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Interview with the Vampire movie cover Movie Locations Guide

Where was Interview with the Vampire filmed?

1994

City Locations

Destrehan (USA), Shreveport (USA), Vacherie (USA), New Orleans (USA), Louisiana (USA)

Location Types

Hotels/Motels, Mansions, Theatres, Film Studio

Location Styles

French, Gothic/Victorian, Building Dated/Retro, Colonial, Foreign

About Interview with the Vampire

Neil Jordan's 1994 American gothic horror vampire film, Interview with the Vampire, is based on Anne Rice's 1976 novel of the same name. It boasts an all-star cast, with Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt sharing the lead roles. Jordan's production, which closely follows its source material, follows a young reporter (played by Christian Slater) who interviews a man professing to be two centuries old vampire.

Louis (Pitt) recalls being acquainted with the charismatic and luxurious Lestat (Cruise) in 18th-century New Orleans. Lestat introduces Louis to the world of blood-sucking and immortality, though Louis cannot seem to accept Lestat's devil-may-care attitude, instead struggling with guilt over his new way of life. Despite this, their bond strengthens over the years, intertwined with other immortals, including Claudia (Kirsten Dunst), a grown woman trapped in a child's body.

Rice, and fans of the novel, championed Julian Sands, a British actor, to play the role of Lestat. Given that Sands hadn’t quite earned his status as an A-lister in the industry, much to the dismay of Rice and fans, Cruise was brought on board to take up the role. After retracting her stance on Cruise, audiences embraced the enthralling blend of romance and gothic horror.

Originally cast as Daniel Molloy, when River Phoenix died four weeks before filming commenced, Slater replaced him as the interviewer. Admirably, Slater donated his salary earned from the film to charitable organizations Phoenix backed.

Released in November 1994, the film was a hit with positive reviews and success at the box office. The production earned Oscar nominations for Best Art Direction and Best Original Score, as well as a Golden Globe nomination for Kirsten Dunst in the Best Supporting Actress category.

Interview with the Vampire Locations

Interview with the Vampire was filmed in Destrehan, Shreveport, Vacherie, and New Orleans, Louisiana. Other filming locations included Palais-Royal and Palais Garnier in Paris, Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Marble Hill Park in Surrey, and St Paul's Church in London. Oak Alley Plantation served as Louis de Pointe du Lac’s estate in the movie.

Overall, the Interview with the Vampire production process largely took place in New Orleans and London. Destrehan Plantation, just west of New Orleans, and Oak Alley Plantation in Vacherie were used to create Louis's plantation. To conjure up the look of 18th-and early 19th-century New Orleans, shooting took place on location in the French Quarter, and a waterfront set was constructed along the Mississippi river.

After wrapping up the filming portion in New Orleans, production moved to London, where interior sets were built at Pinewood Studios. Dante Ferretti designed the interiors such as Louis and Claudia's townhouse in New Orleans, Claudia and Louis's Parisian hotel suite, the Théâtre des Vampires (on Pinewood's 007 Stage), and the catacombs for the Parisien vampires.

San Francisco provided the setting for the Golden Gate Bridge scenes, while the external facade of Louis's hotel was situated at Taylor Street, Market Street, and Golden Gate Avenue intersection. The city is also where they filmed exterior and lobby scenes of Opera Garnier, for the scenes where Louis and Claudia arrive in Paris.

Fun Fact:

A separate sequel, Queen of the Damned, was released in 2002 with Stuart Townsend stepping into Cruise's shoes as Lestat.

Louis tells his story to Molloy scene in Interview with the Vampire

1020 Market St. San Francisco, Ca. 94102

You won't find the 'St Martin' hotel in San Francisco, the fictional setting for Louis and Daniel Malloy's conversation. However, the building used in the film can be found at 1020 Market Street in downtown San Francisco.

Louis recounts his life as a wealthy plantation owner living in 1791 Louisiana, and Molloy responds by making the audacious request of becoming Louis' new vampire companion. His story not understood, Louis angrily lashes out to frighten Molloy away. As Molloy retreats to his car and drives off, the sound of Louis' interview plays from his car cassette tapes.

Market Street is San Francisco's widest and longest street, spanning a whopping 120 feet wide from edge to edge. It runs as straight as an arrow from the Ferry Building on the bay's waterfront, all the way to the Castro district and Twin Peaks beyond. Taking a stroll along Market Street is the best way to truly appreciate the multifaceted nature of San Francisco.

The street starts at the 1898 Ferry Building and ends, for all intents and purposes, at Castro Street - where a large, brightly colored rainbow flag waves 24/7. To get there, take a bus to Market St and Gough St. ​From there, it is easy to make your way to the Flatiron building that served as the St. Martin Hotel in the film.

Louis turns into a vampire scene in Interview with the Vampire

Lafayette Cemetery No.1, 1400 Washington Ave, New Orleans, LA 70130, United States

Following the passing of his wife and child, Louis has lost all hope and aimlessly stumbles upon the New Orleans waterfront. Here he meets Lestat de Lioncourt, a vampire, who senses his unhappiness with life and offers to make him a vampire as well, which Louis willingly accepts before being transformed.

