Queen of the Damned Student Edition Author: Anne Rice Director: Michael Rymer

Presented by: Kerry McCombs & Aimee Griffith Edited by: Dr. Kay Picart and Brett Ader

Timeline: Aims (1 min.) Anne Rice (3 min.) Michael Rymer (2 min.) Plot summary (1 min.) Film vs. Novel (6 min.) Character analysis (12 min.) Social constructs & clips (15 min.) Discussion (5 min.) Game (5 min.)

Aims: Facts about author & director Compare and contrast film and novel Character analysis Significance of gender, sexuality, class and race in novel and film. Educational fun.

Anne O’Brien Rice

Anne Rice Raised Catholic but does not consider herself part of the Catholic church. Intrigued by the transcendence of gender. Based Lestat on her husband, Stan Rice. Stan Rice’s poems are found throughout the novel. Also writes under the names A.N. Roquelaure and Anne Rampling.

More About Anne Feels that her vampires are tragic characters, tormented by their consciences. Dracula’s Daughter was first vampire film she viewed, inspiring her to create her own myth. "Writers write about what obsesses them. You draw those cards. I lost my mother when I was 14. My daughter died at the age of 6. I lost my faith as a Catholic. When I'm writing, the darkness is always there. I go where the pain is."

Michael Rymer Born in Australia Also directed Angel Baby (1995), Allie and Me (1997), In Too Deep (1999), and Perfume (2001). Produced the TV show Haunted (2002). Angel Baby won numerous awards.

Queen of the Damned Plot Summary A kasha, the mother of all vampires, has heard Lestat’s challenge for their kind to show themselves at his concert. She ventures out into the modern world to find Lestat and make him her new king. Jesse, a mortal woman, is intrigued by vampirism and seeks Lestat for answers to personal and professional questions. The Ancients search for Lestat to protect him from the vampires who are angry with him for revealing secrets about their history. In the end, The Ancients battle Akasha to her death preventing her from destroying the world they now live in.

Film Versus Novel What are some key differences between the film and the novel versions of Queen of the Damned?

Character Analysis

Lestat: “The Brat Prince” Lived as human in mid-1700s. Turned into vampire by “the bastard monster,” Marius Is now a rock star who considers himself, “the James Bond of vampires.” Often fights with his own human emotion and conscience. Becomes Akasha’s consort. Aids in killing Akasha in film.

Akasha: The Queen of the Damned Source of all vampires. 4,000 years old. Originally from Uruk, she was once an Egyptian queen, married to King Enkil. In novel, she has a plan to bring peace to the world by slaughtering most of the male population. Chooses Lestat over Marius as her consort.

Marius: Father of Lestat Centuries old, Roman. Created Lestat and his one true love, Armand. Care-taker of Akasha and Enkil while they are in “slumber.” Mature and serious. Hurt by Akasha’s disregard of his importance.

Jesse: Mortal Seeking Immortality Descendant of Maharet and Mekare Is a witch who uses her ability to speak to spirits in her work at Talamasca. Turned into vampire and becomes romantically linked to Lestat in film.

Maharet and Mekare: The Twins Legendary twins from Mount Carmel. Born witches, made vampires by Khayman. As children their society practiced cannibalism. In film, Maharet takes Akasha’s life and becomes The Queen of the Damned. However, in the novel her sister, Mekare gains this title. “‘Let the spirits witness; for theirs is the knowledge of the future – both what it would be, and what I will! You are the Queen of the Damned, that’s what you are! Your only destiny is evil, as well you know! But I shall stop you, if I must come back from the dead to do it. At the hour of your greatest menace it is I who will defeat you! It is I who will bring you down. Look well upon my face, for you will see me again!’” (pp. 411).

The Ancients Consist of the oldest vampires still in existence. Unite to end Akasha’s reign and save the world from her murderous plan. Want to protect Lestat. Includes Marius, Armand, Pandora, Khayman, Daniel, Mael, Santino, Louis, Gabrielle, Mekare and Maharet.

Significance of Social Constructs

Gender The Queen of the Damned gives several excellent examples of how gender is used in film and literature to display power and character evolution, name some: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sexuality This is a major theme in both the film and novel, yet the sexual norm is contrasted between them. Can you think of any examples of how this is prevalent? _____________________ _____________________ ___________________ ___________________

Class Class striations in history lead to the hierarchy of vampires within The Queen of the Damned. How does this occur in the film? ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________

Race Rice uses the whiteness of Greek sculptures as a model for her vampires. Akasha is portrayed as white in the novel. According to Maharet's tale, fair-skinned people like herself were murdered, she and her sister were spared because of their gift.

Discussion 1 How do Rice’s vampires differ from vampires in other films and books? 2 Are the deaths of the vampires in The Queen of the Damned different from the deaths of vampires in other works? 3 How are their appearances unique? 4 How is sexuality approached differently in Rice’s book and Rymer’s movie from other novels and films?

Bibliography Anne Rice. Movie Stars: Michael Rymer. Picture Gallery Page One. Queen of the Damned. Dir. Michael Rymer. Perf. Aaliyah and Stuart Townsend. Warner Bros. Records Inc., Queen of the Damned. Queen of the Damned. Rice, Anne. Queen of the Damned. New York: The Ballantine Publishing Group, The Official Site. Vampire Hunter Game.