With each subsequent episode of the new series Interview with the Vampire, streaming now on AMC, the series makes it clear how much it wants to bring out the LGBTQ+ elements of Anne Rice’s original novel. In this respect, it is very much in conversation with the 1994 film version starring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt.
However, it also takes its place among the other vampire movies and TV series which have included LGBQ+ themes in one way or another, either in terms of their stories or their general aesthetic. As every horror fan knows, there has long been a connection between the marginalized and the monstrous.
Interview With The Vampire (1994)
Stream On Tubi
Even though it is rather tame compared to the TV version of the story, there are still some LGBTQ+ elements present in the 1994 film version of Anne Rice’s novel. Among other things, there is a clear and potent chemistry between Tom Cruise’s Lestat and Brad Pitt’s Louis, and they even manage to make their own little family when Lestat transforms the girl Claudia into a very young vampire.
It is in his bond with the vampire Armand–played by Antonio Banderas–that Louis seems to find the most emotional fulfillment. It may not be straightforwardly LGBTQ+, but it comes very close.
First Kill (2022)
Stream On Netflix
Though it only lasted for a single season, First Kill is still a very notable Netflix series. It focuses on a teenage vampire, Juliette Fairmont, and monster killer, Calliope Burns, who increasingly find their lives, and loves, entangled with one another.
The series is deft in balancing the various components of its story. Thus, while the supernatural elements are a key part of the story, it also shows the ways in which teenagers often struggle with their sense of identity, even as they also have to deal with the pressures of friends and family.
The Hunger (1983)
Stream On HBO Max
Though it wasn’t an enormous success upon its release, The Hunger has gone on to become a beloved cult classic for many. With its central story focusing on a love triangle between a doctor, a vampire, and a vampiric consort, it’s hard not to feel its particular magnetic spell.
Of particular note is the extraordinary chemistry between Catherine Deneuve’s vampire Miriam Blaylock and Susan Sarandon’s Sarah Roberts. The film is also a visual feast for the eyes, with a production design that is very much in keeping with its vampiric character’s aristocratic mine.
Daughter Of Darkness (1971)
Stream On Tubi
In some ways, the 1970s was something of a golden age for lesbian vampire movies. Of these, one of the most notable was Daughter of Darknesswhich focuses on a pair of newlyweds who encounter a sinister female vampire countess, Elisabeth Bathory.
Like many of the other vampire movies of the period, it leans into its own Gothic excesses, and there is an archness to it that can be quite strange. At the same time, it is one of those exquisitely crafted horror movies that uses the conventions of the vampire to explore the darkness of the human soul.
True Blood (2008-2014)
Stream On HBO Max
For much of its run, True Blood was one of the best series on HBO. It managed to take the lore of vampires in some new and exciting directions, and it was a show which was unapologetic in its depiction of sexuality. This was particularly true when it came to the inclusion of LGBTQ+ vampires and people, and there were a number of notable characters in this regard.
Perhaps most important were the chef Lafayette and Russell Edgington, both of whom became LGBTQ+ icons in their own right. It’s easy to see why this series has achieved quite a following among the LGBTQ+ community.
American Horror Story: Hotel (2011)
Stream On Hulu
FX’s American Horror Story is widely seen as one of Ryan Murphy’s best projects. Though there are many seasons of the series, Hotel is the one that is most remarkable when it comes to the depiction of vampires. Of particular note is Lady Gaga, who plays the vampiric Countess who dwells in the hotel of the title.
Of course, since this is a Ryan Murphy production, the LGBTQ+ element is evident in everything from the characters to the camp spectacle of the series as a whole. It is a sumptuous feast that shows why Murphy remains one of today’s foremost creators of horror fiction.
Bit (2019)
Stream On Prime Video
It very quickly becomes clear that Bit is a truly special vampire movie. Among other aspects, it features a transgender protagonist, Laurel, who finds herself slowly drawn into a sinister group of vampires who want to make her one of their own.
Though this is fascinating in and of itself, the movie is also not afraid to explore other issues. In particular, it uses the established conventions of vampire mythology to craft a surprisingly thoughtful critique of patriarchal culture. In that sense, it has a great deal to offer
What We Do In The Shadows (2019-Present)
Stream On Hulu
Very quickly, it has become clear that What We Do in the Shadows is one of the best FX series. Focusing on a group of vampires living on Long Island, as well as the long-suffering familiar Guillermo, it is the type of series which shows just how much life there is left in the vampire trope.
On one level, the series is, quite simply, hilarious, and there is undeniable chemistry among the various members of the cast. However, it is also notable for how it makes LGBTQ+ characters and issues a key part of its story. It is, more than anything else, an LGBTQ+ vampire series that allows the viewer to truly love its characters and all of their idiosyncrasies.
Third (2019)
Streaming On AMC+
While the LGBTQ+ element is often thinly veiled in vampire movies and TV shows, it rarely becomes explicit. This is not the case with the Icelandic movie Thirdwhich brings the subtext right out in the open for everyone to enjoy and savor.
Though the vampire in this movie is inarguably its main concession to LGBTQ+ representation, Third goes out of its way to make sure the viewer understands that it is the humans who are the true monsters. What’s more, despite all the gore, it is also a movie that manages to be remarkably funny.
Interview With The Vampire (2022-Present)
Stream On AMC+
From its very first episode, Interview with the Vampire reveals that it is going to take Anne Rice’s story in some new and fascinating directions. Among other things, it makes Louis explicitly gay, though he is struggling with that part of himself given that the story takes place in the 1910s.
Most interestingly, it also renders explicit the romance between Lestat and Louis, something mostly just hinted at in the 1994 movie. This allows the series to explore what it means for these two beings to spend eternity together, and it also allows for a fuller, richer, more emotionally resonant look at what it means for vampires to actually be LGBTQ+.
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