On-screen, the final reverence for Louis de Pointe du Lac's beloved family exists in the hallowed grounds of Lafayette Cemetery No.1. Established in 1833, Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 is a historical graveyard located in the Garden District of New Orleans. It was named after the City of Lafayette, an annexed suburb of New Orleans, which existed before its absorption into the larger metropolis in 1852. To this day, it remains an active cemetery.

To get to this Interview with the Vampire filming location, you can either take the St.Charles Streetcar line to Washington Avenue or simply drive all the way up to where Prytania and Washington intersect for a hassle-free parking spot.

Louis watches a sunrise scene in Interview with the Vampire

Phoenix Cinema, 52 High Rd, London N2 9PJ, United Kingdom

Louis watches a sunrise for the first time in 200 years at the Phoenix Cinema. The movie set still stands, as filming took place mainly in the UK, with London being the main focus, and Phoenix Cinema situated at 52 High Road. East Finchley was used for the interior scenes of the picture house.

The Phoenix Cinema was originally constructed in 1910 as the 'East Finchley Picturedrome', and it proudly proclaims its status as the oldest cinema in ongoing use in the UK. It underwent remodeling during the 1930s and is now a listed building. Thanks to a local campaign, it was saved from redevelopment and is now owned and operated by a trust.

One of the best ways to get to the Phoenix Cinema London is by public transport. The fastest and easiest way to reach the cinema is on the Central Line of the London Underground, a short journey from central London. While you can also get to Phoenix via bus or even car, nothing beats the convenience and speed of taking the Tube.

Louis and Claudia meet Santiago and Armand scene in Interview with the Vampire

Palais Garnier, 8 Rue Scribe, 75009 Paris, France

Louis and Claudia stay in a Parisian hotel with an opulent lobby: the Palais Garnier, home of the Opéra National de Paris located at Place de l'Opéra. When it was first opened in 1875, it was said to resemble an "overloaded sideboard". It is now recognized as a magnificent work of art though not quite as grandiose as initially perceived.

After traveling across Europe and the Mediterranean without finding any other vampires, Louis and Claudia settle in Paris in September 1870. By mere luck, Louis ran into Santiago (Stephan Rea) and Armand (Antonio Banderas) who then extended an invitation to join their mysterious coven: the Théâtre des Vampires.

Here vampires perform theatrical horror shows for unsuspecting humans. On their way out, Santiago reads Louis's thoughts and suspects that they had killed Lestat. Armand warns Louis to send Claudia away for her safety and he remains with Armand to learn about being a vampire.

To get to where they filmed the Interview with a Vampire scene, take a bus headed to the Opera bus stop. If you want to stroll through the historic streets of Paris, opt for a ride on the Metro or an Uber, and you'll arrive in no time. The closest stop is either the Opéra Metro off Line 3 or Auber RER station off Line A which both offer direct access to this beautiful and iconic venue.

Lestat and Molloy's Golden Gate Bridge scene in Interview with the Vampire

Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, CA, United States

The thrilling conclusion of the story brings us back to San Francisco, where Lestat makes a surprise reappearance as Malloy drives across the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. After attacking Molloy and taking control of the car, he is revived by Molloy's blood. Lestat then allows him to become something he never dreamed of - a vampire - before gleefully laughing and driving off.

San Francisco's famed landmark, the Golden Gate Bridge, opened to the public in 1937 after a four-year-long battle against harsh winds, fog, rock, and hazardous tides. The bridge measures 1.7 miles long with towers that reach an impressive 746 feet in height - it was even taller than any building in San Francisco!

Two cables - stretching over 7,000 feet and supported by thousands of miles of wire each - hold up the roadway and are securely attached to concrete anchorages on shore. To get there, and depending on your starting location, you can take advantage of commuter trains like BART or CalTrain, or city buses for access between cities.

Master and apprentice scene in Interview with the Vampire

Oak Alley Plantation, 3645 Hwy. 18 Vacherie, La. 70090

For Louis to be transformed, Lestat makes him witness the death of his plantation's overseer expecting his approval. Despite having a low opinion of his own life, Louis holds great value in other people's lives and is immensely disturbed by the overseer's death, which ultimately prevents him from completing the murder.

Nestled between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, the majestic Oak Alley mansion - constructed in 1839 - can be explored by visitors on nearly every day of the week. This historical structure acquired its name from the twenty-eight oak trees that line up to it, which have also been featured in The Long, Hot Summer (1985) and Midnight Bayou (2009) starring Faye Dunaway.

If traveling from New Orleans Airport, it’s only an hour's drive going west on I-10. If coming up from Baton Rouge just take Highway 61 North and then East on Highway 18 until you reach the plantation.

Conclusion

Interview with the Vampire is an action-packed and engaging film that offers a thoughtful exploration of the vampire myth, often seen in horror films. It examines the emotional and moral consequences of becoming undead, questioning why living forever might be a bad thing and how killing isn't always joyful for its fictional characters.

However, at other times the film employs the vampire myth solely to showcase horrific acts of violence, with no thought-provoking elements. The film has an R rating, given that these violent murders occur every few minutes, and that there is an abundance of blood and gore shown on screen. People will find it interesting that it delves deeply into the effects of the character’s choices and how they feel about causing harm to others.