beside them is Lestat, who is drinking thehusband's blood, his hand playing across the breast of thewife as he does so. She murmurs in her sleep.

WIFEYes... please...

She grabs his fingers and kisses them, thinking him to beher husband. Lestat gently disengages himself and leaves.

EXT. SLAVE-HUT - NIGHT

The woman's scream pierces the sky, as Lestat walks into thenight.

EXT. CHICKEN-COOP - NIGHT

Every chicken is dead, bloodies necks hanging down from thecribs. Louis emerges from the entrance, blood on his lips.He hears the scream.

EXT. SLAVE QUARTER - NIGHT

The sound of drumming is heard, african, primal. The womanruns through the quarters, screaming grief. Others gather atdoorways, restrain and console her.

EXT. DOVE-COTE - DAY

A beautiful, elaborate eighteenth century dove-cote. Everydove inside is dead, pierced at the neck. A balck hand throwsin a flaming torch and it bursts into flame.

INT. CABIN - NIGHT

A doll, made in the image of Lestat, is pierced with needles.

EXT. SWAMP BY FIELDS - DAY

Bodies of slaves floating in the swamp, with the bodies ofgoats. Slaves at the edge throw ropes around the bodies,pull them towards the shore. The drumming grows louder.

27.

EXT. SLAVE-QUARTERS - NIGHT

Louis walking through. The slaves hush as he appraoches,gather in doorways and whipser. He turns and looks at them,sorrowfully. He looks truly like a ghost. Their eyes turnaway when they meet his. He walks on.

INT. DINING ROOM IN MANSION - NIGHT

Lestat and Louis sit at the table, the untouched food betweenthem.

LESTATConsider yourself lucky. In Paris avampire has to be clever for manyreasons. Here all one needs is apair of fangs.

LOUISParis? You came from Paris?

LESTATAs did the one who made me.

LOUISTell me about him. You must havelernt something from him! It had tohappen for you as it did for me!

LESTATI learnt absolutely nothing. I wasn'tgive a choice, remember?

LOUISBut you must know something aboutthe meaning of it all, you must knowwhere we come from, why we...

Lestat spits out in anger.

LESTATWhy? Why should I know these things?Do you know them?

The drumming grows outside.

LESTAT(gripping his temples)

That noise! It's driving me mad!We've been in the country for weeks,with nothing but that noise!!!

28.

LOUISThey know about us. They see us dineon empty plates and drink from emptyglasses.

LESTATCome the New Orleans then. There'san opera on tonight. A real frenchopera! We can dine in splendour!

LOUISI respect life, don't you see? Foreach and every human life I haverespect.

LESTATRespect me a little then. I'm theonly life you know.

Louis stares. Lestat turns childishly, petulantly.

LESTATYou'll soon run out of chickens,Louis...

He walks out, humming a French aria. Louis stares at hisplate.

EXT. SLAVE QUARTERS - NIGHT

The slaves, gathered on mass around fires. Frenzied drumming,dancing. Lestat rides through, scattering the flames. Thedrumming stops. The slaves look towards the house. Slowly,they begin to move towards it.

INT. POINTE DU LAC DINING ROOM - NIGHT

Louis, sitting in despair by the table. Yvette, the slavegirl enters.

YVETTEMichi Louis? You don't want anysupper?

Louis laughs harshly.

LOUISNo, ma cher. I need no supper. Isall well at Pointe Du Lac tonight?

Yvette draws closer. Light reveals her beauty.

YVETTEWe worry about you master. When doyou ride about the fields?

29.

YVETTEHow long since you've been to theslave quarters? Everywhere there isdeath. Animals, men. Are you ourmaster still at all?

Louis watches her sadly. He's getting hungry. Her throat islong and slender, her breasts are gorgeous.

LOUIS(dazed)

Leave me alone now, Yvette.

YVETTEI will not go unless you listen tome. Send away this new friend ofyours. The slaves are frightenend ofhim. They are frightenend of you.

She comes closer, and he can hear her beating heart. Shetouches his hair. He takes her hand and brings it to hislips.

LOUISI am frightened of myself, Yvette.

He kisses her wrist. She suddenly gasps, sharply, withdrawsher hand. She sees her wrist is red with blood. She sees theblood on his lips. She screams.

Louis stands.

LOUISHush, Yvette -

She screams even louder. Louis clamps his hand over her mouth.Her hand grips the table-cloth, pulls, bringing the emptyglasses and crockery to the floor.

In horror, Louis realises he has broken her neck. He bringsher cut wrist to his lips, then drops it, revolted. He carriesher body outside, grief-stricken.

The drumming grows louder.

EXT. MANSION - NIGHT

Fires burning in the distance, round the slave-cabins. Theslaves are gathered at the foot of the mansion steps. Theysee Louis come out, holding the body of Yvette. He is derangedwith grief.

LOUISThis place is cursed. Damned, do youhear me? And your master is the devil.

30.

He places the body of Yvette in a rocking chair on thevaranda.

LOUISGet out while you can. You're freemen.

They don't move. They stare at him blankly.

LOUISUnlike me, you are no free men...

He turns behind him, and looks at the mansion, all candleabraand chandeliers lighted, all windows open.

LOUISDo I have to convince you?

He rushed up the stairs, snatches up the candleabra and setsfire to the drapes. He goes from window to window, lightingdrapes, lace curtains, everything.

SLAVES POV -- MASTER

Setting fire to the house.

They rush up the stairs with shouts of "STOP HIM, HE'S MAD".A wall of flame gushes out from the interior, blocking theirway.

INT. BURNING MANSION - NIGHT

Louis, wandering from room to room of the burning mansion.he sees paintings of his wife consumed by the flames. He isweakening with the fumes, the heat. We can see this in hisface, the texture of his skin.

Suddenly a large french window cascades inwards and Lestatstands there, whip in hand. Behind him we can see the morningsky.

LESTATYou fool, what have you done?

LOUISWhat you wouldn't do. It's almostsunrise. It will be the sun or thefire. You said they can kill me. Thesun or the fire!

Louis stands there, weakened, then collapses onto the floor.Lestat darts forward and catches him before he drops. Heruns out the shattered window, carrying him on his shoulder.

31.

EXT. LARGE GRAVEYARD - DAWN

With many crypts. Louis, unconscious, carried over Lestat'sshoulder.

INT. CRYPT

Darkness. Louis lying on the floor of a large crypt. He slowlycomes to.

LOUISWhere are we?

LESTATWhere do you think, my idiot friend?We're in a nice filthy cemetery.Does this make you happy? Is thisfitting and proper enough?

Louis laughs softly.

LOUISWe belong in hell.

LESTATAnd what if there is no hell, orthey don't want us there? Ever thinkof that?

INT. ROOM - SAN FRANCISCO - NIGHT

The vampire sits in silence, as if tired by his story. Malloyspeaks, hesitantly.

MALLOYYou loved Yvette...

LOUISCan a vampire feel love?

MALLOYYou loved your wife, surely.

LOUISI was human then. Might as well askcan an angel feel love. Both areblesses or cursed with a certain...detachment. Though whether angelstake as long to learn it as I, Iwill never know.

He looks directly at Malloy, shocking him with his gaze.

32.

LOUISYes, I loved Yvette. As I loved PointeDu Lac. And as with each thing Iloved, I destoryed it.

EXT. NEW ORLEANS - EVENING

From the sea, at evening, shrouded in mist.

LOUIS (V.O.)Lestat I did not love. And hesurvived.

INT. INN - EVENING

lavish little supper chamber with coffered bed, fancy Frenchfurniture. Open to rooftops of colonial city. Louis sits byan open window looking out over the city. Behind, we canhear the laughter of Lestat and tow female voices. Louisturns and sees -

Lestat, in the main chamber with two drugged or drunkedwhores. One runs her finger down his chest. The other seemsout of it.

WHORE 1You're skin's icy.

LESTATNot always...

He presses his thumb on her neck and holds her tight, sinkinghis teeth into her neck. After a time she falls to the bed,dead. he turns to the other.

LESTATYour friend has no head for wine.

WHOREShe's stupid. I can warm that coldskin of yours better than she can.

LESTATDo you think so?

He rubs her breast.

WHOREWhy you're warm now.

LESTATAh, but the price is pretty high.Your sweet friend - I exhausted her.

33.

He bites her in turn, drinks her blood. She does into theswoon.

Louis looks on in disgust. He stands.

LOUISI'm leaving you. I can't stand thisany longer.

Lestat pulls away from the whore.

LESTATWhat, no flowery speeches? Aboutwhat a monster I am? What a vulgarfiend?

LOUISI'm not interested in you. You disgustme. I'm interested in my own natureand know I can't trust you to tellme the truth about me.

LESTATWhat do you imagine you are Louis?

LOUISI don't pretend to know.

LESTATDon't you understand, Louis, thatyou alone of all creatures can seedeath with impunity... you aloneunder the rising moon can strikelike the hand of God.

The girl moans.

LOUISLestat, she's alive!!!!

LESTATVampires are killers. Predators,who's all seeing eyes were meant togive them detachment.

The girl moans again, open her eyes.

LOUISThe girl, Lestat -

LESTATI know. Let her alone.

He slashes her wrist with his teeth, and lets the blood dripinto a glass.

34.

LESTATYou think you can be human. You thinkyou can go back. But you can't. Youlive off the blood of rats now Louis.How human is that?

The girls moans again. Lestat drinks that glass.

LESTATLie still, love...

The girl begins to scream. Lestat picks her up.

LESTATYou're tired love, you want to sleep.

He walks to his coffin, puts her inside and sits on the lid.We hear muffled screaming and banging from inside.

LOUISWhy do you do this Lestat?

LESTATI like to do it. I enjoy it. Takeyou aesthete's taste to purer things.Kill them swiftly if you will, butdo it! For now doubt, you are a killerLouis. Ah!

He stands up. The girl pushes the lid off, hysterical. Shelooks at Louis.

GIRLIt's a coffin, a coffin! Get me out!

LESTATOf course it's a coffin. You're dead,love.

Louis screams at Lestat

LOUISLestat - finish this -

LESTATYou finish her - if you feel so much -

The girl grabs Louis and pleads.

GIRLYou won't let me die, will you? You'llsave me?

35.

LESTATBut it's too late, love. Look atyour wrist, your breast.

He picks her up again. He turns to Louis laughing.

LESTATUnless I make her one of us...

LOUISNO!!!

LESTATTHEN YOU KILL HER!!!!!

The girl screams. Louis puts his hands to his ears. ThenLestat, in a fit of pique puts his teeth to her neck. Shedies at last.

A terrible silence descends. Lestat looks at Louis.

LOUISMy God... to think you... are all Ihave to learn from...

LESTATIn the old world, they called it thedark gift, Louis. And I gave it toyou.

Louis leaves without a word.

EXT. DANK NEW ORLEANS BACK STREETS - NIGHT

A rat scurried down a gutter, then another and another. Louis'hand graps the rat. We see him from behind, walking down thestreet, gripping one, then another.

LOUIS (V.O.)Am I damned? Am I from the devil? Ismy very nature that of a devil? Andall the while, as these dreadedquestions caused me to neglect mythirst, my thirst grew hotter, myveins were threads of pain in myflesh, my temples throbbed.

A smaller side street, in which every house is marked withan X. The street is crawling with rats, and Louis is followingthem. A man passes with a lantern.

MANDon't go that way Monsieur. It's theplague. Go back the way you came.

36.

Louis smiles bitterly at these words, repeating them tohimself.

LOUISThe way I came...

He walks on, following the rats.

LOUIS (V.O.)...and finally, when I could standit no longer, I stood in an emptydesolate street and heard the soundof a child crying.

A house, the door slightly open, marked with an X. The soundof a child crying inside. Louis walks towards it.

INT. HOUSE - NIGHT

A little girl, pulling at a figure in a rocking chair.

CLAUDIAMama, please wake up. Mama, I'mfrightened, please wake up.

As Louis enters, he sees the woman is dead. Her eyes arebeing eaten away by rats.

