You might not believe this but almost no one that was involved with the film Interview With The Vampire actually read the book. Tom Cruise managed to read the entire series so he was at least up on what the part had to offer and what the story was all about. However Brad Pitt and the director, Neil Jordan, didn’t bother reading the entire book. In Jordan’s case it’s been said that he was simply too lazy to read the series, while Pitt didn’t get past the first chapter since he thought the book was a waste of time. That’s not exactly high praise from those that are in many ways responsible for the story and how it looks on film.
From the director’s standpoint Jordan should have been one of the first to at least peruse the book and try to get the main points. A director’s life might be extremely busy and filled from sun up to sun down with things to do but when the movie you’re working on demands a great wealth of detail and adherence to the story it should be deemed important to actually read the thing. A screenplay can only go so far in describing what needs to be in the movie, while a book can give the level of description needed to really flesh things out.
The actor’s should at least read the passages that have to do with their characters, as this could allow them to really nail the emotional states, the looks, and the reactions of said characters to their environment. If nothing else reading the book gives the actor the right state of mind to enter so that they might bring their character to life in a much more professional and efficient way. I might not be an actor or know how to get into character but there is a big difference between those that enjoy the roles they’re put into and those that don’t. In some regards it was possible to see how Brad Pitt did not fully enjoy this movie, while it seemed that Tom Cruise was at least willing to put up a brave front and get into his character.
There was no real word on whether Kirsten Dunst had read the book at all, though her character was fairly important. It does seem counterproductive to not assign the passages of the book that have to do with each character so that they can understand the role they’re playing and assimilate to it in an easier manner. Of course what do I know? I’m just a writer voicing an opinion. Of course it’s one that might be voiced by countless other fans that would surely be dumbstruck to learn that quite often their favorite actors don’t really get into the characters they play until the final moment when they must put up or shut up.
Those actors that go the extra mile and read the book that inspires their movie, if there is one, are those that tend to do the best.
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