Interview With A Vampire Interview With The Vampire Soundtrack CD

The cassette version only of INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE on Geffen [2064 24719] was released on November 4, 1997.

All songs written by Elliot Goldenthal except "Sympathy For The Devil" (Mick Jagger/Keith Richards).

Elliot Goldenthal's original score for the movie INTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE freely mixes religious iconography, gothic mood swings, Wagnerian flourishes and gypsy-like airs to create a saturnine romantic backdrop for the movie's lurid tale of decadence and decay.

Like many of the great Hollywood score-composers, Goldenthal's writing is a pastiche of original ideas and notable effects drawn from the classics--such as the 20th century harmonies which enliven the first bars of "Escape To Paris," the Debussy-esque pastels of "Marche Funebre," the Bizet-styled dance steps of "Santiago's Waltz," and the "Rite Of Spring" imprint on "Plantation Pyre."

All of this bombast is thematically augmented by Guns N' Roses' cover of "Sympathy For The Devil," the only pop-oriented track on the soundtrack. W. Axl Rose's demonic vocal eerily symbolizes the dark themes Anne Rice first touched upon in her novel, and further illustrates GN'R's ability to interpret classic material in their own lurid mold.

Elliot Goldenthal's score to the Neil Jordan adaptation of Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire is appropriately gothic and romantic, and works well as its own entity. The only fault is the poor decision to include the tacky cover of "Sympathy for the Devil" by Guns N' Roses. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Elliot Goldenthall

Recorded at Manhattan Center Studios, New York and Rumbo Recorders, Canoga Park, California.

Producers: Matthias Gohl (tracks 1-18); Mike Clink, Guns N' Roses (track 19).

Engineers: Steve McLaughlin, Joel Iwataki (tracks 1-18); Mike Clink, Jim Mitchell (track 19).

Personnel: Ray Gniewek, Glen Dicterow (violin); Louise Schulman (viola); Bill Mays (piano); Wendy Young (harpsichord).

Audio Mixers: Joel Iwataki; Bill Price .

Recording information: Manhattan Center Studios, NY; Rumbo Recorders, Canoga Parks.

Editors: Todd Kasow; Michael Connell; Chris Brooks.

Photographer: François Duhamel.

Unknown Contributor Roles: Emile Charlap; Gary LeMel; The American Boychoir.