Louis gasps in horror. Claudia turns. She is a radiant dollor angel as she stretches out her hand to Louis.

CLAUDIAMonsieur, please help us. Papa'swaiting for us at the ship. Pleasewake mama, Monsieur.

She runs to him. Instinctively, he gathers her in his arms.He looks down pitying on her beautiful face.

LOUIS (V.O.)And if I am damned, why do I fellsuch pity for her gaunt face? Why doI wish to warm her tiny arms? Comforther beating heart?

She snuggles into him, suddenly utterly secure. She tugs athis hair, brings his head down towards her. And we see Louisshiver, as his lips go to her neck.

Her breathing becomes calm as she goes into the swoon.Gradually another sound replaces it.

LESTAT'S LAUGHTER, GROWING LOUDER AND LOUDER.

37.

Suddenly Louis backs away, caught redhanded, the child inhis arms. He sees Lestat slapping his knee and laughing inthe doorway.

LESTATAh, my philospher, my martyr. "Nevertake a human life". Well you mustadmit it is funny. Or is it merelytouching? I'm not sure.

Louis stares at hte unconscious Claudia in horror, then letsher slip gently into a chair. Shamefully he wipes his mouth,sees the tiny wounds on her throat.

Lestat snatches up the dead mother from the chair and beginsto dance with her in great circles, humming and talking. Herhead falls back. Black water flows from her mouth.

LESTATLet's make some party of it, shallwe? Maybe there's some life in theold lady yet?

Louis flees into the street.

LESTATCome back, Louis, you are what youare. The plague would have got herwithin hours anyway. Merciful Deathhow you love your precious guilt.

EXT. STREETS - NIGHT

Louis running through an assortment of streets. All the nightlife of New Orleans flows by him.

LOUIS (V.O.)For years I had not savoured a human.And when I had Lestat's words madesense to me. I knew peace only whenI killed and when I heard her heartin that terrible rhythm I knew againwhat peace could be. Yet even then Icould not contenance it...

EXT. WATERFRONT - DAWN

Fingers of light in the sky. Louis, pale and shivering, walkssplashing through the water. He comes to a huge sewer-pipe,crowded with rats. He crawls inside.

38.

EXT. WATERFRONT - SOME EVENINGS LATER

The same sewer-pipe. Now the bodies of dead rats lie allaround. A pire of fine leather boots splash through the water -LESTAT'S.

INT. SEWER-PIPE - EVENING

Louis huddled there, so pale and shivering he seems close todeath. Lestat comes through.

LESTATAll I need to find you Louis is followthe corpses of rats.

He bends down to him, suprisingly gently and puts his owncoat around him.

LESTATPain is terrible for you. You feelit like no other creature becauseyou are a vampire. You don't want itto go on.

LOUISNo...

They emerge from the sewer and walk along the waterfront.

LESTATDo what it is in your nature to do.And you will feel as you felt withthat child in your arms.

LOUISOh God Lestat. I felt peace. I feltan end to the craving.

LESTATThat and more.

He puts his arm around Louis, to stop his shivering.

LESTATEvil is a point of view. God kills,indiscriminately, and so shall we.For no creatures under God are as weare, none so like him as ourselves.

LOUISIs God merciless? Greedy and cruel?

39.

LESTATAh, but we have even more in commonwith our creator. come, I am like amother tonight. I want a child.

Louis is baffled. He follows.

INT. INN - SUPPER ROOM

Lestat enters.

LESTATShe's here, your wounded one.

LOUISWhat are you saying?

LESTATYou need company, Louis. Morecongenial than mine...

Lestat holds up a candle and walks towards a large four-posterbed. Claudia lies there, angelic, under the coverlet, twomarks on her neck.

LOUISLestat!

LESTATYou remember how you wanted her, thetaste of her -

LOUISI didn't want to kill her.

LESTATDon't worry, Louis, you're conscienceis clear. You left her alive.

Lestat shakes her gently.

LESTATClaudia, Claudia, listen to me. You'reill, my precious and I'm going togive you what you need to get well.

LOUISLestat, what do you mean?

Louis runs at him, but Lestat brushes him aside efforlessly,so he falls to the floor. Lestat bites his wrist and pressesthe bledding wound to the child's mouth... He winces in pain.

40.

LESTATThat's it dear. More. You must drinkit to get well.

Claudia sucks on the wound, reviving, making little noiseslike a person waking from sleep.

Louis rises to his feet as Claudia clutches Lestat's arm,sucking the blood fiercely. Lestat moans.

LESTATStop, that's enough. No more.

He pulls her losse and she growls and stares at him with bigclear astonished eyes.

CLAUDIAI want more.

LOUISWhat have you done?

Lestat puts her down on the bed and sits beside her, holdinghis wrist, obviously in pain.

CLAUDIAMore.

LESTATYes, cherie, of course you want more.And I'll show you how to get it. Youdrink from morals, my beauty, butfrom me? Never again.

Still suffering, Lestat pulls the bell-rope.

CLOSE ON CLAUDIA

Being transformed. Becoming white yet robust, bright-eyedyet crazed. She shakes her beautiful curls and the dust fallsfrom them. They are shining in the candlelight.

Louis cannot stop looking at her. He does not notices as --

The MAID enters.

MAIDAh, quelle Belle enfant!

The maid comes near the bed, kneels in front of Claudia.Lestat lays his hand on the maid's throat and Claudia watcheskeenly.

41.

LESTATGently, cherie. They are so innocent.They must not be made to suffer.

Claudia lunges for the throbbing vein in the neck, lockingon to the flowing blood.

The Maid is transfixed.

Close on Louis, his anguish, his fascinated horror.

LOUISYou are the devil! You are theinstrument of Satan!

LESTATThat's enough, cherie. Stop beforethe heart stops.

He lets the dead maid onto the floor. Claudia looks at thecorpse.

CLAUDIAI want some more.

LESTATIt's bet in the beginning, lest thedeath takes you down with it. yes,that's it. My child. My beloved child.

Lestat and Claudia sit on the Louis XVI settee. Claudia is avision, a doll made out of pearl. Animated, voice crisp.

CLAUDIAWhere is Mamma?

The words echo in Louis' head, as he puts his hands to hisears.

LESTATMamma's gone to Heaven, cherie, likethat sweet lady over there. They allgo to Heaven. And you did very well,cherie. Not a drop spilt. Very good!You're going to be our child now.

Lestat takes out his comb and begins to comb her hair.

LESTATYour mama's left you with us. Shewants you to be happy.

LOUIS(whisper)

You are the devil!

42.

LOUISYou are the instrument of Satan!

LESTATShhhh! Do you want to frighten ourlittle daughter?

CLAUDIAI'm not your daughter.

LESTATYes you are, my dearest. You aremine and Louis' daughter. You seeLouis was going to leave us. He wasgoing to go away. But now he's not.He's going to stay and make you happy.

Claudia runs over to him. She smiles at him.

CLAUDIALou...eee...

Louis is conflicted. He cannot leave her. He touches hercheeks, her hair. Same as his. Vampire skin and hair. Hedraws in his breath, shocked by her beauty, then he embracesher as a father might a daughter. He looks over her shoulderto Lestat.

LOUISYou fiend. You monster.

LESTAT SMILES

LESTATOne happy family.

INT. ROOM - SAN FRANCISCO

Malloy is open mouthed.

MALLOYA child vampire!

He sees the tape has run out. He rapidly and clumsily sticksin another.

LOUISShall we go on?

MALLOYHe did it to make you stay with him!

LOUISPerhaps. He knew me. He knew I wouldlove her more than the waking world.

43.

LOUISBut there was more to it than that.Perhaps in the end he did it -- toshow me that he could. For he lavishedaffection on her, there was no doubtabout that. Life was very differentwith madame Claudia, as you canimagine...

EXT. NEW SPANISH TOWNHOUSE - (RUE ROYALE, NEW ORLEANS)

Two husky movers bring in furniture through the backcourtyard, past the fountain and the banana trees, up theback stairs and into ---

INT. FLAT

Striped wallpaper gives way to flowers in the bedrooms. Hugefour-poster beds in the bedrooms, and large chests, as bigas coffins standing against the wall. Everywhere there arecandles and pretty Louis XVI furniture. Lestat givesinstructions to the movers.

WE MOVE INTO --

DIMLY LIT PARLOUR

We see Claudia draped in lace standing on a petit point chairas a DRESSMAKER measure out a garment.

Louis can be seen, in an inner room.

DRESSMAKERMonsuier, I need more light. I shallgo slind if you do not bring me alamp, or let me fit this child duringthe day. Ouch!

She has pricked her hand. A spot of blood appears on herfinger Claudia takes her hand.

CLAUDIALet me kiss it better...

Claudia brings the hand to her lips. The dressmaker abruptlypulls her finger away, in pain again.

CU her finger - two holes showing.

LOUIS (V.O.)A little child she was, but also afierce killer, now capable of theruthless pursuit of blood with all achild's demanding.

44.

Lestat walks through - sees the dressmaker lying dead atClaudia's feet, Claudia still on the chair in the half-finished dress.

LESTATClaudia, Claudia, will you neverlearn? Who will we get now to finishyour dress? A little practicality,cherie...

INT. LOUIS' BEDROOM - NIGHT

LOUIS (V.O.)She would sleep in my coffin, daily,curl her child's fingers round myhair as she dreamt of I know notwhat...

Claudia and Louis, sleeping in a coffin together, Claudia'sfingers curling his hair.

INT. CLAUDIA'S BEDROOM

Claudia playing with dolls, each as perfect and beautifullydressed as she is.

LOUIS (V.O.)Mute and beautiful, she played withdolls, dressing them and undressingthem by the hour.

INT. PARLOUR - NIGHT

Claudia tinkling with her child's hands on the piano, pickingout a hesitant tune.

LOUIS (V.O.)Mute and beautiful, she killed. Andto watch her kill was chilling.

EXT. SQUARE - NIGHT

The tinkling of Claudia's piano is heard, over -

A well-dressed lady, walking through a square lit by gaslight.The lady hears a child's sobbing and stops, turns.

POV --

Claudia, the picture of lost innocence, sitting on a benchand crying.

WOMANWhy are you crying, child?

45.

The woman, all solicitude, goes to Claudia.

WOMANAre you lost, my love?

CLAUDIAMama...

WOMANHush now, don't cry, We'll find her...

CLAUDIAMama...

The woman takes Claudia in her arms. Claudia nestles herhead in her shoulder, her teeth near her neck.

LOUIS (V.O.)They found death fast in those days,before she lernt to play with the,to delay the moment till she hadtaken what she wanted...

INT. PARLOUR - NIGHT

A stern, stiff piano-teacher (male) beating time with a ruleras Claudia picks out scales on the piano. He raps her on theknuckles.

PIANO-TEACHERThe thumb girl! Mind the thumb!

Claudia glares at him, then returns to playing, improvingrapidly.

INT. DOLL-SHOP - NIGHT

Piano music over. Mozart, now well played.

Claudia staring at a glass case, inside of which are an arrayof eighteenth century dolls. An old doll-maker looks down onher.

DOLLMAKERThey are expensive, my dear. Maybetoo expensive for a young girl likeyou...

EXT. STREET - NIGHT

Claudia walking along, clutching the doll.

46.

INT. DOLL-SHOP - NIGHT

The dollmaker lying dead, two puncture marks in his throat,his dolls scattered all around him.

EXT. UNDERTAKER'S - NIGHT

Claudia and Louis looking through the window at a display ofcoffins. Claudia point at the smallest one.

LOUIS (V.O.)She grew, yet stayed the same. Shewanted a bed of her own, yet wouldclimb back into mine.

INT. CLAUDIA'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

The child's coffin on the floor. The lid lifts. Claudiaemerges, yawning, wanders through the flat into. -

LOUIS' BEDROOM

Where his coffin sits. She slides the lid off, and curls inbeside him.

INT. PARLOUR - NIGHT

Claudia playing the piano, now with remarkable dexterity.The piano-teacher sits mute beside her. As she plays, hetopples over and falls to the ground. We see the puncture-marks in his neck. Lestat, hearing the noise, comes in.

