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Traveta reviews
(Widescreen version)
Warner Home Video
- Cert: R
- Cat.no: 22477
- Running time: 101 minutes
- Year: 2002
- Pressing: 2002
- Region(s): 1, NTSC
- Chapters: 28
- Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
- Languages: English, French
- Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
- Widescreen: 2.35:1
- 16:9-Enhanced: Yes
- Macrovision: No
- Disc Format: DVD 9
- Price: $26.98
- Extras:Aaliyah Remembered documentary, 2 original documentaries, audiocommentary, 13 deleted scenes, 3 full length Lestat music videos, castand crew, extended concert sequences, gag reel, and production stillsgallery.
Director:
- Micheal Rymer
Screenplay:
- Scot Abbott and Michael Petroni
Cast:
- Lestat: Stuart Townsend
Jesse: Marguerite Moreau
Queen Akasha: Aaliyah
Marius: Vincent Perez
Maharet: Lena Olin
When I first heard about a sequelto the hit movie based on Anne Rice’sfamous Vampire Chronicles books,Interview with the Vampire,I was mildly interested. When I heard it had Lestat, the vampire from thefirst, returning to be a rock star, I lost interest. Having not read thebooks I didn’t know what to think. Then when the film released lastFebruary I let it slip by. But I intended to watch it on DVD and I kindof wish I would have seen it at the theater because what I found was adecent and different kind of sequel.
Queen of the Damned tells the story of ancient vampire, Lestat, awakinghundreds of years later to our present time. Amazed by the difference,Lestat flocks to a new world where gods are made of those who sing andplay heavy metal. Sounds different huh? Lestat wants to be one of these”gods” and finds an inspiring metal band. He promises to give themeverything they’ve always wanted if he becomes the lead singer. And thisis only in the first few minutes. The band becomes insanely popular andLestat doesn’t hide the fact that he is a vampire.
He calls out to the vampire world to stop hiding. This draws theattention of a vampire historian named Jesse who wants to discover thesecrets of Lestat. A vampire covenant is also bent on silencing him.Meanwhile, the Queen of the Damned, Akasha (Aaliyah) awakens and isdrawn to Lestat’s music and pursues him as king. There are so many plotsgoing on in this movie that if I tell anymore it’ll spoil it.
Queen of the Damned may not hold a stake to the first film but it doesdo what a sequel is meant to do, provide something different. Who knewthat Lestat in Interview with the Vampire would go onto become a rockstar? Cheesy, yes. This was also Aaliyah’s last performance before herdeath and she is very good in this. I think she would have gone on to doeven better things but fate had a different plan. The movie does have aflaw or two though. One, there are WAY too many plots going on due tothe fact that two books have been combined. I found it difficult to sumit up for you. Next, some scenes are screaming to be cut, mostly in thebeginning. Those are the only real problems but it’s enough to knock itdown a few pegs.
It should be no suprise that Warner has released two seperate versions,full frame and widescreen. Into the disc, Warner has provided a greattransfer here. I wasn’t holding many expectations but this is one oftheir best. This is a movie that is pretty much consumed in darkness allthe time and they took that into detail as pixelization is nearlyimpossible to spot. Blacks are solid and deep. One of Warner’s besttransfers in awhile.
The sound is provided in 5.1 and is very good. Most of the moviecontains heavy metal music and it comes across very well. I never hadany problems with dialouge or anything.
Warner knew this movie had a following so they went the full nine. Tonsof extras pack this release. There is a nicely done featurette titled:Aaliyah Remembered and two others. Then there’s 13 deleted scenes andthe music videos featured in the film are here in their entirity.Extended concert sequences, a gag reel, and some production galleriesround it out. Oh and there’s cast and crew information as well. Quite abit of supplements.
Overall, don’t go in expecting the great storytelling of Interview withthe Vampire and you’ll like this movie just fine. A good transfer andsome great extras make this a good recommend or at least a weekendrental.
PICTURE QUALITY
SOUND QUALITY
EXTRAS
OVERALLEmailTraveta
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.