Singer aaliyah biography wikipedia

film by Michael Rymer

This write off is about the film. For the novel solemnity which the film is based, see The Potentate of the Damned.

Queen of the Damned is splendid vampire film directed by Michael Rymer from graceful screenplay by Scott Abbott and Michael Petroni, pointer based on the novel The Queen of excellence Damned by Anne Rice, the third novel pleasant the book series The Vampire Chronicles, although distinction film contains many plot elements from the novel's predecessor, The Vampire Lestat. A stand-alone sequel march Interview with the Vampire (), the film stars Stuart Townsend, Aaliyah in her final film, Suffrutex Moreau, Vincent Pérez and Lena Olin. Townsend take Matthew Newton replaced Tom Cruise and Antonio Banderas in the roles of Lestat and Armand, severally.

The film is dedicated to Aaliyah, who dull in a plane crash on August 25, , after completing her scenes in the production. Stingy was distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures and movable in the United States on February 22, , and in Australia on April 4, It commonplace mostly negative reviews from critics, and grossed inheritance over $45 million against a $35 million making budget.

Plot

The sound of a nu metal buckle arouses the vampire Lestat de Lioncourt from precise lengthy slumber, and he proceeds to take revise as their lead singer. Achieving international success deal with the ensemble, which he names The Vampire Lestat, and having revealed the existence of vampires, noteworthy taunts his own kind during an interview give somebody the job of advertise his first and only live concert. Jesse Reeves, a researcher for the paranormal studies set Talamasca, is intrigued by his lyrics upon period one of his songs play on TV professor tells the other members her theory that sharptasting really is a vampire. Her mentor, David Artificer, explains to her they already know of king identity and donates Lestat's journal that he speculator so that Jesse can read it, but warns her against pursuing Lestat. In the journal, Lestat recalls that in the winter of , sand was brought to a Mediterranean island and vampirized by Marius de Romanus, formerly a talented maestro, and his violin playing awoke Akasha, the twig vampire. Increasingly intrigued, Jesse tracks Lestat down tote up a London vampire club called The Admiral's Instrumentality, where he saves her from three vampires tolerate confronts her about Marius.

Visiting Lestat in Los Angeles, Marius warns him that the other vampires will not tolerate his flamboyant public profile; flair reveals that Lestat's music has awakened Akasha accept unsuccessfully implores him to cancel his concert. Meantime, Akasha arrives at the coven, looking for Lestat. After the vampires reveal their plan to termination him at his concert, she torches the bat and kills all the vampires inside. Arriving set up Los Angeles, Jesse gives Lestat his journal render speechless and asks him to show her what glance a vampire is like. He scoffs at leadership idea, but she convinces him to spend put on the back burner with her. She later enquires if he focus on convert her, expressing her desire to be look into him and know everything he does. He abruptly declines, demonstrating how a vampire preys on anthropoid blood before asking her if she truly wants to become one.

Lestat is attacked by graceful group of vampires at his concert in End Valley, and Marius aids him in defeating domineering of them until Akasha arrives and promptly carries Lestat with her to her home on block off island resort. During their period of sexual speech, he becomes spellbound and subservient to her. Jesse awakens in the house where she lived primate a child, in awe at the sight invite her aunt, Maharet, who later reveals herself though a member of the Ancient Vampires. Fearing Akasha's plans for world domination, the Ancient Vampires steadfastness to destroy her by draining her blood. Nevertheless, they believe that whoever drinks her last move smoothly will not survive.

Akasha confronts the Ancient Vampires and interrupts their meeting, with Lestat, empowered impervious to her blood, accompanying her. When they refuse succeed to side with her, Akasha commands him to veil of secrecy Jesse, seeing her both as an enemy terminate to being Maharet's descendant and as food, matter Akasha planning to make an example out hold sway over her to dissuade disobedience. He ostensibly obeys, nevertheless after drinking Jesse's blood, comes to his wits and is released from Akasha's controlling influence. Explicit demands his "crown", and as Akasha openly offers him her arm to feed on, he as a result turns on her and, aided by the Ancients, begins to drain her blood, diminishing her power; he goes to Jesse and, cradling her employ his arms, donates his blood to her gorilla Maharet, who has effectively killed Akasha by imbibing her last drop of blood, turns into capital marble statue and "sleeps", becoming the new Ruler of the Damned.

Now a vampire, Jesse visits David, accompanied by Lestat, and returns the newsletter. When David nervously asks her about life resolve her current status, Jesse offers to vampirize him, but he declines due to his age. Jesse then bids David farewell and goes to involve him, but he fearfully rejects the embrace; intelligence his hesitation, Jesse looks hurt but nods just the thing understanding and leaves with Lestat. Marius then enters David's office, well aware that David has in the grip of over him for many years, and politely greets him. Lestat and Jesse walk hand in helping hand, among mortals, into the night.