LESTATClaudia, Claudia! Didn't I tell you,never in the house!

Claudia smiles to herself, keeps playing.

INT. CLAUDIA'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

CANARIES sing in a cage, above a child's coffin.

Claudia is writing at a secretaire. She is writing in a diarywith a quill pen in an adult hand. She murmurs the date asshe writes.

CLAUDIASeptember 21st, one hour after sunset.The sky is still violet, the wayLouis loves and as always Lestat wasgone when we rose.

She looks up and sees Louis in the doorway, watching her.

47.

LOUISHow did you learn to write, Claudia?

CLAUDIAThe way I learn everything. Bywatching you.

She closes the diary.

CLAUDIABut you never let me see you kill,Louis.

LOUISLestat taught you all you need toknow about that.

CLAUDIAInfant death, he calls me. Sweetdaughter death. You know what hecalls you? Merciful death.

LOUISHe jests.

CLAUDIAWhy does he call you that?

LOUISHush, Claudia don't talk about suchthings. Show me your book.

She opens it. Inside there is a beautiful pen and ink portraitof Louis.

LOUISClaudia! You did that?

CLAUDIASit still. It's not finished -

She begins to fill in the sketch.

LOUIS (V.O.)Time can pass fast for mortals whenthey're happy. With us it was thesame.

EXT. RUE ROYALE - NIGHT (1800'S)

Street lamps are oil at this period. Houses are now tall two-story Spanish style. Streets are flagstone. Passing carriagesare black.

48.

LOUIS (V.O.)It was a very different life. And anew century was beginning. what hadonce been a small godforsaken Frenchcolony was growing into a great port,giving us an endless train ofmagnificent strangers...

Claudia, Louis and Lestat, dressed in the same clothes walkingthrough a racuous carnival with sideshows. Crowd millingaround, sailors, whores, children, thieves, freed slaves,Indians. They pass a Wild West display, jugglers, fire-eaters,three-card tricksters...

LOUIS (V.O.)All human life was here, for thetaking. And we took, all three ofus, in our different ways...

They come to a raised platform where a troupe of perfectly-formed midgets do a burleque show.

Claudia stops. She stares, at these small, perfect creatureslike herself, intrigued and troubled.

Louis and Lestat walk on, not noticing as --

CLAUDIACircles the troupe. She comes to asmall tent, behind it. At the entrancestands a midget youth.

YOUTHYou want to come inside, lovely?

CLAUDIA walks up to him.

YOUTHEver been kissed?

Claudia shakes her head. He kisses her. Claudia allow her tobe kissed, then bites his tongue. he youth struggles, asClaudia holds him and drains him. She lets him go as Louisappears behind her.

CLAUDIAShe's like me, Louis. Small and yetnot small at all. Like me.

Louis hurriedly draws her away.

LOUIS (V.O.)I watched her grow yet stay the same,her doll-like face possessed of adulteyes, eery, powerful, seductive...

49.

INT. FLAT - NIGHT

Claudia playing the piano, now like a demonic Liszt. Louiswriting.

Lestat appears in the doorway. He has a big box in his arms.

CLAUDIAAnother doll? I have ten, you realise.

FOCUS ON early 19th Century French dolls -- wood, glass,wax, bisque -- all around the bedroom, on chairs, on thebed. Some newish, some tattered old.

LESTATWell, I thought you could use another.

He hands her the box. It is a fine Parisian Jumeau doll. Shelikes it and stokes its face.

CLAUDIAWhy always on this night?

LESTATWhat night? What do you mean?

CLAUDIAYou always give me the doll on thesame night of the year.

LESTATI didn't realise.

CLAUDIAIs this my birthday?

He examines the other dolls.

LESTATSome of these are so old and tattered.You should throw them away.

CLAUDIAI have. Or there would be twice asmany.

LESTATBut you're the fairest by far.

CLAUDIAYou dress me like a doll. You makemy hair like a doll. Why?

Lestat doesn't answer. Claudia stands up quickly, and stridesout into the -

50.

PARLOUR, where Louis is reading by the window. She walks toa mirrored cabinet, takes out a scissors and begins cuttingher hair.

CLAUDIAYou want me to be a doll forever?

LOUISClaudia - don't -

CLAUDIAWhy not?

She continues cutting. She sees Lestat emerge from her bedroomin the mirror behind her then turns to him, an angelic littleboy's face now with soft curls around her face.

CLAUDIACan't I change, like everybody else?

She walks past him, back into her bedroom and slams the door.

A beat. Louis looks from the mass of blonde hair on the floorto Lestat. Then a HORRID SCREAM pierces the silence. Morescreams, which become roars.

INT. CLAUDIA'S BEDROOM

She stands before the dressing-table, all her long hair grownback over her shoulders. She holds it with both hands,screaming and screaming. Lestat and Louis come through thedoor.

CLAUDIAWhich of you did it? Which of youmade me the way I am?

LESTATWhat you are? You would be somethingother than you are?

CLAUDIAAnd if I cut my hair again?

LESTATIt will grow back again!

CLAUDIABut it wasn't always so! I had amother once! And Louis - he had awife! He was mortal the same as she! And so was I!

LOUISClaudia -

51.

She turns on Lestat.

CLAUDIAYou made us what we are, didn't you?

LESTATStop her Louis!

CLAUDIADID YOU DO IT TO ME????

She runs at him with the scissors, scoring his face. The cutheals. She scores it again. It heals again. She stares athim in horror.

CLAUDIA(whispering)

How did you do it?

LESTATAnd why should I tell you? It's inmy power.

CLAUDIAWhy yours alone? Tell me how it wasdone!!!!

LESTATBe glad I made you what you are!You'd be dead not if I hadn't.

He storms out. Louis goes to Claudia and picks her up in hisarms.

LOUIS(tenderly)

We're immortal. You've always knownthat.

CLAUDIATell me why...you've got to tellme...

Louis carries her outside, onto the porch. There is an oldflower-seller going by.

LOUISYou see the old woman? That willnever happen to you. You'll nevergrow old. You will never die.

CLAUDIAAnd it means something else too,doesn't it? I shall never, ever growup.

52.

She clutches Louis desperately.

CLAUDIAI hate him. But I cannot bear tolose you. You're the only companionI have, forever. You taught meeverything I know. Please tell meLouis. Tell me how it came to bethat I am this... thing...

Louis strokes her beautiful face, her hair.

LOUISCome... I've something to show you...

EXT. NEW ORLEANS STREETS - NIGHT

Louis walking, holding Claudia as if he was about to loseher.

LOUIS (V.O.)Though everything was changed, throughthe years had warped the contours ofthe streets, I found my way there,aware that I'd always known where itwas and avoided it, not wanting topass the doorway where I'd firstheard Claudia cry.

Louis back in the same street, outside the same house. Hestands with Claudia at the window. There is a family inside,a picture of domestic tranquility.

LOUISI heard you crying. You were therein a room with your mother. You werehugging her for warmth, cryingpitifully as you had been for days.Because your mother was dead...

Claudia stares at him, suddenly very cold, very alert.

LOUISI opened the shutters... I came intothe room... I felt pity for you.Pity, but something else.

He can't go on. Claudia's eyes are remoreseless.

CLAUDIAYou... fed on me?

LOUISAnd he found me with you. I ran,sickened at what I'd done. Then he

53.

LOUIScut his wrist and fed you from him.I tried to stop him, but you were avampire then. And have been everynight hereafter.

CLAUDIAYou both did it?

LOUISI took your life. He gave you anotherone.

Claudia speaks through indrawn breath.

CLAUDIAAnd here it is. And I hate you both.

She runs.

INT. ROOM SAN FRANCISCO

Malloy and Louis.

MALLOYBut why did you tell her?

LOUISHow could I not? She had to know.

MALLOYAnd did you lose her? Did she go?

LOUISWhere would she have gone? She was achild, and beautiful, heartbreakingmerciless child. And I had made herthat...

EXT. STREETS - NIGHT

Louis, walking the streets, shivering.

LOUISI walked all night. I walked as Iwalked years before when my mindswam with guilt at the thought ofkilling. I found myself at theCathedral.

A cathedral rising out of the mist, the doors open.

54.

LOUISI thought of all the things I haddone and couldn't undo. And I longedfor one second's peace...

Louis walks towards the doors, inside.

INT. CATHEDRAL - NIGHT

Louis enters. The dim lights of candles. A sacristan tendingthe altar, an old woman praying -- otherwise empty.

LOUISI had no fear. If anything I longedfor something to happen, for thestones to tremble as I entered thefoyer.

Louis walking down the nave of the church. He stops by thealter.

LOUISI almost genuflected from old habit.I almost prayed.

Louis sits in a pew.

LOUISAnd then it struck me.

Louis' POV - the cross, the statues, the tabernacle.

LOUISWhat if the statues gave an image tonothing? What if I was thesupernatural in this cathedral? Theonly immortal under this roof. And Ifelt nothing but loneliness.Loneliness to the point of madness.

Suddenly a hand is laid on his shoulder. Louis almost jumps.He turns and sees the face of a grey-haired priest.

PRIESTYou wish to go to confession? I wasabout to lock up the church.

Louis stares at him, tears in his eyes.

PRIESTYou are troubled, aren't you? Can Ihelp?

LOUISIt's too late, too late -

55.

PRIESTNo, it's never too late. Come...

The priest gestures to the confessional. Louis rises, slowly.

INT. CONFESSIONAL.

Louis, kneeling in the darkness. The hatch slides back.

LOUISBless me father for I have sinned sooften and so long, I don't know howto change nor beg for forgiveness.

PRIESTSon, God is infinite in his capacityto forgive. Tell him from your heart.

LOUISMurders, father, death after death.The woman who died two nights ago inJackson Square, I killed her. Andthousands of others before her. Ihave walked the streets of New Orleanslike the Grim reaper. And fed onhuman life for my own. I am a vampire,father, and have turned the one Ilove most of all into on too --Thehatch slams down. Louis rises,confused, and the door is flung open,the priest stands there.

PRIESTDo you know the meaning of sacrilege?

Louis rises. Walks out.

LOUISThen there is no mercy.

His face comes into the light. The priest steps back, open-mouthed.

LOUISYou talk of sacrilege. Why if Godexists does he suffer me to exist?

He bares his fangs. The priest runs, screaming. Gets to thebellrope, begins to ring the bell. Louis swoops on him.

LOUISWhy does he suffer me to live?

Louis takes him, lifting him from the floor, till his feetstop kicking.

56.

INT. FLAT - NIGHT

Louis enters, slidently, like a corpse. He hears a voicebehind him.

CLAUDIALocked together in hatred --

He turns, sees her sitting in the darkness. She is wearing atiny nightgown fo stiched lace and pearls, wierdly adult andseductive. She comes towards him.

CLAUDIABut I can't hate you Louis.

She sprays perfume over her body as she comes nearer.

CLAUDIAIs this the aroma of a mortal child?

She whispers.

CLAUDIALouis. Lover.

She kisses his cheek.

CLAUDIAI was mortal to you. You gave meyour immortal kiss. You became mymother and my father. And so I'myours. Forever.

She takes his face in her hands.

CLAUDIABut now's the time to end it, Louis.Now's the time to leave him.

LOUISHe'll never let us go.

Claudia smiles.

CLAUDIAOh... really?

EXT. DOCKLANDS - NEW ORLEANS - NIGHT

A sailing ship, by the docks. Louis and Claudia talking to ashipping-clerk.

LOUIS (V.O.)So we made plans. She was convincedthere were others of our kind in

57.

LOUIS (V.O.)Europe, that they would have theanswers Lestat couldn't provide. Lestat whom she now hated, who shethought she could be free of. Idoubted, but then she had a suprisein store...

INT. FLAT - NIGHT

Lestat playing the piano. Louis reading. Claudia enters,wearing a cape and hat. She walks to the piano, sits at theend of the piano and stares at him as he plays.

LESTATWhat is it now? You irritate me!Your very presence irritates me!

