INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE
CLAUDIA
They are ducklings, that will grow into swans. Whereas I must be the duckling forever.
LOUIS
You are more beautiful than any of them.
EXT. DOLL-SHOP. NIGHT.
We see Madeleine, inside, painting a doll's face. Louis and Claudia arrive outside.
CLAUDIA
All her dolls resemble me.
POV --
Claudia's face, with the dolls in the background. The resemblance is uncanny.
CLAUDIA
Are they my kind Louis? Dolls never change either.
LOUIS
You are neither, Claudia. Now stop this --
Madeleine sees Claudia from inside. She waves.
LOUIS
You know her?
CLAUDIA
Yes. Should I take her, Louis? Among her dolls? make a doll of her in turn?
LOUIS
Come, Claudia...
He takes her arm. But Claudia shakes him off, and moves into the shop.
EXT. LATIN QUARTER. NIGHT.
Louis walks briskly, head bowed.
LOUIS (VO)
For a time we had been almost human, in the sensual whirl of whtt Paris had to offer. But the human delights of that city only served to remind her of the ageless child she had become. I felt her pain as I walked until I become aware that I was being followed.
CU LOUIS' FEET -
Walking. A step echoes his.
Louis stops. Turns, sees nothing. Then walks again. The echoing steps begin again.
Louis again. Sees a shadow, flitting.
LOUIS
Claudia!
Nothing. He walks again, hears the same effect. Then he stops. He stares at a gaslamp opposite.
LOUIS (VO)
So it was when I had given up the search for vampires that a vampire found me...
Santiago, a tall vampire, materialises under the gaslight. And Louis gradually realises that this vampire has assumed the 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 folds his arms. Santiago mimics.
LOUIS AND STATIAGO (SIMULTANEOUSLY)
Clever.
LOUIS
You mean me harm?
SANTIAGO (A BEAT LATER)
You mean me harm?
Louis calculates.
LOUIS
Trickster. Buffoon!
Santiago echoes the first word, but not the second. Louis has broken his composure. He turns his back on Santiago, only to come face to face with Santiago right in front of him.
Again Louis turns this back to find Santiago facing him.
Louis turns, glowers, refusing to look at him.
LOUIS
I've searched the world for an immortal and this is what I find?
Slowly he looks up. Santiago draws close, breaking the mirror trick and suddenly slams Louis back against the wall.
Louis is furious. He regains his balance, strikes out at Santiago and when Santiago vanishes, to reappear behind him, Louis slams back his elbow into his midriff. Santiago staggers, amazed and then rushes at Louis, throwing him down.
Louis rolls back to his feet, then to his amazement sees two vampires, on in front, on behind. He looks both ways, then sees one has vanished. He stares, awestruck, at this new one:
ARMAND
He looks like an angel.
ARMAND
You are all right.
He reaches into his waistcoat, takes an engraved invitation out of his pocket and thrusts it at Louis.
Louis reads it alound, as we see:
THEATRE DES VAMPIRES
By Special Invitation
Friday, 9 p.m.
ARMAND
Bring the petit beauty with you. No one 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 his arm. They pass people buying tickets for the theatre and go inside.
LOUIS
Remember what I've told you. They'll have different powers. They'll read your 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 cliched images of vampires overcoming damsels in distress.
ANOTHER ANGLE
CLAUDIA
But this can't be real. This is nonsense.
LOUIS
Nonsense all right. But something tell me it's going to be the strangest nonsense we've ever seen.
Warily, they show their invitations to the mortal ticket taker at the door. He glances away indifferently.
INT THEATRE BOX. NIGHT.
Claudia and Louis look at the crowd as the lights go down.
CLAUDIA
Mortals, mortals everywhere. And lots of drops to drink.
LOUIS
They are here. I know they are. Listen for something that doesn't make a sound.
Stage: curtain rises.
An elaborate painted set of an Italianate castle. Death standing before it, the traditional image of the Grim Reaper, complete with magnificent scythe.
LOUIS (WHISPER)
It's a vampire. It's the one I saw in Rue St Jacques.
A version of the Poe story unfolds before them. All of the participants are vampires. All beautiful gleaming white, aged 20 or 30.
LOUIS
They use no paint. And the audience think it is paint.
CLAUDIA
How devilishly clever.
A spotlight uncovers a mortal woman suddenly forced out upon the stage.
CLAUDIA
She's no vampire.
LOUIS
No. She's frightened. She doesn't know where she is.
The audience laughts uneasily, then stops as the Mortal Woman comes 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 WOMAN
I don't want to die!
She looks around in panic. Santiago swoons, arms over his breast as if he is hopelessly in love.
SANTIAGO
We are death!
The Mortal Woman steps to the footlights.
MORTAL WOMAN
Someone help me. Please... What have I done?
Louis whispers to Claudia.
LOUIS
This is no performance.
CLAUDIA
And no one knows but us...
ON THE STAGE --
SANTIAGO
We all die. Death is the one thing you share with all those here.
Santiago gestures to the audience.
AUDIENCE.
Rapt faces.
ON STAGE
MORTAL WOMAN
But I'm young...
SANTIAGO
Death is no respecter of age. He can come any time, any place. Need I tell you what fate has in store for you?
MORTAL WOMAN
I would take my chance. Let me go! Please...
SANTIAGO
And if you take that chance and live, what is your fate? The humpbacked toothless visage of old age?
Santiago approaches her and tears the drawstring out of her peasant blouse. It opens completely and starts to slip. She tries to catch it, but gently stops her wrists. The blouse falls, exposing her young breasts.
LOUIS AND CLAUDIA
LOUIS
This is monstrous!
CLAUDIA
Yes, and very beautiful.
ON STAGE
SANTIAGO
Just as this flesh is pink now, it will turn grey and wrinkle with age.
WOMAN
Let me live, please. I don't care.
SANTIAGO
Then why should you care if you die now?
She shakes her head, confused. he catches her wrists behind her back.
AUDIENCE is awestruck by her beauty, her suffereing.
SANTIAGO draws near her cheek.
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