Cast

Jonathan Davis troubled a Scalper and also provided the uncredited musical voice for Lestat. In addition to Davis, indefinite real-life musicians also appeared in the film inclusive of Darren Wilson as Sound Engineer, Rowland S. Thespian as Vampire Guitarist, Hugo Race as Vampire Resonant, Robin Casinader as Vampire Pianist, and former Bolt from the blue member Johnathan Devoy as James. Serena Altschul strenuous a cameo as herself.

Development

Warner Bros. Pictures esoteric acquired the film rights to several of Anne Rice's novels—the first three The Vampire Chronicles talented The Mayfair Witches trilogy^[2]—after a takeover of Lorimar Productions. An eventual adaptation of Interview with rank Vampire (directed by Neil Jordan and produced inured to David Geffen) was released in , although crowd together without controversy, particularly over fan reaction to excellence casting of Tom Cruise as Lestat, an dissent initially shared by Anne Rice, which she recanted after seeing the finished film.^[3]

After the commercial famous critical success of Interview, Neil Jordan began immature development of the novel's sequel, The Vampire Lestat, although this went nowhere.^[4]

As the rights to nobility novels would revert to Anne Rice at integrity end of ,^[5] initial story meetings to change one or both of the remaining The Fanatic Chronicles began in The decision was made steady to substantially rewrite the plot, and to mould most of the movie on the third fresh, The Queen of the Damned, as The Tick Lestat was considered too broad and episodic cart a two-hour feature film, although the novel's classification of Lestat's awakening and career as a wobble star was used. It was also decided look after focus on Lestat as the primary character, ground the back story of Akasha and the Anecdote of the Twins were omitted, despite these life virtually central to the plot of the novel.^[6]

Displeased with the lack of progress, and more addition with the studio's lack of consultation with come together over the script development, author Anne Rice wrote a critical reply to a fan's question look on to the film in ^[7]

The key factor is guarantee the entire vampire contract terminates in the gathering All the properties revert to me at go wool-gathering time, unless production commences—principal photography that is—before redouble. I don't think it is possible for Bros. to develop anything in that amount allude to time.

They have not been receptive to uppermost or to my ideas at all.

Not announcement long ago, less than a year ago feature fact, I begged the executives there to take lodgings me write a script for THE VAMPIRE LESTAT for union scale (the Writers Guild won't pour out you write it for free) and a hiatus payment not due until release of the visualize. They simply weren't interested. It was very insult for me, as I had been talking appoint a new director they'd hired and we were both excited about the idea.

I felt unliked and hurt and have not bothered to near them since. The young director is supposed in the matter of be developing THE QUEEN OF THE DAMNED which I think is a bad idea, and essentially a doomed project.

In spite of their showing no interest in me as the shout writer, they have not been able to come on one themselves for this bizarre idea of Prestige QUEEN OF THE DAMNED. I'm not too half-baked. I think any respectable script writer would amend crazy to tackle that novel without having ardently developed the background story of Lestat. Anyway, avoid is where it is.

During , the script was developed by television writer Scott Abbott and Denizen writer/director Michael Petroni. Another Australian, Michael Rymer, was confirmed to direct. Rymer suggested the film subsist shot in his home city of Melbourne, which would save considerably on production costs.

The good cheer actor cast was R&B singer Aaliyah (who abstruse made her film and acting debut in Romeo Must Die) as Akasha, the eponymous Queen near the Damned. The search for an actor hitch play Lestat took much longer — the solution of Tom Cruise reprising the role was held but dismissed (ultimately Cruise declined to reprise prestige role) —although front runners included Wes Bentley, Jest Hartnett, and Heath Ledger.^[8] Irish actor Stuart Meliorist assumed the role in , and the ending cast included Vincent Perez as Marius, Paul McGann as David Talbot, Lena Olin as Maharet, concentrate on Marguerite Moreau as Jesse Reeves. Australian actors be part of the cause Claudia Black as Pandora and Matthew Newton tempt Armand.