CLAUDIA(sweetly)

Does it?

LESTATYes. And I'll tell you somethingelse! I've met someone who will makea better vampire than both of you.

CLAUDIAIs that supposed to frighten me?

LESTATYou're spoiled because you're anonly child. You need a brother. Or Ido. I'm weary of you both.

CLAUDIAI suppose we could people the worldwith vampires, the three of us.

LESTATNot you my dear.

CLAUDIAYou're a liar. But you upset my plans.

LESTATWhat plans?

CLAUDIAI came to make peace with you, evenif you're the father of lies. I wantthings to be as they were.

Louis perks up, puzzled.

58.

LESTATStop pestering me then!

CLAUDIAOh, Lestat. I must do more than that.I've brought a present for you.

LESTATThen I hope its a beautiful womanwith endowments you will neverpossess.

Claudia stares at him for a moment.

CLAUDIABetter than that.

She takes his hand and leads him into an inner room. Louisfollows behind.

CLAUDIAYou haven't fed enough. I can tellby your colour.

INT. DINING ROOM - NIGHT

Two beautiful youths, lying asleep on a couch, by a tablefull with a half-eaten meal. Lestat sighs.

LESTATOh, Claudia, you've outdone yourself.Where did you find them?

CLAUDIADrunk on brandy wine. A thimblefull.I thought of you when I saw them.

LESTATWe forgive each other then?

Claudia stares at him, sitting. She nods.

Lestat bites into the neck of one of the youths, sucksgreddily and horribly. Claudia watches him without expression.He finished one, is about to take the other when he staggers.He looks at Claudia.

LESTATAbsinthe? You gave then absinthe?

CLAUDIANo. Laudanum.

Lestat stares wildly at her, tries to move towars her, thenslips to the floor.

59.

LESTATLaudanum!

CLAUDIAYes. It killed them, unfortunately.But it keeps the blood warm.

Lestat tries to rise.

LESTATAh Louis, Louis, she killed them...and let me drink...

Louis watches, apalled. He goes to move.

CLAUDIADon't Louis --

LESTATLouis, put me in my coffin...

CLAUDIAI'll put you in your coffin. Forever.

She pulls a knife out from under her shawl, walks rapidly tohim and slashes his throat. Blood explodes from it.

LOUISClaudia! Don't do this thing!!!

LESTATLouis, Louis, I gave you the gift ---help me ---

Claudia lacerates his face. Blood pours from everywhere. Sheplunges the knife in his chest. He falls back, fangs bared,clutching the knife. Claudia leaps on him then, bites deepinto his neck as he dies. Louis screams, runs forward, pullsher away.

LOUISWhat have you done, Claudia -

He drags her off Lestat, tries to pull her out of the room.She hisses at him.

CLAUDIALouis! Look what's happening to him!!

Louis looks. The floor is a sea of blood. Lestat has begunto shrivel, as if he'd been a bag of blood. His skin isshrivelling against his bones like parchment, his eyes areslipping back into his skull-like face. His lush, beautifulhair remains unchanged. But his clothes are virtually beingemptied of the body.

60.

It is no more than bones, wrapped in paper and the pupils ofthe eyes suddenly roll up into the papered skull.

LOUISLestat. Oh, God forgive us.

CLAUDIADon't mock me, Louis. Help me.

She stares at the shrivelled skeleton in its skin wrapping.She is fascinated. She sees the vampiric blood flow all overthe floor. She touches it and brings her finger to her lips.

CLAUDIAGoodnight, sweet prince, may flightsof devils wing you to your rest.

Louis walks forward, touches the skeleton, the blonde hair.

LOUISHe's dead, Claudia, dead.

CLAUDIAThe one good lesson he taught me,Louis. Never drink from the dead.

She stands up, all business suddenly.

CLAUDIAHelp me. We must get rid of him.

She drags the coverlet from the table, knocking the crockeryover the dead youths, and wraps Lestat's skeleton in it. Shetakes a bunch of chrysanthemums and places them in hisskeleton hands.

CLAUDIAShould we burn him? Bury him? Whatwould he have liked, Louis?

LOUISDon't mock, Claudia...

CLAUDIAThe swamp...

EXT. CARRIAGE - NIGHT

Louis whipping the horses. Claudia beside him. Lestat'sskeleton in the back, with the bodies of the two dead youths.

CLAUDIAIn Europe, Louis. We shall meet ourown kind. Find the one who made him.Learn what it means.

61.

LOUISAnd suppose the one who made himknows nothing and the vampire whomade him knows nothing, and it goesback, nothing proceeding from nothing,until there is nothing! And we mustlive with the knowledge that thereis no knowledge.

The carriage pulls up by a swamp. Mist everywhere. Overhangingcreepers.

LOUISAnd if we find the one who made him?Do we tell him we destroyed his owncreation? The vampire Lestat?

Louis drags out the bodies of the boys. He slides them intothe waters of the swamp. We see ripples in the water and thechurning of alligators, as they attack the corpses. Louistakes Lestat's skeleton in his arms. He slides it into thewaters. The alligators speed towards it.

CLAUDIAHe belongs with those reptiles, Louis.He deserved to die.

LOUISThen maybe so do we. Every night ofour lives. He was my brother. Mymaker. He gave me this life, whateverit is.

CLAUDIAI did it for us, Louis. So we couldbe free.

He stands there, saying nothing.

CLAUDIALouis, look at me.

LOUIS(bitterly)

I can't. Go away from me.

Claudia is shocked to her core. She steps back. Louis staresat the rippling waters. Gradually the movement of alligatorsstops. Then he hears a sound he hasn't heard in years. Soft,chocking. He turns, sees Claudia sitting by a cypress tree,like a little girl for the first time in years. She is weepingcopiously.

LOUISClaudia - You're crying -

62.

We see her face, tears of blood running down it. She isheartbroken, lost.

CLAUDIAYou never talked to me like that -in all these years.

LOUISAnd you never cried -

CLAUDIAI can't bear it when you do - I woulddie rather than lose you Louis. Iwould die the way he died.

Louis gathers her in his arms.

LOUISHush, Claudia, hush now my dear -

CLAUDIATell me you don't hate me Louis. Idid it for you -

Louis walks her towards the carriage.

LOUISI love you Claudia. Always. And weare free now, Claudia. No Lestat.Just the two of us, beginning thegreat adventure of our lives.

He lifts her into the carriage and drives off, leaving thesilent waters of the swamp.

INT. FLAT - NIGHT

Sturdy mullato workmen lifting cases and trunks out of theapartment. All the furniture is covered in white sheets.Claudia dressed in a cap and hat, is playing the piano bythe light of one remaining oil-lamp.

Louis comes from her room with the cage of canaries.

LOUISThe birds. We forgot about the birds.There's nothing for it but to letthem go.

He opens the cage, and the canaries fly around the room.

There is a knocking on the door. Claudia falters.

CLAUDIAWhat was that?

63.

LOUISThe workmen must have a trunk - don'tstop, cherie -

He goes downstairs. Claudia plays a moment, then stops,perturbed. She goes to the window. Then sees something outthere that makes her face go white. She screams.

CLAUDIALouis!!!

THE STAIRWAY --

Louis walking to the door. The knocking gets louder.

THE PARLOUR --

Claudia runs for the stairs, after Louis.

THE HALLWAY --

Louis reaches the door. The knocking gets louder. He opensthe door as -

CLAUDIA -

Reaches the stairs. She screams -

CLAUDIADon't Louis -

But Louis has opened the door. Nothing there. He looks backat Claudia, puzzled, then at the door again when, swoopinginto his vision comes the nightmare image of --

LESTAT --

In filthy swamp-soaked rags, robust again, but his fleshshrivelled, covered in scars, his eyes riddled, bloodshot.he roars.

LESTATWHERE IS SHE? WHERE IS THAT ACCURSEDCHILD?

Louis throws his body against the door, slamming it onLestat's reaching hand. The hand withdraws, as Lestat roars.Louis bolts the door.

Louis runs up the stairs, sweeps Claudia in his arms, watchingapalled as the door shudders with the force of Lestat's body.

IN THE PARLOUR

Louis runs through with Claudia in his arms.

64.

LOUISIt can't be -

CLAUDIAIt is! Take the back stairwell -

Suddenly Lestat crashes through the casement window,scattering blood everywhere, reefing himself on the shatteredglass. He tumbles to the floor and gets unsteadily to hisfeet.

LESTATGIVE ME HER LOUIS!!

Louis throws Claudia behind him and hurls himself on Lestat,who fights like a ravening animal, bits of his broken bodycoming off in the process. Then with a terrifying effort,Lestat hurls Louis off, goes for Claudia, who grabs the pokerfrom the fireplace, scatters burning coals over him. He fallsback, then comes at her again, as the drapes catch fire.Louis grabs the lamp.

LOUISStay back--- for the love of God...or I'll burn you alive...

Lestat lunges again at Claudia. Louis hurls the lamp, whichexplodes him in flame.

Lestat screams in agony, whirls around the room, then comeson Claudia again. She hurls another lamp. Louis throws theflaming sheets around him, wrapping him further in fire.Lestat falls to his knees, choking, hands up over his facein the smoke. The whole parlour is afire. Louis gathers upClaudia, smothering the burning house, carries her down theback stairs, through the carriage way and through thegathering crowds of mortals into the street.

EXT. STREET - NIGHT

Louis running, with Claudia in his arms. He looks back atthe flames of the house. Sound of a ship's horn.

CLAUDIAThe ship is sailing wihout us!

LOUISNot yet.

Holding her tightly, Louis runs.

EXT. DECK OF SHIP - NEAR DAWN

Louis stands at the railings in the morning mist as the shipmoves down the river. He sees...

65.

CITY OF NEW ORLEANS

With flame lighting up the sky.

LOUIS (V.O.)Though the fire seemed to spreadthrough the quartier, I stood onthat deck until dawn, fearful hewould come out again of the veryriver like some monster to destroyus both. And all the while I thought,Lestat, we deserve your vengeance.You gave me the dark gift. And Idelivered you into the hands of deathfor the second time.

INT. ROOM - SAN FRANCISCO

Louis and Malloy.

MALLOYDid he die in the fire?

LOUISHe was dead to us. We were free.That was all that mattered.

EXT. SHIP - EVENING

The ship, shrouded in mist.

LOUIS (V.O.)Though the ship was blessedly freeof rats, a strange plague nonethelessstruck its passengers.

A body is slipped into the sea. A priest reads last rites toa mourning family.

INT. SHIPS HOLD

Turnks and cases, creaking with the ship's movement. Deadrats everywhere.

LOUIS (V.O.)Claudia and I alone seemed imune. Wekept to ourselves, pondering themystery of Lestat and the greatermystery of each other.

EXT. SHIP - NIGHT

Passing through the Straits of Gibralter.

66.

LOUIS (V.O.)We reached the Mediterranean. I wantedthose waters to be blue. They wereblack, nightime waters and how Isuffered then, straining to rememberthe colour that a young man's senseshad taken for granted, that my memoryhad let slip away for eternity. Itwas balck off the coast of Italy,black off the coast of Greece, Europeitself was black.

EXT. DECK - NIGHT

Claudia, sitting with an easel and sketch-pad, sketching thebay of Naples. A beautifully realised drawing, all in shadesof grey and black. Louis observes.

CLAUDIALouis, your quest is for darknessonly. This sea is not your sea. Theymyths of men are not your myths.Their history isn't yours.

The sketch changes to a sketch of -

THE ACROPOLIS --

In the moonlight.

LOUIS (V.O.)We saw the Acropolis by moonlight,shades of grey and silver. And Ilonged for the brilliant white ofthose marbles in the hot sun ofHomer...

The sketch changes to a sketch of --

TRANSYLVANIA --

And the traditional shapes of the vampire landscape.

LOUIS (V.O.)We docked at Varna and searched therural countryside of the Carpathians,for what she liked to term "ourkind"...

a montage of sketches now - A TRANSLYVANIAN VILLAGE, AGRAVEYARD.

RUINED CASTLE AFTER CASTLE, LOOKING INTO THE SKIES...

67.

LOUISThe quest for these Old World vampiresfilled me with bitterness. We searchedvillage after village, ruin afterruin and I was glad when always wefound nothing. For what could thedamned really have to say to thedamned?

INT. ROOM - SAN FRANCISCO

Malloy and Louis.

MALLOYYou found nothing?

LOUISPeasant rumours, superstitions aboutgarlic, crosses, stakes in the hear,all that - how do you say again?Bull shit. But one of our kind? Nota whisper.

MALLOYNo vampires in Transylvania? No CountDracula?

LOUISFictions, my friend. The vulgarfictions of a demented Irishman...So we repaired to Paris...

EXT. BOULEVARD FACADE OF GRAND HOTEL AND PARIS OPERA.

Crowds and gaslight everywhere. Carriages, horses, OPERAcoming from the opera house.

LOUIS (V.O.)I think the very name of Paris broughta rush of pleasure to me that wasextraordinary. I was a Creole, afterall and Paris was the mother of NewOrleans, a universe whole and entireunto herself...

EXT. 18TH CENTURE PALACES ALONG THE SEINE - NIGHT

The high walls of the Louvre, dark figures walking in pairsthrough the shadowy tulieries.

68.

EXT. STREET - SHOP WINDOW

Claudia, in furtrimmed muff and bonnet, peers through theglass at a display of dolls. Each doll in there seems toresemble her, with blonde hair and blue eyes. She peers deepinto the shop and sees -

MADELEINE, a young woman bent over a workbench painting adoll's face, oblivious to being watched.

INT. OPERA STAIRCASE

Louis and Claudia hurrying hand in hand with a crowd ofmortals towards the sound of an ORCHESTRA TURNING beyond.

INT. NOTRE DAME

Claudia and Louis standing in the deep shadows, looking atthe branching arches. Louis is overcome with sadness, Claudiais fascinated.

INT. GALLERY

Louis and Claudia walk among a series of mythological nudesby Poussin.

INT. SALON - NIGHT

Claudia, surrounded by discarded dresses and outfits, beingattended by cautouriers. All the clothes are tiny, to fither frame, but have an adult cut and shape.

LOUISWe were alive again. We were in loveand so euphoric was I that I yieldedto her every desire...

INT. SUMPRUOUS HOTEL SUITE

Full of late 19th century furniture, lots of Empire style,Regency, gilt, velvet and brocade.

CLOSE ON A HUGE BLACK EBONY CHEST

Against a wall, solemn among all the light and glitter.

CLAUDIA

By a large gilt mirror, in her new clothes. She is coveredwith jewelry, fixing earrings to her ears.

CLAUDIAHelp me, mon chere...

Louis walks over, helps her with the earrings.

69.

CLAUDIAHow do I look?

LOUISStill my beautiful child.

Claudia laughs.

CLAUDIAA beautiful child! Is that what youstill think I am?

LOUISYes...

He turns away.

CLAUDIAWhy do you turn away? Why don't youlook.

She twirls, looking at herself in ht emirror, then stops,stares at herself.

CLAUDIAYou want me to be your daughterforever, don't you?

LOUISYes.

CLAUDIAWell tell me, papa. What was it likemaking love?

Louis is stunned. He blushes.

CLAUDIAYou don't remember? Or you neverknew.

LOUISIt was something hurries...and seldomsavoured... something acute that wasquickly lost. It was the pale shadowof killing.

CLAUDIABut how will I ever know, Louis?

She stares at him through the mirror.

CLAUDIAI'll never find them, will I? My ownkind...

70.

EXT. BOULEVARD - EVENING

Louis and Claudia walk along a boulevard like father anddaughter. All around them are bourgeois Parisian families ontheir evening stroll. Claudia points at the children thatpass.

CLAUDIAHave I anything in common with her,Louis?

She points to a beautiful French child walking by with hermother.

CLAUDIAOr her, or her - or any of them?

LOUISClaudia, you torture yourself.

CLAUDIAThey are ducklings, that will growinto swans. Whereas I must be theduckling forever.

LOUISYou are more beautiful than any ofthem.

EXT. DOLL-SHOP - NIGHT

We see Madeleine, inside, painting a doll's face. Louis andClaudia arrive outside.

CLAUDIAAll her dolls resemble me.

POV --

Claudia's face, with the dolls in the background. Theresemblance is uncanny.

CLAUDIAAre they my kind Louis? Dolls neverchange either.

LOUISYou are neither, Claudia. Now stopthis --

Madeleine sees Claudia from inside. She waves.

LOUISYou know her?

71.

CLAUDIAYes. Should I take her, Louis? Amongher dolls? make a doll of her inturn?

LOUISCome, Claudia...

He takes her arm. But Claudia shakes him off, and moves intothe shop.

EXT. LATIN QUARTER - NIGHT

Louis walks briskly, head bowed.

LOUIS (V.O.)For a time we had been almost human,in the sensual whirl of whtt Parishad to offer. But the human delightsof that city only served to remindher of the ageless child she hadbecome. I felt her pain as I walkeduntil I become aware that I was beingfollowed.

CU LOUIS' FEET -

Walking. A step echoes his.

Louis stops. Turns, sees nothing. Then walks again. Theechoing steps begin again.

Louis again. Sees a shadow, flitting.

LOUISClaudia!

Nothing. He walks again, hears the same effect. Then he stops.He stares at a gaslamp opposite.

LOUIS (V.O.)So it was when I had given up thesearch for vampires that a vampirefound me...

Santiago, a tall vampire, materialises under the gaslight.And Louis gradually realises that this vampire has assumedthe same attitude, posture, clothes and hair-style as Louis.

Louis gives an involuntary shake of the head. Santiago mimics.Louis takes a step forwards. Santiago mimics. Louis foldshis arms. Santiago mimics.

72.

LOUIS AND SANTIAGO(simultaneously)

Clever.

LOUISYou mean me harm?

SANTIAGO(a beat later)

You mean me harm?

Louis calculates.

LOUISTrickster. Buffoon!

Santiago echoes the first word, but not the second. Louishas broken his composure. He turns his back on Santiago,only to come face to face with Santiago right in front ofhim.

Again Louis turns this back to find Santiago facing him.

Louis turns, glowers, refusing to look at him.

LOUISI've searched the world for animmortal and this is what I find?

Slowly he looks up. Santiago draws close, breaking the mirrortrick and suddenly slams Louis back against the wall.

Louis is furious. He regains his balance, strikes out atSantiago and when Santiago vanishes, to reappear behind him,Louis slams back his elbow into his midriff. Santiagostaggers, amazed and then rushes at Louis, throwing him down.

Louis rolls back to his feet, then to his amazement sees twovampires, on in front, on behind. He looks both ways, thensees one has vanished. He stares, awestruck, at this newone:

ARMAND

He looks like an angel.

ARMANDYou are all right.

He reaches into his waistcoat, takes an engraved invitationout of his pocket and thrusts it at Louis.

Louis reads it alound, as we see:

73.

THEATRE DES VAMPIRES

By Special Invitation Friday, 9 p.m.

ARMANDBring the petit beauty with you. Noone will harm you. I won't allow it.Remember my name. Armand.

Armand bows and vanishes.

Louis listens to the silence.

EXT. BOULEVARD DES CAPUCHINES - THEATRE DES VAMPIRES - NIGHT

Louis formally dressed with Claudia in rich attire on hisarm. They pass people buying tickets for the theatre and goinside.

LOUISRemember what I've told you. They'llhave different powers. They'll readyour thoughts if you allow it.

They draw close to:

HUGE POSTERS, reading --

THEATRE DES VAMPIRES PRESENTS THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH

By Edgar Allen Poe The posters are illustrated with clichedimages of vampires overcoming damsels in distress.

ANOTHER ANGLE

CLAUDIABut this can't be real. This isnonsense.

LOUISNonsense all right. But somethingtell me it's going to be the strangestnonsense we've ever seen.

Warily, they show their invitations to the mortal tickettaker at the door. He glances away indifferently.

INT. THEATRE BOX - NIGHT

Claudia and Louis look at the crowd as the lights go down.

CLAUDIAMortals, mortals everywhere. Andlots of drops to drink.

74.

LOUISThey are here. I know they are. Listenfor something that doesn't make asound.

Stage: curtain rises.

An elaborate painted set of an Italianate castle. Deathstanding before it, the traditional image of the Grim Reaper,complete with magnificent scythe.

LOUIS(whisper)

It's a vampire. It's the one I sawin Rue St. Jacques.

A version of the Poe story unfolds before them. All of theparticipants are vampires. All beautiful gleaming white,aged 20 or 30.

LOUISThey use no paint. And the audiencethink it is paint.

CLAUDIAHow devilishly clever.

A spotlight uncovers a mortal woman suddenly forced out uponthe stage.

CLAUDIAShe's no vampire.

LOUISNo. She's frightened. She doesn'tknow where she is.

The audience laughts uneasily, then stops as the Mortal Womancomes into the footlights. She is too beautiful, too confused.Santiago, as Death, advances on her. She backs away,terrified, then sees the other vampires, in a phalanx,advancing from behind, in a half-circle.

MORTAL WOMANI don't want to die!

She looks around in panic. Santiago swoons, arms over hisbreast as if he is hopelessly in love.

SANTIAGOWe are death!

The Mortal Woman steps to the footlights.

75.

MORTAL WOMANSomeone help me. Please... What haveI done?

Louis whispers to Claudia.

LOUISThis is no performance.

CLAUDIAAnd no one knows but us...

ON THE STAGE --

SANTIAGOWe all die. Death is the one thingyou share with all those here.

Santiago gestures to the audience.

AUDIENCE.

Rapt faces.

ON STAGE

MORTAL WOMANBut I'm young...

SANTIAGODeath is no respecter of age. He cancome any time, any place. Need Itell you what fate has in store foryou?

MORTAL WOMANI would take my chance. Let me go!Please...

SANTIAGOAnd if you take that chance and live,what is your fate? The humpbackedtoothless visage of old age?

Santiago approaches her and tears the drawstring out of herpeasant blouse. It opens completely and starts to slip. Shetries to catch it, but gently stops her wrists. The blousefalls, exposing her young breasts.

LOUIS AND CLAUDIA

LOUISThis is monstrous!

76.

CLAUDIAYes, and very beautiful.

ON STAGE

SANTIAGOJust as this flesh is pink now, itwill turn grey and wrinkle with age.

WOMANLet me live, please. I don't care.

SANTIAGOThen why should you care if you dienow?

She shakes her head, confused. he catches her wrists behindher back.

AUDIENCE is awestruck by her beauty, her suffereing.

SANTIAGO draws near her cheek.

SANTIAGOAnd suppose death had a heart tolove and to release you? To whomwould he turn his passion? Would youpick a person from the crowd there?A person to suffer as you suffer?

AUDIENCEA young girl cries out in jest.

YOUNG GIRLOh, yes, take me Monsier Vampire! Iadore you!

Audience roars with laughter.

ONSTAGE

SANTIAGOYou wait your turn.

The AUDIENCE laughs again.

The Mortal Woman shakes her head in panic.

SANTIAGOWell, have you a sister, a mother, adaughter you would send in your place?

CLOSE ON CLAUDIA

Even she is repelled by the cruelty. She shakes her head.

77.

MORTAL WOMAN

Shakes her head. She is helpless.

SANTIAGOWe alone can give death meaning. Doyou know what it means to be lovedby death, to become our bride?

MORTAL WOMAN looks up on hte verge of hysteria or fainting.But then her eyes mist over. She is being entranced.

FROM HER POV we realise she is looking past Santiago at thedivinely beautiful Armand, who has just stepped out of thewings. Armand has entranced her. He passes Santiago. Santiagostiffens, but yields the stage.

ARMANDNo pain.

MORTAL WOMANNo pain?

ARMAND takes her by the nakes shoulders.

ARMANDYour beauty is a gift to us.

ON STAGE

Armand gestures to the others who slowly, gracefully closein.