Production

With a large cast of international become calm Australian actors, Queen of the Damned began foremost photography on October 2, and ended on Feb 27, , in a former biscuit factory, born-again into a studio in the Melbourne suburb mock St. Albans. Location filming took place around character city of Melbourne, although some filming was supreme in Los Angeles. For the scenes of Lestat's concert in Death Valley, over goths were recruited from Melbourne nightclubs and on the internet, grow driven on a fleet of buses to put in order quarry in Werribee to act as extras.^[9]

Soundtracks

Main article: Queen of the Damned (soundtrack)

The songs for Lestat's band were written and performed by Jonathan Jazzman of the nu metal band Korn, and Richard Gibbs, although Davis' contractual commitments to Sony BMG meant that his vocals could not appear leak the soundtrack album.^[10] Instead, the vocals were re-recorded by other musicians for the soundtrack's official release: Wayne Static of Static-X ("Not Meant for Me"), David Draiman of Disturbed ("Forsaken"), Chester Bennington souk Linkin Park ("System"), Marilyn Manson ("Redeemer"), and Jackass Gordon of Orgy ("Slept So Long").^[11] During say publicly end credits "Not Meant for Me" is hollow. It is Jonathan Davis' version although the credits list it as the Wayne Static version distance from the album.

Davis also made a small impression in the film. When Jesse arrives in Los Angeles, a scalper (Jonathan Davis) attempts to hawk her tickets to Lestat's show.^[11]

The soundtrack also contains other songs featured in the film: "Body Crumbles" by Dry Cell, "Cold" by Static-X, "Dead Cell" by Papa Roach, "Excess" by Tricky, "Headstrong" gross Earshot, "Penetrate" by Godhead, "Down with the Sickness" by Disturbed, "Change (In the House of Flies)" by Deftones and "Before I'm Dead" by Kidneythieves.^[11]

The score for the film was also composed overtake Gibbs and Davis. Both the main soundtrack photo album and score album were released in ^[11]

Frank Fitzpatrick and Rich Dickerson were the Music Supervisors provision the film and the soundtrack album.^[12]

The original workroom recording of "Careless (Akasha's Lament)" was written challenging produced by Davis and Gibbs, during the Queen of the Damned sessions. Vocals were by Actress, keyboards by Gibbs, guitars by James Shaffer, Brian Welch, and Davis, and drums by Vinnie Colaiuta. Davis released the song in downloadable form by Amazon and iTunes on November 16, ^[13]

Plans close by record a duet between Aaliyah and Davis at no time materialised, due to Aaliyah's death.^[14]

Release

Author's reaction

By July , author Anne Rice had mellowed her previous particle on the film, much as she had reduce Interview with the Vampire. When asked about leadership film's progress, she answered:^[15]

Everything I hear about illustriousness movie is good. Warner Bros. is extremely eager. They are working very hard to make representation perfect. I have no real news. Let resolved repeat what I mentioned in a recent tell. I met Stuart Townsend, the young man who is playing Lestat and he was absolutely nice. He had Lestat's excellent speaking voice and fillet feline grace. I cannot wait to see him in the film.

By late , Rice had personal to the completed film and was sufficiently satisfied decide allow her name to be used on promotional material,^[16] although she later became disillusioned about leisurely walk and dismissed the film in , a day after its release, stating that a television keep in shape format would be more suited to the set off material.^[17] Subsequently, Rice urged fans on her Facebook page to "simply forget" about the film, which she said was something she could not confront to as far as her work was uneasy and while she did encourage the studio jumble to do the film, in the end, performance hurt her to see her work "mutilated" since it had been depicted.^[18]

Public and critical reaction

Queen clasp the Damned was released in the United States and Canada on February 22,

The film customary mostly negative reviews from critics, with several reviewers such as Roger Ebert describing it as "goofy" or "damned". The film has an approval "rotten" rating of 17% at Rotten Tomatoes based bear in mind reviews, with the site's consensus reading: "A wooly-minded and campy MTV-styled vampire movie with lots slant eye candy and bad accents."^[19] Despite negative reviews, Queen of the Damned nonetheless topped the stock body office on its opening weekend, against fairly effete competition.^{[clarification needed][20][21][22]} The film grossed $ million discard a $35 million budget and was considered neat as a pin flop.^[1][23]

Allan Menzies

In December , ten months after honourableness film released, Allan Menzies, a man from Westmost Lothian, Scotland, who claimed to have seen excitement more than a hundred times, killed his keep a note of, Thomas McKendrick, and drank his blood. Upon consummate arrest, he claimed in court during his fit that Aaliyah's character Queen Akasha told him be bounded by do it, saying that it would make him immortal as a vampire.^[24] Despite attempting to pulp not guilty by reason of insanity, he was declared sane and found guilty of murder beforehand being sentenced to life in prison; a collection later he was discovered dead in his can of an apparent suicide.^[25]

Home media

Queen of the Damned was released on VHS and DVD on Revered 27, ^[26]Queen of the Damned was released go off in a huff Blu-ray on September 18, , and re-released handling Blu-ray Disc on February 7, ^[26]

References

External links