ARMANDWho deserves such a gift?

He pulls the drawstring from her skirt and it falls revealingher nakedness. But she is spellbound.

MORTAL WOMANNo pain...

Armand embraces her, drinks, her naked body stark againsther black clothes, then he passes her to the other vampiresone by one.

CLOSE ON LOUIS who battles desire and hunger with anger.

LOUISI've seen enough of this! I loatheit!

CLAUDIABe still!

78.

ON STAGE

The naked Mortal Woman lies dead on the floor. The vampiresseem to vanish one by one. As the curtain draws across, theAudience loudly applauds what they presume are theatricaltricks.

ANOTHER ANGLE

The audience, milling towards the exits. They talk in vacuousterms about the beauty of the show, the symbolism of it, thedaring of it as they leave.

Gradually Louis and Claudia are left alone in the emptytheatre. Louis seems anxious to leave. Claudia whispers inhis ear.

CLAUDIAPatience, Louis. Patience.

He looks around the empty theatre, more eery now than whenthe play was on. The red curtain shifts slightly in a hiddenbreeze, a candle sputters and dies in a box. Then the candleflares again, and we see Armand in the box, looking down onthem. He stares with a dreamy expression, saying nothing.

LOUISWe've been searching for you for avery long time...

His voice echoes eerily. Armand gestures for them to followhim.

INT. FOOT OF STAIRWAY

Armand leading, Louis and Claudia following. It opens into a --

HUGE UNDERGROUND BALLROOM

Walls are painted with famous copies of Durer, Brueghel,Goya and Bosch depictions of death. Fine wooden coffins linethe walls. Candles burn in sconces, casting alternate shawdowsand pools of light. Armand walks through, gesturing Louisand Claudia to follow him.

As they walk through, vampire man and women appear out ofthe shadows like wraiths, startling them, drifting aroundthem, stroking them, touching Claudia as if she were a doll.Shrieks of preternatural laughter.

Armand gestures to the vampires to back off.

All obey but ESTELLE.

79.

ESTELLESuch a darling.

She menaces Claudia, her breasts enormous, her fangs bared.Armand throw her a look, and she is flung against the wall.

Louis stares around. The vampires faces drift towards himand away, always disclosing the face of Armand, who seemssome distance away, but strangely close, staring at Louiswith a constantly calm, hypnotic gaze. Then a young mortalboy comes from the shadows with a candleabra, which he handsto Armand.

Armand and the boy come towards them, leading them along thewalls, his candleabra illuminating the ghastly murals, hisface gleaming like an angel above the candleflame.

LOUISMonstrous.

ARMANDYes, and very beautiful.

LOUISYour lips, they didn't move.

ARMANDThey did, but too fast for you tosee them. No magic, just grace andspeed.

The boy is watching Louis. Armand's hand beckons and the boydraws up to Louis in the candlelight. He places his arms onLouis' shoulders. Louis glances at Armand, who smiles. Louissees the puncture marks on the boy's neck.

ARMANDHe wants you...

Louis is utterly confused. Can't resist. Drinks his blood.

The boy's body presses against him, sensual, willing. Theother vampires appear all around Louis, who suddenly sensesit and draws away, ashamed.

Claudia watches warily, from a distance. Armand beckons ather and Louis and open a door in the wall which reveals astone staircase.

INT. MEDIEVAL ROOM

Medieval chairs, table, an old coffin, a bed in one corner,a blazing fire. A medieval painting of Satan, being banishedfrom heaven, above the fire. Armand places the boy on thebed, settling him so he sleeps.

80.

ARMANDDisappointing, isn't it? To come sofar and find so little. Jadedingenues, amusing themselves withmake- believe...

LOUISWe had feared we were the only ones...

ARMANDBut how did you come into existence?

He glances at Louis, then at Claudia, who averts her eyes.

ARMANDYou don't want to answer... Twovampires from the new world, come toguide us into the new era as all welove slowly rots and fades away.

LOUISAre you the leader of tis group?

ARMANDIf there were a leader, I would bethe one.

Claudia stares at him constantly, guarded.

LOUISSo you have the answers...

ARMANDAh! You have questions?

LOUISWhat are we?

ARMANDNothing if not vampires...

LOUISWho made us what we are?

ARMANDSurely you know the one who madeyou...

LOUISBut the one who made him, who madethe one who made him, the source ofall this evil...

Louis looks at the picture. Armand watches him.

81.

ARMANDThat is a picture, nothing more.

LOUISYou mean we are not children of Satan?

ARMANDNo.

He smiles at Louis. A smile of infinite compassion.

ARMANDI understand. I saw you in thetheatre, your suffering, your sympathyfor that girl. I saw you with theboy. You die when you kill, you feelyou deserve to die and you stint onnothing. But does that make you evil? Or, since you comprehend what youcall goodness, does it not make yougood?

LOUISThen there is nothing.

ARMANDPerhaps...

He passes his finger through the candle flame.

ARMANDAnd perhaps this is the only realevil left...

LOUISThen God does not exist...

ARMANDI have not spoken to him...

LOUISAnd no vampire here has discoursewith God or the Devil?

ARMANDNone that I've ever known. I knownothing of God or the Devil, I havenever seen a vision nor learnt asecret that would damn or save mysoul. And as far as I know, afterfour hundred years I am the oldestliving vampire in the world.

He stares at them, his face angelic, hypnotic, young. Hiseyes hold them both in a trance.

82.

LOUISMy God... So it's as I always feared.Nothing, leading to nothing.

ARMANDYou fell too much. So much you makeme feel...

He stares from Claudia to Louis. He seems to be reading theirsouls.

ARMANDThe one who made you should havetold you this. The one who left theold world for the new...

LOUISHe knew nothing. He just didn't care.

ARMANDKnew? You mean he is...

Claudia appears suddenly to Louis' shoulder, interrupting.

CLAUDIACome, beloved. It's time we were onour way. I'm hungry and the citywaits.

She stares hard at Armand. Armand looks from her to Louis.

ARMANDSo soon to go?

He seems genuinely regretful. But Claudia pulls Louis out.

INT. DARKENED CORRIDORS AND THEATRE - NIGHT

Louis and Claudia feel their way through darkened corridors,trying to find their way out.

LOUIS (V.O.)The place was dark as we left, adarkness that confounded even Claudia.And as we blundered through it, againcame the thought: I have wrongedLestat, I have hated him for th wrongreasons.

Suddenly a light comes on. They see they are in the emptytheatre. Santiago stands on the stage, under a candle.

SANTIAGOHow did you wrong him?

83.

Louis is stunned.

LOUISYou read my thoughts?

SANTIAGOYou said a name -

LOUISA name I don't want to say again.

SANTIAGOI seemed to recognize it...

Other vampires appear behind him.

SANTIAGOThere is but one crime among usvampires here.

He looks at Claudia.

SANTIAGOYou should know, who are so secretiveabout the vampire who made you.

Claudia laughs.

CLAUDIABoredom!

SANTIAGOIt is the crime that means death toany vampire. To kill your own kind!

CLAUDIAAaaah! I was so afraid it was to beborn like Venus out of the foam, aswe were! Come Louis, let's go!

EXT. HOTEL SAINT GABRIEL - NIGHT

Claudia and Louis enter the Lobby.

CLAUDIAI lothe them! I can't stand the sightof them! Stupid bourgeois Parisians,all dressed in black like some privateclub! I've searched for them theworld over and I despise them!

LOUISWhat danger?

84.

CLAUDIAI can feel it from them! They wantto know who made us, what became ofhim. They have their rules, theiridiotic rules!

They come to their room, enter.

INT. HOTEL ROOMS - NIGHT

Louis closes the door behind him. Claudia paces.

LOUISDo you think I would let them harmyou?

CLAUDIANo, you would not, Louis. Dangerhold you to me.

LOUISLove holds you to me. And we are indanger, not you.

CLAUDIALove?

She smiles at him. A strange, sad, adult smile.

CLAUDIAYou would leave me for Armand if hebeckoned you.

LOUISNever.

CLAUDIAHe wants you as you want him. He'sbeen waiting for you. He wants youfor a companion. He bides his timethat place. He finds them as dulland lifeless as we do.

LOUISThat's not so.

CLAUDIADo you know what his soul said to mewithout saying a word? When he putme in that trance...

LOUISSo you felt it too!

85.

CLAUDIALet him go, he said. Let him go.

She touches his face.

CLAUDIAIs that what I should do Louis? Letyou go? My father? My lover? My Louis,who made me?

There are tears in her eyes. Louis lifts her up in his arms.

LOUISHe can protect us, Claudia.

CLAUDIAYou really believe that?

EXT. DOLL-SHIP - NIGHT

Claudia, staring at the dolls. We see Madeleine inside,painting a doll. She sees Claudia and smiles and waves.

INT. THEATRE - NIGHT

Louis, sitting alone in the box, as the curtains draw back,to show Santiago as death, as before. Louis takes advantageof the darkness to slip away.

INT. ARMAND'S ROOM - NIGHT

Armand opens the door to Louis' knock.

ARMANDI was waiting for you...

LOUISListen to me.

He follows Armand into the room.

LOUISClaudia is dear to me. My... daughter.

ARMANDYour lover.

LOUISNo, my beloved, my child.

ARMANDIf you say so. You are innocent.

86.

LOUISI'm not innocent. But I'm afraid.She feels she's in danger from theothers.

ARMANDShe is.

LOUISBut why?

ARMANDI could give you reasons. Her silence.Her youth. It's forbidden to make soyoung, so helpless, that cannotsurvive on its own.

LOUISThen blame the one who made her...

ARMANDDid you kill this vampire who madeyou both? Is that why you won't sayhis name? Santiago thinks you did.

LOUISWe want no quarrel with him.

ARMANDIt's already begun. If you want tosave her, send her away.

LOUISThen I leave too.

Armand smiles.

ARMANDSo soon? Without any of those answersyou so longed for?

LOUISYou said there were none.

ARMANDBut you asked the wrong questions.Do you know how few vampires havethe stamina for immortality? Howquickly they perish of their ownwill.

LOUISWe can do that?

87.

ARMANDYou would never give up life. If theworld were reduced to one empty cell,on fragile candle, you stay aliveand study it. You see too clearly.You see too much.

LOUISThat's what the one who made me said.

ARMANDHow he must have loved you.

Armand suddenly grips Louis close to him.

ARMANDLouis, I need you more than he everdid. I need a link with this century.The world changes. We do not. Thereinlies the irony that ultimately killsus. I need you to make contact withthis age.

Louis laughs bitterly.

LOUISHe? Don't you see? I'm not the spiritof any age! I'm at odds witheverything and always have been! I'mnot even sure what I am!

Armand smiles.

ARMANDBut Louis, that is the very spiritof your age. The heart of it. Youfall from grace has been the fall ofa century.

Louis is stunned.

LOUISAnd the vampires of the Theatre?

ARMANDLike moths around the candle of theage. Decadent, useless. They can'treflect anything. But you do. Youreflect its broken heart.

Louis is speechless.

ARMANDAre these not the answers you camefor?

88.

LOUIS(softly)

Yes... My God...

ARMANDA vampire with a human soul. Animmortal with a mortal's passion.You are beautiful, my friend. Lestatmust have wept when he made you --

LOUISLestat! You knew Lestat!

ARMANDYes I knew him. Knew him well enoughnot to mourn his passing.

Armand stands. He takes Louis by the arm, leads him towardsthe back wall.

ARMANDBut you must go now. You must gether safely out of Paris.

He opens a hidden door in the wall.

ARMANDNo one else knows of this door. Whenyou knock you will find me waiting...

EXT. THEATRE DES VAMPIRES - NIGHT

Louis, in the street outside, as the door closes behind him.

LOUIS (V.O.)I feld a kind of peace at last. Ihad found the teacher which Lestatcould never, I knew now, have been.I knew knowledge would never bewithheld by Armand. It would passthrough him as through a pane ofglass. And I knew Claudia must leaveme...

INT. HOTEL SUITE - NIGHT

Louis enters. There is unfamiliar scent in the air, a dollsitting by the mirror. Louis looks in the mirror and sees --

MADELEINE, the doll-maker, resplendent in green taffeta,sitting like a Madonna with Claudia on her lap. Claudia'sarms are wound round her neck. The contrast between mortalwoman and immortal child is plain.

89.

CLAUDIAMadeleine... Louis is shy.

Madeleine rises and comes towards Louis. She draws back thelace fringes round her throat, so he can see the two marksthere. She says softly, dreamily.

MADELEINEDrink.

Louis turns away. Claudia speaks, icy, from the bed.

CLAUDIADo it Louis. Because I cannot do it.I haven't the strength. You saw tothat when you made me.

Louis turns to Madeleine.

LOUISYou haven't the vaguest conceptionunder God of what you ask!

MADELEINEAu contraire, monsieur, I have.

Louis pushes her away. Claudia screams.

CLAUDIAYou have found your new companion,Louis! You will make me mine!

Louis grips Madeleine and shakes her.

LOUISHow do we seem to you? Do you thinkus beautiful, magical, our whiteskin, our fierce eyes? Drink, youask me! Have you any idea of thething you will become?

CLAUDIAYour evil is that you cannot be evil!And I will suffer for it no longer!

LOUISDon't make me, Claudia! I cannot doit!

CLAUDIAYet you could do it to me! Snatchingme from my mother's hands like twomonsters in a fairy-tale! Couldn'tyou have waited? Six more years andI would have had that shape!

90.

CLAUDIAAnd now you weep! You haven't tearsenough for what you've done to me.

She points to Madeleine.

CLAUDIAYou give her to me! Do this beforeyou leave me!

She begins to weep, sobbing like a child.

CLAUDIAOh God! I love you still, that's thetorment of it. But you know I mustleave you Louis...

LOUISYes...

CLAUDIAAnd who will care for me my love, mydark angel, when you are gone?

Louis looks at Madeleine.

LOUISYou promise to care for her then?

MADELEINEYes...

LOUISAnd you know what you ask for?

She wraps her arms around Claudia.

MADELEINEYes.

LOUISWhat do you think she is, Madeleine?A doll?

MADELEINEA child who can't die...

Her finger clutches a locket around her neck, Louis touchesit, opens it.

THE LOCKET --

A picture of a young girl, Claudia's age, wistful, beautiful.

91.

LOUISAnd the child who did die?

MADELEINEMy daughter...

Louis takes her chin in his hand, gently.

LOUISLook at the gaslight. Don't tke youreyes off it. You will be drained tothe point of death, but you muststay alive. Do you hear me?

MADELEINEYes!

Louis pulls her to him and starts to drink her blood.

EXT. HOTEL BALCONY - LATER

Louis on the balcony, weakened terribly. A breeze blows onthe gauze curtains behind him, through which we see --

SILHOUETTES of Madeleine and Claudia. Madeleine her armsoutstretched, now a vampire, a long moan of pain coming fromher. Claudia comes through the curtains, alarmed.

CLAUDIA(whisper)

Louis!

Louis speaks without turning.

LOUISShe is dying. It happened to youtoo, but your child's mind can'tremember.

CLAUDIABut if she dies...

LOUISIt's only mortal death.

He turns to look at Claudia.

LOUISBear me no ill will, my love. We arenow even.

CLAUDIAWhat do you mean?

92.

LOUISWhat died tonight inside that roomwas not that woman. It will take hermany nights to die, perhaps yeaars.What has died in that room tonightis the last vestige in me of whatwas human.

She takes his hand.

CLAUDIAYes father. At last. We are een.

He bends down and kisses her. He looks up, at the waftingcurtains. he sees --

MANY VAMPIRE SHADOWS

Silhouetted, coming closer.

CLAUDIA

Looks up and sreams.

THE CURTAINS

Are ripped aside. The vampires of the Theatre surge through.

ESTELLETime for justice, little one.

The vampires close on them as Louis struggles, Claudia'sscream pierces the night air.

INT. CORRIDOR OF THEATRE DES VAMPIRES - NIGHT

In a press of vampires, Louis, Claudia and Madeleine areforced down the dark corridor. Into -

THE BALLROOM

Vampire chaos, as they are dragged through. Louis strugglinglike a demon.

LOUISArmand! Get me Armand! he wouldn'tcountenance this -

SANTIAGOYou can make no demands here! Buffoon!Bastard -

Santiago strikes Louis to the ground. As he struggles to hisfeet, he sees the vampires part around a figure comingthrough. He gasps at the sight of --

93.

LESTAT

Dressed beautifully, but horribly scarred now, from the fireas well as the earlier stabbing. Lestat is confused, ancient,teetering, reaching for Santiago's shoulder to steady himself.

LESTATLouis...

SANTIAGOIs he the one?

Lestat shakes his head.

LESTATNo, the child. The child was theone...

SANTIAGOAll the murderers!!!

LOUISYou are alive, Lestat! It can't bemurder! Tell them how you treatedus...

Lestat reaches out to Louis.

LESTATNo... you come back to me Louis...

LOUISAre you mad????

ESTELLEThe sentence is death! To all ofthem!!!

LESTATOnly the girl - it was the girl -

The sound of something being dragged through the crowd.Horrible echoing, scraping -

Lestat grips Santiago.

LESTATYou promised me - I could take himback to New Orleans - Louis - there'ssomething I must tell you - aboutthat night - that night I met you -

He stares around him, confused. The scraping gets louder.

94.

LOUISYou let her go, Lestat - you let herfree - and I'll come back with you -

Santiago grabs Louis by the neck.

SANTIAGODeath for the others. For you eternityin a box -

We see now what caused the scraping. A huge metal coffinbeing dragged through the vampires. Claudia screams.

SANTIAGOWalled in a dungeon. Your only companywill be your screams... Perhaps itwill take centuries...

The vampires grap Louis. They force him towards the coffin.Lestat struggles with them.

LESTATHe's coming home with me - youpromised -

SANTIAGO(laughing)

We promised nothing!

Louis struggles fiercely as he is forced into the coffin.Claudia weeps.

LOUISThey've fooled you, Lestat! You mustreach Armand! Armand has the power!

Louis, struggling in the coffin. Then the lid is forced down,huge locks closed over it.

INT. COFFIN

Louis, in the smallest imaginable space. Beating his foreheadagainst the metal.

EXT. COFFIN

Claudia, throwing herself on the coffin, crying. She isdragged away. Vampire hands drag the coffin across the stonefloor.

INT. COFFIN

Louis, forehead pouring with blood, being thrown this wayand that. The coffin is liften, upside down, Louis' headcrases off the floor.

95.

EXT. COFFIN

Is thrust into a niche in the wall. Bricks being placed over,mortar trowelled on.

INT. COFFIN

Louis upside down. Sounds of bricks and mortar. Thenterrifying, unearthly scream pierces the coffin, striking tohis very soul.

LOUISClaudia!!!!!

He loses consciousness.

BLACKNESS.

INT. COFFIN

Louis sleeps, upside down. Sound of bricks being broken,thrown aside. Then of locks breaking.

Louis opens his eyes. The lid opens. He sees -

ARMAND

Above him, reaching down to take his hand.

ARMANDHurry. Don't make a sound.

Louis gets out, into a vast long catacomb. Louis runs to theend of it, steps through a broken brick wall.

LOUISWhere is she? Where's Claudia?

ARMANDFollow me - that way - through mycell -

He points to his cell at the end of the passage, the foot ofthe steps. Sound of rain beyond the door.

LOUISNot without Claudia. Where is she?

ARMANDI can't save her.

LOUISYou can't believe I'd leave withouther. Armand! You must save her! Youhave no choice.

96.

ARMANDLouis, I can't save her. I will onlyrisk losing you -

Louis runs up the stone stairs. It leads to the ballroom. Heenters.

Estelle stands far off, looking at him coolly. She lifts thestage skull mask and laughs softly behind it. A male vampireslumps in a chair staring softly at Louis.

Silence. Indifference.

Louis sees Lestat sitting in a far corner. he rushes up toLestat, who looks up at him, confused. He's holding somethingcrumpled, made of cloth.

LESTATYou'll come home with me Louis? Fora little while... until I am myselfagain.

LOUISCLAUDIA!!!

Louis turns round and round in rage. Passive still faces. Adoor bangs open and shut.

Louis looks again at Lestat. He snatches the cloth fromLestat's hand. We see it is a small torn bloodstained dress.Claudia's dress.

The door bangs again. Estelle laughs. Rain gusts into theballroom.

Louis goes to the door, holding the dress. Armand approaches,trying to pull him away, but Louis shrugs him off. He drawsnearer and nearer and stairs at --

INT. BRICK AIRWELL

On the stones lie Claudia and Madeleine, burn to ashes, ineach other's arms, like the corpses of his wife and daughterin the New Orleans graveyard, embracing each other.

Only Claudia's blond hair and Madeleine's red hair remainunburnt.

Louis looks up at the walls of this airwell, many stories tothe sky. He cries out in agony.

Santiago appears behind him, staring. Louis roars in horrorand attacks Santiago, scattering the ashes into the rainywind. Claudia's golden locks fly up into the wind, they whirlaround the warring figure.

97.

Armand appears, drags Louis free, pulls him screaming fromthe airwell, into the ballroom, towards the exit.

Claudia's hair is sucked up by the wind through the airwell,towards the night sky.

EXT. NOTRE DAME DOOR - NIGHT

Louis is slumped against the stone wall. Armand stands besidehim like a guardian angel.

ARMANDI couldn't prevent it.

LOUISI don't believe you. I do not haveto read your soul to know that youlie.

ARMANDLouis, they cannot be brought back.There are some things that areimpossible, even for me.

LOUISYou let them do it.

Louis climbs to his feet.

LOUISYou held sway over them. They fearedyou. You wanted it to happen.

ARMANDLouis, I swear I did not.

LOUISI understand you only too well. Youlet them do it, as I let Lestat turna child into a demon. As I let herrip Lestat's heart to pieces! Well Iam no longer that passive fool thathas spun evil from evil till the webtraps the one who made it. Yourmelancholy spirit of this century! Iknow what I must do. And i warn you -you saved me tonight, so I returnthe favour - do not go near yourcell in the Theatre Des Vampiresagain.

EXT. THEATRE DES VAMPIRES - DAWN

Wet and deserted, the streets around the theatre are quiet.

98.

C/U CLOCK

Chiming five a.m.

CLOSE ON LOUIS

Lookin at the paling sky. He is in an alleyway, outside ofArmand's cell. He has a huge keg with him. he finds the doorunlocked. He enters.

INT. CELL

Empty. The hearth is cold. The old coffin is gone. Louissilently closes the door to the passage and blocks it withan immense bar. He goes in the other door.

INT. THEATRE

Louis hurls kerosene all over the stage, the curtain, thesets, the seats below. He grabs the scythe from the playlet.He walks out. Dribbling a trail of kerosene behind him.

INT. STAIRS

Louis walking rapidly down, leaving the trail of kerosene.He creeps quietly into the --

BALLROOM

Leaking kerosene from the cask. He splashes over the coffinsthat gleam in the dimness.

Then he strikes a match and heaves it into the kerosene.Everything bursts into flame. The trail of kerosene roarsinto fire through the ballroom over the coffins and up thestairs. We hear EXPLOSIONS of fire from above.

LOUIS

Shudders all over, fighting the morning weakness. He readiesthe scythe, like the grim reaper.

ESTELLE rises from her burning coffin, screams and tries torun through the fire but Louis slashes her down with thescythe and she goes down screaming, her dress in flames.

ESTELLEStop him. It's morning. The sunlight.Stop him.

Others rise, choking in the smoke. Screams from everywhere.They are burning.

Louis backs up the stairs to the --

99.

DUNGEON

He can see there a thin pale light under Armand's bolteddoor. Suddenly --

SANTIAGO

Comes at him from behind. Louis turns. Santiago rushes himin a blur. Louis swings the scythe, too fast to see what hehimself is doing. Santiago's head streaming blood fliesthrough the air.

The body drops, flapping its arms.

SCREAMS come from everywhere.

Another vampire rushes burning towards Louis. He decapitateshim in turn. Then he staggers into Armand's cell, and barsthe door the connects it to the ballroom behind him. Hestaggers to the outer door. There is a thin strip of daylight,beneath the door, blinding him. He throws it open, andstaggers into the daylight.

EXT. THEATRE DES VAMPIRES - DAWN

Louis staggers out of the burning theatre, into the thindaylight. Great gusts of smoke cover the street. He staggersthrough the daylight, weakening, about to fall, when throughthe clouds of smoke comes -

MAGNIFICENT HEARSE -

As in a dream, driven by Armand's human boy. The door of thehearse opens. Through the curtains enclosing the interior,we see Armand. He reaches a hand out to Louis and pulls himinside.

The hearse vanishes through the smoke, leaving the spectacleof the burning theatre.

EXT. THEATRE DES VAMPIRES - TWILIGHT

The gutted Theatre and ballroom, the roof collapsed, exposedto the evening sky. The life of Paris goes on around it,oblivious.

INT. LOUVER - NIGHTS LATER

It is already a museum by this time and Louis and Armand,fancily dressed and composed, walk through it. They stop bya Gericault - The Wreck of the Medusa.

LOUISYou didn't even warm them, did you?

100.

ARMANDNo.

LOUISAnd yet you knew what I would o.

ARMANDI knew. I rescued you, didn't I? From the terrible dawn.

LOUISYou were their leader. They trustedyou.

ARMANDYou made me see their failings, Louis.You made me look at them with youreyes.

He looks at Louis affectionately.

ARMANDYour melancholy eyes...

LOUISWhat a pair we are. We deserve eachother, don't we?

ARMANDWe are a pair, and that's what counts.

Armand and Louis walk slowly through the Louvre together.Camera follows them for a while, then comes to rest on asunrise by Turner.

LOUIS (V.O.)We left Paris shortly after. Foryears we wandered. Greece, Egypt,all the ancient lands. Then, out ofcuriosity, perhaps, boredom, whoknows what, I took him home, to myAmerica...

INT. MOVIE THEATRE - NIGHT

A deco cinema of the twenties. Louis and Armand, dressed inthe style of the period walk down the aisle through thecrowded seats.

LOUIS (V.O.)And there, a technological wonderallowed me see sunrise, for the firsttime in two hundred years...

101.

On the screen, Murnau's SUNRISE, in black and white. We seea montage of sunrises, from a whole range of movies, in blackand white.

LOUIS (V.O.)And what sunrises! Seen as the humaneye could never see them. We wouldsit in the dark, night after nightamong nameless humans, entrancedwith the miracle of light. Silver atfirst, then as the years progressedin tones of purple, red and my long-lost blue...

The SUNRISES continue, in colour now, and the backgrounds inthem change to the fifties.

LOUIS (V.O.)And in time parted. We had become soalike, we both wanted the certaintiesof loneliness once more.

The lights come up in a different theatre. Louis sittingthere, alone, in a half empty theatre, dressed in the clothesof the fifties. He rises, exits with the others.

EXT. NEW ORLEANS STREET - NIGHT

Cars rushing by, twentieth-century madness. Louis emergesfrom the theatre, walks through the streets.

LOUIS (V.O.)I had returned to new Orleans. Assoon as I smelt the air, I knew Iwas home. There was sadness there,rich, almost sweet, like the fragranceof jasmine. I walked the streets,savouring it like a long lostperfume...

EXT. GARDEN DISTRICT - NIGHT

Louis walks past the many Greek Revival Mansions.

LOUIS (V.O.)And then on Prytania Street, onlyblocks from the Lafayette cemetery Icaught the scent of death and itwasn't coming from the graves...

CAMERA PANS OVER white-walled Lafayette cemetery and itssurrounding mansions.

102.

LOUIS (V.O.)The scent grew stronger as I walked.Old death. A scent too faint formortals to detect.

Louis sees rats darting across the street. They rush into agreat overgrown garden surrounding a ruined mansion. Nolights.

Louis stops at a rusted gate. He forces it open and enters --

A VERITABLE JUNGLE of overgrown rose and oak tree andwisteria. he sees a faint glimmer of light coming from adistant glass window of a huge Greek Revival house. Heapproaches then he sees --

OLD SHRIVELLED CORPSE of a man, long dead and dried up,snagged in the thorny rosevines.

LOUIS looks around. Walks on. Sees another corpse, almostnothing but bones, sinking into the wet earth, the roots ofan oak overgrowing it.

He looks up at the distant light.

He passes a third corpse, caught in wisteria and rose vine,only bones and clothes.

LOUIS (V.O.)They were like the doomed princesscaught in the thorny vines of SleepingBeauty's castle. I knew what it meant.A vampire had lured them here, buthad benn to weak to get rid of them.

Louis sees dead rats lying near the steps.

LOUIS (V.O.)It spelt weakness, madness, thebehavior of a dying animal thatpollutes its own lair.

Louis treads carefully on the rotted steps. he moves alongthe porch. More dead rats. He sees through the floor-lengthwindow into rooms lined with stacked books. Virtually walledwith them. Water seeps down from the ceiling, gleaming as itstreaks over the books. The floors of the splendid rooms arebare, except for a rotten French chair by a dead fireplace.A single mirror reflecting the moon.

Dead rats.

He moves along the porch to the parlour windows. The candleflickers inside. He sees --

103.

HIS POV

Lestat lying on the floor. He is gaunt to near starvation.All his scars are gone, but he is almost a skeleton and hiseyes are enormous in their sockets. His clothes are rags.Blond hair beautiful, as always.

MALLOY'S ENTRANCES FACE SUPERIMPOSED OVER.

MALLOY (V.O.)Lestat escaped the fire!

LOUIS (V.O.)He hadn't even been there. And allthose years I thought he was dead.

BACK TO --

Lestat. One tiny candle stands beside him. He reads an earlycomic, from the turn of the century. Without turning hishead, he speaks.

LESTATI'm so glad you're here Louis...I've dreamed of your coming...

LOUISDon't try to speak... it's alright...

LESTATI didn't mean to let them do it...that Santiago, he tricked me...

LOUISThat's all past, Lestat.

LESTATYes. Past... she should never havebeen one of us...

He turns and looks at Louis. Old, fearful, broken.

LESTATStill beautiful Louis. You alwayswere the strong one.

LOUISDon't fear me, Lestat. I bring youno harm.

LESTATYou've come back to me, Louis? You'vecome again to me?

104.

Louis shakes his head. A series of police sirens go by,piercing the night sky. A helicopter goes overhead. Redflashes illuminate his face. Lestat shivers, covers his ears.He's terrified. Louis touches him, calming him, until thelights pass over.

LOUISIt's only a siren...

LESTATI can't bear it Louis! The machinesout there, that fly and that roar!And such lights! They make the nightbrighter than the day!

LOUISAnd they frighten you?

LESTATYou know I love the dark. But there'sno dark anymore.

LOUISIt's false light, Lestat. It can'tharm you...

LESTATIf you stayed with me Louis, I couldventure out... little by little...become the old Lestat.

Louis shivers. He releases him.

LOUISI have to go now Lestat...

LESTATYou remember how I was, Louis.. thevampire Lestat...

LOUISYes. I remember...

Lestat shivers.

LESTATI tried to tell you Louis... thatnight in Paris... when I first cameto you... no-one can refuse the darkgift, Louis... not even you.

LOUISI tried...

105.

LESTATAnd the more you tried, the more Iwanted you... a vampire with yourbeautiful, suffering human heart.And how you suffered... I need yourforgiveness, Louis.

LOUISYou have it...

Louis walks slowly away from him. Lestat turns back to hiscandle, his magazine.

LESTATYou'll come back, Louis... take meout... little by little... and maybeI'll be myself again...

A bluebottle buzzes by him. His hand shoots out and grabsit, squeezes the blood.

LOUIS(whispering)

Yes, Lestat...

ON LOUIS as he walks through the decayed house. His eyes areexpressionless.

LOUIS (V.O.)And my story ends there. But in factit ended a long time ago, withClaudia's ashes in that theatre. Mylove died with her. I never reallychanged after that. What became ofLestat I have no idea. I go on, nightafter night. I feed on those whocross my path. But all my passionwent with her yellow hair. I ma aspirit with perternatural flesh.Detached. unchangeable. Empty.

INT. ROOM - SAN FRANCISCO - NIGHT (PRESENT)

Malloy, staring at Louis.

MALLOYNo... it can't end like that...

LOUISBut it has. There is no more to tell.

MALLOYBut you talk about passion, aboutlonging, about things I'll neverknow in my life!

106.

MALLOYIt's still inside you, in everysyllable you speak! And then youtell me it ends like that? Just empty?

LOUISIt's over, I'm telling you...

MALLOYYou need a new passion, Louis, a newreason to feel... what a story you'vetold, you don't understand yourself.

Louis looks at the cassettes on the table.

LOUISDo what you want with it. Learn whatyou can. Give the story to others.

Malloy rises.

MALLOYYou have another chance, Louis. Takeme! Give me your gift, your power...

Louis is slowly horrified, then outraged and angry.

LOUISIs this what you want? You ask mefor this after all I've told you?

MALLOYIf I could see what you've seen,feel what you've felt I wouldn't letit end like this! You need a like tothe world out there, a connection...then it won't end like this...

He stares at Louis.

MALLOYYou need me.

Louis turns away.

LOUISDear God. I've failed again, haven'tI?

MALLOYNo...

LOUISDon't say anymore. The reels arestill turning. I have but one chance

107.

LOUISto show you the meaning of what I'vesaid.

He looks at the boy. Then suddenly grabs him, lifts him offthe floor, bares his terrifying fangs and brings them to histhroat. Malloy screams, in involuntary terror.

LOUISYou like it? You like being food forthe immortals? You like dying? Is itbeautiful? Is it intense?

Malloy, now terrified, whispers

MALLOYNo... please...

Louis drops him.

LOUISThank God.

Malloy, falls on the floor, terrified. When he looks up,Louis has vanished.

MALLOYLouis... Louis...

He looks up at the tape. It is still turning.

MALLOYHoly shit...

He shakes his head. He gets up, and with shaking fingersgathers his tapes. He runs out of the room.

EXT. STREET OUTSIDE - NIGHT

Malloy running for his car, a convertible. He leaps in andscreeches off through the night.

EXT. STREETS - NIGHT

Malloy whips the car through the tiny streets, in sheer,unfocused terror.

MALLOYJesus...

EXT. GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE - NIGHT

Malloy driving with streams of traffic over the bridge. Hebreathes deeply, to calm himself. He takes a tape from hispocket, and with still shaking hands, sticks it in the deck.

108.

LOUIS (V.O.)(tape)

1791. That's when it happened. I wastwenty-four. Younger then you arenow.

Suddenly a bony hand shoots out from the back seat, pullshis neck backwards --

LESTAT sinks his teeth in his neck.

MALLOY'S hands on the wheel shaking, shuddering, losing theirgrip.

MALLOY'S eyes bulging, as the life drains out of him. Lestatsucking him like a rat.

THE WHEEL swinging free of Malloy's dying hands.

THE CAR veers wildly into oncoming traffic.

LESTAT drinks regardless A TRUCK coming towards them, aboutto crush the car.

LESTAT'S BONY HAND grabs the wheel, jerks it as he drinks.

THE CAR misses the truck by inches.

LESTAT throws Malloy to one side, climbs into the front seat.

THE TAPE PLAYING

LOUIS (V.O.)(tape)

My invitation was open to anyone.Sailors, whores, thieves. But it wasa vampire that accepted...

ON LESTAT at the wheel, the corpse of Malloy in the passengerseat. He smiles. We can see the blood renewing him.

LESTATDear Louis... will I ever forget?

EXT. GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE - NIGHT

Lestat drives on, the car a tiny speck against the bridge,the sea, the sky beyond, with the first fingers of lightspreading through it.

THE END